I don’t understand the art world and I do not claim to but dang does it make for some good, dark, twisted drama. On paper, I didn’t think this book was a good fit for me. I’m not a huge fan of academia or art. However, I was willing to take a chance and I’m so glad that I did. I could NOT put this book down. The secretive, obsessive, incestuous circle of friends was so entrancing. I also think the format of the book helped keep my interest piqued the entire time with its dual timeline and short chapters. I went through all of the emotions when traveling alongside willow and Anna. I hated them, felt sorry for them, liked them, all of it. I think that characters are really what sets this apart from your average thriller.

this book simply wasn't for me. i was hoping for a thriller, not a 9/11 book. i think the topic is overdone and it is rare someone has something new to say. i will not be recommending this to my followers but i will also not be discouraging them from reading it as i feel as though i'm just not the target audience for this kind of story.

This book is very nostalgic and is all about friendship told in alternating timelines. The characters are well developed and the dynamics between them draws you in.

Amazing thriller. When Mean Girls meet Pretty Little Liars.

You got those vibes into that.

LOVED IT.

Rounded up from 3.5 stars. "Tell Them You Lied" scratched an itch that I haven't been able to reach since I watched the first season of Pretty Little Liars in 2009. This mean-girl-thriller-mystery was a wild ride. Our FMC- Anna, feeling dejected by her best "frenemy", Willow, arranges for Willow to be mugged at knifepoint on her way to work. The mugging is meant to drive Willow back into Anna's waiting arms- except that the "mugging" has been arranged for Tuesday, September 11th, 2001. Now Willow is missing and it's unclear whether the mugging went wrong, or if she was injured/killed in the 9/11 attack, or if she disappeared on purpose to teach Anna a lesson.

Through alternating timelines, we see Anna desperately trying to find Willow and slowly unraveling mentally in the weeks following september 11th paired with Flashbacks to Anna and Willow's time in college; the development of their relationship and the manipulation between the two of them that drove Anna to stage the mugging.

Had to rate this one 3.5 stars because although "Tell Them You Lied" was so much fun, the ending felt rushed and, honestly, a bit out of place.

Thank you, Netgalley, Laura Leffler, and Hyperion for the ARC!

When Anna's best friend and roommate disappears on September 11, 2001, the toxic nature of their friendship begins to come to light. I loved a lot of the themes that this book touched on, including the art school/college theme that takes place during one of the timelines, the September 11 historical fiction, which felt fresh and truthful, and the theme of backstabbing friends, and I also liked how the book alternated timelines and perspectives. Overall, if you like dark, twisty books about female friendship, I recommend Tell Them You Lied.

2.5 ⭐️ rounded up. I think this book would have been better if the story had been split up better. I found it a little hard to follow. I’m also not really sure what 9/11 had to do either the story. It felt like it was only added for some sort of attempt at shock value. I’d probably try this author again but this book just wasn’t for me.

This story took place around September 11 and the college years before that. I was around the same age at the time so this felt very nostalgic to me. The story centers around an intense friendship that changed both of the young women. The loner and the cool girl. It’s shocking and familiar. How we so badly want validation through the acceptance of others. How we do need community unless it’s trying to sabotage you. This was a beautifully written story of being a girl with secrets. We can all relate. Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was exactly the type of novel I was looking for right now. Nonlinear storytelling, manic pixie dream girl and toxic relationships that come with these personas, and a small mystery set in the art world made this a fast-paced read.

First the bad. While I enjoy nonlinear storytelling, I’m not sure what the purpose did for the plot overall. I think that it should have instead been split into two parts: while the characters were in college, and when they were living in NYC during and after 9/11. This would’ve then focused more on the main theme of the book of portraying female objectification in two parts: a friendship slowly turning sour as the Anna, the main character, and Willow, the manic pixie dream girl type character, objectify their work, themselves, and each other pre and post 9/11. I think this would have tightened up the story overall.

