A Lovely Lie
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Author: Jaime Lynn Hendricks

I requested a digital advanced readers copy from NetGalley, Penzler Publishers and HighBridge Audio and providing my opinion voluntarily and unbiased.

Synopsis: 1999: The night of their senior picnic, Scarlett Russo and her best friend Pepper were involved in a car accident that left two of their classmates dead. Afterward, they lied to the police, protecting each other from the consequences. Then Pepper left town and Scarlett never heard from her again…

Now: Twenty-two years later, Scarlett has buried that deadly incident deep in her mind and built a comfortable life for herself, working in a hotel on the west coast of Florida and raising her teenage son with her husband Vince. Her peace is disrupted, however, when Pepper’s daughter shows up with news of Pepper’s death. Zoey is twenty-one and studying to be an investigative journalist. She has a cryptic letter from Pepper addressed to Scarlett that alludes to the events of that fateful night and Pepper’s initial intentions to get an abortion. Now Zoey wants answers about her mother’s past. Who is Zoey’s father? And what really happened after the senior picnic? As Zoey continues to dig into the past, all of Scarlett’s buried secrets threaten to rise to the surface.

My Thoughts: I am a HUGE fan of Hendricks works, having read all of them. In 1999, Scarlett and her best friend, Pepper, were at a senior picnic. They were involved in an accident that left two students dead, and then lied to the police to cover up their involvement. Pepper then left town, leaving Scarlett behind and Scarlett never heard from Pepper agin. Fast forward to the present, Scarlett is married to Vince and they have a teenage son. Life is comfortable until Zoey shows up. Zoey is Pepper’s daughter and has a cryptic note that Pepper left behind. The letter alludes to Pepper’s pregnancy and her initial thought of an abortion. Zoey wants answers to her mother’s past, primarily who her father is and what happened that faithful night. This follows the trope of college co-ed murder mystery.

This twisty psychological thriller from Hendricks is full of lies, betrayal, and scandalous characters. Initially, all of the characters are not likable. However, as the story unfolds, I can connect with Scarlett and Zoey. It is a cat and mouse game of finding out who the most scandalous, who is the biggest liar, who was cheating on whom, and who is the most despicable. By far, I think Pepper is the most scandalous of the characters. Pepper is definitely the mean girl with Scarlett being the follower. While I did connect with Scarlett, I was also yelling at her for staying with Vince, who was a piece of work. While some parts of the story are outlandish, I thought the plot was executed well.

The story is narrated by Scarlett and Zoey, with some other narrators, such as Vince, Chris, and Pepper. The story is an alternating time narrative, from 1999 to the present. Scarlett was, and still is to a degree, a people pleaser, a follower. Pepper was queen bee, the most popular kid in class, and down right mean to people. Vince was the star of the football team and loved Pepper, more than life itself. They broke up and got to together so many times, people lost track. Chris is Vince’e best friend and now business partner. Then Zoey just wants to know who her father was, which Pepper refused to tell her. The characters were well developed, fleshed out, were mysterious, secretive, and intriguing. The supporting characters really elevated the game on this book. The author’s writing style was complex, multilayered, twisty, suspenseful, and brilliant. The flow and pacing of the book was perfection. The plot was developed in twisty multifaceted layers with a conclusion that is explosive 💥.

Hendricks is a masterful storyteller and is able to spin twists from twists and times the twists at the most perfect moment. It was compelling, captivating, chilling, creepy, dark, disturning, and gripping, keeping you on the edge of your seat. I guessed some of the twists, but there were still a few unpredictable surprises. If you like Freida McFadden, John Marrs, Daniel Hurst, or Alex Finlay, you will love this novel. I highly recommend picking up today, or borrowing from the library.

