In the beginning, I was thinking that it was a take on a retelling of 9/11 but, then it became a missing person of a friend who wanted to fake their own death because of art due to something that happened and they wanted no one to find out about. I just wish that maybe and how did they know 9/11 was going to happen in the first place. It left me in question mode but, it sorta made sense in the end just not on the friend who faked her own death part. That was weird in itself and the dual timeline made it no better, I was in a ball of confusion but, after carefully considering it. I give it a solid 4.2 because the plot had me like what the entire time.

I had a really hard time getting into this book. The premise was intriguing to me having been around the same age as the main characters during 9/11 but it fell flat for me.

The characters were snobby, pretentious, arrogant, and just plain unlikable. Honestly, I found myself not really caring what happened to them.

The first half was very slow but it did pick up closer to the end. I’m glad I finished it, but it took awhile.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my review.

I want to thank NetGalley and publishers for my ARC copy of Tell Them You Lied.

The book opens with us first being introduced to Anna Vaughn on 9/11: the day the World Trade Center collapsed and all of America changed. That isn’t the only thing changing, however, as Anna is pacing the apartment she shares with her flat mate and best friend, Willow Whitman, waiting for her return.

Anna meets Willow at her first year at Balwin University. Both girls’ sparking up a friendship in Professor Kape’s class. This friendship with Willow becomes a deeply envious obsession for Anna, which is reminiscent of the Darren Aronofsky film, ‘Black Swan.” Yearning for the recognition that Willow seems so easily to obtain because all Anna craves most in life is to be recognized for her talent and art, while also coming from a lack of deep friendships before this moment because of an accident that happened with her younger brother that leaves Anna feeling ostracized from the ability of having deep connections with others. Anna yearns to be accepted, wanted, and desired so strongly it becomes her entire personality - desperate to please Willow for any form of gratification through praise. She’s wants to belong in the world that Willow resides so badly that in one chapter of the book she goes to visit Willow in Chicago during school break. When she’s greeted by the doorman, she considers being polite and smiling but decides against it believing this would further show she didn’t belong in a world like Willow’s. One of the key things I loved about the narrative was how Leffler implemented art throughout Anna’s inner dialogue describing things with a painter’s vision and terms; like Willows eyes and what names of paints would be used to resemble the color.

As we travel through the four years of this friendship and the abuse of power that happens from those we admire and those to be admired, a dark and unsettling story begins to unfold. Leffler weaves the story with a sharp tone that takes a look not only at how heavily art is influenced by women - either by being the artist or the muse - and the transgressions against their sexuality and presence is used to undermine them. To make them a simple pawn to men to be gawked at and used.

Leffler is able to create a knife-edged back and forth of timelines that only stands to heighten this story of envy, obsession, and betrayal. Every chapter gave the false security that we finally were going to understand the dynamics and the relationship of these two women just as quickly as it would take it away by the chapters last sentence. This was a fantastic book that centered around the trauma of being a woman, the female rage that comes from abuse of power, and the great lengths we are willing to go to get the ending we believe we truly deserve.

Enjoyable read. Not my favorite but it did have some good storyline.
will keep you on your toes and turning pages—a can’t-miss thriller that will reel you in immediately.

Worth the read.

Two wannabe art students share a room. Willow from a wealthy family and Anna from a poor family. Poor Anna is so determined to become an artist that sometimes she loses sight of Willow and her manipulative ways. The story starts 4 years previously, and gradually moves to the present.

Willow manipulates all their fellow students, but Anna gets caught time and time again believing in her only to recognize later she has been deceived. Willow is all about Willow. Most of the characters are not likeable and as time goes forward Willow shows her true character. It is worth a read and the author has done a good job of keeping the audience guessing how everything will turn out.
I give it between 3.5 and 4 stars.

This is a twisty story of 2 women who are " friends" but due to jealousy are more like enemies. One friend might be responsible for the disappearance of the other, all while 911 is the back drop for the story. It had a few twists and keeps you engaged. At times it does drag a bit.

this is a fast moving, twisty story of two very damaged women, in a codependent friendship. set during their college days and then young adulthood during 9/11. Both very ambitious artists, both very wounded. while it sometimes felt like it went too far, we were drawn into their world of beauty, power/powerlessness with men and in one case wealth. I found it interesting, and did get involved with the main character.

It is interesting to read this during the worst fires in Ca, to watch the devastation, part of this book is set in 9/11 and those descriptions amp up the mystery. I think my students will like this one, two timelines a toxic friendship over the years and one goes missing. The details about art might be interesting to some students but might be too much for most who aren't into art, but the ambition might be more relatable.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hyperion for the opportunity to review the ARC for this book that is publishing May 27th. This novel highlights the struggles, obstacles, and short-lived victories of two young women coming of age in the competitive art scene in the early aughts. Anna is a bright, ambitious and determined young adult from a modest background who befriends Willow, a wealthy, manipulative up-and-coming artist that she meets in college. They become roommates and struggle with what it means to be suffering artists, the notion of who becomes a 'muse', and how value in art is determined. Themes of sexual violence, exploitation, and the ways in which female relationships often buckle under the pressure of trying to succeed in a male-dominated world are also explored with great effect in the pages of Tell Them You Lied.