To the good: one thing that drew me to the book was it being set in NYC during 9/11. I have never ever read a book set during this day in history, and I think it’s because it is still a raw historical event for those that witnessed it (not to make anyone feel old, but I was a toddler when it happened and have no memory of it). I didn’t know what to expect, whether it would be kitschy and overbearing. Instead, it took a backseat to the main story and themes- which I was glad for - and acted more like a symbolic representation of these characters relationships falling apart and the ensuing chaos when Willow disappears. Speaking of characters, everyone is a toxic mess, but I am here for it. The need to possess others and simultaneously wanting to be obsessed over was such a big part of these characters motivations and basis to their relationships. The complexity was fun to read for the drama, but as the reader you are also like, “dumb this friendship for your mental health PLEASE.”

So. Overall, this book is for people wanting dramatic relationship development and downfalls, academia within an art school, and themes of feminine possession with a manic pixie dream girl trope.

Thank you to Hyperion Avenue for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Overall, I enjoyed this, but feel it lacked an ending. There were no twists or turns, nothing truly shocking. I found that the past and present being written in 1st and 3rd persons was a bit off-putting. Overall, I would recommend this to someone who wants to try psychological thrillers, but not for someone who reads them as their main genre.

I’m giving this 2.5 stars (rounded to 3) because it’s the author’s first novel and she deserves credit for her effort. That being said, the book was well written for the most part up until the end. I didn’t quite understand the need to tie 9/11 into this… as a native New Yorker, throwing this day into a book for no real reason kind of put a bad taste in my mouth from the get go. The “twist” wasn’t well explained AT ALL (I had to go back and read numerous times to understand and I still didn’t). It felt as though the last quarter of the book was rushed. I will definitely read another one of Ms. Leffler’s books, so long as it doesn’t involve a national tragedy, as she seems to have the je ne sais quoi I enjoy from an author.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Enjoyed this book, appreciates the slow reveals throughout the story with everything getting resolved at the end. Readalike to The Woman Upstairs by Claire Messud.

I will always remember where I was on September 11th, 2001. It actually feels almost insane to me that books are now being set in this time period, because I surely don't feel this old! Anyways. Anna and Willow are great friends, bonding over art and the city and growing up and becoming their own. There is a familiarity between the two, an almost untouchable bond. When we fast forward five years, we find Willow has loyalty mostly to herself, and Anna has some problems with her "friend". Anna prepares a stabbing for Willow, a gimmick in which the point is for Willow to see her actions reflected in the fearsome and gruesome nature of such an attack. That in itself is pretty brutal, but it's also September 11th, so things understandably go awry and now the script has totally flipped. This one is full of suspense, nostalgia, reflection, and secrets- just like I like my thrillers and mysteries. Despite some problematic characters, I found this one to be very engaging and would recommend. Thankyou so much to the publisher and author for the chance to read and rate an eARC!

I can honestly say that this book will stay with me for a while. Based on toxic friendships and a cut throat career, I love that Laura Leffler set Tell Them You Lied at the heart of New York City at the time of 9/11. It was literally tragedy layered on top of toxicity with every chapter. There are dual but continuous time lines (e.g. 4 years ago and present day) that crates the connection between Willow and Anna’s friendship and the events that enfold. I really liked the shift between first person (present) and third person POVs.

Real world events that took me back to that day in my own life. Not only were there constant Twists and turns throughout the book, I had my own vivid imagery of the 9/11 and the impact it had on my life. I feel like Laura Leffler had a unique idea in using world events (the tragedy of 9/11) to create a captivating story with an intricately designed plot. The characters were well developed and when it came down to it, no one was reliable, including the narrator.

I know that others have complained about the amount of details and “extra stuff” in the book that could have been left out. However, I felt that all info that was provided throughout the chapters were necessary for character and plot development.

Thank you NetGalley and Hyperion Avenue for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Tell Them You Lied will be available on May 27, 2025!

I really enjoyed this book, evidenced by the fact that I read it over a 16 hour period when I really should have spent more time sleeping. The story centers on Anna and Willow, who become fast friends their freshman year at a small college in Ohio. The story takes place over 2 timeframes, from when they started college to the current timeframe, 4 years later, on/about September 11, 2001 in NYC. The later timeline is told in the first person while the former timeline is told in the 3rd person. This seems jarring but totally works.

