Wow! This book by Amanda McKinney, A Marriage of Lies, is proof that a gripping, shocking, and addictive story doesn't need many pages. Rowan Velky, a police detective, is faced with a series of murders marked with an "X." The book keeps you on the edge of your seat with twists and turns, showcasing McKinney's skillful storytelling. Despite its intensity, the main character's treatment of her dog raised concern. Overall, a dramatic and thrilling read!

4.5 stars. Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the review copy.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. A great, fun, fast read. My first from this author and I really liked her writing style. Recommend.

A serial killer is on the loose in the small city of Blackwater and Detective Rowan Vylka is in charge of the investigation.
While battling to save her own demons, trying to save her marriage and fighting her unexpected attraction with her younger partner, Rowan must figure out who is killing women in town.
An enjoyable and fast read that kept me on toes, while we deep into Rowan’s past traumas and how they’re affecting her current situation.
First book I read from this author.

Thank you Netgalley.

3 stars

“You are the only reason I get up every morning. You are the only reason I remember to smile.”

Thank you so so much to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for giving me the chance to read A Marriage of Lies! It was my honour to be given the opportunity to read and review this arc :)

“Maybe there is a chance. Things would certainly be easier if we stayed together.”

Okay, I wasn’t sure how to feel at first for the two main POVs Rowan and Amber. I remember rooting for them and going through certain feelings when certain twists happened. Of course I ended up not liking a character (is it one of the two, I wonder? heh I’m gonna try my best to not spoil the book for everyone) and I think it was bound to happen. You’re not supposed to like every character and since I love going into books blindly, I think I felt for each character the way the book was intended to at moments in the book.

“If it is autism, he could be low on the spectrum.”

I would’ve rated A Marriage of Lies higher had it been for the ableism in this book. As an AuDHDer (Autism + ADHD), it felt so upsetting to see how grossly misinformed the characters were on the subject. I understand a good amount of the population doesn’t know about autism and look at it with a certain stigmatization, but I believe at least the teacher should have been better informed. I mean the feelings of negativity towards autism is unfortunate, but expected (especially from neurotypicals), but to describe autism as if it were linear? There is no higher or lower sides of autism, autism is like a pizza, with each slice representing an autistic trait and some slices are more complete (like the amount of slice) and some may not exist at all. It is a spectrum, and it’s a little disappointing that the one who is supposed to be one who looks well into autistic children viewed it so linearly. I will give the teacher some credit though. She explained how to deal with their possibly autistic child perfectly. Also, I will say, these aren’t his new needs, he’s had them all his life, it’s new in acknowledgement to the parents.

“‘What if he does have autism?’ A warm heartfelt smile crosses my friend’s face. ‘Then you adapt. He’s still your son, he’s still a beautiful little boy and you will learn how to adapt to his new needs.’”

Okay so aside from the autism speech I have for this book, I liked it! There were twists and we literally start out with a whole confession to the murder! I sound happy with the exclamation point, but it’s more of a surprise that we started off with a bang! I liked it! I don’t have too much to say about the writing aside from the fact that the way it was written was fine and I didn’t hate it. Sorry, I’m not an English major, but I didn’t notice the writing in a way to see the book negatively. I enjoyed the writing and seeing the different POVs, those twists got me so well.

“Such an inappropriate thought at the moment.”

I loved the inclusion of Banjo. As a dog mom (yes, yes, I am one of those people), seeing the way Banjo was treated and how helpful he was very fun to see. I don’t see too many dogs in books and I really appreciated the addition of the meaning of Banjo to the character(s) and what happened at the end.

“I close my eyes and sigh. Money. Sometimes it feels like the entire world revolves around it.”

The one thing I will spoil about this book is how the book ends. It isn’t on a cliffhanger, it isn’t left for the reader to think of and analyze what they think. It has a definitive ending and I really appreciate it.

All in all, I had so much fun reading this book, the twists and turns made A Marriage of Lies keep making me guess what happened and who did it! Thanks again to NetGalley and Storm Publishing!

A compulsive read with a good storyline, however the ending let the story down a bit. a bit forced in places but an overall great beach read.

This book kept me on my toes from beginning to end! Written very well and keeps you engaged throughout.

Thus was a great mystery and thriller. I didn’t expect what happened until you get to know the character’s background and how their childhood influenced the rest of their lives. It was a fast read because it was so intriguing that you couldn’t wait to see what each character was capable of. I loved the ending but won’t give anything away. I look forward to reading more books from this author.

