I was obsessed with David Ellis’ previous book Look Closer so when I got this I was pumped. I paid so much attention to every detail and was still caught off guard by a few twists. There are so many layers of this story, some law, nanotechnology, police procedural, all blended together so perfectly. Man how can you not appreciate Leo, he’s so smart and conniving and the whole prime numbers thing was so interesting! Highly recommend! Thank you NetGalley for this ARC

“Look Closer” was my 2022 THRILLER of the year and my first time reading this author.

So, to say that “The Best Lies” was one of most anticipated books for 2024 might be an understatement. But, what I did not realize was that “Look Closer” may have been atypical for the author stylistically.

When Cyrus Balik, a ruthless drug dealer and human trafficker is found dead and Leo’s fingerprints are found on the murder weapon, Leo Balanoff has a decision to make-risk his life going undercover for the Feds or head straight to prison for murder?

Leo accepts the FBI’s offer—but who should he fear more? The ambitious FBI agent, Chris Roberti who is his handler, or Cyrus’s cruel, calculating crime boss, Nico Katsaros?

And, how does his ex, Andi Piotrowski, a former cop and “the one who got away tie into this case?

The story alternates between the POV’s of Leo, Chris and Andi, in the present day, with flashbacks to fill in the backstories.

So, I may end up being an OUTLIER for this book, but I just DO NOT personally enjoy books about mobsters and sting operations. And 416 pages of this is way too long.

The book takes a LONG time to set up, and there are a lot of minor characters to keep track of.

Honestly, I was bored and still didn’t feel invested at the 60% mark. There are some surprises in the last 40% but they weren’t exciting enough to raise this past a three star (average) rating for me.

As always, read a sample of reviews to see if this is a better fit for you. If you enjoy stories about gangsters and assassins, you may love this!

AVAILABLE July 23, 2024

Thank You to G.P. Putnam’s Sons for the gifted ARC. It was my pleasure to offer a candid review!

🖤 Dual Timelines
🔪 Multiple POV
✨ Fast Paced Thrillers

Davidellis’ writing is incredible in all ways and when I received The Best Lies to read and give my honest review for I was ecstatic 🤩!! I thought to myself..clear off my schedule, I’m going to plop right here and I’ll see you tomorrow 🤭!

Are you looking for a book that will deliver what a thriller loving reader craves 👀?! Are you looking for your new favorite book of 2024?! Well—look no further because The Best Lies is certain to be a TOP READ of the year for you, I have no doubts.

This book was everything I thought it would be. We have dual timelines which is honestly my favorite and you get the POV’s of multiple people (again, another favorite of mine 💁🏼‍♀️). I loved every single character for their own reasons and they were written so well. The twists and turns, action packed pages, fast pace…it’ll leave you speechless by the end. Once this story starts you wont be able to set this book down. This book is a must read and needs to be on everybody’s TBR! You can’t thank me later.

Wow, five times over! My mind feels like it's been blown away after finishing the last chapter of the book. I'm still trying to gather my thoughts, with only a few gray cells left standing, to write a review. This extra twisty thriller completely rocked my world.

However, I'm not sure anything I write could do justice to my pure admiration. I've definitely become a dedicated fan of the author. I thoroughly enjoyed his previous thriller, but I never imagined he could write something even better. In this book, he had me gasping, shocked, and uncomfortable several times with twists hidden inside other smart twists that you never see coming.

He takes you on an action-packed, heart-throbbing ride into the crime world, spanning different timelines and unreliable narrations. It all starts with his complex hero, Leo Balanoff: a man who can be described as an enigma. His life story is a combination of lies, leading to his suspension from his job as a lawyer for being considered a pathological liar. From the first chapter, you suspect he might be a murderer and a conman, yet you find yourself rooting for him despite his many negative qualities.

As you delve deeper, you uncover his painful childhood and his connections to the dangerous criminal, Cyrus Balik. Alongside him is his love of his life, ex-cop turned corporate security member, Andi Piptriwski, the one who got away. Leo finds himself surrounded by people who are better liars and more dangerous than himself. Can he save himself from his seemingly inevitable demise?

Just read on to discover who the better liar is and who's the best ringmaster in this dangerous game. Be prepared for sucker punches and hold your jaw tight because some chapters will leave you gasping with twists you never saw coming.