I was completely sucked into this story about these young girls who were back-stabbers and desperate for success (even with the focus on art, which is something I honestly know little about). It's easy to judge from my current vantage point but I can also put myself back at that age where everything felt so big and important and people did terrible and stupid things in order to get ahead. While neither protagonist was likable, I could at least understand their motivations (even if I disagreed strongly with them!). The mystery around where Willow went in the more recent timeline is expertly weaved into events that happened in the former timeline. The story moves at a fast clip the entire way through and there were more than a few surprise twists.

Overall, I thought this was a really good read that I couldn't put down. I have not read a 9/11 story written in a similar vein and thought the context just added to the overall feeling of anxiety. It was fascinating to me that the characters weren't focused on the overall horror of the 9/11 attacks but just how they affected their own personal lives; this is a perspective I had never considered previously. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of Tell Them You Lied.

The premise sounded similar to other novels I've read before; a naive young woman is swept up by a charismatic, popular student who everyone is drawn to.

I liked the art school aspect to the narrative but the plot overall wasn't interesting or compelling; I guess I'm too old to read about young people boozing, sleeping around, and drugging. But in my defense, I wasn't into that stuff when I was young.

Anna and Willow and the cast of supporting characters are unlikable, which isn't a bad thing. But some unlikable people can have qualities you can admire or respect.

But no one does here.

Anna is incredibly immature and naive, typical of the character playing second banana to the showboating personality she's drawn to.

I was surprised at how easily Anna fell for Willow's lies, and some stuff she kept doing made no sense, especially the end when she asks Milo to plan a prank with her. The same guy who betrayed her to Willow just a few weeks ago. WTF?.

By the end, I started to lie Willow more for her deviousness and duplicity than Anna for her foolishness and desperation to be liked.

The narrative lacks suspense and urgency despite the backdrop of 9/11 and that Willow is missing.

Some readers might find the 9/11 setting triggering so be aware.

The dual timelines offers context and exposition leading up to the present day and how things came to be with Willow and Anna's present circumstances.

This wasn't compelling and interesting and I didn't care about anyone.

Wow, what a book!  I loved this page turner.  Every time I thought I knew what was happening, things changed. The narrator felt unreliable, and the characters made cringe decisions, but what else would I expect from two 22 year olds.

Anna and Willow just moved to New York City to pursue their art careers after graduating from college.  This story shows two timelines - the current one, which is 9/11/2001, and their college years.  

Laura Leffler kept me engaged throughout the whole novel.  I couldn't put this book down. I really enjoyed the art element of this novel, too. The complicated relationship between Anna and Willow, the art, and the themes about abuse of women are interwoven in this thriller.  

I would highly recommend this novel, especially if you love thrillers. 

Thank you, Netgalley, for this ARC! This novel will be published in May 2025.

A suspenseful exploration of how one lie can spiral into devastating consequences. When a woman's seemingly innocent deception about her past begins to unravel, she must confront both the truth she's hiding and the relationships she's built on false foundations. A taut psychological thriller about identity and the stories we tell ourselves.

3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.

This was OK -- it kept my interest, had a few surprises that I didn't see coming, and was full of pretty unlikable, unsympathetic characters. I enjoyed the parts set at the college - they hit home for me more than the NYC scenes.

All in all, pretty entertaining. Would I read more from the author? Yes.

I received a complimentary copy of the novel from the publisher and NetGalley, and my review is being left freely.

Okay, so this one is a total vibe. Written in two timelines, with the past written in third person and the present written in second person, which is a unique choice I have not often experienced in fiction. It's jarring, like having the finger pointed at you throughout the book. The story itself is super dark and tragic and filled with morally grey characters who will do anything, to anyone, to get what they want.

To be honest, all of the characters are very unlikable. Anna, the narrator, is naive, jealous, and desperate. She becomes obsessed with a very traumatized girl named Willow who has lost her grip on reality and pulls everyone into her dark, tortured web. While she's definitely a master manipulator, all of them are willing to do whatever it takes to get what they want - and that's to be known, to be famous, to be an artist.

While this is much darker than what I usually read and I was not entirely prepared for that, the pace moves quickly and doesn't overly linger on any one point except for one: who was Willow Whitman - really - and what did she want? It turns out, everything. And she's willing to die to get it.