Alison Smith believed she’s left her ugly past behind her, but a murder pulls her back to Dublin and the nightmare she endured in college. Back then, Alison fell hard for a charming fellow student, Will Hurley. She believed she’d met “the one” only to discover behind his mask, Will was a serial killer, and one of his victims was Alison’s best friend. Put away for his crimes, that should have been the end of it, but 10 years later, another woman is found murdered, the MO matches Will’s signature killing style. Will agrees to tell everything, but the only one he will tell is Alison. This is a high octane thriller, I stayed up late to read it, then could fall asleep after I finished it

This is a fascinating, fast paced psychological thriller. The suspense builds slowly from the beginning, ratcheting up as new details are revealed. The storyline alternates between past and present. You try to piece together the details of the past as the author expertly weaves them into the present. Alison has done her best to put her past life behind her, but a new series of murders will bring her face to face with her biggest fear, a ghost from her past that she can never outrun. Her ex boyfriend Will, currently waiting out his days on death row in a psychiatric facility, has promised to help the police in their investigation, but he will only tell his information to Alison. She reluctantly agrees to meet him, but she will soon find out that her life will be forever changed by this encounter.

Early on in the book we are given a chilling glimpse into the mind of the killer as he stalks his next victim. The police are desperate to discover any clues that will bring them closer to stopping the killer, using Alison any way they can to get Will to cooperate. When new clues emerge, Alison takes it upon herself to investigate the possibility that the police had it all wrong from the start. She soon finds herself in danger as she gets too close to the truth, leading to a riveting conclusion and a huge plot twist that will leave you stunned.

I would recommend this book to fans of suspense and psychological thrillers. I received this as a free ARC from Blackstone Publishing on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great thriller with an awesome premise! When Alison meets Will in college she falls hard for him and they spend all their time together...until her best friend Liz becomes the fourth victim in a serial killer's spree and Will is suspected and actually confesses. Fast forward years later as detectives contact Alison informing her that Will--confined to a psychiatric facility--has something to say but will only confide in her. What follows is past and present alternating chapters detailing what really happened. Is Will the Canal killer or was his confession coerced? Can Alison move on with her life, or is she doomed to live with the guilt and darkness that shadows her tortured soul? Kept me turning pages so fast! A must-read for fans of thrillers!

I would like to thank Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for an advance copy of The Liar's Girl, a stand alone psychological thriller set in Dublin.

10 years ago Alison Smith's boyfriend Will Hurley confessed to murdering 5 women and was imprisoned for it. Alison ran away from the shame to The Netherlands and never returned but now there are 2 Gardai at her door, not only asking her to return but to try and prise the information from Will that he says he has about a spate of copycat killings.

I enjoyed The Liar's Girl which has many twists and turns and kept me hooked from start to finish. The novel has 2 timelines, helpfully titled Alison, now and Alison, then with the odd chapter titled Will, now. Alison, now covers the events after her return to Dublin which take some very unexpected turns. It makes for interesting but slightly implausible reading. Alison, then covers her relationship with Will and her deteriorating relationship with best friend Liz, ultimately Will's last victim. The reader needs the background which is doled out sparingly to make sense of the present. I'm not generally a big fan of this approach but in this case it works extremely well.

The final twist to the novel is clever. I had suspected something but not what it turned out to be - it's well disguised.

Alison is an interesting character. It is never overtly stated but the general impression is that she has not had another relationship since Will, as she found the fact that she did not have a clue about his murderous impulses totally mortifying. Her mother accuses her of never moving on from the event emotionally and making it more important than it actually was. There's a lot of truth in that as there doesn't seem to be much difference between then and now. I found myself getting impatient with her as she is now and her inability to move on.

The Liar's Girl is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.

Good read. It keeps you riveted to what the outcome will be and who is really guilty. I found the ending very interesting. I also enjoyed the description of living in everyday Dublin, and the way the story is told in the past and the present.

I received an ARC from NetGalley to read and review. The below is my honest, unbiased opinion. Thank you, Catherine Ryan Howard, the publisher, and NetGalley, for allowing me to review.

THE LIAR'S GIRL is a standalone psychological thriller written by Catherine Ryan Howard. Will Hurley is an attractive, charming, and impressive student at Dublin's elite St. John's College. He's also Ireland's more prolific serial killer. He stalks and drowns his young victims in the muddy waters of the Grand Canal. When he was nineteen, he was sentenced to life imprisonment, locked away in the city's Central Psychiatric Hospital.

Alison Smith is a freshman at St. John's, where she fell fast and hard for Will Hurley. Her best friend, Liz, was the latest victim of the Canal Killer, and she discovered the boy she'd been dating (and sleeping with) was the killer. Unable to come to terms with the twists and turns thrown into her world, Alison fled to the Netherlands and never looked back.

A decade later, a young woman is found in the Grand Canal, and detectives on the case question Will, hoping he will help them solve the copycat killing. Instead, Will offers a confession of his final secret, but there's a catch. He will only tell Alison, who has no intention of being dragged back into the life she ran away from. Reluctantly, she returns, discovering that Will's secret is far worse than anyone could have imagined.

I LOVE THIS BOOK. It was so good. It's perfect for fans of the television show THE FALL. Catherine Ryan Howard did a fantastic job building truly dynamic characters and vividly describing the world (with just the right amount of detail) so you feel like you're experiencing the characters' pain, joy, and deceit. I loved the twists and turns thrown in, and I found myself clinging to my Kindle, itching for the next chapter. I read this rather quickly and in one sitting, because it was so good.

I highly recommend this one if you enjoy a great psychological thriller with mystery elements.

Ten years ago Alison was starting a new life in Dublin as a college freshman. She was making new friends but also had her best friend from Cork by her side. She had met an amazing man, Will. But girls started getting murdered along the Dublin Canals. Will is arrested and, under duress, he pleads guilty to the charges that he is the Canal Killer. With this confession and the judicial system as it is, a guilty plea leaves Will imprison at The Central Psychiatric Hospital.
It is 10 years later, Alison lives in the Netherlands and Will is in jail for murder. She does not like to think or talk about what happened all those years ago. In fact, her current best friend, Sal, does not know about what happened in Dublin. However, she is now being forced to not only recall those days. but also visit Will in prison. The killings have started and Will indicates he knows information that will help the police, but he will only speak to Alison. When Alison speaks to Will be tells her he is not guilty. Not only does Will claim his innocence, Garda Detective Michael Malone, also feels Will might have been wrongly imprisoned.
Alison and Malone are searching for the current killer and also trying to determine if this current killer is a copycat or if Will actually is innocent of being the Canal Killer. This search is putting Alison in danger of becoming the next victim.
This book was very enjoyable and fast paced. It is told in two timelines, Alison, then and Alison, now. Both are written in the first person. We also get a look inside the mind of the killer which is told in the third person. There is more than the murders which Alison wishes to not remember about her live 10 years ago. This adds to the intrigue of the Alison, then chapters. I do not get scared when reading books, I am able to read with minimal lighting, and alone, but I will be honest, there was one part in which I actually got chills. This book, especially that part will stay with me a long time. Solid 4 star review.

One of the best books of the year! It kept me glued to my screen. I even put down the other book I was reading so I could read this one instead. And I may have read this when I should have been doing my homework. I don't want to give anything away, but the nuances between relationships was amazingly well written. I hope there is a sequel with Malone in it.

The fear brought about by the "Canal Killer" will infect readers of this psychological thriller. It will have you constantly looking over your shoulder when walking alone at night.

Despite the fact that it has been ten years since Will was arrested and convicted of the four murders, Sally-Anne wants to know why. Why kill anyone, and especially why would her boyfriend kill her best friend? It is with those questions in mind that she agrees to talk to Will and find out what he has to say to the police about the latest murder.

From that point until the very last page, readers will find themselves engrossed in this fast-paced, mind boggling mystery/thriller.

I thought I had the book all figured out early in the story, but I was wrong. This tale has so many twists and turns that readers will never be bored and will be unable to put this book down.

The author has a knack for character building and for making those characters come to life. It is inevitable that readers become invested in Sally-Anne's life.

Secrets, murder, friendship, romance, terror, security, love, hate, jealousy, happiness, chills and thrills all abound in this psychological thriller that I rate as 4.5 out of 5 Stars.🌟🌟🌟🌟 I am very much looking forward to reading more books by author Catherine Ryan Howard.

**A special Thank You to Netgalley for providing me with a free ARC (Advance Review Copy) of this book.**

I devoured this book in one sitting as it drew me in from the first chapter. I really loved the way that I kept switching my opinion as to who was the 'baddy'. The characters were very well drawn and I particularly enjoyed the different time lines. A well plotted, extremely well written book

The Liar's Girl by Catherine Ryan Howard is an engrossing psychological thriller that has a dash of mystery thrown in.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

What happens when the past you've worked so hard to move on from sudddenly shows up at your door? Alison left Ireland 10 years ago when a serial killer destroyed her life. Now someone she once loved is asking for her help. But, that means returning to Ireland and facing the past.

I devourered this book in one sitting. The characters were very well fleshed out. The past and the present was interwoven perfectly to move the story along. I had no luck in guessing the killer. And the ending caught me by surprise!

I highly recommend this book.

