Every year I feel so incredibly lucky that we get another installment in the world’s greatest crime series. THIS IS WHY WE LIED is book TWELVE in the most addictive series and I have been hooked for years. My only regret is not discovering her books sooner!

I loved Slaughter’s unique spin on a locked room mystery and the atmospheric setting. This was probably my least favorite in the series just because it was slower paced and Faith Mitchell played a smaller role than I would have preferred, but it’s still an amazing five star read!

If you want to become a member of the Slaughter Squad, here’s my unsolicited advice:

GOOD IDEA - technically you could start with THIS IS WHY WE LIED, but it’s a little different from the rest of the series and you won’t already be obsessed with the characters.

BETTER IDEA - start with the series with TRIPTYCH (book one) or FRACTURED (book two).

BEST IDEA - start from the very beginning with Grant County book one, BLINDSIGHTED. I’ve been talking about her books for years and have never convinced someone to start and finish an eighteen book series but I’m trying!

If you want to start with a standalone, THE GOOD DAUGHTER is my very favorite!

🎧all of her books are amazing on audio, especially those narrated by Kathleen Early (luckily, almost all of them are!)

Finally, a petition for Will and Sarah to get a proper honeymoon!!

🥳pub day: AUGUST 20th
Thank you the publisher for the gifted copy!

After 12 books, I can truly say that I still LOVE this series and our main/side characters so much. I just love this world Karin Slaughter has built and so appreciate all the work that went into building the life that is Will Trent.

I couldn't be happier for a fictional character the way I am for Will getting married to Sara and for them getting to go on their honeymoon. Of course, we can't have the happy without a side of *murder* so even though they definitely didn't mean to, they end up playing a game of clue with a big cast of characters and a whole wide range of motives.

Not sure about everyone else but with so many possible suspects, I spent the entire book pointing fingers and giving my husband a run down of my theories only to be proven wrong over and over. There were the obvious ones and the not so obvious (which def blew my mind!).

I was a little worried we weren't gonna get any Amanda and Faith action but luckily, we do get some facetime with them.

Overall, super satisfied with the ending and a little sad it is over. Always so excited when we get a new Will Trent book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and William Morrow for the opportunity to read and review this eARC.

✨BOOK REVIEW✨

This Is Why We Lied by @karinslaughterauthor

It’s hard to put into words the feeling of being back with Will & Sara & Faith & Amanda — it’s like an instant boost to my mental state 😂

TIWWL is the 12th (!!!!) book in the Will Trent series and I LOVED IT. If you haven’t started this series, get going now. And if you feel slightly overwhelmed at the number of books you have to commit to, please just know that we finally convinced @naesreadingnook to read them and she started like two weeks ago and finished this one last night 😂😂😂😂 and it was her favorite! All this to say, they are addicting!

We get a little different “feel” in this one than the others, where Slaughter gives us a bit of a locked room mystery — on a secluded cabin retreat where Will & Sara just happen to be honeymooning 😻

What you’re getting:
🔪 a murder early-on that we get to solve
🔪 Will & Sara putting all the other lovebirds to shame ☺️
🔪 small town secrets, family alliances
🔪 Faith being Faith (the best and making me LOL)
🔪 the most clever storyline
🔪 dark & twisty

The weave she wove 👏🏼 I did not see that ending coming and I felt all the emotions! Shock, sadness, disgust, relief. @karinslaughterauthor I’m not sure how you do it but I’ll be sure to ask ALL the questions when I see you at Quail Ridge later this month 😜

Perfection 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Out Aug 20th!! A million thank you’s to @williammorrowbooks for the gifted finished copy.

Some truly evil characters and some who just got caught up with them are found in This is Why We Lied by Karin Slaughter. Will Trent and Sara continue to make a great crime solving team. This book was very hard to put down.

Karin Slaughter is ALWAYS five stars for me, and I was so excited to receive an ARC of this book. In my personal opinion, it's been way too long since we had a new Will Trent book. I'm so attached to Will, Sara, and Faith. Karin Slaughter always pulls off a great mystery and she isn't afraid to get dark, which I really enjoy even though sometimes it makes me wince. This is one of those that got REAL messed up. Or maybe I'm just extra sensitive when it comes to kids. Either way, loved it, devoured it, five stars once again!

A riveting detective thriller by an amazing author! This is well-written, gripping, fast-paced and full of shocking twists - I couldn’t put it down!!
Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I'm such a gigantic Karin Slaughter fan. I've read all of her books and absolutely LOVE the Grant County and Will Trent series. I've listened to almost all of them on audiobook and Kathleen Early is such an amazing narrator! So I'm always happy to read a new Will Trent - This is Why We Lied is book #12 in the series.

I really enjoyed this one - I love that Will and Sara finally got married! While this has all of your usual Karin - murder, horrible crimes, violence, deeply troubled people and Will trying to solve the crime, this was much tamer than some of her previous books. However, the end was a bit of a shock.

