Poor Mercy. Oh my goodness what in the world is all I can think about that family. I am so glad we get to see Will and Sara have a happy beginning together. I love them as a couple and I love when they work closely with each other. Definitely a great read and series. Went quick. Couldn’t believe some of the characters. They were so bad. Can’t wait for the next Will Trent book.

As the twelfth installment in the Will Trent series, this novel delivers a gripping narrative that intertwines a secluded setting with a murder mystery. Everybody has a secret, and I we get all the claustrophobic atmospheric vibes reminiscent of classic locked-room mysteries. The isolation of the lodge, a raging storm that washes out the only access road, and lots of tension as Will and Sara realize that the murderer is among the guests. I don’t feel like the execution was as up to par as most of slaughter’s other novels. I know the pacing was intentional to set the scene, but while the murder mystery is engaging, certain aspects of the story were less compelling, and that affected my overall interest and rating.

Thoroughly enjoyed this latest chapter in the Will Trent series. I wonder if anyone else had the same experience of yelling at the characters for honing in on this character or that one as the suspect. It did truly keep me guessing until the reveal.

I finished this book yesterday, but I needed a moment to sit on it because I didn't know how to rate it. But after thinking about it, this book is a 5 star read. I just wasn't sure because it was so gruesome and disturbing that I felt weird reading it, but that doesn't mean that it wasn't a fantastic read.

I truly don't want to spoil anything, but I don't even know how to review this without giving anything away. I'll just say that this packed the plot twists, I kept changing my mind on who had killed Mercy, the ending was pretty shocking and disturbing. Mercy deserved better.

Karin Slaughter writes really hard things to read and also gives a lot of gruesome details, that just make you feel so icky and sick, if you feel like you need to, please check out the trigger warnings before starting this book.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of This is Why We Lied by Karin Slaughter!

Loved this Will Trent novel - even though it is in a series it reads well as a standalone.
Did not predict the ending which is one of my favorite things about a suspenseful thriller.

Great job Karin Slaughter.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

If you know me at all you know my QUEEN is KARIN SLAUGHTER and she is a MAJOR reason I fell in love with reading. Will Trent is the BEST thriller series out there, and it's just the icing on the cake that my favorite series is now one of my favorite TV shows. If you aren't watching you should. The one bad thing about my favorite show turning into a show, is the WILL TRENT that lived in my head for years, now plays out in my head exactly like the characters in the show, which is not a bad thing because they are all amazing. This is book 12 in the series and the most fun one yet. Will and Sarah are on their honeymoon, when all hell breaks loose. This is a closed door who-done-it with the most fucked up cast of characters yet. I was seriously grossed out the entire book!! I couldn't believe this family. Overall, I don't want to give too much away, but I am already clearing counting down to the next WILL TRENT book.

Another excellent Will Trent mystery. The setting was good but the family is so controversial and an absolute mess. The pace dragged in some parts but the twists and turns of who committed the murder keeps you guessing until the end. There are some content warnings that may trigger some. 3.5 stars

This is Why We Lied is a gripping, twist-filled thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. Slaughter’s ability to build suspense and develop complex characters makes this a standout read.

Karin Slaughter delivers again! It's dark and twisted as all Will Trent storylines are. There were a lot of troubled characters, and it had me guessing until the end who the guilty party was.

This was really long and pretty predictable. I really wanted to love this one but I did not. I had to end up waiting till after pub day to finish it on audio to get through it. It was not written bad, just not for me so 3 stars.

Karin Slaughter delivers another gripping installment in the Will Trent series with This Is Why We Lied. Newlyweds Will Trent, a Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) agent, and medical examiner Sara Linton head to the secluded McAlpine Lodge for their honeymoon, seeking a peaceful retreat. However, their plans are upended when the lodge manager, Mercy McAlpine, is found dead. With a storm cutting off access to the lodge, Will and Sara must navigate a web of secrets among the guests and the McAlpine family to uncover the truth.

This book masterfully combines the tension of a locked-room mystery with deep character development. Slaughter's portrayal of the complex dynamics within the McAlpine family adds depth to the narrative, keeping me engaged as I pieced together clues alongside Will and Sara. The atmospheric setting of the isolated lodge enhances the suspense, making it a perfect backdrop for the unfolding drama.