This book was really good! Totally engrossing and kept me turning pages as the story progressed, I could not put it down. The story is original about two college students in Ireland who fall in love and then a serial killer is all the sudden on the loose on their campus. I love how the story is in Ireland because I really know nothing about it, all the language quirks and places in Ireland definitely added to the story. Alison and Will are such a cute couple, but then as the murders increase in number, everyone on campus is on high alert. When Ali's best friend is found dead, the police start looking at and questioning the students including Ali and Will. Through a series of circumstances, Will becomes a suspect and is coerced into confessing and goes to prison which obviously shocks devastates Ali a long with the death of her best friend. She leaves the country for 10 years but then is asked to come back when new killings start occurring and after the police question Will in his psych hospital and he requests Ali's presence. The rest of the story is really interesting, many twists and kept me interested until the very last page. Definitely worth reading! Great psychological thriller! Will definitely read more from this author. Thanks NetGalley!

Excellent book. I adored the storyline and the characters. A real page turner. I would this recommend this book.

10 years ago Alison was living a great life at university and experienced her first love. Then things go terribly wrong when women from her dorms start to disappear only to turn up murdered in Dublin Canal. As we move forward it comes to light that her amazing boyfriend Will, is charged with the murders and is sent to a psychiatric hospital for 10 years. Unable to cope and feeling as though Alison contributed to Will's incarceration, Ali flees to the Netherlands and starts a new life there. Not returning to her Irish home in all that time. Until, the murders begin again. Reluctantly, Ali heads home because there is new information and the only person Will wants to speak with is Alison.

The publisher provided me with the opportunity to read this in exchange for providing feedback. (via NetGalley)

I enjoyed this.It moved at a good pace and it was hard to put down at times. A lot of twists, some I predicted as they unfolded but enjoyable nonetheless.

Alison Smith had hidden herself away in the Netherlands, away from Dublin and Ireland where 10 years ago she was the girlfriend of a serial killer Will Hurley who was killing young, female college students at St James College. After 10 years the Gardaí (police) come calling for her as the murders have started again and Will has said he would talk ... but only to her. A truly enjoyable read which keeps you guessing as to what is going on. Catherine Ryan Howard has written a wonderful book which I had trouble putting down. Definitely Recommended.

Wow ...wow ...wow! Incredible story! There are so many twist and turns throughout the whole story. I never, ever would have figured out who "dun" it! The ending blew me out of the water! The story starts off slow, but man o" man, does it build up speed for the grand finale! I would definitely look for any other books from this author!

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for receiving a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

*I received this book from NetGally in exchange for an honest review.

This book is why I rarely give out 5 star ratings! This may just be the best book I have ever read! Howard writes an amazingly terrifying story of how one small lie can change the course of your entire life, and those around you. I simply cannot say enough good things about this book, it left me utterly speechless! The characters are all very real with each having an emotional struggle tied to the past and the present. Howard weaves in family dynamics, first love struggles, guilt, shame, righteous determination, and a twist that will blow you away to create a story that will keep you hooked long after the book is finished!

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this novel! While in college, Ali's was convicted as a local serial killer and is serving time in prison. Now, ten years later, another girl has gone missing and Alison is looking for answers. Was Alison's charming ex really a serial killer or was he wrongly convicted as the real murderer lurks among them? The plot is mainly told from Ali's perspective -rotating between past and present. I enjoyed this style as it kept the suspense growing while details of the past are revealed and present day information evolved. I flew through the second half of this book and couldn't wait to see how it ended. Although there were no major twists, I did enjoy this novel and would recommend it to suspense fans!

The best part of the book is the scenery of Ireland. The horror of the murders, the horror of realizing who the killer is and the manipulation make this book a little difficult. The writing is good, and it makes me wonder who can imagine a story like this.

It is frightening to consider how much someone can hide of themselves, and manipulate people they supposedly love.

*netgalley copy*
Enjoyable read, good mystery and pacing with just the right amount of past events sprinkled throughout to add to the story without being distracting.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to read this truly great, suspenseful book. It was hard for me to put down and quite honestly, kept me guessing to the end. And what a twist the end was! I like how you really told two whole stories in one. How young friendships change and can sometimes turn on a dime to become unhealthy. And guilt is a terrible burden to bear and can make you do the wacky! Great book. Highly recommend reading all the way to the end. Really nice style of tying it all up...

received a free electronic copy of The Liar's Girl by Catherine Ryan Howard from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

An amazing story about one very small lie and how it changed her life and affected the people in her life. Great characters with tons of emotion and lots of twists. This story hooked me in and kept me in it's grasp till the very end. A thrilling ride!

This was a very good psychological thriller. It focused on freshman year college students in Dublin ten years in the past, a serial killer, and the end of innocence. The story went back and forth between past and present and was easy to follow, eventually filling in all the years. It kept me turning pages until the satisfying ending. I would love to read more from this author.

The Liar's Girl is a breakout, heart stopping thriller that you won't be able to put down. This thriller takes you back to Alison's college days - when her boyfriend was accused, confessed and committed to a mental hospital for being a serial killer. He's still in custody - but someone has started again. Did they get the right person? Did he have an accomplice? And how does Alison fit in?

With more twists and turns than a maze, you'll find yourself up all night with this amazing read!

3.5 Stars

First let me send out a ‘Thank-You’ to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for giving me an ARC of “The Liar’s Girl” to read and review.

Catherine Ryan Howard’s latest book is a psychological thriller that keeps the pages turning with a fast moving storyline that doesn’t ask the reader to suspend belief in the plausibility of the plot. I really liked this book, despite keeping me up late on more than one night reading just ‘one more chapter’.

Alison Smith is called back to Ireland 10 years after she fled to the Netherlands after her boyfriend, Will Hurley confessed to be the serial killer dubbed the ‘Canal Killer’. Because of the recent discovery of two new female bodies in Dublin’s Great Canal, doubts have arisen as to whether the right man was incarcerated for the murders 10 years ago. Will says that he has information to share with the police, but he will only talk to Ali about it. Hence the police department’s request that she come back to Ireland to meet with Will. They want her to find out if Will has any new information to shed on the killings from either 10 years ago, or recent deaths.

What follows is an interesting unfolding via alternate chapters set in the present day, and the months leading up to the discovery of the final victim of the Canal Killer; Ali’s best friend, Liz ten years ago. I was always a bit uneasy about who (if anyone) was an unreliable narrator in this story. It was one of the things that kept me turning the pages. But who could be resuming the killing, and why? Is Will still somehow involved? Can he persuade Alison to continue to stay engaged enough with him to help him by being his eyes and ears on the outside? Is it possible that trying to pursue the truth will put her in grave danger now? It’s a thriller, so of course it will. But how she copes with the hurdles thrown at her are part of the fun of this page-turning ride.

I recommend this for readers who are fond of psychological thrillers, especially when they are glad to still be able to be surprised by unexpected plot twists.

Howard keeps you guessing throughout this tale of a killer who might be a copycat or might be the real deal. As you weave your way through Ali's story of love lost when her boyfriend, Will, is arrested and put away for murdering girls in their college town, you just know the latest murders mean he was innocent. Except the evidence continues to make you consider that Will is somehow involved in the murders past and present. The author finds a way to keep you walking the tightrope between Will's guilt and innocence until the last pages of this engaging novel.

Liar's Girl is a very atmospheric, creepy mystery. i read the author's previous book and though it was quite clever and I'm happy this one lived up to expectations!

What if you thought your ex-boyfriend was a murderer, and then it turns out maybe it wasn't true? That's the premise of The Liar's Girl, a well-written crime thriller that kept me up reading most of the night. I wasn't sure what to expect when I started reading, but then I was hooked and couldn't stop until the end. There are plenty of twists and turns, and the ending was a total surprise.

Alison Smith is a freshman at St. John's college in Dublin. She meets Will, and is instantly smitten. They become inseparable all term until after Christmas, when the body of a fellow student is found in the canal near the school. Then another, and another, and finally the body of one of Alison's friends, Liz, is discovered. Will is arrested and put into a secure psychiatric facility. Alison moves to The Netherlands and doesn't come home to Dublin again. Ten years later, another girl is found in the canal and Will tells his doctor he's innocent and will only to talk to Alison. The police get involved, Alison meets Will and she thinks she believes him. But is it true? Did the police get it wrong ten years ago? Alison isn't sure, and whatever the answer is, it's going to rock the foundations of her life.

The book is written in flashbacks from the past when all the characters were in school to the present during the police investigation. It's a great read and I was sorry when the book ended. I highly recommend this book.

I was given an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my candid review.

I found this book to be very readable and compelling. I liked the characters, including Will, and wanted to find out the anwers to the mystery.

The book takes place 10 years after a serial killer who killed 4 young students is captured. The main character is the former girlfriend of the young man who confessed to the murders. He has been locked up in a mental facility for the past 10 years, but is scheduled to be transferred to a prison.

The catalyst to this story is that someone has started to murder students again at St. John's University . Will (the convicted serial murder) says that he has some information on the killings....but he will only talk to his former girlfriend Alison who has tried to forget about Will and the killings for 10 years.

Allison gets dragged into the new set of murders and the story flashes between the past and the current days.

I thought that this was a great start for a new author, however, I found the budding romance between the Garda officer and Allison to be unsettling and confusing. I guess it was in there to lead the reader away from wanting Will and Allison to get back together. The surprise ending was good, though. First the author convinces us of Will's innocence, but then takes us to another place.

I thought that the book was well written and compelling and I wanted to finish it quickly to find out the answers. It was a good read.

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Catherine Ryan Howard, and Blackstone Publishing for allowing me to review an ARC of The Liar's Girl.

I read most of this book in one sitting because I was enthralled with the plot and wanted to know how it all ended. I was a bit disappointed with the conclusion of the book (the identity of the current-day killer. I feel like there could have been a few more hints throughout the novel), but the ending... so satisfying ;)

I did feel as though certain areas of the novel dragged, and I thought that the detective was unprofessional, but that didn't hurt the plot at all.

In all, I give this book a 4/5, and I would recommend it to friends.

See goodreads link

4 stars - Publishes 2/27/18 - Thanks to Netgalley for this ARC in return for a truthful review.

Pretty girl, Allison - handsome man, Will.

The setting is a college campus in Ireland. One day everything is bright and shiny for the young couple, the next tragedy strikes. Allison is beside herself and not inclined to believe it when Will is identified as the Canal Killer - a spree of several killings - including her childhood best friend.

After Will's conviction, Allison moves away. Then ten long years later the call comes. Allison is being called back to Ireland to talk to the imprisoned Will about a possible copy cat killer. Will insists that he will only talk to Allison. Detective Malone enters the picture. He elicits Allison's help in trying to solve this case. He has doubts that Will was the guilty party ten years ago.

This story was written from varying personal perspectives. We see the young college couple and campus and also see them in present day - 10 years later. There are a number of twists and turns in this novel that keeps you guessing. The characters are well formed and believable. If anything is a bit off kilter it would be the latitude that Malone grants to Allison in solving these crimes. However, by that time, you are hooked and what to read to the conclusion.

I enjoyed The Liar’s Girl very much. The storyline was enjoyable. My measure for this is whether or not I’m anxious to get back to reading after I’ve put the book away when life calls. I always was.

The characters were believable – some likable, some not – but always believable. There was excellent use of the twists and turns with no eye rolling by me. Many times I thought I knew what was going to happen and even sort of braced myself – well, not literally – because of the suspense of it, only to have the story take a right turn and go somewhere else.

Everything fit together – no loose ends – for a great ending. I’m not so sure I liked the way it ended, since there were many ways this could have gone, but it was well done nonetheless. Nice job, Ms.Howard.

A sincere thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Fast paced thriller with lots of twists and unexpected turns. Loved it!
Thank you publisher and netgalley for this ARC in exchange of an honest review.

Will Hurley was a handsome and likeable student at Dublin's St. John's College, and fellow student Alison Smith fell hard. They were inseparable until Alison's best friend was murdered--another victim of a serial killer, dubbed the Canal Killer.

When Alison learns that the person she loves and trusts most in the world is also the prime suspect in the serial killer investigation, her world crumbles. She flees to the Netherlands and starts a new life, but her old one won't leaver her alone: Another body has been found and the method is the same as the Canal Killer, and the police are trying to interview Will in prison. The trouble is, he will only speak to Alison.

If you enjoyed Catherine Ryan Howard's Distress Signals, pick up her latest, The Liar's Girl! Imagine your first serious boyfriend gets accused of killing your childhood best friend and several other girls you went to college with? After realizing he wasn't the person she thought he was, he goes to jail and she moves far, far away, leaving the entire life she knew behind. Now, ten years later, he's still in prison, but new bodies of college girls are being found in the same way they were back in the day. The police track down her down and it becomes her mission to determine, once and for all, if her boyfriend really murdered all those girls years ago. Full of twists and emotion, you won't be able to put it down!

This book starts out with a mystery and the tension keeps growing as you get farther into it. I wasn't sure who to trust, what to believe or whether some of the characters were even who they said they were until well into the novel--I love it when that happens.

If you enjoy books where there are multiple red herrings that throw you off course, then you will likely really enjoy this one. The author did a great job of telling her back story in a way that wasn't confusing and making each of her lead characters three dimensional and interesting. There were times when I was reading this that I felt myself literally holding my breath waiting to see what would happen next.

There is a bit of romance in this book, but it isn't over done. I liked the way the author made me question everything that was happening and I felt a great sense of curiosity building before I reached the end and things were resolved. This was a great way to spend an afternoon and I recommend this book to others who like suspenseful mystery.

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

I give this book 4 out of 5 Thrilling Stars! I really liked this book and thought it had major potential to be a 5 star in my opinion. The issue I had with this book it felt like it was really slow in the beginning and felt like it took forever to get to the thrilling stuff and meat of the story. Once we get through atleast the first 60 pages or so it was quite suspenseful and thrilling. The plot was great and the characterisation was good as well. I also liked how unique the twists and turns of this story was. There was a lot of page turning moments and know that this story will capture a large amount of readers’ attention! Man did some of it make me cringe!
I just think with the beginning it set me off a tad but definitely a book that I would recommend to people who love thrillers because it ended up being really good and surprising. Overall, I liked this story and am glad I read it because it had me keeping the lights on and had me cringing at some points with the intensity!

I was not expecting that!!! That's all I'm saying. No spoiler alerts here!
The Author did an incredible job of putting the story together. Keeps you spellbound to the very end.
The characters are real. The storyline is believable. There is not enough positive feedback that I can give this novel.
Highly, highly recommended.
5 Stars

Book Description

Freshman Alison Smith moved to the Big Smoke to enroll in St. John’s and soon fell hard for Will Hurley. Her world bloomed … and then imploded when Liz, her best friend, became the latest victim of the Canal Killer—and the Canal Killer turned out to be the boy who’d been sleeping in her bed. Alison fled to the Netherlands, and, in ten years, has never once looked back.

My Thoughts
This is one of those books where I don't want to share any details that aren't already available in the publisher's descriptions. A good psychological thriller depends on engaging characters, a fast-paced plot, lots of twists and turns, and to me at least, no spoilers since I like to puzzle out the clues provided and make my own guesses along the way.
There were many reasons that I liked this book. As the story unfolds we go between events in the past and those in the present and different characters narrate the tale. Allison is pulled back into Will's world when the police want to speak to him about a potential copycat killer and he states he will only talk to Allison. As the last pages drew near, I thought I had read all the clues correctly and knew how the story would end, but the author proved me wrong with one last twist.
The story started off slowly, but after 60 pages or so, I was totally invested and since I particularly enjoyed the character of Allison, I was crossing my fingers and toes hoping there would be a happy ending for her. It would have taken a lot to pull me back to a time and place that had been so tragic, but the author did a great job making me understand how Allison was then and how she managed during the next ten years, so I hoped she would get the answers she needed and ultimately closure.
The Liar's Girl will be released in February and if you enjoy a story with interesting characters and a good plot, I would recommend this one. This was my first novel by Catherine Ryan Howard but it won't be my last.
Thank you to the author, Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for the digital ARC to read and review. I gave up some sleep to finish this one and it was well worth it.

The Liar's Girl is a book I started reading with much anticipation. I was a bit disappointed in the beginning of the book. I found myself having to reread passages several times and also looking back to make sure I had the correct character in mind. The author switched from past to present and at times from the perspective of the unknown killer to the accused killer, then Ali, her friend, etc. It was all a bit complicated. About a third of the way in, it became easier to follow and the plot began to pick up. Ali, Liz, and Will are all going to the same college and Ali and Will start dating. In the meantime, a killer is on the loose, knocking girls in the head and putting their bodies into a nearby canal. After being accused of the murders, Will confesses and is incarcerated. Ten years later the killings have started again, even though Will is locked away. He requests to speak to Ali and she agrees. He tells her he is innocent and needs her help to prove it. She is driven to help him, by her feelings of guilt in the role she may have played in his being caught.

Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for sending me a copy to read in exchange for an honest review.

A slow building mystery that had me questioning a thing or two until literally the last 2 pages. Loved the alternating time periods that kept the story fresh. A smooth read. If you enjoy books where there are multiple red herrings that throw you off course, then you will likely really enjoy this one. The author did a great job of telling her back story in a way that wasn't confusing and making each of her lead characters three dimensional and interesting. There were times when I was reading this that I felt myself literally holding my breath waiting to see what would happen next.

Alison Smith has fled Dublin to hide out in the Netherlands. She has been there for ten years with little contact with her former life. Will, her former boyfriend, prompted her disappearance. While on campus as students, a serial murderer was at large. It was Will who confessed to these murders.

Ten years later, the Irish Garda comes to her door. The murders have started up again, but Will has been in a psych hospital for the past ten years. It seems Will has additional information to impart, but he will only tell what he knows to Alison. She decides to return to Dublin to confront Will, the notoriety that attached to her and learn what really happened. How could she not know that he was the killer? And what if he wasn’t? Why did he confess? Propelled by a desire to answer these questions, Alison reluctantly returns.

This is a psychological thriller that switches back and forth from Alison’s past life at St. John’s University to her current situation in Dublin. The “set-up” of the book begins slowly but picks up speed after the first few chapters. At that point the reader will become hooked to learn the answers to Alison’s questions. Recommended.

It's been ten years since Allison left Dublin forever. She's worked hard to leave behind all the dark memories of that place, where her boyfriend confessed to the murder of five college classmates, including her best friend Liz. Will was the love of her life. She'd trusted him completely. How could she not have known what kind of monster was sharing her bed?

Then the murders begin again. Police pay a visit to Will with the hope that he can shed some light on this copycat murderer. But Will has new information for them. And he'll only share it with one person: Allison.
Reluctantly, Allison agrees to talk with Will, motivated by the idea that if she can help catch the killer, she could save the lives of his potential victims. But when she meets with Will, he drops a bombshell on her: He is not, in fact, the Canal Killer.

Allison doesn't know what to believe. Why confess to murders he didn't commit? But something about his pleading gets under her skin. And the young detective on the case is open to exploring the possibility that Will is innocent. Together they piece together this puzzle, re-examining old evidence, reconsidering new evidence.

As Allison's view of what happened all those years ago shifts and morphs, dredging back feelings of guilt, fear, and jealousy, time is running out for the killer's next target. And for Will who is due to be moved to a max security prison in days. Can she and Detective Malone find the real killer before he strikes again? Or is this just another of Will's lies? What isn't he telling her this time?