A lie from their past continues to haunt them

On what should have been a night of fun and celebration after their high school graduation in a Florida town, the class of 1999’s Senior Picnic at a local fair is instead marred by tragedy. Two classmates, Julian and Chloe, are dead as a result of what is ruled a tragic car accident. Chloe was by all accounts very drunk, and Julian was in the wrong place at the wrong time. But it wasn’t really that simple. Pepper, head cheerleader and the most popular girl, and her best friend Scarlett were involved somehow but successfully hid that information from the authorities. Pepper persuaded Scarlett to leave the scene, to not call the authorities, and to stick to the story she created. Pepper left town immediately after, and cut off all communication with those she left behind….her ex-boyfriend Vince, Vince’s best friend (and boyfriend of Chloe) Chris, and of course Scarlett. Pepper left with another secret, one that only Scarlett knew….she was pregnant, and planned on having an abortion once she arrived in NY to attend NYU and pursue her dream of becoming a successful actress. In the years since she left, Scarlett and Vince married and have a son, Luke, who is Scarlett’s world. Their marriage is rocky, begun due to the unplanned pregnancy and plagued by VInce’s infidelities. Vince never truly got over Pepper, and Scarlett is only too accustomed to coming in second behind her former friend. Vince and Chris remain close friends and share a successful business. A bombshell arrives in their life out of the blue…..Zoey, Pepper’s daughter, arrives in town with the news that Pepper is dead and that she is in search of her birth father whose identity Pepper concealed from her. Given Zoey’s age, everyone assumes that Vince is her father, but they don’t volunteer that information given the ramifications such news will bring. But Zoey, a budding investigative journalist, is determined to discover the mystery surrounding her mother’s departure from Florida….and doesn’t care whose long hidden secrets she exposes in the process.
In a thriller which blends the worst of high school drama with the damage that secrets held can wreak on the present, A Lovely Lie is a page-turner full of twists. The reader knows from the first chapter that Pepper and Scarlett have made a decision to hide a secret with a lie, but it turns out that there are other secrets and other lies that this group of friends and classmates possess. Scarlett has found herself in a less-than-perfect marriage, in a job she doesn’t love, but with a son who makes everything else possible. Vince is easy to dislike on many levels, and getting to know him better doesn’t improve one’s opinion of him. Zoe shares her mother’s single mindedness, and runs roughshod over those who seek to keep her in the dark….but she, and the other characters, discover that sometimes it is better to live with a “lovely lie” than to have to deal with the ugly truth. Readers of Megan Lally, Stacy Willingham and Christina MacDonaly will find this fast-paced mystery a worthy read. Many thanks to NetGalley and Penzler Publishers/Scarlet for allowing me early access to this well-plotted read,

Jaime Lynn Hendricks' "A Lovely Lie" masterfully unravels a web of secrets and lies that have been buried for over two decades. The protagonist, Scarlett Russo, thought she had left her troubled past behind until Pepper’s daughter, Zoey, arrives with unsettling questions and a cryptic letter. Hendricks skillfully blends past and present, creating a narrative that is both suspenseful and emotionally charged. The novel explores themes of friendship, betrayal, and the consequences of long-buried secrets. The characters are richly drawn, with Scarlett's internal struggles and Zoey's relentless pursuit of the truth driving the plot forward. "A Lovely Lie" is a compelling psychological thriller that keeps readers on edge, questioning every character's motives and the nature of truth itself. Hendricks proves once again her ability to craft a page-turner that is as thought-provoking as it is gripping.

Jaime Lynn Hendricks's latest, A LOVELY LIE, is a multi-layered twisty domestic thriller as the past and present collide— dark secrets, betrayal, manipulation, and murder are unraveled with jaw-dropping twists. #Covercrush

Is it better to believe a lovely lie or know the horrible truth?

Audiobook...
I read the book and listened to the audiobook narrated by one of my favorites, Hillary Huber, delivering an outstanding and entertaining performance for all voices. Unputdownable!

About...
With dual timelines, we visit the past/present.

PAST: 1999: Scarlett and her best friend Pepper, teens drunk after a party, are involved in a deadly car accident, leaving two of their classmates dead. Both lied to the cops, and no one was held accountable. Pepper moved on to New York to explore her acting career, and Scarlett in Florida, married to Pepper's old boyfriend. Now they have a son, Luke.

PRESENT: 22 years later
Scarlett is a hotel concierge. She is married to Vince and has a son, Luke. They reside in Florida, and she and her husband are not all that happy together. He still pines for his old flame, Pepper.

Zoey:
When Zoey, a young girl, shows up at the hotel with news that her mother, Pepper, is dead and she is looking for her biological father, things go a little crazy. Nothing or no one is as they appear.

She has a cryptic letter from Pepper addressed to Scarlett that refers to the events long ago and their secret. Pepper was pregnant back then but planned on having an abortion. Did she keep the baby? Is Vince the father?

Zoey starts digging into the past, and all the secrets start unraveling. What really happened that night years ago? Who was the real murderer?

My thoughts...
The past refuses to stay buried. A LOVELY LIE is INTENSE, twisty, and full of characters you will love to hate. (Pepper is the worst) and those she controls and manipulates from past to present. The author keeps you guessing as to the identity of the killer and the biological father of Zoey. Adults and teens behaving badly with a YA vibe.

A fast-paced psychological drama! From lies, secrets, and unlikable characters the author keeps you glued to the pages to see how all will unravel. I enjoyed the ending! My first book by the author, and I look forward to reading more.

Recs...
A LOVELY LIE is for fans of Megan Miranda, Wendy Walker, Stephen Amidon, Christina McDonald, and Michele Campbell.

