Thank you William Morrow & Netgalley for the ARC. While this is book 12 in a series that I have not read, this novel can be read as a stand alone book. This was a gripping novel about GBI investigator Will and medical examiner Sara on their honeymoon at an off-the-grid mountaintop retreat where disaster strikes. The two must uncover the mystery of who murdered Mercy before time runs out. This novel is gripping with a good mix of suspense and action. I listened to the audiobook as well and really enjoyed the narrator.

This Is Why We Lied is the 12th book in the Will Trent series. It is also the first title in this series that I have read. I have read other Karin Slaughter novels, and thought I might try a Will Trent novel. Although part of the Will Trent series, This Is Why We Lied can stand alone. The characters are easy to grasp and enough of their backstory is provided. At its heart the Will Trent novels are police procedurals. In This Is Why We Lied, Slaughter has written a very dark novel about one of the worst family stories I have read, although it is likely that this family fits well within some of the worst family stories to dominate the nightly news.

Right up front: TRIGGER WARNINGS--Pedophilia, incest, sexual abuse, spousal abuse, rape, murder, drunkenness. Pretty much every trigger imaginable can be found in This Is Why We Lied, and had I known, I would never have read this novel. Years ago I quit watching a TV show, Criminal Minds, because I was becoming compulsive about locking doors and windows, multiple times. I want to be entertained, not have my socks scared off. That is how I feel about This Is Why We Lied. The McAlpine family, whose mountain retreat serves as the location for this novel, can best be described as depraved and disgusting, and beyond any kind of casual description. This novel is sad and heartbreaking, populated by a family engaged in some of the most depraved behavior possible. I was appalled.

Editorially, This Is Why We Lied started well, with a murder. Will Trent and his new wife are honeymooning at a resort and are immediately involved in solving a murder. Then the novel goes back to explore the McAlpine family history, which is actually a history of lies and abuse. This entire section is slow and ponderous and boring and needed an editor who would cut at least half of it out of this novel. Time for the red Tracking Notes. This Is Why We Lied is way too long and as a result, readers will want to skip right over whole sections. And yes, it is a locked room mystery, although Agatha Christy would never have written anything like this. If she had, she would have needed a shower. Or several showers.

Thank you to the author, publisher William Morrow, and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC. The opinion in this review are my own. I suspect that most Will Trent readers will enjoy This Is Why We Lied. I did not.

4.5-5⭐️Perfectly messed up thriller in the way only Karin Slaughter can do. Everyone felt like a suspect. It was perfectly paced with just enough twists to keep me guessing while also throwing some side stories in to keep it all coming together. Thank you net galley & William Morrow for the advanced e-copy of this book.

Karin Slaughter does it again with this book. You will never guess whodunit and the circumstances that bring the investigation to a conclusion. Will and Sara are finally married! On their honeymoon at a remote wilderness resort they do not disclose their true occupations, because something always happens. And that makes up one lie. Their honeymoon happiness is shattered when a scream in the woods brings them to the body of the resort’s manager. Now with a storm, a single washed-out road, limited telephone and computer access, Will and Sara must investigate the circumstances of the death, which turns out to be a locked room mystery in a resort setting. Everyone is a suspect, and everyone has a lie. The complexity of the proprietors’ dysfunctional relationships with their family members and associated characters is well written and is creepy and disturbing. Be prepared.

In the latest book in the Will Trent series, Will and Sara are finally married! Will is anxious as he and his new bride hike to the surprise honeymoon location, McAlpine Lodge - did he pick the right place. The ‘luxury lodge’ offers trails, scenery, escape from technology (‘no Wi-Fi) and individual cabins that both find delightful. Sara and Will introduce themselves as teacher and mechanic rather than their actual titles of medical examiner and GBI agent, but that doesn’t last long.