Told from Allison's point of view, with snippets from the killer, and flashbacks to that semester in college, the reader gets a front row seat to the range of emotions that roll over her. With a visceral honesty, through dimensional characters, Howard examines the complexities of female friendships under the strain of the first year at college, the struggle to remain loyal in a relationship when doubting everything, and asks: what kind of betrayal is worse than killing four innocent strangers? While it isn't so much a pulse-pounding, twisty-turny thrill-ride, the suspense is thick and building, the emotions raw and relatable, as the reader turns the pages more quickly with each new development toward a conclusion that will stick with you.

4/5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing, and author Catherine Ryan Howard for the ARC of this novel.

To read a more in depth discussion of this novel, please visit my blog GreyKat Reviews.

Wow! I finished this book in two days. What a great story! The ending was definitely not what I expected. Great story. I love how the author went back and forth between the past and the present. The characters were believable and real. I would recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a good mystery.

Five murders on the campus of Irelands St. John’s College ten years ago drove Alison Smith to a new life in the Netherlands. Her boyfriend, nineteen year old Will Hurley was attractive, charming, and also the man accused and convicted of the murders.

Now a decade later two Garda detectives have found Alison and want her assistance with a new killing that mimics the five previous killings. Currently confined to the Central Psychiatric Hospital in Ireland Will insists he has information concerning the new killing but will speak to no one but Alison.

A reluctant Alison returns to her roots to confront Will and her own memories and in the process allows the reader to examine the relationship they shared with each other those around them.

As the talented Catherine Ryan Howard moves the current investigation forward she keeps you guessing until the final disturbing page of this atmospheric thriller.

3.5 stars

This was an intriguing and entertaining psychological thriller with a suspenseful storyline and interesting characters. I enjoyed the layout of the novel which was told in Past and Present timelines. The pacing of the story was on the slow side and some parts started to drag, but overall, it kept me intrigued all the way through.

A big thank you to NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing and Catherine Ryan Howard for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Loved this book! It consistently keeps your interest throughout. It does flip from present to past, which I am not always a fan of. But this author does a great job of it. She gives you just enough of the past to make you wanting more. Great read! Thanks Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley!

Although this novel started a bit slow, it quickly picked up the pace and had me totally hooked. Is Will the real Canal Killer? Ten years later is there a copycat or was Will originally framed?? Told in the past and present by different voices, this novel is filled with believable characters and many page turning moments. The ending had a nice twist, but it ended a bit abruptly. Would love to see a series with Alison and Malone!!

The Liar’s Girl is a must read!! I was hooked from the first page! So many twists and turns! I read it in one sitting! I just couldn’t put it down!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own

SHOCK FACE!!! Ten years ago, Alison Smith found out that her college boyfriend, Will Hurley (who she was madly in love with), was a serial killer. Okay, happens everyday, NOT! Present day, boyfriend is still in jail, no contact between either of them, and. . .the murders start up again. Was Will innocent or guilty?

Okay, this for me, was a pretty good book for the most part. The self talks Alison kept on......having were becoming a little tiring and annoying for me with their many appearances. But, I guess if your boyfriend had confessed to these murders a decade ago, and was now trying to get off, you would wonder constantly too.

However, for the most part, I enjoyed the book and was glad that I got the chance to read it.

I will say there was one especially "way super" creepy scene when someone was watching Amy ( a new victim). The last sentence of that chapter, while already tensed up at the situation, blew me the eff away. I had to stop reading, it was totally unexpected. Not giving you any spoilers at all, just letting you know it was majorly bone chilling.

Huge thanks to Blackstone Publishing and Net Galley for, yet again, allowing providing me with a free e-galley of the author's latest in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Who can blame Allison for moving far way from Dublin when her friend Liz is found dead and their friend Will is arrested and convicted of the crime? Unfortunately, that's not the end of it though, because the Garda ask her to come back and talk with Will when another girl is found dead. This is really about Allison, not the crime, and in some ways it's a tad slow. That said, her evolution is interesting. This is well plotted and nicely written. Thanks to NEtgalley for the ARC.

This book was very good. Solid 4 STARS. I think that Catherine Ryan Howard has written a great story about living with past regret. This book is so much more than a crime thriller! Alison is so fleshed out, and her guilt and sadness is so realistically written. I could and would recommend this to people who like well done characters, stories of female friendships in flux, and who done its. This book has it all! And the setting was wonderfully descriptive without being over done.
Great read!

The Liar's Girl by Catherine Ryan Howard is a very good psychological suspense. There is much to like about this book! The story line is so intriguing - what would you do/how would you feel if your first love turned out to be a serial killer who had killed five women, including your best friend? How would that affect your future self, and your future relationships? That's what happens to college freshman Alison Smith when her boyfriend Will Hurley confesses to being Dublin's Canal Killer and is sentenced to the city's Central Psychiatric Hospital.

Ten years later, the killings start again. Will, who has claimed for years that he confessed under duress and is not the Canal Killer, now says he has information that will help the police find the true killer. But he will only disclose it to Alison. Alison has tried hard, but unsuccessfully to move on with her life and put this whole episode behind her- the last thing she wants is to talk with Will and bring it all back. But she feels she must, not only to help the police stop the current killings but to come to some sort of resolution herself.

The story is told from three points of view - Alison past, Alison now, and the thoughts of the killer. It works brilliantly!

This is a very good read. A bit slow in the beginning as things are set up, but don't give up - you'll be glad you spent time with this book!!

Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and Blackstone Publishing for providing me with an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

When Ali was in College her boyfriend Will, her first and only love, confessed to being a serial killer. He was convicted of killing numerous women, including her best friend. Ten years have passed and the killings have begun again, Will says he has information but will only talk to Ali. Is Will as innocent as he claims or is this just the work of a copycat? This story unfolds slowly until the investigation is in full swing and then it really takes off until the surprising end.  Well worth the read.

This slow burn psychological thriller follows Alison, a woman whose boyfriend was charged with murdering five women ten years ago. Over the past decade she has desperately tried to leave her past behind but when the bodies of more young women turn up, the Irish police ask for Alison’s help to gain new information from her ex-boyfriend.

Normally I prefer my suspense reads fast-paced and twist-filled so I was a little surprised at how much I enjoyed this slower paced thriller. The story flips back and forth between 2007 and current day and is from Alison's perspective but the inclusion of another character's point of view adds to the building suspense. The time shifting was done well and helped show why Alison tried desperately to leave her past behind her.

Readers will be kept engaged throughout the story but instead of packing in twist after twist, Howard focuses on strong characterizations of her characters, including the secondary characters who each play important roles within the story. Alison's struggle to overcome her past is told with sensitivity and her current concerns are believable but I didn't find her an overly likable character.

But, it was the sinister feel kept me reading into the wee hours. There was one scene with a small twist that took my breath away and had the hairs on my arms standing up. It was creeptastically good!

This is a compulsive read that I finished in just over one day. It has a slower build-up but if readers are patient, the tension builds to a nail-biting final scene and the addition of the last twist packs a good punch for a solid finish.

Disclaimer: This ARC was generously provided by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Alison Smith was just a teenager when she moved to Dublin as a freshman at St. John’s College. She’d dreamed of it for years, and the reality was so much more than she imagined. Her best friend, Liz, was with her, and she soon fell in love with Will, a charming boy she spent all her time with.

Then she found out Will was the Canal Killer, who murdered five women by dumping them in the canal—and one of them was Liz. Alison fled to the Netherlands, with no intention of every returning to Dublin. Until the police showed up on her doorstep ten years later, telling of new bodies, a copycat killer, and Will’s request to speak only to her.

After she sees Will, Alison doesn’t know what to think. Could he be telling the truth about his innocence? She’s not sure, but she knows she must find out the truth once and for all. Because she’s the reason Will went to jail in the first place…

(Galley provided by Blackstone Publishing in exchange for an honest review.)

Many thanks to NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing, and Catherine Ryan Howard for the opportunity to read her latest book - it's a great one!

Allison is anxious to leave home for college in Dublin with her best friend, Liz. She soon meets Will, another student at school who becomes her first real boyfriend. Peace is shattered at the college when young girls' bodies are found dead in the nearby canal. Liz becomes the next victim and soon after Will is charged with all 5 murders and sent to a psychiatric facility. Fast forward 10 years and Allison is living in the Netherlands. She has a new life and never thinks about what happened and how she couldn't have known that her boyfriend was a serial killer. Then police show up at her door saying that there has been another murder, they've been to see Will who says he has something to confess but will only do so to Allison. The police take her back to Dublin and she's soon immersed in the nightmare again.

An addictive read, told in paragraphs from Allison Now and Allison Then, so we learn the backstory. Interwoven are chilling paragraphs from the serial killer. Lots of twists and turns in this one - highly recommended!

It had been a while since I read a Thriller and I am really glad I got to read this one via ARC from NetGalley!

This book follows Alison, she has been living in the Netherlands after a traumatising experience at college in Ireland. Her boyfriend was convicted of murdering 5 of their fellow students. 10 years later, there seems to be a copy cat killer. Will (the boyfriend), says he has information, but will only speak to Alison about it, so she is dragged back to Ireland.

Sleuthing and drama ensues.

I really enjoyed this! It was an easy read, but exciting and engrossing. The story jumps back and forth between present day and 10 years prior. I wasn't sure how I was going to feel about the back and forth, but it ended up being pretty interesting.

The ending I did not see coming! Definitely leaves you thinking!

Alison was 19 when she started college in Dublin, and practically from the moment she met Will, they were inseparable. Then her best friend, Liz, became the fifth victim of the Canal Killer, and the search for the culprit led detectives to Will, who confessed to the crimes. Ten years later, the bodies of co-eds are being dumped in the same canal, in eerily similar fashion. But Will has been behind bars for a decade, so are these latest murders the work of a copycat, an accomplice that got away, or has Will been serving a life sentence while the real killer roamed free to strike again? And if so, why did he confess?