Karin's writing is just SO good. I will always read everything she writes and she has the best characters with such interesting plots that I don't know how she comes up with them.

A huge thanks to William Morrow for my copy!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Karin Slaughter delivers yet another masterful thriller with *This Is Why We Lied*. From the very first page, I was completely hooked. The secluded cabin retreat that was meant to be a dream honeymoon for Will Trent and Sara Linton quickly turns into a harrowing nightmare, and Slaughter expertly builds the tension with every twist and turn.

The atmosphere of McAlpine Lodge is perfectly rendered—a seemingly idyllic, off-the-grid mountaintop hideaway that becomes suffocatingly claustrophobic as the storm rages and the body count rises. The isolation of the setting amplifies the suspense, making every character's secret feel like a ticking time bomb ready to explode.

Slaughter’s portrayal of Will and Sara’s relationship amidst the chaos is both tender and raw, grounding the story with an emotional depth that makes you root for them even more. The investigation into Mercy McAlpine’s murder is riveting, with each revelation peeling back layers of lies and deceit, keeping you guessing until the very end.

What I love most about this book is the complexity of the characters. Everyone is hiding something, and as Will and Sara dig deeper, the lines between victim and perpetrator blur in fascinating ways. The stakes couldn’t be higher, and the pace never lets up, leading to a heart-pounding conclusion that left me breathless.

If you’re a fan of gripping, atmospheric thrillers that keep you on the edge of your seat, *This Is Why We Lied* is an absolute must-read. Karin Slaughter has outdone herself with this one—don’t miss it!

Thank you Karin Slaughter, William Morrow, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Let me start off by saying that my review is biased. I really enjoy this series and this was another solid installment. I was happy to be back in the world of these characters and watch them solve a crime. Thus, my 4.5 star rating is colored by these facts. Was this the best book I have read this year. Probably not, but I am happy that I read it and look forward to the next one.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the digital ARC.

YOU GUYS! I cannot tell you the absolute JOY it brings me to be back in a world with Will and Sara. If you know me, you know I'm obsessed with this series- shout out to my girlie @kell.of.a.read for getting me hooked on it back in 2022!

Given that this is the 12th book in the series, there isn't really anything I can say that isn't a spoiler for the rest of the books, but let me just say... if you are STILL sleeping on Will Trent, JUST START! You won't be sorry. Every book has a little bit of everything you could want from a fantastic read centered around a nice murder (obviously) and a touch of romance (duh).

Each book in this series just builds on the previous one, and the character development for every👏🏼single👏🏼character👏🏼 over the course of the series is 👩🏻‍🍳💋 This book hooked me from the very beginning and my ONLY complaint is I missed some of the supporting characters in the first half of the book.

Ok, ok I'll stop talking about Will and friends... for now 😉 But do yourself a favor and snag this book when it is out on 8/20!

Book review 📖

📜This Is Why We Lied
✍️Karin Slaughter
📠William Morrow
📚 Mystery/Thriller Fiction
🗓️Pub date: August 20, 2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

✨Thank you @NetGalley and @williammorrowbooks for providing me with an Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

✨McAlpine Lodge was supposed to be a secluded and relaxing retreat, a perfect honeymoon getaway for Will and Sara. Some might say it’s too secluded, as the only way to get to the mountain-top cottages is to hike. Some might also say it’s the perfect spot to commit cold-blooded murder.

✨A earth-shattering scream has Will running through the woods, only to find Mercy McAlpine dying from stab wounds. Mercy, the manager of McAlpine Lodge, has many secrets she took with her to her grave.

✨With a killer amongst them on the top of the mountain, Will and Sara must investigate buried secrets and uncover a myriad of lies from a large cast of characters.

✨Karin Slaughter is a golden pillar in the author world and I wouldn’t expect anything short of a an amazing read from her.
This Is Why We Lied is a Will Trent series, a little different from others in the series. This one wasn’t my favorite plot and at times it was a little confusing piecing together who was who, considering the amount of characters. I typically love Karin Slaughter, though, and will continue to read this series!

#netgalley #thisiswhywelied #karinslaughter #williammorrowbooks #advancedreadercopy #arc #bookreview #bookstagrammer #ivegotbooks #idratherbereading #thrillerfiction #summerreleases #willtrentseries

I really enjoyed this book even though I haven't read any other in the series. There is quite a bit of abuse and violence throughout the book which is hard to stomach. There is also a very dysfunctional family--probably the most I've ever read about. Lots of content warnings here. At times it was difficult to read about Mercy, knowing all the horrible things that had happened to her, and knowing her eventual murder.

Will and Sara have finally gotten away on their honeymoon when romance is cut short with a scream.Solving a murder at this isolated resort is hampered as family and guests all have reason to lie. Series fans will appreciate new insights into Will’s past but those new to the Will Trent series will find this an accessible entry point. A convoluted, satisfying read by Karin Slaughter.

