If you only read one thriller this year…“A great modern gothic. Ellison outdid herself— what an ending!” —Catherine Coulter, #1 NYT bestselling author of VORTEX.Fast-paced and brilliantly unpredictable, J.T. Ellison’s breathtaking new novel invites you to a wedding none will forget—and some won’t survive.Jutting from sparkling turquoise waters off the Italian coast, Isle Isola is an idyllic … survive.
Jutting from sparkling turquoise waters off the Italian coast, Isle Isola is an idyllic setting for a wedding. In the majestic cliff-top villa owned by the wealthy Compton family, up-and-coming artist Claire Hunter will marry handsome, charming Jack Compton, surrounded by close family, intimate friends…and a host of dark secrets.
From the moment Claire sets foot on the island, something seems amiss. Skeletal remains have just been found. There are other, newer disturbances, too. Menacing texts. A ruined wedding dress. And one troubling shadow hanging over Claire’s otherwise blissful relationship—the strange mystery surrounding Jack’s first wife.
Then a raging storm descends, the power goes out—and the real terror begins…
You won’t be able to guess what happens in the end!
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Dark Lies is a book that will keep the lights on for just more one hour. That becomes two.
A beautiful setting , an island in Italy, so its a closed door mystery to who is trying (quite successfully) to stop the wedding of Jack and Claire.
First there is the dead body in Claire’s home in Nashville and things only go down hill from there.
Seems Jack’s family home on the island has quite a reputation for people dying young , like his first wife.
Claire has her own secrets she is keeping from everyone but she is determined the wedding will go ahead.
Twists and turns, red herrings all add up to a roller coaster of a read.
I am a big fan of J.T. Ellison who is a great storyteller and this book is no different.
Add Her Dark Lies to near the top of your TBR pile.
Thanks to NetGalley Harelquin Trade Publishing (US and Canada) Mira for page turning adventure in Her Dark Lies.
Though a marriage on a remote private island with plenty of rain and thunder felt a bit cliché for a thriller, I was positive it would still work for me. And it did. Until it didn’t.
When Claire and Jack arrive at the island where they are to be wed, skeletal remains are being recovered from a restoration site. Though this is an ominous welcome to their wedding location, Jack assures Claire that such findings are common due to the island’s history. But this puts Claire on edge, especially since an intruder was just killed in her apartment the day before.
All great, we have wonderful, sinister, beginnings. And I’m so excited to meet Jack’s extremely rich socialite family who own this creepy, remote mansion. Plus, there will only be the closest guests invited. Yes! All on a secluded island. The story is still deliciously mysterious.
Goodness, she has experienced an intruder at her house and there are skeletal remains on the island. This is just the beginning of Claire’s eye-opening experience.
Her wedding dress ends up ruined, and her introduction to Jack’s grandfather is quite noteworthy. Okay, very noteworthy. But nothing compares to the hacking of the Compton’s’ private servers on the island, the blackout, and the deaths that occur.
Red Herrings
The red herrings show up in number, but in many ways they only muddle and agitate an already declining story. As I got to the midway point of the book, the various POVs also started to lessen the mystery. It was all too much of a load for the cardboard characters to carry as the plot starting to fade into the sunset.
I stuck it out to the end, but it just didn’t keep up at an interest level and pace that I’d hoped for.
What Concerned Me
The story didn’t have the plot to successfully propel it to the end. Much of the mystery could be guessed, yet the believability factor at the conclusion was nil. I don’t mind suspension of disbelief, but this was even too much for me.
I was also concerned that the wedding preparation, guests, and mystery didn’t blend cohesively. It felt too much like a little bit of this and a dash of that in the storytelling. And it didn’t help that the guests, and for that matter, most of the characters were very hard to relate to or care about.
What I Liked Best
I’m going to revert back to the setting. The author did a wonderful job of taking me to a remote island in Italy. One where the weather was threatening much of the time and the atmosphere spooky
I also liked it when Will’s personality shined at one point. I actually felt that he had compassion and he was a character who came to life momentarily.
Though this wasn’t the right book for me, I do feel it will appeal to many. There are twists, it is a fun location, and there is a mystery. So bear in mind that this review is just my opinion.
My thanks to #netgalley and the publisher for an ARC and the opportunity to post a review of my opinion.
Could there possibly be more mayhem rolled into one book? So many unanswered questions. Such as how and where did Morgan’s funds and rehab happen. Much of this story was left unlinked and OMG, the death and disaster abounds. Too much, just too much. The potential was there, but missed the mark.
I have to say J. T. Ellison writes excellent suspense.This one reads like a gothic mystery of old. Towering cliffs on a island owned by a powerful family. So many secrets in both sides. Twists and turns so crazy you never see what’s coming and a shocking ending. Great job!!
WOW. Her Dark Lies is a page turner that comes at you from every angle. It’s a never-ending game of cat and mouse. I absolutely loved every minute of it from beginning to end. It’s thought provoking, twisty and the setting is jaw dropping. Ellison excels at character development.
I highly recommend reading Her Dark Lies.
Hang onto your hat with this read as it is downright creepy, scary, dark and a page turner! Now, this is a great book with lots of twists and turns.
Claire Hunter is an artist and is engaged to marry very wealthy William Jackson Compton “Jack” at the family villa in Isle Isola, Italy with a small gathering of family and friends coming to the villa for the weekend. The villa sits atop a high cliff with magnificent breathtaking views. The villa also has lots of hidden tunnels and its own crypt. What could possibly go wrong??? Lots of things can go wrong and does.
Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin for the ARC of this riveting whodunit that I thoroughly enjoyed in exchange for an honest review.