The police want to interview Will about what he knows about the latest murders, which he says he has information about, but insists he will only speak to Alison.

Following Will’s confession, and reeling from grief and shock, Alison dropped out of college, fled to the Netherlands, and has never returned, not even to visit her parents. But when Irish detectives show up at her door, asking for her help, Alison reluctantly agrees.

The book is largely told from Alison’s perspective, with chapters alternating between “Alison then”, a young woman moving out of her parent's house for the first time, establishing the dynamics of her relationship with her childhood best friend, and the blossoming romance with Will; and “Alison now”, a woman destroyed by her past, with dredged-up feelings of guilt about what happened to Liz and torment for being so blinded by love and not seeing Will for the monster he was. It starts as a slow-burning thriller however, halfway through the book, chapters told from the point of view of an unknown and shadowy figure begin to slip in from time to time, ratcheting up the suspense and resulting in a conclusion with a surprising twist.

I read the author’s first psychological thriller Distress Signals and found it absolutely riveting, and Catherine Ryan Howard once again proves she is a skillful storyteller. I’m mystified how she’s remained so underrated, but doubtful that will last much longer. She has a tremendous talent for tautly written psychological narratives involving well developed characters with emotional depth, and I can’t wait to read what she comes up with next!

NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing kindly provided me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Alison moved to Dublin with her best friend Liz to attend the elite St Johns College and soon after arriving met and fell head over heels in love with Will, who seemed to be the perfect boyfriend. He was kind, gentle, caring, and handsome. That is until he confessed to being The Canal Killer and killing five young woman, including Alison's best friend.
Ten years later, after hearing about a new murder on the radio, Will claims that he has something new that he would like to confess, but he will only speak with Alison. Alison fled the country immediately following the death of her friend and never looked back and the last thing she wants is to be drawn back into the case again.
When detectives show up at her door in the Netherlands she reluctantly agrees to assist because of the new murder but must now come face to face with the man she once loved and the killer of her best friend.
The story is told in alternating time lines, past and present, slowly showing what happened ten years ago with the original murders and what is currently happening in present day. I felt that this was a really fun way of telling the story, slowing peeling back the onion and revealing the whole story.
Throughout the story I really enjoyed the relationship between Alison and Detective Michael Malone. They worked well together on the case and there was good chemistry between them. I hope to see Malone again in the future.
I really enjoyed The Liar's Girl by Catherine Ryan Howard and I would have given it a 4.5 rating, but it was rather slow going in the beginning. However, once it got going it was very good and I was very surprised and even sad by the ending.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the advanced copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review.

I loved this book!

Thank you to net galley for the ARC.

This book was so fun to read. I loved the twists and turns and the suspense without it being overly violent or aggressive. The characters were great and at times you didn't know who to like or not like or to trust.

I read the book in one day because I just couldn't put it down. I've read other books by the author, but think this may be my favorite so far!

This novel could have ended several chapters before and could have done away with less unnecessary descriptions but was so damn good, I couldn’t have cared less! What an interesting twist of fates, one could say.

Wow! Imagine you found out you were sleeping with a serial killer. How would that make you feel? Were there signs? Is there something you could have done? Why couldn’t you see this person for who and what they really were? What will people think of me? How on earth could I love someone so despicable? What did I miss? How could I let this person touch me? And even worse yet, how dare cupid make me fall in love with a monster? Oh yes, this is exactly what nineteen-year-old Alison was thinking. It was her dream to go to St. John’s in Dublin and be a part of the happening crowd and enjoy college life. It also helped that her best friend, Liz, was tagging along for the ride.

Umm, yeah, for almost a year life was good for Alison. She was fresh out of high school never having had a boyfriend before, so when Will Hurley showed up in her life at St. John’s they immediately became inseparable. She fell so hard for Will, her grades began to slip a little, until she got her mind right.

Liz was happy for Alison having found a boyfriend, but she was also like a little sister and a bit jealous of Alison’s new found happiness. After all, Will was now taking up the time that was occupied for Liz. While the besties were trying to iron out their differences, a rather sinister plot begins to take form where neither Alison, Liz nor Will could have possibly foreseen. Alison and Liz were hanging out and had a small argument, as friends do, but never in Alison’s wildest imagination could she ever have known that those would be the last parting words she’d ever speak to her dear best friend. Liz would now become the fifth victim for the Canal Killer to claim. Losing Liz was the hardest thing for Alison to get past. She ends up leaving the Netherlands vowing never to return until a couple police officers seek her out to ask her a rather interesting question. Well…not necessarily a question but more of a request. They believe the Canal Killer has struck again. Oh, but wait a minute, how can that be? Will Hurley was charged with five murders a decade ago. Alison’s homey, lover, friend. He’s still in a psychiatric ward, so how in the hell has the Canal Killer struck again? Alison’s past was catching up to her present and it threatened to unravel what normalcy she now possessed. Will has asked to speak with Alison after a decade. He has something to tell her and refuses to tell it to anyone else but her. What was Alison to do?

Readers, if that doesn’t entice you to read this story, I don’t know what will? My goodness this was a damn good book!!! I couldn’t get enough. However, having said that, Howard is one of those writers that gives great detail to the point it nearly killed me. She doesn’t let your imagination do much work at all, so get ready to delve into each character’s mind, body and soul. I felt the novel could have ended five chapters before it had, but it didn’t change the outcome of the story. In fact, the ending is quite interesting. By the time I reached it, my mind was going in a hundred different directions, but eventually, some of my theories were correct, and one major one was way off base. Wow…this was a damn good book!!!! I definitely want to see this book turned into a motion picture.

Mello & June gives The Liar’s Girl five truthful stars! Oh my, my, my, Intellectual Minds, this was one of those books that keeps your interest from the first page until the last. And that ending!!!! Oh wow, the ending is something else! The Liar’s Girl goes on sale Tuesday, February 27, 2018. Pick up a copy wherever books are sold. Until next time, my lovelies, keep on reading.

The Liar’s Girl by Catherine Ryan Howard was a great read. Alison Smith was so excited, she was chosen to attend college at St John’s in Dublin. This was her first choice and she was excited. The fact her best friend Liz was also going to attend was a bonus. After a minor housing crisis, the girls began college situated in a large dorm on campus. It was then that Alison met Will and they became friends and lovers. Until he was arrested and jailed for being a serial murderer of five girls and drown them in the Grand Canal.

The story is told in multiple viewpoints with the majority of the story’s voices being Alison in the past and Alison in the present. Woven into the story the unknowns continue to haunt you as more and more information trickles out.

I really enjoyed the story and found the book quite compelling (Translation: Didn’t want to put it down at all!) The author’s method of letting out some pieces of information and moving between the past and the present allowed me to feel fully involved in the story. The end: Well it was a kick!

The Liar’s Girl by Catherine Ryan Howard was a great read.

ust when you thought college was hard enough, imagine your boyfriend admitting to being a serial killer who killed your best friend.

Welcome to Alison’s nightmare 10 years ago. She is trying to put the past behind her, but one day 2 policeman want to speak with her and tell her that her ex, Will, wants to talk to her and only her. Turns out that there are murders happening in Dublin in the exact same way that Will killed 4 young women 10 years ago. Alison goes to see Will and ends up on a journey that puts her life in danger and brings up horrible memories of the past.

The concept of The Liar’s Girl intrigued me so much. It’s hard to image dating someone who turns out to be the city’s worst serial killer. And he evens admits to it too! It has ruined Alison’s life and even 10 years later she can’t come close to trusting another man.

The book is told mostly by Alison, but also by an unnamed man who is super creepy and most likely the serial killer. I liked how the book went back in time too and developed the relationship between Alison and her best friend, Liz, as well as Alison and Will. I found myself enjoying the past timelines more because you knew how things were going to end, but didn’t know how it got there.

Present day Alison’s perspective was a bit boring and had her working with the detectives to try to find the serial killer. I found myself getting a bit bored with the present day and wanted them to focus more on the past. I liked Alison as a main character, but didn’t love every move she made. I loved the creepy guy! I really enjoy reading it from the killer’s perspective and how he targeted the woman. The author did a great job making him super creepy and a true villain.

Even though by the end, you have a feeling on who the mystery man, there was still some suspenseful parts and some parts that I didn’t see coming at all! I would recommend this book to those who are looking for a mystery that balances both the past and present very well and doesn’t mind knowing who the bad guy is around the mid point of the book.

I seem to be on an Irish thriller/ mystery kick ... and I have to say I'm enjoying it.

This book only got a 3 star rating from me because I found that it started REALLY strong and ended REALLY strong, but got a little slow in the middle.

Alison is off to Collage in Dublin with her best friend Liz. That first week she meets Will and they fall head over heels. Everything is perfect until Liz becomes the 5th girl to be killed in a matter of months, and Will is accused and pleads guilty to the murders.

Faced with the fact that she was "sleeping with the enemy" - Ali runs away to the Netherlands with the goal not to return to Ireland ever again.

10 years later and it seems there is a copy cat - two more bodies have been found - and everything is a little too similar to what had happened all those years ago. Will also declares his innocence - but is only willing to speak to one person: Ali.

Ali returns to Ireland, unsure of what she is going to face - but she is finally forced to deal with what happened 10 years ago.

The Ali story is solid. Will's story is solid as well. My issue is with the copycat/real murderer (???) - we get his perspective and it's just never developed properly. It felt almost like it was a hodgepodge of a motive that never really got very clear.