A quick plot recap: Leo Balanoff, an attorney who recently returned to his job after a five-year suspension, finds himself the prime suspect in the case of ruthless human trafficker, rapist, and drug lord Cyrus Balik. His fingerprints are found on the murder weapon, and his DNA is found on the victim. Leo's past assault on a police officer, which ended with only a warning, put his DNA in the system, making it easier for officers to convict him.

FBI agent Chris Roberti, a cancer survivor, sees this case as an opportunity to catch the bigger fish: Nico Katsaros, the invisible boss behind Cyrus Balik. Leo becomes the key pawn in a plan to steal a formula that could cure cancer from Quigley Crowe International, a private medical technology company, and sell it to the Chinese Government. This is the same company where Andi, Leo's former love, now works. Leo doesn't want to go to jail, and he also needs to protect the son of a deceased client, who is being hunted by dangerous individuals. Can Leo trust FBI agent Chris, who may have his own secret agenda, or Andi, who may have her own secrets? But most importantly, can he even trust himself, a man considered a pathological liar whose life story is a web of ugly lies? Let the games begin, and may the smartest one emerge victorious!

Overall, I can't express how much I enjoyed this book! It's by far my favorite psychological thriller of the year, and I highly recommend reading it as soon as possible. Don't just add it to your TBR list, dive right in!

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam/G.P. Putnam’s Sons for providing me with this amazing book's digital review copy in exchange for my honest opinions.

Don't ever sleep on David Ellis!! He is 2 for 2! Look Closer won my 2022 "book bracket" so let me tell you that I screamed when I got the arc approval for The Best Lies and everyone in my house came running to see what was going on. He's given us another face-paced and masterfully written cat & mouse mystery revenge tale. It is written in several POVs and different timelines that all connect just perfectly. And the twists! Prepare yourself, they do not stop coming!! Thank you PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in return for an honest opinion.

Like many others, I’m a David Ellis fan from his fantastic novel “Look Closer” and I was thrilled to get the chance to read THE BEST LIES. This one was just as twisty but ultimately fell a little short with its overly complex POVs and plotlines. Enjoyed the fast pace and was quick to read but a little too convoluted to truly enjoy.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the opportunity to read and review THE BEST LIES.

This book was very clever and twisty, to the point where I sometimes had a bit of difficulty remembering who was "good" and who was "bad". I also had a hard time remembering who some of the characters were for some reason. There is a lot going on and the timelines keep changing, but the payoff was worth it.

Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was incredible!
The twists were out of this world, and for this to be a legal thriller, I was enthralled the entire time. From page 1, I was hooked. The story gripped me, and it was packed with punches and plot twists that had me keep turning the pages till the very end. I did not know how the story would play out, but I knew it was going to be amazing because of these two words. "David" and "Ellis". He is an incredible author, and "Look Closer" was my top read of 2023, so I had high hopes for this one. IT DID NOT DISAPPOINT.
We follow 3 POVs, separate timelines, and a whole bunch of lies. Who is the biggest liar of the three? Read to find out, and prepare yourself for a whirlwind of a story that does not let up till the very end. 5 F***ING STARS FROM ME!

Caught in between the FBI and a ruthless crime boss, attorney Leo Balanoff is at a crossroads having to choose to fight for his life or for his freedom in this twisted story of right and wrong.

David Ellis is an undeniable master of his craft at writing mysteries with detailed, well thought-out plots with countless layers. He has a subtle way of taking the reader by surprise when least expected. Not once did I get that sense of trying too hard just for the shock factor as I so often see lately. As with his previous work, I was left shocked by this highly memorable story, standing out from the rest. His characters in this are all flawed in their own way, and you will either adore or despise each one of them. Another great read earning five stars from me.

Thank you, Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam, for this ARC.

One word to describe this book: CLEVER.

There are a million moving pieces in this story and I’m not sure that even a quarter of them could feasibly fall into place in real life, but it all worked perfectly to create an entertaining work of fiction.

I doubt I could even attempt to describe the plot of this book but I will say, and this is coming from someone who avoids them at all costs, the synopsis for THE BEST LIES is pretty good! At first glance it might seem like it gives away a lot of details, but honestly what’s mentioned is only the tip of the iceberg.

