I really enjoyed, "Look Closer" so was super excited to get approved for his upcoming novel, "The Best Lies." I had my hesitations that it wouldn't be as good as "Look Closer" but it was equally as good and I really enjoyed this. The pacing was wonderful and we got just enough information to keep you turning the pages. It is told from three different POVs, and each character is more than meets the eye.

I can't wait for this to be released as an audiobook as well so I can listen to this book as well. I just know it will be good!

Thank you to netgalley and the author for this arc in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Thanks to Net Galley for providing an ARC of this incredible book. "Look Closer" by David Ellis was so detailed, smart, full of twists, and immediately became the book that I recommended to everyone. I did not expect his follow up to be as engrossing as his previous novel but somehow he wrote something equally intriguing.

The book is told primarily through three different perspectives: Leo, a defense attorney; Andi, a security specialist; and Chris, an FBI agent. There is much more to these characters than meets the eye and Ellis does a great job of pacing and gradually revealing more.

I did not know anything about the plot before I began this book (and finished in just over a day) and I was glad to discover the twists as they came. The characters are so well developed they often seemed real. The eventual connections between characters was surprising and satisfying. Ellis is an incredible writer who creates unique, intelligent characters and I really cannot recommend this book enough.

Wow, this book was phenomenal! I'm literally gob smacked and completely in awe of how the author created such a crazy, clever story. This book had A LOT going on with quite a few different characters to keep track of, but I didn't have one single moment of confusion. Questioning the reliability of these characters is another thing all together though. I was hooked from page one and the surprises and twists just kept blowing my mind until the final chapter. If you like crime fiction, mysteries, thrillers...Hell, if you just like to read then you need to read this book NOW! David Ellis knocked this one outta the park and he has now been added to my favorite author list. I highly recommend! You will not be disappointed.

Thank you to the author, PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, and NetGalley for granting me digital access in exchange for my honest review!

David Ellis is a master of writing edge-of-your-seat action thrillers. I remember the first time I read anything by him, I had a newborn, and I spent the entire nap time in the rocking chair, with my baby on my chest, gnawing my fingernails to the quick. So when I saw I had the privilege to read his latest, I jumped on it.

The Best Lies was nothing short of what I expected. Quickly paced, packed with action, and extremely well written. Each character is multilayered, and you learn to quickly question whether they’re extremely clever, or good liars. I love a book about a good game of cat and mouse, and The Best Lies was definitely that. This is easily a five star read that you can inhale in one or two sittings.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Best Lies.

The premise was intriguing, though not original:

Leo Balanoff is a lawyer, pathological liar who doesn't play by the rules and with a few secrets of his own, finds himself caught between the FBI and a hard place aka a drug dealer's crime syndicate, in order to save his life and that of his brother's.

But can he pull off this complicated wheeling and dealing with just his wits and charm?

Of course he can!

That's the point of this book.

Leo is smart, but awkward, sarcastic, but resourceful, loyal but not exactly who you think he is.

Is the plot hard to suspend disbelief for? Totally.

But Leo is an affable, likable character and you want to see what's he's going to do next and how he pulls it off.

There are a lot of POVs, characters, and timelines and it can get confusing.

There are a lot of moving parts aka subplots and shenanigans; Leo's childhood and his upbringing; his relationship with Andi, Andi's role in the narrative, the FBI agent and his sister, the Big Bad Drug Kingpin and his cohorts, and that's just what I remember off the top of my head.

The pacing and suspense is decent and each character's subplot is eventually tied up and their character arcs resolved, suspension of disbelief notwithstanding.

I did like Leo and Andi, and how they were good, decent characters.

I think most readers would enjoy this, especially fans of Harlan Coben and Lee Child.

𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐡, 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞. 𝐒𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲'𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐞. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭'𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐬. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲'𝐫𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐞.

I was hooked from the first page. Told in dual timelines with multiple points of view, this fictional story read like a true crime novel. Woven into the storytelling were a plethora of topics, such as espionage, murder, and drug trafficking, just to name a few.