Sharing a moment on one of the trails a blood curdling scream has them running to find the owner’s daughter and manager, Mercy, stabbed and dying. As Will and Faith investigate the mystery, each guest and every family member is suspect. Trying to solve a mystery in a getaway location with a single road in and out, few communication capabilities, limited transportation and of course a very bad untimely storm gives you an outdoor locked room mystery. As the mystery proceeds you meet all the members of the very dysfunctional McAlpine family with obvious problems, each a very good candidate for the top of the murder list. The list happens to include Mercy’s ex who is an old orphanage acquaintance of Will’s, and one he’d rather forget, Be ready for twists, turns, surprises, and danger. Until the concluding chapters, Slaughter kept me guessing as to how it all would end. This Is Why We Lied, is another great addition to the Will Trent series. Thank you Wm Morrow & NetGalley for the digital ARC.

It was exciting seeing Queen Slaughter try her hand at a closed room type of thriller and investigation that immediately ratchets up the claustrophobia and tension of being isolated with a group of truly off putting and diabolical people.

Poor Will and Sara can’t even catch a break on their honeymoon, but it was great to see how Slaughter still finds ways to make these well known characters interesting. She manages to turn over emotional stones that you might think we know well, but give them a new interpretation. It’s clear Will’s trauma continues to weigh on him, and not just because someone from his past is brought right into his line of sight.

While I loved the characters, especially the ones we love to hate, I didn’t find this one to be as clever as her usual stories. I called the murdered early, including the motive, but I still enjoyed going through the many red herrings and mystery.

While not my favorite, this was still unputdownable. Can’t wait for the next one!

The honeymoon of Sara and Will in a restful mountain retreat. Alas, that’s too good to be true. I will leave the plot there. Some minor quibbles: Sara and Will’s lust for each other. Enough already! The first quarter of the book focused way too much on Mercy. Other than that, another good read from Slaughter. Thanks to NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Karin Slaughter excels at creating flawed, believable characters, and she fully embraces the dark side.

THIS IS WHY WE LIED delves deep into the wreckage of human depravity.

But, and I think this is important, we also see the flip side. Love and hope shine in those dark crevices, nudging aside the misery, giving the characters–and us readers–the strength to go on.

The plot has a locked-in murder mystery vibe, except we're at a small, remote wilderness resort. The setting and atmosphere gave me all the claustrophobic vibes, with the sense of urgency building until I felt just as breathless as the characters.

This is book 12 in the Will Trent series. It reads fine as a stand alone.

Of course, it is a Karin Slaughter book. Add in Will Trent, and you know it’s going to be good.
Spoiler alert…it was good….very good….every time I thought I had it figured out I was knocked down.
Will and Sara just want to enjoy their honeymoon at a secluded retreat, far from internet, phones, news, other people. Of course, nothing is ever that simple. When Mercy is murdered, it is up to Will and Sara to figure out what happened, and maybe Will can heal a bit in the process.

Thanks to Wm. Morrow & NetGalley for providing a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I've been reading Karin Slaughter books for over a decade, and while there have been ups and downs, she keeps me coming back. After the gut-wrenching horror of the last book, which went DEEP into the origin story of Sara's rape and the super-icky reasons why it happened, this book is almost a palate cleanser. If you are a fan of Will and Sara being cutesy and very, very demonstrably in love (to the point of embarrassment and x-ratedness), this is for you. If you enjoy Will and Sara working together as a well-oiled machine, this is also for you (I vastly prefer the profesh side to the lovey dovey shit. Ahem, did Jeffrey Tolliver even exist?!). There are a few flat notes in the teamwork, but they're nothing I can't overlook. I'm here for a good time, not to play gaffe squad.

I won't bore you with the plot details. All you need to know is: they are intricate and labyrinthine. As usual in a KS plot, there is horrible, horrible shit going on. Assume ALL the TWs. And if you haven't read her before, don't think you can just pick shit up in Book 12. You're going to be in shock, bc this woman is a powerhouse and she doesn't flinch.