That said - it's still a solid mystery. The beginning really left me feeling anxious. The ending had me smiling at how well the author was able to pull the wool over our eyes. If you like the British/ Irish show "The Fall" then I think you will enjoy this book.

Ten years after she disappeared, Alison is visited by the Irish police (Garda) and asked to come home to speak to her ex-boyfriend, William, who is in prison after confessing to multiple murders. Seems killings similar to the ones he is imprisoned for have begun again. Is it the same killer? Is Will innocent? Is it a copycat? Or did William have a partner who has come back to kill again? The prospect of visiting Will seems less daunting to Alison than the idea of seeing her parents or being recognized as his girlfriend who stated she believed his innocence, at the same time he was in jail confessing. A bit misguided worrying, in my opinion. But through a series of back and forth, the reader learns about Alison and William when they met and were going to college and the times surrounding the original killings. Ms. Howard gives a good solid story with an ending that manages to pull it all together with a nice satisfying twist at the end.

Ireland, college kids, + a murder = great vacation read! The story moves between the world of today, where Allison is living in a town in the Netherlands, has a good job and caring friends, and has not returned to her homeland in almost a decade and her college world of the past. When Irish police come to call at her home in Breda, Allison is compelled to finally return to Ireland and confront the horrors of the past where her freshman year boyfriend was not only arrested for a series of horrific murders, but confessed and has spent the last ten years in a psychiatric hospital. Now that a copycat murderer is once again busy at their Dublin university, the police need Allison to confront Will, eliciting details and information about the crime so they can catch the killer. However, Will now says he is not the Canal murderer so who does Allison believe? The twists and turns are compelling, the writing is solid, and the characters are well developed; it is a solid first mystery outing for this author.

A nice mystery. 3.5 stars (I really wish this site and Goodreads would let you do half stars!). This one kept me guessing for a while. Although Will's motives become clear pretty early in the book, at the beginning they seem pretty mysterious. Nice twist at the end, and I was guessing who the bad guy was for a fair bit of he book.

Let's talk about The Liar's Girl....

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy, here is my honest review in exchange....

Rating this story wasn't the easiest. I went back fourth between 3 stars and 4 stars (Sidenote: Have you ever heard of half a star, Goodreads?). In my opinion, the story had a strong start, but the end was shockingly sub par, which created quite the rating dilemma.

Let me start from the beginning, this story had me captivated. I found the premise unique and alluring. The girl who fell for a serial killer. Some might find it creepy and weird, I find it entertaining and compelling (the weirder the better in my opinion). So I had to get to the bottom of this thriller. This story mainly follows around Alison from two points of view: Young Alison, Current Alison. This time gap really built up the story especially the younger portion. We got to meet Liz and learn about her and Alison's complicated relationship. We get to watch college unfold for both the girls. And we get to watch the growth and change that happens once you start college and meet new people. Then we have current Alison. Which was the much weaker point of view, but I won't provide much detail, no one wants spoilers. You'll have to check it out yourself!

As I mentioned the beginning had me hooked. In particular, the encounters between Alison and Will (current). Those were extremely interesting given what we didn't know about Will and how we knew Alison felt about his conviction. Those had to have been some of the best scenes in the book for me. Especially when Alison admits her "part" in his arrest. I found this scene particularly tense and enjoyable. But I would also consider that the turning point of where the story started veering off into the 3 zone for me.

The story itself was rather enjoyable, the ending was less than thrilling. And I mean that literally, heart monitor stayed steady. I was greatly underwhelmed by the climax involving Alison and . It came on rather quick and then was over even quicker. It was like the disappointing first time, if you get me. Maybe others will find it more exciting, but I was shocked by celerity of the biggest moment (between Alison and killer). However, Howard did partly redeem herself in the last, last chapter with Will. It was an interesting little twist. For me, Howard was strongest when it came to Will and Alison's interaction and their little story in general.

My greatest reason for the three star rating was the killer's point of view through out the story. The biggest mystery and the whole plot point was essentially reveled to us immediately upon reading that view which was fairly early. I understand that the author needed to intertwine our killer in some manner, but it was a major let down in the grand scheme of things.

Overall, I found the book to be enticing enough to keep me reading and interested. I never once felt bored with the story only let down. The first half of the story was rather strong. But the end wasn't what I had hoped for. I would say a 3.5 overall

I really enjoyed reading The Liars Girl. It kept me interested, and was a fast read. Was it basic, and some parts easy to guess?... yes, but it was still a fun thriller to escape in.

Will Hurley is in a Dublin prison for 5 murders he committed 10 years ago that earned him the moniker "Canal Killer" as that is where the bodies were dumped. When a woman's body is found in the canal in the present day, the Garda ask Will for help in finding this copycat, but all Will wants is to talk to his girlfriend from back then, Allison. But why would Allison ever want anything to do with Will, especially when one of his victims was her best friend. Told in 2 timelines, this was a slow building story with an interesting conclusion. Thanks to NetGalley and Corvus for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. (less)

I had no idea where this book was going through most of it - always a good sign. It kept me interested.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review.

What's a girl to do when her college boyfriend is arrested and pleads guilty to being a serial killer and his last victim was your best friend. Why Alison Smith runs away from school and her family in Ireland to hide out in the Netherlands.

Now its 10 years later and the killings have started again. Will Hurley has been locked up in a Psychiatric Hospital for those 10 years when he hears about the latest victim. He sees this as his chance to prove his innocence but will only talk to Alison.

Ten years ago police officer Shaw was relentless in his pursuit to prove Will guilty. Now that two more college girls have been killed his partner Michael Malone has convinced him maybe Will didn't do it and when they get the request from him that he will only talk to Alison they make the trip to the Netherlands to ask her to visit him.

We get Will's POV at the beginning and end but Alison is the main voice throughout the book – both in the present and the past when she first started college and met Will. We also get the voice of the killer who is pretty disjointed in his thinking. Even though the story is mainly told from Alison's view we still get plenty of information on the investigation – both the past and the present. Alison, who once she puts her shame aside and realizes Will may be innocent, even contributes to finding the real killer working alongside Malone.

The premise of the story was good and moved and a good pace. I had a few issues with some things but overall it was an enjoyable read.

I was so pleased to be given the opportunity to read this advanced arc by Catherine Ryan Howard! I heard raving reviews about Catherine's debut novel... so I was excited to be able to experience this author.

The Liar's girl is a slow building psychological thriller that grabs you by your feet and keeps you running ;). The premise of this novel is what any mystery/suspense fan LIVES for. Allison is a freshman at Dublin University where she meets her handsome and charming boyfriend Will Hurley. Will confesses to killing 5 women and is known as the "Canal Killer". One of the 5 women that is killed is Allison and Will's friend Liz . How could Allison's charming and sweet lover kill her best friend?! Allison's world is turned literally upside down.... she escapes her past as her boyfriend Will is imprisoned for life in the city's Central Psychiatric Hospital.

Of course... our past always comes back to haunt us. 10 years later... a woman's body is found in the Canal River.... but Will is in a psychiatric hospital. The Garda ask for Will's help but Will has a secret to confess.......
Will is longing to only see Allison and will only tell his secret to her. Will Allison be willing to come face to face with her awful past again and dig up those awful memories? Maybe there truly IS a darker secret of what happened to Liz and Will all those years ago?......

Overall, I would give this a 3 star. This was a little slow for my taste for a psychological thriller. I loved how Catherine had such a unique and different storyline then we are used to seeing in typical psychological thrillers. I loved the multiple perspective approach in this novel from Allison's past to present.

The only issues I have with this novel are that it just didn't have the twists/turns that I long for as a reader. I was a little bummed out when the premise of the secret/killer was revealed. I was a little confused as to how it actually fit into the storyline? I was expecting everything to come connecting together and to me it just didn't fit like a puzzle. Also, the ending I felt just came to an abrupt stop? Yes, there was some tiny twists towards the end but not enough for me to be extremely impressed.

With that being said, I definitely will be checking out more from Catherine Howard. Thank you to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for giving me the opportunity to explore this wonderful author and advanced arc.

( 4.5 stars )