Oh my!!! This Author turns out 5 star reads, this being no exception. Run....don't walk....to get this amazing book!!!
Thank you to Netgalley for providing this digital copy in exchange for a review.

Thank you NetGalley, Amanda McKinney and Storm Publishing

I enjoyed this read!!!
Another book that I could not put down and had to find out how it all ended.
First time for read a book from this author and did not expect the ride.
Twist and turns all over the place.

This book was amazing! I’ve gotten lucky and read a lot of solid thrillers this year. About halfway through I thought I called what was going to happen and then BAM unexpected twist. My heart was broken and I felt so betrayed and then BAM another twist. This book kept me engaged at every turn of the page. I devoured this book in a matter of hours and I’m so grateful to Amanda McKinney and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to receive an e-arc! This was my first by this author, but definitely not my last.

Wow! I started a Marriage of Lies one night as I was laying in bed just to get a feel of the book and then BAM no sleep for me.

A Marriage of Lies is a fast-paced police procedural thriller that had me guessing the entire ride. Did I figure out the twist? Yes, but it was so fun to watch it play out in the last thirty pages. Can’t wait to read more from Amanda McKinney!

This was such a good book! I read it in one sitting! The twists and turns in this book was amazing! I did not have it figured out! I would definitely recommend this book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"A Marriage of Lies" by Amanda McKinney is an absolute masterpiece of a psychological thriller that had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. This gripping tale of deception, secrets, and betrayal kept me up at night, unable to put it down until I reached the shocking conclusion.

McKinney's skillful storytelling and brilliant characterization drew me into the complex world of the protagonists, where nothing is as it seems and every twist and turn leaves you questioning everything you thought you knew. The tension builds with each page, as the secrets lurking beneath the surface of the marriage are slowly revealed, leading to a breathtaking climax that left me speechless.

What I particularly loved about this book is its ability to keep me guessing until the very end. Just when I thought I had it all figured out, McKinney threw in another unexpected twist that left me reeling. The pacing is relentless, the suspense palpable, and the emotional depth of the characters is both compelling and haunting.

As a fan of Gone Girl, The Perfect Marriage, and The Girl on the Train, I can confidently say that "A Marriage of Lies" stands shoulder to shoulder with these acclaimed thrillers. It's a must-read for anyone who loves a gripping psychological thriller with a jaw-dropping twist.

In summary, "A Marriage of Lies" is an unputdownable rollercoaster ride of a book that will leave you breathless and eager for more. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for their next obsession in the thriller genre.

This book grips you in and moves fast!
I finished this book in a day because I had to know everything.

I really liked the writing style and the multiple POVs.
There was mental illness, a serial killer, twist and turns and most importantly karma.

As someone with BPD I appreciate how it was correctly portrayed even if it was in a negative light haha

How far would you go for those you love ?

A Marriage of Lies written by Amanda McKinney had twists and unexpected turns, which is one of the trademarks of this author. I found myself wanting to turn to the last page and see the ending midway through the book, but I managed to control myself. There was one character in particular that I wanted to get her comeuppance because I am in the same line of work that she is in, and her behaviors appalled me. The ending was the one that I wanted to occur which was satisfying. I definitely was invested throughout the entire book and would recommend it for anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed reading A Marriage of Lies. It was interesting to see the different layers of the relationships of the main characters Rowan and Amy with their husbands. It kept me guessing and I finished it in a couple of days which is very quick for me.

Great, enjoyable read.

I really enjoyed this book. Great characters and a story that kept me guessing throughout. I loved the ending, it was brilliant!
My first book by this author and it most definitely won’t be my last. Really good book that I’ve already been recommending to fellow readers.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I received a complimentary copy of this book "A Marriage of Lies" and all opinions expressed are my own. Not sure what I feel about this book. It was kind of predictable. Overall I rate this ok - 2 stars

What a truly fantastic thriller which kept me guessing until the end. The twists were jaw dropping and I still can't get over them. The pace is fast so its very easy to read this in a day. I throughly enjoyed this book. 5 starts from me.

Thank you to Storm Publishing and Thriller Book Lovers for the digital copy to review!

I have not read this author before and I don’t know why, because this book was fantastic. I love police procedurals and this was that and more. I was hooked from the first chapter and was taken on a wild ride from there. This was twisty, dark, intense, and I loved how it ended. It is a fast paced read that will keep you on the edge of your seat from the start until the end, and this is just how I like it. I highly recommend this one, it is excellent.