My quibbles: Saint Sara is still Saint Sara. Will feels unworthy (slightly less now that they're married, but does a man who feels unworthy really plan upscale camping for his intimidatingly perfect bride? Not in my world, but lucky for us this is fiction, amirite?). Also: no dogs in this one bc honeymoon. Also also: how many times can Will meet another former kid from the orphanage? It's a great plot device so I'll allow it.

My likes: I appreciate that KS addresses the ridiculousness of Will & Sara working the case *while on their honeymoon*. Also, Faith.

Three and a half stars rounded up to 4. Solid, but not her best. Still pretty damn good!

The queen of dark and twisty doesn't disappoint with her latest Will Trent thriller! She perfectly weaves a tale that keeps you guessing until the final chapter.

Thank you Net Galley for this Arc read. I have watched the tv show so when I saw this was a book I had to read it to find out more. I love the story line and the characters in this book. I will s\ay it is a little show and takes a while for you to really want to dive into this read.

Story begins from the jump with someone ending up dead near the water, as Will and his new wife just arrived on their honeymoon to this hikers dream paradise. The family that owns this vacation spot has a lot of heightened animosity towards each other and Will seems to be caught right in the middle when he notices someone from his childhood is there as a worker. Now as this family is starting to dish out its hidden secrets, everyone turns on the one person who has kept this vacation spot afloat until she turns up dead. Will and his new wife now have to discover who did this, without compromising themselves and their real undercover identity.

Karin Slaughter does it again with a Will Trent/Sara Linton mystery set at a remote series of rental cabins in North Georgia. Slaughter's trademark mix of wit, violence, and twisty mystery is in fine form here. Even newcomers to the series will find something to love.

Will Trent is back!! But he isn't supposed to be working, he is supposed to be enjoying his honeymoon! That's right Will and Sara finally got married! But you know it will be anything but a calm honeymoon. Will surprises Sara with a honeymoon at a mountain resort, McAlpine Lodge. When they first arrive something feels slightly off but they push it aside. They meet the resort manager, Mercy and the rest of her family but a dinner things take turn for the worse. Fighting breaks out and family drama begins. Will and Sara take a hike to the lake but are interrupted when they hear screams for help. Rushing through the trails towards the sound of the screams Will finds Mercy who has been stabbed multiple times. Who could have done this and why? Will calls in Amanda and Faith to get the GBI team on the scene.

Thank you Netgalley, the publisher and incredible author for my ARC!

Another addictive twisty turn my book. Gotta love me some will Trent. This one was a nail biter bc legit everyone was a suspect. This book was well thought out and I appreciated that immensely. So good

I am so emotionally invested in Sara, Will and Faith at this point that I would probably read about their grocery shopping and be content. That aside, this was still a kickass installment in the series. Agatha gone much, much darker. I fell for all of the red herrings, it’s true. It all clicked for me the same time that it clicked for Will. The family in this book is so disturbing and complex, it was fascinating. I couldn’t stop reading.

The only way to describe this book is by saying it’s full of suspense and is a dark story. I really enjoy mystery , murder stories and this book kept me glued to the pages for a good amount of time. I can say I had it figured out since half the book, but I still liked the end.

Wow wow wow. This was incredible. I'm so attached to these characters and this one was no different. Trying to figure out who the killer was while having such terrible people as the entire cast of side characters was a trip. I always love Karin and her books and I'm excited for everyone to read this one

I haven’t read the Will Trent series prior to this but really enjoy Karin Slaughter and her writing. I ended up moving forward with the book and overall enjoyed despite not knowing all of the backstory of the two main characters. Good twists about family ties and corrupt law enforcement that led to a fun summer read.

This is a great thriller than you won’t want to put down. So many manipulative people, the family dynamics are beyond understanding, crooked law enforcement, plus a whole lot of twists. The ending was unexpected. Thank you to net galley for n advanced readers copy.