The description of The Liar’s Girl by Catherine Ryan Howard promises everything I love in a book; a serial killer, secrets from the past coming back, intrigue and suspense! It’s also set in Dublin, which is another weakness of mine. Even though the book description seems to give a lot of details about the story that seem kind of spoiler-y, this really sounded like it could be a unique, twisty read.
I was pretty much hooked by the first few pages. I really liked the perspective the story began from, I really liked the scene it was setting and how the pieces were coming together. It was something new for me and I found that really refreshing. Throughout the rest of the book, the timeline shifts from Now and Then, a favourite format of mine. It works really well here and there is enough happening in each time to keep the reader intrigued.
The further I read, the more it pulled me in. Not only was it written well with lots of little details, but there was also this undertone raging against the machine and technology and social media that I can’t help but relate to. (Is it bad that I’m relating to one of the prime frustrations that drive the killer? Let’s not dwell too much on that, shall we?) Not to mention how dangerous it is to put all this information out there. We hear that all the time, it’s almost common sense, and yet we rarely heed the warning. I liked how this built the foundation for the book; such a simple, droned about concept blowing up into such and awful situation.
I liked the character development; Alison was very self aware, she knew herself well and the book took the time to explore and defy a lot of go-to situations that you see pop up a lot in books, but are used just as one-liners to sort of fill in gaps or set a scene. I found that Howard often took these little tid-bits a step further. It’s not a huge gesture, but I love little details like that and frankly, a lot of these inner dialogue moments with Alison reminded me a lot of conversations I’ve had myself, which drew me really close to the character. And Will, despite what I knew about him, or thought I knew about him, I could not help but feel charmed by him. That is the beauty of this story, from the beginning I could not believe that a character like this could be the character he was being described as. So many conflicting feelings.
But I especially loved the relationships between the characters. The mother/daughter relationship, which can often seem like a one dimensional stereotype (ooh, she doesn’t get along with her mom!) really showed the disconnect, but also a lot of hurt and misunderstanding. Alison’s relationship with her best friend Liz brought back high school nightmares with how accurately it portrayed the complications of female friendships that are dripping with resentment and jealousy. Even Alison’s relationship with Will, their connection seemed so passionately deep without that cheesy desperate insta-love and given the complications of how things turned out for them, and the rainbow of feelings that exist between them now, I found it really interesting to witness that dynamic. The chemistry and anger and betrayal and that teeny tiny lingering thread of hope.
Sadly, I know those sordid female friendship far too well and once I got a hint of it, I could see the direction that story was going to go in, or at least the direction a tangent was going in, and could decipher a huge part of the twist in the end. But Howard did it eerily well, this complicated, conniving, girl vs girl frienemy relationship.
Pretty much the entire book, I was kept on my toes, no idea at all about what was up or down, happened or didn’t happen. I liked how Will had charmed me over, even though a part of me kept repeating that he could be a liar – it’s calledThe Liar’s Girl, after all. But I also really liked that I had no idea what outcome I preferred, what would leave me satisfied. Did I want him to be the good guy or the bad guy? I had no idea.
I just really enjoyed so much about this book. The reason I’m not giving it a full five stars is because I wasn’t totally taken by surprise in the end and another very small part of the book that blossomed between Alison and the young Gardai who was tending to her. That just annoyed me, frankly. But those were minor details in what was otherwise an enjoyable, unique and thrilling read that had my interest right from the start.

I want to start by saying that this isn't your typical fast-paced thriller, so if you're expecting that, you're going to be disappointed. But that's not to say that it isn't worth a read for suspense lovers. The Liar's Girl is a slow build suspense, with a sort of crime solving aspect that is very easy to get overly involved in - just the way I like it! There are twists, yes, but they're not constant - but they are worth it. You'll become invested in the characters, in the crime, and in solving the murders.

I absolutely love a book that can make you hate a victim and sympathize with a criminal, and The Liar's Girl does that well. You become invested in and form opinions about all the characters, which is largely due to Catherine Ryan Howard's brilliant characterizations of them.

I definitely recommend The Liar's Girl - especially if you're a fan of Dublin. It's so fun to read a book that references place you know, and Catherine Ryan Howard is sure to point out some popular spots in Dublin, in addition to making the Grand Canal the focal point of the book.

The Liar's Girl
by Catherine Ryan Howard published but Blackstone Publishing was a book I really didn’t see coming but I enjoyed every second of the ride. First thank you to Catherine Ryan Howard for writing this novel second thank you to Netgalley the publisher and the author for allowing me the chance to review it you have definitely made a new fan in me. This was an edge of your seat page turner from start to finish. Once I actually started it I felt like it was one I just had to finish. I felt that the details were beautifully placed and the story moved well the author does an amazing job keeping the reader engaged from page one to the last page. The story is so good I do not wish to spoil it for anyone what I will say that the bulk of the story is written in the point of view of Alison and goes back and forth from Present to the past. I feel that Alison Matured well as the story progressed and it was a story that connected the dots well and while some parts kept you on your toes others the author let you figure out making this read an awesome journey. My apology for the delayed review I ended up being sick and didn’t get a chance to express how I loved this one in a timely manner. I however have recommended to a few people who love thrillers already. I look forward to reading more from the author in the future.

The Liars girl tells the story of Alison Smith who when we catch up with her is living and working abroad after the events that occurred at Dublin's elite St. John's College.
Alison's First love Will Hurley was arrested and incarcerated as the prolific serial killer terrorising the college campus.
His last victim being none other than Alison's best friend Liz.
Causing young Alison to flee in distress and disbelief abroad.
She hasn't set foot over here since.
Fast forward ten years, all has been quiet since will's arrest until a new young girl is found.
Is it a copycat or is the real Canal killer back to continue his spree of ten years previous.
Will now locked up in a hospital claims to have new evidence to help the police.
But he will only speak to Alison.
So this was a fantastic read that I really enjoyed It kept you guessing throughout and had many twists and turns that I never saw coming.
The Liars girl is one of them stories that sucks you in and is impossible to put down until the bitter end.
The book was played out in a now and then perspective giving us a great insight into the events of ten years previous.
This also really helped me to understand and empathise with Alison
We also get to experience the present killer's thoughts this was a really nice touch which I loved.
There was also a brilliant twist at the end that blindsided me so Bravo, really didn't see that one coming.
So to round this up "The Liars Girl" is a totally engrossing tale that I cant recommend enough.
I was provided with an ARC of "The Liars Girl" By Netgalley of which I have reviewed voluntary.
All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

This is a great book ! The storyline centers around Alison Smith that's attending college in Dublin . She meets Will and they are practically inseparable . Her best friend Liz becomes the fifth victim of the Canal Killer and Will confesses to the crimes . Secrets , mystery and intrigue !! Well crafted plot with sharp characters ! Catherine Ryan Howard is a remarkable storyteller ! Thanks to #Netgalley and #BlackstonePublishing for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review ! #TheLiar'sGirl

Allison is only 19 when she falls in love with Will. And she falls hard and fast. Then girls begin to die. They find them in the canal, head injury and drowned. Then Will is arrested and Allison's world completely changes. She moves out of the country to live her life away from the stigma of her boyfriend's past. Then, cops show up and her door and she is pulled back in.

Allison is tougher than she comes across. I enjoy that about a character. You never know exactly what she is feeling when it comes to Will. Is she falling under his spell again? I like to be kept guessing! And Will, he is an enigma as well. Did he do it? If he didn't, how did he spend 10 years in a psyche ward?

This started slow but then the mystery hooked me. I love how the author keeps the reader guessing all the way till the end. I did figure part of it out, but not all of it.

There are a few storylines not completed so I am thinking there may be a sequel in the works.
I received this novel from Netgalley for a honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this novel in exchange for an honest review!

This was my first read from Catherine Ryan Howard and I was blown away! She can have ALL the stars!

I loved the main character in this novel and the twists in this book-oh my! Every time I thought I knew what was happening, I was wrong!

My favorite thriller for 2018!! This one is a must read!

This book had me hooked from the beginning. Started a bit slow but hang in there it gets so much better! Great book! Definitely would recommend !!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this great suspense novel. I was hooked from the get go and did not expect that ending at all. I enjoyed this book and recommend it. Catherine Ryan Howard thank you for a great read.

College freshman, Alison, can't wait to attend college with her best friend Liz. Shortly after starting school, Alison meets Will, a charming, handsome man and they quickly start dating. Alison is enamored by Will, and hates being apart from him, even though it's caused some strain with Liz. 

When women from the college start turning up dead, the campus is in a frenzy, and the police are on the hunt for the Canal Killer. When Liz ends up being one of the murdered women, Alison's life changes forever...especially when her boyfriend Will is implicated in the murder. Ultimately, Will confesses and Alison is in a state of disbelief. 

Ten years later, Will is locked up in a mental hospital, but women start turning up dead again, in the same way as before. Will tells the police that he has information that can help them, but wont talk to anyone but Alison. Dragged back into her past, Alison can't believe Will when he professes that he was innocent - that he was coerced into confessing. 

Is Will telling the truth? What really happened ten years ago, and why has it started happening again? Alison is determined to find out. 

The premise of The Liar's Girl was instantly appealing to me, and I wasn't let down! The book had my interest from the very first page, and sucked me into the world of Alison and Will. The book was told through alternating time periods, Alison in the present and Alison in the past, so the reader is able to slowly understand how everything happened ten years prior, the dissolution of Alison and Liz's friendship, and the relationship that develops between Alison and Will. This format worked really well for this book, and I loved being able to see what happened in the past and relate it to Alison's present. 

The book was tense and fast paced, which I really enjoyed. As more women turn up missing or dead, the tension increases as the police (and Alison) scramble to figure out whether or not Will is involved. As the pieces of the puzzle started to fall into place, I was really happy with how things played out. I absolutely loved the ending of the book - I was expecting one final twist, but expected it to be something different, so I was glad to be caught off my game! 

All in all, I loved this book and would definitely recommend it to fans of the psychological thriller genre! I've had Catherine Ryan Howard's book Distress Signals on my to-read list for a while, so now I'll have to move it up and read it sooner! I'd like to thank Netgalley and Blackstone publishing for my copy of the book. It was my pleasure to provide an honest review.

Psychological thriller, Liar’s Girl, is a stand alone novel by talented author Catherine Ryan Howard. The book alternates between past and present of our heroine, Allison’s, life and the events that haunt her. I was engaged and found myself eager to switch back and forth to figure out “who dunnit”.

Allison was a freshman student at Dublin University, who ended up getting caught up in a series of events leaving her destroyed. She thought Will was the love of her live while he confesses to murdering a series of women. He became known as the Canal Killer and she became known as the naïve girlfriend of a serial killer. Devastated and humiliated she flees from her home, the media and public to start a new life.

But when two Garda (police officers) show up on her doorstep her past and future collide. A new series of murders are happening back home and are, suspiciously, exactly like those Will confessed to years ago. The police want information from Will but he won’t speak to anyone but Allison.

I liked Allison. She’s vulnerable, tenacious and faced her inner fears. I also liked the majority of secondary characters, though Will fell a bit flat for me. I guess I was expecting more excitement from their interactions during the visits to the mental hospital. But meh, it still worked out.