Thanks to Penzler Publishers, Highbridge Audio, and NetGalley for gifting an ARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
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3.5 stars. I thought that the overall plot and the way the storyline unfolded was well done, and I was hooked trying to figure out what would happen. On the flip side, the writing felt very YA to me at times which did pull me out of the story. I felt that the character development was a little weak. I never felt overly connected to any of the characters and the choices they made, and I had zero sense of Pepper's character until almost the end of the book. I would pick up another one by Hendricks....with the hope that it was just a little more well developed overall.

There were no lovely lies. There were a lot of horrible lies. And a lot of very dislikable people. Some people do redeem themselves. SOme just make it through. Pepper is never a likable person. Not even when she is the narrator. She can’t even present herself well. Scarlet is pathetic and weak. Luke is OK, I guess. There is a certain amount of satisfaction with the end. What really happened on grad night isn’t that hard to figure out. Whether anyone will pay for it is less certain. This was a good Saturday in the hammock read.

Thank you NetGalley and Jamie Lynn Hendricks for the chance to read to this ARC!

A Lovely Lie has a duel timeline between now and 1999 after high school graduation and multiple point of views which I really enjoyed. It added and extra element to the novel and mystery. It did get a little confusing at times if you don't stay 100% focused though. It started a little slow for me but didn't take long to pick up and when it did there were several twists that kept you engaged and the story moving quickly and smoothly!

Do not start this book before bed as you will not want to put it down and get no sleep because of it! What a page turner! This was an exceptional thriller!!

I listened to about the first half of this on audiobook and read the second half or so in kindle form. I’m almost never patient enough to finish an audiobook if I have options (patience is far from my strong suit). I liked this book quite a bit. While I didn’t find the twists to be super twisty I loved the format and liked the wild turns even if I could see where we were going. I did think the characters were all a little flat (except Zoey, she got rounded out by the end) and fit into their trope with little else. Most of the characters weren’t likable in some way or another and I liked that there were no purely good or purely bad characters (well ok, a couple were pretty irredeemable). Scarlett is having a normal day at work when in walks Zoey and everything changes. Zoey introduces herself as Scarlett’s high school best friend Pepper’s daughter. Scarlett is blown away. She hasn’t seen Scarlett since a horrible night she’s tried to forget about, but all of them are about to learn that secrets don’t stay hidden forever.

This is a very interesting, twisty, fast paced story. It had such a wild plot. One twist after another.

In 1999, Scarlett Kane and Pepper Wilson were best friends. Pepper was the queen bee, and everyone pretty much did was she said--including Scarlett. The two of them were in a car accident where two other classmates didn't survive. Pepper convinces Scarlett to lie about what really happened. Then, soon after, she takes off to New York and never speaks to Scarlett again.

Present day, Scarlett is now seventeen years married to Vince, Pepper's boyfriend in high school. They have a son about to go off to college, too. Zoey Wilson, Pepper's daughter, appears in their life one day, with her own set of lies and stirring up a lot of trouble about that accident in 1999. It seems everyone involved had their own secrets. This is a complete wild, fun, juicy popcorn thriller--perfect for summer.

Thank you to Penzler Publishers and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Jaime Lynn Hendrick’s newest thriller is a must read for the summer. A Lovely Lie is a twisted story that will keep you engaged from start to finish. It is fast paced and told in dual perspectives and timelines. The characters are complex and can be hateful yet I felt I was sympathizing with them all. It is filled with secrets and lies that will make the hair on your arms stand up!! A suspenseful wild ride from the start, the twists are many and perfectly placed. Just when you think you have it figured out, Ms. Hendricks adds some more twists to just knock you off your seat!! I can’t recommend this one enough!!!

Thank you NetGalley, Penzler Publishers and Jaime Lynn Hendricks for this totally twisted book to read and review. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.
#netgalley #penzlerpublishers #scarlet
#jaimelynnhendricks. #alovelylie. #arc #thriller

Many thanks to NetGalley, Penzler Publishers Scarlet, and High Bridge Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest thriller by Jaime Lynn Hendricks and perfectly narrated by Hillary Huber. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars!

In 1999, on the night of their big senior picnic, Scarlett and her best friend, Pepper, were involved in a car accident that left two of their classmates dead. They lied to the police, trying to protect each other. Pepper left town and they never communicated again. Currently, Scarlett is working at a hotel, married to Vince, and raising their son, Luke. But Pepper's daughter Zoey comes to town with news that Pepper is dead and Zoey is investigating who her father is. Everything that they tried to suppress all those years ago is coming to light.