MC Leo Balanoff is a diagnosed pathological liar and has a way with numbers like Dr. Spencer Reid from Criminal Minds. He's an attorney who is coming back to practice after a five year suspension when a drug dealer is murdered and all evidence points to Leo.

I absolutely loved Leo's wry sense of humor and never being really sure if he was telling the truth or a lie. The author's skill at telling such a complex, emotional narrative will leave you speechless. The ending was absolute perfection, and I can't thank NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam enough for this early read. This title will publish July 23, 2024.

I love it when a book hooks you on page one. This one starts off and the action just keeps coming and building in suspense and keeping you on the edge of your seat. Leo is a quirky lawyer who fights for the innocent.

Baby stealing, drug trafficking, espionage, murder, and corrupt officers, and revenge all mixed together for the perfect combination of one masterfully written thriller you don’t want to miss!

David Ellis is an absolute genius. This book blew me away!!! I’m truly speechless. This is on par with (one of my favorite reads of all time) Look Closer and that’s saying something. 6/5, 12/10, 200/100. Highly recommend! Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This is confusing and so hard to follow: there is so much going on, diff timelines, and so many characters. The writing doesn’t seem like the author’s previous work.

Rating: 5/5 Stars
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Wow. This book was absolutely phenomenal. I am honestly speechless at this point. The easiest thing for me to say is you most definitely are going to need this book. This book was so intricately woven together to create such an intriguing and intense / mind blowing plot that you will sit staring at your book long after you’ve finished wishing there was more. The entire book is not only so addicting but it’s completely haunting and without a doubt believable. I felt like I was reading a true crime novel.
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Told in a dual timeline and through multiple points of view you really get to know each of the characters and their backstory. You will instantly fall in love with Leo (I mean he’s so quirky and sarcastic that he’s just perfect) and you may or may not fall in love with other characters.
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Right from the start this book pops off, it takes just a few chapters to really grasp a concept on the characters but boy, once you do, that’s when Ellis begins to drop the bombs… and its not just one, or two, it is multiple and they are so perfectly placed that you will be in awe at how his mind works to create such a masterpiece. The ending was perfection, I felt so many different emotions, I even teared up a bit; it was everything that the reader could possibly need to bring this book to a close. I loved it all. This will without a doubt be one of my favorite books of 2024.
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From start to finish this book was just incredible. I read this one in 2 days, I was hooked, I couldn’t put it down. The Best Lies comes out 7/23 and once again – you NEED this book. Huge thank you to NetGalley, David Ellis and Penguin Group Putnam for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

“The best lie was the one I didn’t have to tell.”

The best books are the ones you can give 5 stars to and never have to explain why, but:

—Masterful
—Compulsive
—F*cking amazing

But also, Leo gives me mad Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool vibes, so there’s that too.

**EARLY PREDICTION FOR 2024 BOOK OF THE YEAR**

Thank you (so stinkin much) to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam | G.P. Putnam’s Sons for making my week with this digital review copy!

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this Advanced Reader’s Copy of The Best Lies by David Ellis due to be published July 23, 2024.
Leo Balanoff is a diagnosed pathological liar (and a numbers “savant”). He is an attorney who wants justice for everyone, and still in love with his last girlfriend, Andi, but when a drug dealer is found dead and evidence points to Leo, will he be able to get out of this one, or will everyone he knows assume he is lying about his innocence?
I had previously read Look Closer by David Ellis so I was excited to get this book.
The Best Lies was a whirlwind of drug trafficking, baby stealing, murder, espionage, and I loved it! Leo was quite the character (reminded me of Myron Bolitar from the Harlan Coben series if you’ve read them). He was funny and likeable and always standing up for the good guys.
I lost count of the number of times I said, “Oh, my goodness” out loud reading this book. If you want a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat, (and, sometimes, laugh out loud), jaw dropping, “unputdownable” thriller – this one is for you!
I hope there will be more books with Leo and Andi!
#NetGalley #DavidEllis #PenguinGroupPutnam #TheBestLies