While I definitely enjoyed this book I wasn’t blown away. There was a slow build up and there were a couple of times that I was just a teeny bit close to putting the book down. But it definitely picked up and I was pulled in. So, stick with it! I do want to mention for those of you that don’t like flashback style of stories… I have to give the author big thumbs up here. It can be difficult to pull off smooth transitions, while maintaining context, but the author did this beautifully! It kept me interested and eager. That’s what pushed it up to 4 stars for me!

While the theme is a bit redone and story started off slow this did end up being an enjoyable read. I’ll be looking for more from Catherine Ryan Howard!

This book was very good. I read it in 2 days. Love the Author. Only gets better. Run...to buy this book. Highly recommend!!!

4.5 *s. This thriller pulled me in and get me reading. While Alison was in college, a string of girls were killed by the "Canal Killer". Her boyfriend Will is accused of the crime and jailed in a psychiatric hospital. Years later after Alison has put this behind her, the killing begins again. Alison is forced to see Will again and becomes increasingly involved in the investigation.

Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for sending me an e-copy to review.

Sometimes you just need a good murder mystery and this was that for me! I was so intrigued by the case of Will, was he wrongly accused, or is he a really good liar? And what about the girl who loved him?

Intriguing and twisty! Loved it!

Catherine Ryan Howard takes her readers on a suspenseful journey in which the the story along the way is even better than the final destination. In college, Alison dated a boy who confessed to being a serial killer. She moved out of the country to restart her life, doubting her decisions all along the way. When similar crimes start happening again, detectives ask her to come back to talk to her old boyfriend. Amidst the danger, Alison has to decide whether she believes he was innocent all along. And who is killing young female college students?

So I guess I don't really need to sleep. After picking this book up there was no sleep to be had until I finished it. If you are looking for an edge of your seat, hold your breath, are you sure you know who did it kind of book I can't recommend this book enough!

The Liar's Girl starts out slow, but hang on because it's definitely worth the read. This book is creepy, gripping, and will leave you guessing until the end.

This book begins slowly, but stick around. Slow-building but gripping with a little bit of a creep factor, it leaves you guessing the entire read. I was expecting to be surprised by the ending, but had some theories... I was wrong. I love being wrong! The story shifts from the past to the present... the present Alison is a woman who has tried her best to leave her past behind. She moved to the Netherlands from Ireland ten years ago, desperate to escape public scrutiny and judgement. She never really did anything wrong, but when you're the ex of a serial killer... people talk. Ten years ago, she was just a young woman in love with a charming, handsome guy. She had no idea she was in love with a murderer.

Ten years later, it's beginning again. Young ladies are being stalked and drowned in the Grand Canal. Yet the Canal Killer, Will Hurley, has been locked up for the last decade. The similarities to the crimes cannot be ignored, and it isn't long before the authorities go to speak to Will. Clearly he hasn't been escaping during the night and committing these terrible crimes himself, but does he know who is? A former accomplice, an admirer? He refuses to speak to them, demanding to see his old love. Ali is the only one he'll talk to, and he insists he has a lot to say.

Ali reluctantly agrees to go back, but is understandably not thrilled at the prospect of dredging up the past and seeing her first (and only) love again. Does Will have information that can save some of the girls, or is he just toying with her and using the only card he has left?

I received an ARC of this book from Net Galley and Blackstone Publishing, thank you! My review is honest and unbiased.

Well that was a bumpy ride.

Will Hurley- The Canal Killer, Murdered his girlfriend's best friend, Liz when he was about 19 years old. In a pych ward in stead of a prison. He claims he is innocent and will only speak to Allison, so the Gardaí go find Allison and bring her to him.

Allison-Ex girlfriend to Will. Forced back to Dublin where it all happened due to Will wanting to see her to prove his innocence because of a copycat killer. She does not believe he is innocent and does not know how or if she can help him. She starts to believe towards the end that she ended putting Will in prison because of her statement all those years back to the Gardaí.

This novel kept me guessing all the way through. At one point my mind was like could Allison kill her best friend? I especially loved the ending of the novel, that was a huge twist that I did not see coming. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.

Thanks NetGalley!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in return for my honest opinion.

This was the first book I have read by this author, I cannot believe I haven't heard of her, tis was a great book. I will definitely be reading more books by this author.

Alison left and started a new life when her boyfriend turned out to be a serial killer and her best friend was one of his victims, she is called back to hear his confession to help solve similar "copycat" murders, she agrees reluctantly. The first of this book was a slow burn to the many surprising twists and turns, it set out the details and gave us a feel for our characters, building to a surprise that I didn't see coming. I love when I cannot solve the case myself. Great book and great creepy read.

I had read Distress Signals (review here) and really enjoyed but I have to admit when I read the opening chapter of this I was hopping around. Because this was fully up my street, heading more into the territory of everyday psychological thriller (kinda Kathryn Crofty for anyone who read her, for those of you who are fed up of me comparing everyone to her, I’m sorry, but she’s my holy grail in psychological thrillers to date).

Our protagonist, Alison Smith, has been called back to Dublin to talk to her ex boyfriend, who is in a psychiatric hospital after admitting to the murder of female students of St John’s University, ten years ago. With a new killer repeating history Will is saying he has information that he will only tell her. Here is a book that sends you around in circles and back again. You wonder via both Will and the detective on the scene (who actually I wouldn’t mind seeing more of) if there is any chance at all that Will could be innocent and your eyes search out every single word trying to figure out if you’re right or wrong. You also have to take into account that at the time Alison and her best friend Liz, were going through tumultuous times and we wonder why we need to know this ( I guessed why totally wrongly a number of times!!).

I loved both the detective aspect of the book-the perfection found in the expertly done ins and outs of the system (expected of course, from someone who wrote the mecca of all writing manuals, the ‘Self Printed’ spoken of here ) and also the cautionary aspects in terms of social media and student life too (a number of ‘what the frig’ moments in terms of getting information really got me). I hated/ loved following victims knowing where it was leading and wanting to help them, but being unable to (um, because it’s a book and not real life;)).

I have to admit one part that I didn’t quite need was the dark voice of the ‘baddie,’ but that’s just because in general I feel that unless they’re adding something significant to the book by showing us either an actual justification for the crime, or how they do it in a way the protagonist/ police can’t, then they’re just adding a ‘scary’ voice that isn’t necessary (this is more than likely totally me though!). The other thing was the last portion of the book which wasn’t quite for me, after the slow burn the sudden crazy drama just didn’t resonate and when I realised there was so much more to go I guessed the ending. Saying that I loved the book, the everyday, the twists, the turns, setting, marking Catherine Ryan Howard for me as a definite ‘straight onto the to be read list’ author. Thanks so much to Netgalley and Blackstone Publishing for this book in return for an honest review.

Rating: 4.5/5

The Liar's Girl is good escapist reading. It is a quick read, perhaps even a little rushed at times, Ms. Howard made the police just a little too incompetent for my taste. The characters are well drawn, not extremely compelling. The Heroine wasnt really that likeable for my taste, which is why I resented her sudden skill at crime solving. Ms. Howard uses a technique of multiple viewpoints, also not my favorite. All in all, I think her writing style and my reading preferences werent compatible. If you are looking for a day's light escape reading, you may find The Liar's Girl a fit.

Imagine the man you love being not only convicted of murder but confessing to being a serial killer including the murder of you best friend. That was the position a nineteen year old Alison found herself. Unable to handle it she left Ireland and never looked back telling no one in her life about her dark past. While her boyfriend and love Will is convicted and sentenced to life. Until ten years later the killing start again. Now the police need to talk to Will but he will only talk to Alison. So for the first time since her world was blown apart she returns to her home and faces everything she ran from to try and find the truth. But what is the truth and what will it coat her to find it? Catherine Ryan Howard spins a beautiful web of a story that has you searching for the truth and the twisted truth revealed at the end will shock you a new and leave your head spinning. I really liked this story and got through it in two days. Looking forward to more from Catherine Ryan Howard.

After reading Distress Signals, I knew Catherine Ryan Howard would be an author to look out for. I just love her writing style and was excited to see what she would come up with next. The Liar’s Girl is a great psychological thriller that is fast-paced and entertaining with well-written characters. I highly recommend picking up anything this author writes.

Thank you NetGalley, Blackstone Publishing, and Catherine Ryan Howard for the opportunity to read The Liar's Girl. It was my pleasure to write an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fascinating read. The characters were really thought out and so was the storyline. I found the book engaging and kept me turning the pages until the end.

If you’re ever in the mood for slow burning suspense you have got to check this one out! The initial premise hooked me instantly, the idea of a woman being in a relationship with a serial killer is not only terrifying but also fascinating. The idea of a ruthless killer blending in amongst us never fails to intrigue me, does anyone else ever wonder if they’ve crossed paths with a psycho or is that just me?! Anyway, this one reeled me in right away and my interest never wavered once.

This flips between the present day and then back to when Alison was a fresh faced college student, drip feeding you relevant information at a subtle pace. Though this definitely had a slower pace, don’t mistake slow for boring because it was anything but, there was simmering tension and uncertainty the whole way through. By the time I made it to the last quarter of the book the pace had picked up significantly and the intensity was through the roof. I was utterly satisfied by the end and then when I got to the final chapter I was totally blown away, an intricately plotted twist was revealed that I never saw coming for a minute! Having loved both of the authors books now I’m a firm fan, definitely recommend both of her novels for fans of well thought out mysteries.

The Liar’s Girl in three words: Complex, Steady and Engrossing.

Interesting read that kept me turning the page. This will be a purchase for our library that I think many of my students will pick up and fall into just as I did.