This story unspools in both past and present timelines, from multiple POV, including snippets of police transcripts. There are so many buried secrets among the characters, and the reader gets to see the character development from high school to present - of course, in some more than others. This was a very fast-paced novel that will have you second guessing what actually happened after that party so many years ago. I loved alternating between the audio and digital, especially when the narration is done by Huber. Pack this one along in your beach bag!

@jaimelynnhendricksauthor’s newest novel, A Lovely Lie, is hands down my favorite book that I have read this month! I bounced between reading the e-book and listening to the audiobook because I did not want to put it down! This thriller explores how lies can send ripples that may affect seemingly unrelated events. The villains in this story are truly deplorable. I seriously recommend adding this to your pre-order list so that you can read it this summer!

Thank you @highbridgeaudio and @scarletsuspense for allowing me to read and listen to this book/audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

(This same review was shared on the Barnes & Noble website)

This was intense!! Gripping from the very beginning, A Lovely Lie will have you on the edge of your seat through all 312 pages. Secrets and lies rain down upon our characters, Scarlett & Pepper, who have been best friends since high school. However, Pepper is now dead, and secrets are catching up to them all as her daughter Zoey looks for answers.

I loved all of the characters in this book and felt they were all really well development. particularly fell in love with Zoey.

Thank you to NetGalley advanced reader copy in return for my honest review.

Pub Date: 28 May 2024

Drama, drama, drama! 🍿

This was a fast paced, multi-pov, dual timeline thriller with police interviews ending most chapters 🫨 I was hooked from the very beginning! This felt like I was binging a drama filled, domestic reality show (with murdery undertones 😂). It was also written in 3 parts so the twists just kept twisting! And that ending… *chef’s kiss*.
If you’re looking to be entertained THIS is the one for you. Suspend belief, grab some popcorn, and just enjoy the ride.

Finally my first Jamie Hendricks book! This book was so fun! It had one of my favorite tropes where there are questions surrounding the death of someone. This plot was different because it focused on Pepper’s best friend Scarlett and her daughter Zoe. There was also the small matter of paternity because Zoe didn’t know who her father was and had questions only Scarlett could answer. Unraveling this tale was fun and satisfying!

Another *chef’s kiss* book by Hendricks! Back in 1999 at the senior picnic, Scarlett Russo and her best friend Pepper were involved in a car accident. They lied to the police about what they knew. Pepper fled town, and Scarlett never heard from her again. 22 years later, Scarlett is married to Vince, and has a son Luke. Scarlett works at a hotel and Vince owns a pool company with his best friend Chris. While at work, Scarlett gets a visit from Zoey, Pepper’s daughter, and informs her of Pepper’s death. Zoey is also on a mission, to figure out who her father is, and what secret her mother has been hiding. As Zoey digs into the past, secrets are revealed.

Hendricks writes thrillers like no other. She grabs your attention from the very start, with a great visual and interesting scene. Then she just lays out her plot, the secrets, the reveals, perfectly. The writing is easy to read because it just flows so well. She moves the story along with dialogue and action. And she included mixed media in this one in the form of police interviews – which I really love.

Now the secrets.. oh the secrets… This book is filled with them. One of them I figured out pretty early on, but the rest, I HAD NO IDEA! Hendricks is amazing with those secrets. They hit you in the face and you don’t even know what happened. And that’s exactly how I like my books!

I LOVED the ending – it was a twist and, again, it was utter perfection. I have never felt more satisfied with an ending of a thriller book than I did with this one.

I cannot wait for her next book!

3.75 solid stars. Thanks to Netgalley and Penzler Publishers for the E-ARC. I am not okay after reading this book I feel like I got played and got played hard, and Im here for it. This book goes back to Senior Year 1999 and the present and I thought I had it figured out and then bam nope it switched on me. The last half of the book I was just holding on for dear life trying to see if they could get it together and they did the ending was so good.

Penzler Publishers

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penzler Publishers for the free e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is the story of a high school drunk driving accident that claims the lives of 2 students and the coverup that continues 20 years later. The relationship dynamics between the characters smacks of a Housewives episode. Told in alternating timelines of then, 1999, and now, this one kept me on my toes. I had to have a cheat sheet of who dated who and who was cheating on or married to who.

The pacing is fast and I did not like the majority of the characters. But I did think that the ending was good. My only complaint is that parts of the story had holes in it and other parts were unrealistic. Otherwise, this is a juicy, faced paced read.

3.5 rounded up

A Lovely Lie was a fantastic popcorn thriller. It was messy, with diabolical characters who you loved to hate. And a lot of them were just the worst. The literal depiction of a narcissist. I had a lot of fun with this one, alternating between reading and listening to it. It was easy to fall into the drama of it all, and I really think this one is worth all of the hype.