I'm giving This Is Why We Lied a full 5 stars! As a fan of the series, this book did not disappoint. The blend of mystery, suspense, and character exploration is spot-on. Whether you're a longtime follower of Will Trent or new to the book series, this novel stands strong on its own and is a must-read for thriller enthusiasts.

Slaughter is a suspenseful, creepy, and psychological icon. Everything she fights always seems to have that certain something that makes it. They’re always uniquely enjoyable in their own way!

I really enjoyed the most recent installment in the Will Trent series! With a series this long, storylines can feel repetitive or overwrought, but Karin Slaughter does a great job of keeping the storylines fresh. The plot was well-paced, moving quickly without feeling rushed, which is a hallmark of Slaughter’s work, in my opinion. Five stars!

The series that keeps on giving. Another great book by Karin Slaughter. I did not see the end coming.

Thank you Netgalley & William Morrow for an eARC of This is Why We Lied by Karin Slaughter. Oh dear. Slaughter, the queen of gritty, twisty reads. Each one gets darker and I never think that she can outdo herself, yet she does.

I started the GBI Investigator Will Trent series late into it, and it’s on my to-do to read the entire backlist, yet I can’t help myself when a new one comes out! As with the others in the Will Trent series, this one can be read standalone but is even more impactful if you’ve read others and know the background of and relationships between the main characters.

This one follows Will Trent and Sara Linton on their honeymoon - Wow, they finally made it to this point! What could possibly go wrong? Well, the first scene kicks off with a steamy tryst that turns, quite literally, murderous, on the mountaintop property they’re enjoying their vacation on.

The family that owns the property is full of their own secrets, and with a storm raging and a murderer in the vicinity, Will and Sara are once again stuck in between a rock and a hard place. Everyone here is lying. Who killed Mercy McAlpine, and why?

This is another lengthy book - GREAT audio if you’re into audiobooks - but an easy one to turn the pages on. This one went in a WTF direction that I was not expecting, in true Slaughter fashion. As always, can’t WAIT to see what she comes up with next in her 2025 thriller.

Myster/thriller is not my preferred genre. But I have read other books by Karin Slaughter (just not the Will Trent series) so I thought I'd give this one a try. I must say, I wasn't disappointed with that choice! I could definitely see the appeal for mystery/thriller fans who enjoy an interconnected series. This one will be easy to hand sell!

I was so thrilled to have access to this story, I have loved many stories by this author. The book did not disappoint. There are equal parts of mystery and suspense, feel good moments and an all around out together plot. The story works through various viewpoints and leads the reader through a mysterious trail of secrets and hidden truths.

read this in Sept 2024 through Netgalley e-ARC. I didn’t realize it was part of a series (#12), I just knew had to try my hand at requesting a copy since I’ve enjoyed Karin Slaughter books in the past. Honestly you could read this as a standalone and still enjoy it, that’s what I did and clearly it wasn’t a reading issue bc I still found it thoroughly entertaining! Whatever important events happened in previous books gets touched upon in this book if it’s relevant for the reader to understand the situation at hand. Reading this book made me want to read the series and watch the TV series adaptation (didn’t know there was one until requested the book!).

I’ve never felt so many (conflicting) emotions for a character in a long time. Mercy was such a well developed character. I was heartbroken for her in many points of the novel. She’s a character I’ll remember for a long time. I read this book 4 months ago from this review and I still remember this character and her story vividly in my mind. Karin Slaughter did a great job creating each character for the story.

Overall great thriller and looking forward to dive into the series further!

Thank you Netgalley and William Morrow books for an eARC copy to review!

I will literally read anything this woman writes. She never disappoints.
This Is Why We Lied is a dark and gripping mystery/thriller set at a secluded mountain lodge, where GBI Special Agent Will Trent and Medical Examiner Sarah Linton find themselves entangled in a chilling murder investigation. The narrative captivates readers with its Agatha Christie-esque isolation and twisted VC Andrews-style family drama, as secrets unravel and suspects multiply. While the beginning is slow, focusing on the McAlpine family’s dynamics, the pace intensifies, culminating in a shocking and gut-wrenching finale. With compelling twists and deeply uncomfortable revelations, this book is both unsettling and unputdownable. A thrilling read, but not for the faint of heart. Four stars. Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC.