Domestic noir at its best. Readers will devour this stunning page-turner about the disintegration of a marriage as grief, jealousy, betrayal and murder destroy the facade of the perfect literary couple. New York Times bestselling author J.T. Ellison takes her exceptional writing to a new level with this breakout novel. They built a life on lies Sutton and Ethan Montclair’s idyllic life is not … idyllic life is not as it appears. They seem made for each other, but the truth is ugly. Consumed by professional and personal betrayals and financial woes, the two both love and hate each other. As tensions mount, Sutton disappears, leaving behind a note saying not to look for her.
Ethan finds himself the target of vicious gossip as friends, family and the media speculate on what really happened to Sutton Montclair. As the police investigate, the lies the couple have been spinning for years quickly unravel. Is Ethan a killer? Is he being set up? Did Sutton hate him enough to kill the child she never wanted and then herself? The path to the answers is full of twists that will leave the reader breathless.
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A deliciously wicked domestic noir where nothing is as it seems.
From the outside Ethan and Sutton seem to be the perfect couple with a perfect marriage and perfect life in Franklin, Tennessee.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
One day Ethan awakes to find a note from Sutton saying she’s left, needs some time and to not look for her.
When Ethan discovers that she’s left her purse, phone, ID, and laptop he becomes frantic. He eventually calls the police.
He will soon be arrested for murder.
Franklin PD Officer Holly Graham is given the lead on the case. She’s smart, resourceful and turns out to be a damn fine investigator. She wants badly to become a detective. She’s determined to earn her Sergeant’s trust in her and do everything by-the-book and to do it right.
She is my favorite character in this, a story full of well-drawn characters.
Officer Graham’s investigation will lead her down a trail of deceit, lies, dark secrets, betrayal and murder.
That’s all I can say. There’s so much good stuff going on here and page after page of twist-filled fun, anything more would ruin it for you, dear reader.
As you’re told in the beginning, sit back and enjoy the show!
Why This Book
I selected Lie to Me by J.T. Ellison, when it was available on NetGalley about 3 months ago, after enjoying a prior book by this author. I’m glad I did as it was very engaging and twisty. I chose it this weekend because I am trying to get to a ‘0’ count on NetGalley TBR books and other ARCs so that I can start 2018 with a clean and fresh slate to choose new reads.
Approach & Style
I read this ~400 page book on my iPad through Kindle Reader over ~5 hours in one day. It is written in third-person POV from a few different character perspectives, including the killer, the husband and the wife. It switches back and forth a few times, but is usually clear and clean when it does.
Plot, Characters & Setting
Ethan and Sutton, both authors jealous of each other’s work, have been married for a few years despite fighting a lot. They lost a baby a few years ago and there might have been an affair or two, it’s unclear at first. Sutton leaves a note that she needs space and no one should look for her outside their Tennessee hometown; Ethan thinks there is foul play and begins to check with her friends and family. Eventually, he loops in the cops and a full investigation opens. It’s difficult to provide anymore details without giving away the plot, but there are tons of twists involving bloggers, reviewers, friends, family and murders in another country. Nothing is as it seems and you never quite know who to trust.
Strengths
The cast of characters is varied and diverse. You get a sense of love and hatred from almost all of them. The sub-plots are nicely woven into the overall story. The drama and suspense are at a good level — not too over-the-top, not too weak. The writing style is strong and inviting.
Concerns
The two main characters aren’t very likable. They both seem to treat each other poorly, which makes readers uncertain about rooting for them. Ultimately, the he said / she said dilemma leaves you thinking at the end that there are a few too many open-ended situations. While some intensity and far-out plot points are necessary to keep the thrills high, there are a few pieces that either fell too short or went a bit too far for me. Not enough to have a problem with the work, but enough to hold it back from being a true stellar read. Overall, it’s a typical twisty thrill ride, but because of solid writing and good characters, I’d recommend it to others as a good read.
Author & Other Similar Books
It’s very similar to Gone Girl. VERY similar.
Questions & Final Thoughts
I like these types of books. I turn the pages quickly. I get invested. I like the balance between reality and chaos. The author is a good writer. It’s a definite recommend from me for a quick weekend read, but it’s not the “oh my god you have to read this book” type of situation.
Full of secrets, lies, and betrayal, the perfect potion for a juicy read. All the twist in this book take you in directions you would never imagine. Overall it was entertaining, interesting, and a easy read with a shocking conclusion.
SPOILER ALERT I really enjoyed the different generations of this book. It did bother me somewhat that the oldest most ethical family member broke his ethics and lied. An obvious lie at that. Then the author fairly skipped any detail of a generation, a very telling generation and expounded on the youngest generation and his heinous break with his “strong moral code” and then told his secret to the detriment of his bestie. But the series goes on with these 2 characters so I guess it wasn’t all that detrimental. When 8 finished this book I was ready to read more of the series but as I write this I seem to find some real flaws in the personalities of our characters. Hmmm. Guess I like the writing style but would like more consistency in the story line and the families behavior.
I couldn’t put this one down. I had a feeling I know who the culprit was but couldn’t figure out why. Nonetheless, this book is intensely exciting. It’s difficult to get to the truth. It’s told from 4 different characters. A wife goes missing. Her husband accused of killing her. A detective wary of jumping to conclusions. A crazy person. Things spin out of control and without getting into more without spoiling it, the story turns into a psychological thriller. Outstanding work. Hard to say much without spoiling it.
If it’s J.T. Ellison, it’s a great read. Never, ever, pass on an Ellison book; I’be read them all and can’t wait for the next!
You simply can’t go wrong with any book written by JT Ellison, and this is one of her very best!
Very interesting to read
If there is such a thing as a dysfunctional marriage this book fits the bill. You just never know who you really matter…at least in this book.
Excellent read!!
Great story. If J T Ellison writes, I read it.
What a ride! Loved this book from start to finish, and it kept me guessing until the final (unexpected) twist.
Long & convoluted. Suspicions abound until truth is revealed. Another reminder that unhappy childhoods often breed deeply unhappy adults.
Somewhat like “Gone Girl” but certainly with a different twist. At the end, I rather decided those two deserved each other!
Lots of trusts and turns! Loved it!
This convoluted but fast-paced story will keep you guessing until the end. Exciting story…
Started it but couldn’t get into it
I found the book an entertaining page-turner, but felt that the plot and twists were a bit too convoluted for my tastes; not plausible.
This is a psychological thriller that will keep you wondering who is the truly unhinged one is until the end!
This book keeps you guessing to the very end!