In New York Times bestselling author Bryan Reardon’s captivating thriller, a dejected filmmaker lets his curiosity get the best of him and plunges into a web of depravity and danger from which there might be no escape.Theo Snyder is at the end of his rope. One minute he was on top of the world, his documentary film The Basement a massive critical and commercial hit, the next crestfallen when his … next crestfallen when his latest film was canceled after an embarrassingly public misstep. As his desperation grows, he makes a bold decision: to pursue the story of the notorious “Halo Killer,” Jasper Ross-Johnson. But delving into the life and mind of a serial killer could prove more deadly than Theo ever could have imagined.
At first, things are looking up. Jasper is willing to talk, the footage of the jailhouse meetings is spectacular, and famed investigator Zora Neale Monroe joins him on the project. Theo is sure he’s getting close to something no one else has discovered: the truth about why Jasper was captured before he could kill his final victim. Someone else was on the beach that day, someone who knows a lot more than they’re telling and just might know how it all happened. The truth could lead to more killing–unless Theo can uncover the real ending to the story of the Halo Killer first.
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Okay this one was, well, weird…
I really liked the first half or so – the pacing was spot on, the characterization and plot roll out were complex and intriguing, and the mysteries and secrets were thick on the ground in a way that held promise. It was interesting to see the evolution, devolution, and reemergence of Theo as a character as he began to come back into his own with the new film. (I always find it fascinating to see hubris get punished – I’m a fan of Greek myths from way back.)
Unfortunately this one ultimately felt like it was trying too hard to force clever complexities onto the story, and that’s where it started to lose me. As things started moving into the revolution phase, that’s where it lost it’s way a bit. The rationales and resolutions felt meandering and overly complicated. The suspension of disbelief is one thing, but sometimes you get pushed a little too far on that… That happened here for me. The writing was easy-going enough that I could stay with the story, but it lost some of its immediacy at that point and as a result only netted out at three stars for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my obligation-free review copy.
This was a good one – it moves at an almost frenetic pace just like the narrator, Theo Snyder. He is a documentary filmmaker who fell from grace after a scandal involving a follow-up to his masterpiece, The Basement. Now he’s trying to get himself back into the limelight by delving into the case of The Halo Killer, looking into a new angle of how he was caught. after easily evading authorities for years.
He joins with an investigator named Zora, one of the best and toughest in the business. We follow as he chases lead after lead, sometimes not even keeping Zora up to date on his latest whims. He quickly becomes obsessed, not sleeping, not eating, driven only by his addiction of The Halo Killer. Not only is the future of his movie career at stake, but perhaps his life, as well.
It’s a fast paced read with plenty of action, though I didn’t empathize with any of the characters. Theo is just obsessed and hasn’t learned anything from his previous scandal, getting too involved in the story and the lives of people involved. Zora isn’t particularly likable, a typical ‘badass’ female character who acts however she wants, and pries however much she wants, but don’t you dare ask anything personal. One of those types. I did enjoy the scenes set on the Delaware coast near Rehoboth because I’ve been there and know the area well. Local readers will probably get a kick out of that. So, it’s an entertaining read and once you start you might not stop until the very end, just like Theo.
Theo Snyder’s on top of the film world after his big hit documentary The Basement. Following a personal scandal, he finds himself a persona non grata and looking for a way to restore himself in the industry. He decides to make a new film about the Halo serial killer, but from a fresh angle. He can even see it play out in his head, complete with chyrons. Surprised when the Halo Killer reaches out to him to cooperate in his new effort, Theo finds himself getting dragged deeper and deeper into a dark, sick story. It’s almost a game, but who is playing who?
Let Her Lie starts off strong, but fizzled out for me about half-way through when things got more convoluted and unbelievable. Despite high hopes, this book didn’t do it for me. From the characters (none of whom I cared for or about), to the annoying chyrons, and the “where is he going with this?” moments, it was a so-so read.
My thanks to NetGalley and Crooked Lane Books for allowing me to read a copy of this book which is scheduled to be published 2/9/21. Opinions stated here are my own.
The premise of Let Her Lie by Bryan Reardon called to me as I am a true crime enthusiast. Theo Snyder makes documentaries and decides to film one on an infamous serial killer, The Halo Killer who after years of escape, messes up and finally gets caught. He wants to know who or what led him to kill and how he was finally caught. The book has some great twists and turns and the reader can be drawn into Theo’s madness as he tries to write his film and to get his fame back. I found the fast pace of the story to be a wild ride but at times I felt confused as to what Theo’s real motivation was and wanted to shake him at times, which annoyed and made me want to read faster. There was some interesting plot twists and gaslighting as well but the final conclusion almost felt unfinished because there were still holes in the story. Overall though a wild ride and entertaining. Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
My Review of
LET HER LIE
By Bryan Reardon
Published by Crooked Lane Books
Releasing 2/9/21
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This Author is new to me but I’ve set my sights on him now that I’ve read this thriller. Basically what it all comes down to when reading a book is, is it a hit or is it a miss? Well let me tell you this thriller, LET HER LIE, was a definite hit. Any thriller fans out there will get a satisfying thrill, scare, suspense and mystery rolled into one when they meet the colorful characters that are well explored but dysfunctional. I found myself closing my blinds and checking the locks with this one.
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Theo Snyder was riding high on his coattails of success after his documentary THE BASEMENT was a hit. Taken in by fame he loses it all to an egotistical moment in all of his glory and his film gets canceled. On the down and out, he comes across his next big film that will repair all his mistakes of the past and he will once again become a renown filmmaker. But it involves a methodical serial killer named Jasper that has killed many women including a woman that had just delivered a baby, later named “Miracle” after surviving for days in a bathroom sink.
He meets with this notorious killer in prison and gets him to talk. Jasper sets up as if he’s helping Theo with the film. Then comes on famed Investigator Zora Monroe who agrees to help him find people and missing pieces to bring the story of how Jasper was caught all together. Little does Theo know the secrets and set ups he may be in for and that he may just be part of a serial killers game. Theo is so deep in that it’s no longer about the money nor fame; it’s about doing something right in his life, even if it means laying his life on the line.