If you enjoyed LOOK CLOSER, you’ll very likely want to pick up THE BEST LIES. I’m not sure which book I enjoyed more but I will say THE BEST LIES felt even twistier and more compulsive.

I really liked LOOK CLOSER but I think I made a mistake by listening to it on audio. In the same vein, I’m really glad I read a kindle copy of THE BEST LIES because I was frequently skipping to a previous chapter or searching a character’s name to remind myself who they were and when I first met them. The story isn’t confusing by any means but there is a lot going on and it really kept me on my toes.

There are so many twists in this book that I altogether stopped trying to predict a single thing that would happen. Sometimes it’s more fun to just sit back and enjoy the ride! This was a fast-paced, legal-ish thriller that held my attention from beginning to end.

Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to be an early reader. All opinions are my own!

David Ellis knows how to make you think you know the twist about halfway through but then you get so much more! Fast paced and a thrilling ride! The main characters are interesting and not always what they seem on the surface.

Wow. This one is so clever. It will keep you guessing around every turn. I loved “Look Closer” and David Ellis wins again with this one! Leo Balanoff is a hero that gives me vibes of the movie “The Fugitive” and the genius of Shawshank’s Andy Dufresne. . He is seeking justice against a ruthless drug dealer and outsmarts every bad guy in his path. This one would be a great movie! I just reviewed The Best Lies by David Ellis. #TheBestLies #NetGalley

twisty. a little dark. funny. and surprisingly emotional. it took me a few chapters to get into this book and keep the character straight, but once i did, i was hooked. i read so much of this book in one day because it was impossible to put down. a great story that keeps you hooked until the last page!

SYNOPSIS
- Leo Balanoff is an attorney, and he tries to do the right thing. He has a checkered past & a surprising upbringing, so he's not exactly the conventional example of an attorney.
- One day, a ruthless crime boss, Cyrus, is murdered. Leo’s fingerprints are found at the scene & on the murder weapon.
- As the FBI works to take down the rest of the deceased’s criminal enterprise, Leo appears to be of use to them.
- Leo navigates potentially going to jail for murder versus going undercover.

MY THOUGHTS
- I loveeee David Ellis! His writing skills are exceptional, and the legal plots actually make sense. Care to guess why? He is a Northwestern law school graduate, and he is an Illinois Appellate Court Judge for the First District. He was even the prosecuting attorney in the impeachment trial of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich ’79.
- If you're not acquainted with him, it's time to get to know him! I love it when a legal expert writes thrillers like this, because it's actually a realistic story.
- As an appellate judge, I am sure he has seen it all, and that’s obvious through his writing.
- This is a well-crafted story, and it’s clearly meticulously plotted. Great character development, multiple POVs, & set in Chicago. Great pacing & solid execution. Enjoyed the ending.
- I could see this one being made into series because our MC is really a likable dude.
- I enjoyed how we got insight into Leo’s childhood & really got to know him.

TL;DR: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️amazing, well-crafted, and full of suspense. written by a real Illinois Appellate Court Judge, so the legal aspects of this book actually makes sense 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

Thanks to Penguin Group Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons and Netgalley for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. This book will be published on July 23, 2024.

Thank you to David Ellis, Penguin Group Putnam, and NetGalley for an advanced reader's copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

David Ellis is not only one of the nicest people I have ever had the chance to meet, he can keep you on the edge of your seat with all the twists and turns he puts in his novels. My jaw hit the floor multiple times and I uttered multiple "No's" and "OMG's" while reading!

The Best Lies follows Leo a recently reinstated lawyer, Andi a former police officer turned security guard, and Chris an FBI agent recently returning to work after fighting a battle with cancer. You quickly learn how these three people are interwoven and their real motives for what they are plotting.....or do you? Who can tell the best lie?

David Ellis is the master of twists and turns, short chapters, and wrapping everything up so you are left with no wonderings. Look Closer was my favorite novel of 2023 and The Best Lies is definitely top contender for my favorite novel of 2024.

As someone who recently read Look Closer and LOVED IT, I was ecstatic when I got approved for this ARCHuge thanks to David Ellis, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, and NetGalley for providing the ARC.