The writing was great and the characterization was okay (I didn't mind the 'unlikability' of the characters, but felt there was a shallowness and lack of exploration into some of the deeper mental health struggles they were experiencing, and their motives were, at times, too unbelievable, weird even for my taste). Themes of the patriarchy, sources of female toxicity, money and class were fleshed out enough in this high stakes world artist endeavour, and I also liked the narrative structure of two timelines drawing closer together until the intersection in the third act. What I'm unsure about was the author's effectiveness in using 9/11 as a backdrop, and I also wasn't invested in some of the plot twists because they seemed too unbelievable, or rather too convenient.

Undoubtedly, this book will find a readership as it is interesting, entertaining, and unique.

Tell Them You Lied by Laura Leffler is a captivating and suspenseful psychological thriller that keeps readers hooked with its well-paced plot and strong character development. The story follows a woman, Maddie, whose life begins to unravel after a lie she told spirals out of control, pulling her into a web of secrets, betrayal, and danger. Leffler expertly blends suspense, tension, and mystery, creating a compelling narrative that kept me turning pages.

The character of Maddie is complex and relatable, and Leffler does an excellent job of exploring her internal struggles as she deals with the consequences of her actions. Her emotions, fears, and motivations are depicted with authenticity, making her journey both believable and engrossing. The supporting characters are equally well-crafted, and their interactions with Maddie add layers of intrigue and uncertainty to the story.

Leffler’s writing is sharp and engaging, with a knack for building tension and creating an atmosphere of unease. The pacing is generally strong, with the plot moving steadily forward, although there are a few slower moments in the middle where the narrative could have been tightened. The twists and turns are satisfying, though some are more predictable than others. Still, the book keeps you invested with its gripping suspense and well-timed reveals.

While the book is generally well-executed, the resolution left a few questions lingering, and the ending, though fitting, felt slightly rushed. I also would have liked to see a bit more depth in the exploration of certain plot points, but overall, the book delivers a solid and engaging reading experience.

In conclusion, Tell Them You Lied is a strong 4/5 star read. It’s a psychological thriller that blends suspense, emotion, and mystery in a way that will keep readers engaged from start to finish. While it may not be the most groundbreaking thriller out there, it’s a highly enjoyable and gripping story that fans of the genre will appreciate. Leffler has crafted a novel that is definitely worth reading, with memorable characters and a plot that delivers on its promises. I was given an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my review.

This book had an intriguing premise, but I struggled to connect with it. The characters felt unlikable, and I found myself uninterested in their outcomes. Set against the backdrop of the September 11th tragedy, the plot seemed trivial and lacked emotional depth, failing to resonate with the weight of its setting. Not for me and kind of disappointing.

This book sounded so interesting and had such promise, but I just could not get into it. I found all of the characters unlikable and I had no interest in finding out what happens to them. When set against the backdrop of the incredible tragedy of September 11th, the plot felt inconsequential and trite.

An interesting premise, although kind of hard to follow. I kept picking it up and putting it down but towards the last 25% I whizzed through it. This sometimes happens with this type of book for me, so it's probably a reader thing and not a book thing. Id def love to read more by this author.

Willow is a master manipulator when it comes to more than just her photographs. When Anna reaches her breaking point, she resorts to a dangerous collaboration that leaves her with a potentially much bigger problem than a toxic friendship. Loved this behind-the-scenes look at art school and the ambition and competition that go hand-in-hand with the pursuit of a career within that rarified world. The lines between art and reality, friendship and animosity, truth and deception, past and present blur beautifully in this twisty tale that had me guessing right up to the end. I'm looking forward to Laura's next novel!

I REALLY enjoyed this book! I was interested at the start, mainly due to the reader connection to the artist characters. I also love a book that follows characters from college to young adult. I also think that this book was unpredictable. Even if I thought I knew who was what, etc., I was mostly incorrect in my assumptions. I felt that the pacing was on point and the writing style was exactly what I enjoy...smart people talking smartly. No conversation between characters was fluff and stuff in my opinion, which I appreciated.

This started off a little hard to follow. The big secret was one it took me about half the book to fully understand and what its implications were. I loved the setting of the story and the use of 9/11 as part of the plot. Complicated characters made the story unfold nicely.

It took me a very long time to get into this book. Probably about 60% of the way until I was excited to pick it up. And even then I was still kind of dragging. I was wondering if the twist would’ve been something darker with Anna and what seemed to be her obsession with willow or that willow would’ve surprisingly showed up again. I was mostly frustrated that Anna stuck around in this type of relationship and didn’t stick up for herself. I appreciate the ARC read, but the time jumps back and forth and the big deal about 9/11 that ended up really having nothing to do with the story until the very end was just confusing.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of “Tell them you lied” by Laura Leffler. I would really have loved to say I wholeheartedly enjoyed this book because from the blurb I thought I would. There was just something about the characters I simply couldn’t attach myself to in the way that made me care about them. I felt very bleh about what happened, it just didn’t live up to the hype, but maybe if I ever were to get around to re-reading it I might find myself enjoying it. As of right now I think 3/5 is a generous rating, especially since it took me almost a month to read and something this size usually only takes a couple days at most.

Tell Them You Lied was enjoyable and I liked the premise, but the unreliability of the characters made it a confusing read at times.

It did take me some time to adjust to the changes in time and point-of-view, but after about the 25% mark, the story really got going for me and I was wholeheartedly invested from that point on. Strong characterization; everyone feels real - especially the two leads. I had no idea where this was going, but was ultimately satisfied with Part One. Part Two had me cheering! Overall, I think the quality of the writing is really fantastic and the structure serves its purpose. Told straightforward, the ending would’ve had less impact. Fantastic debut with a message! I’m excited to see what this author does next.