Posted in Goodreads and on Facebook

Karin Slaughter.....Enough said! She once again rocked the book. The thrills, the lies, the secrets, right until the very end! She did not disappoint!

She has done it again! MY GOSH. There are several reasons why Karin Slaughter is my favorite author & I can now add another to my list. I'm not a locked room mystery kind of person. I've never met one I've liked...until now. This next book in the Will Trent series did not disappoint. Per usual, it was tense, thrilling, fun, but also dark & sick (in the best of ways, of course), with characters you love to hate, and characters you just straight-up love. Seriously, there will be a huge hole in my heart the day this series comes to an end. But more about this novel....

No one does characters quite like Karin. No matter what kind of person they are, they're well written, well developed, and never half-assed. If you're going to hate them, you're going really FEEL that hate. If you like them, you'll feel it, not just think it. That's one of the reasons this was the first locked in thriller to ever work for me. And holy hell...that ending. I was so proud of myself for thinking I had figured it out. Little did I know, the WHO was only a small part of what I'd find out. My jaw was on the floor! This was sooooo very good!

Thank you to NetGalley & William Morrow Books for this AMAZING ARC!

It’s to be expected that Will’s and Sara’s honeymoon is interrupted with a murder. Slaughter beautifully describes the surroundings and buildings of the upmarket camp. Unfortunately the owners are a dysfunctional backstabbing secret ridden family and watching the murder unfold is like watching a train wreck -you can’t stop. I appreciated the insight into Will’s childhood and his partner Faith’s relationship is very funny. There is sure to be demand for this title given the TV series, but it is a page-turner in its own right. Part of a long-running series this still can stand alone. Highly recommended.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, William Morrow, for an early reader’s copy of This is Why We Lied.

The story started well, but then went downhill into the depths of depravity – not just one element, but all the characters, in one way or another. “Dysfunctional family” doesn’t even begin to describe the McAlpine family members who are central to the book. Pedophilia, incest, sexual abuse, spousal abuse, rape, murder, drunkenness fill every page.

I think I read about 1/3 and simply couldn’t stomach any more.

First off - this is number 12 (I think) in the series and I have not ready any in the series - so thank GOODNESS Karin Slaughter writes these in a way that they can be read as standalones or as the series. I didn't feel like I missed anything with this being my first Will Trent read.

Secondly - Karin Slaughter is the queen of the dark/mind bendy/twisted thrillers.

This was darrrrrrrrrrrk. When the twist at the end was revealed, my jaw dropped and I gasped out loud. I didn't see that twist coming even though I figured out the killer fairly easily, that didn't take away from the reveal at all. This was so good. If you like Slaughter's writing, you'll like this.

My only gripe - the chapters are SO freaking long. At times, my Kindle would tell me 32 minutes left in chapter and I wanted to vomit. The story was amazing, but this girl needs short chapters.

Karin Slaughter has written a masterpiece of a who done it! The killer is not revealed until the last chapter and we are kept guessing until the bitter end.

Once again we have Sara Litton, Will Trent and Faith Mitchell back working to solve another grisly murder. Sara and Will have gotten married and are on their honeymoon in the Georgia mountains at a remote resort. Mercy McAlpine is murdered and dies in Wills arms on the lakefront.

There are 3 couples who are guests and multiple family members and staff all staying at the resort. Everyone’s a suspect. And an old classmate of Wills has married into the family and immediately begins antagonizing Will. This brings back all his horrific memories of child abuse in the children’s home he grew up with. Sara is sickened and wants to leave but is drawn to Mercy’s 16 year old son Jon. And wants to help him.

This is my favorite line from the book. “ life makes you pay for your personality”. This is totally true in this story and in real life. Karin Slaughter is the master of creating the most diabolical characters that I have ever read and this book has two of the worst. The abuse that Mercy suffers through is horrific. And yet she is trying to be her best self up until her last breath.

I enjoyed reading this book but the depravity of these characters was a lot. Thankfully we have Sara to balance out all the evil and Amanda to lock up these criminals for the rest of their miserable lives.

Arc received from Net Galley for an honest and voluntary review.

3.75 round up to 4 stars for me on This one!
I think my mind has been in a little funk so it was hard to capture my attention on this one but I still really enjoyed this book and the Will Trent series so far. The good thing about reading this series though is that any of them you can read as a standalone and not have to have read all of them (which I will be honest and say I haven't read them all ) but all have been good from what I have read!

It was nice to see that both Sara and Will finally tie the knot though! Lots of action and tension going on with the case with Mercy. I liked the use of going back and forth between present and the past. The time before the occurrence happened. Everyone is lying and you dont know who to believe so you never knew who or what to believe and who had done it! Definitely was always a mystery on who it was the whole time!
There were a few trigger warnings though throughout the book so gotta keep an eye on that such as some domestic violence, some addiction issues and a few others.

Overall good book, def a who did it mystery thriller!