This book was truly fantastic and had me glued to my seat throughout. It follows three gripping stories: Leo, Andi, and Chris. Leo, a recently reinstated attorney with a tarnished reputation, finds himself accused of murder. Andi, a former police officer turned security guard, must protect a valuable innovation from those seeking to exploit it. Chris, an FBI agent returning after battling cancer, has a mission with unclear motives. As their tales unfold, the plot thickens, revealing layers of deception. The twists are relentless, leaving you questioning everything until the very end. It's like a roller coaster ride of suspense and surprises.

I give it a solid 5 out of 5 stars – definitely one of the best reads. And if you're up for more thrills, I highly recommend Look Closer. Both books are top-notch psychological thrillers.

This book is full of excitement! It has baby stealing, drug trafficking, espionage, murder, and corrupt officers, plus revenge all mixed together! I really enjoyed "Look Closer" and was super excited to read this one! The story is very interesting and it is told through different timelines. It draws the reading in and is very fast-paced. My favorite chapters were told in Andi's POV, she is a security specialist.. The other chapters are told by Leo, a defense attorney and Chris, an FBI agent.

The character development is amazing. You really get to know these three people! The twists keep coming and the ending is great! It leaves the reader satisfied!

Twisted, Fantastic and Edge of Your Seat! 3.5 stars!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance copy! This book will be released 7/23/24.

This was my second David Ellis read and I enjoyed it even more than Look Closer! We read Look Closer in my book club and got a chance to meet the author - he's a super likeable and personable guy which adds even more to his novels.

The Best Lies really drew me in with a fast-paced story told through multiple POVs. I literally had to force myself to slow down because I wanted to figure out what was going to happen and which characters were on which side. The story was complex but the author explained knowledge that wasn't common in a way that really fit with the story as opposed to a clunky side note. I really enjoyed and will definitely go back to read the author's back list.

The idea of this story is interesting and I generally like stories told through different timelines but I never was fully committed. I wasn’t able to get emotionally connected to the characters and the story felt distant. There are many twists to the story, yet those that are relevant were predictable. I usually like Ellis’ writing style, he has a talent for turning a story inside out and surprising the reader but this story just felt forced. Sad to say this book is one of my least favorite by David Ellis.

ARC was provided by NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam in exchange for an honest review. Pub Date: July 2024
#NetGalley, #TheBestLies, #PenguinGroupPutnam

When I say I screamed with excitement when I was approved for this ARC, I mean I screamed so loud, my husband asked me what happened. This was my most anticipated book of 2024. After reading Look Closer, I could not wait to get my hands on this book. So I really want to say thank you to David Ellis, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, and NetGalley for a copy of this ARC in return for an honest opinion.

Now with that being said, all I can say is WOW. This book was fantastic. It kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time.

The first part of the book follows 3 different stories - Leo, Andi, and Chris.

Leo is an attorney who just got his law license back after 5 year suspension. During that 5 year suspension, he was diagnosed as a pathological liar, tarnishing his reputation. Not long after getting his license back, he is charged with murdering a low life drug dealer/human trafficker, Cyrus Balik. But did he really do it?

Andi used to be a former Deemer Park Police Officer who now works security at Quigley Crowe International. She is in charge of protecting Project Nano - one of the greatest innovations to cancer treatment. It is worth billions so of course there are several people who want to get their hands on Project Nano. But can she be trusted to protect it?

Then there’s Chris, a FBI agent who just returned to work after battling cancer himself. His first case back is getting Leo to go undercover so they can try and catch Cyrus Balik’s boss. But is that his true motive?

As their stories are told, they begin to intertwine and it becomes clear that nothing is how it appears. But which one is the best liar?

The twists kept coming. The twists that make you stop and say “Wait, what?” The twists that make you question everything you just read. The twists that make the story go off in a total different direction and then you’re hit with another twist and another twist until you finish the book and realize how well all the twists came together and how amazing David Ellis is at blowing your mind. His books remind me of a roller coaster that jerks you all around, flips you over a few times, then spits you at the end.

5/5 stars. By far one of the best books I’ve read. Oh, and if you’re looking for a recommendation for another one of his books that will take you on a roller coaster ride, I recommend Look Closer. Both Look Closer and The Best Lies top my list of best psychological thrillers. 10000000% recommend this book.