“Assured, compelling, and hypnotically readable—with a twist at the end I guarantee you won’t see coming” (New York Times bestselling author Lee Child), T. M. Logan’s debut psychological thriller dissects a troubled marriage straight to the marrow as one man separates the truth from the Lies… respected teacher living in a well-to-do London suburb. But that was before he spotted his wife’s car entering a hotel parking garage. Before he saw her in a heated argument with her best friend’s husband. Before Joe confronted the other man in an altercation where he left him for dead, bleeding and unconscious.
Now, Joe’s life is unraveling. His wife has lied to him. Her deception has put their entire family in jeopardy. The man she met at the hotel has vanished. And as the police investigate his disappearance, suspicion falls on Joe.
Unable to trust the woman he loves, Joe finds himself at the mercy of her revelations and deceits, unsure of who or what to believe. All he knows is that her actions have brought someone dangerous into their lives—someone obsessed with her and determined to tear Joe’s world apart.
What if your whole life was based on LIES?
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Lies. They’re everywhere, especially in the life of Joe Lynch. Joe is truly one of the good guys. He loves his wife, dotes on his son, is perfectly happy in his teaching position – as far as he’s concerned, everything is as it should be. Then one afternoon changes everything and Joe is on the wrong end of a twisted game of cat and mouse.
Poor Joe can’t catch a break and every time he thinks he’s making some headway, he’s hit with something else, and there’s no one he can trust. In fact, the story is filled with unreliable characters and no one is beyond suspicion. I did figure out the ending, in part, but I certainly didn’t piece together the other part of it. There’s also another interesting little tidbit that adds to the edge of your seat conclusion.
The story is fast paced and the twists keep coming for our unwilling hero. There are some things that stretch the believability scale, but this is fiction, so some leeway can be given and it’s not completely over the top. All in all, Lies is a solid debut from the author and I’ll be interested to see what he comes up with next.
Joe Lynch has the perfect life – or so he thought. He suddenly discovers that he never really knew his wife. How much of their relationship has been based on lies?
While out with his son William one afternoon he happens to see his wife out on her car instead of at work. William was given a certificate at school and wants his mother to see it. So Joe decides to surprise Mel and follows her into a hotel car park. He then sees her having an argument with her best friend’s husband Ben. After Mel leaves, Joe confronts Ben and there is an altercation. Thus begins the destruction of Joe’s “perfect” life. Through texts and emails Ben tells Joe he is going to take everything from him – everything!
The suspense starts early in the book and builds with each chapter. Is there no end to the depth of betrayal here? A real page turner! While the characters were not very well developed, this is still a compulsive read. If you were not wary of how technology can be used against you before reading this book, you will be when you complete this well written psychological thriller.
If you like the description of the book, don’t bother reading this review and get the book as soon as you can, you will love it! LIES is one of the finest psychological thrillers of the year! T.M. Logan has written a very cleverly and intricately plotted thriller, where technology – the internet, cell phones, and social media play a pivotal role. LIES is very fast-paced, there is not a single dull moment, and it is extremely well-written, with crisply defined characters. It’s a fresh, very modern story, uniquely tailored to our digital age.
Told in first person, from Joe’s point of view, I felt I was experiencing Joe’s extremely frustrating quest for the truth, a nightmare, to be honest that seemed to have all started with one little lie, and things unravelled quickly from there. Or rather Joe’s life unravelled, not the story! Mr. Logan is a fine writer whose prose is eloquent, crisp and dynamic, and the dialogues feel genuine at all times. Even if I wouldn’t have necessarily done exactly everything that Joe did, it would not have mattered, because there was nothing that would have changed anything. Not that he did anything stupid or reckless; I really liked Joe, and when you read the book, you’ll understand what I mean: he was powerless.
LIES is so terrific, that midway, I was thinking that it really wouldn’t matter how it ended because the voyage was so exhilarating! The dénouement was a complete surprise, I never saw it coming, and since I’ve been reading thrillers all my life, it is high praise indeed coming from me. I’m still not quite sure how I feel about how it all turned out, but it was totally unexpected, and I don’t recall ever having read anything like it. I am looking forward to reading Mr. Logan’s future endeavours, because he is a fabulous writer. LIES is riveting, engrossing, and yes, thrilling! If you like thrillers, you will not be disappointed with LIES!
LIES is the first book I have read by T. M. Logan, but I doubt it will be the last. From the first page, I was hooked, watching as Joe’s life spiraled out of control. It raises questions that make you doubt all that you believe is truth. How well do you really know those around you? What do you actually KNOW is true? How can a simple choice with the intention of surprising his wife Mel ruin Joe’s reputation, career, marriage, and life? I do not want to share too much about the plot because I do not want to spoil it for other readers. There is a big twist in the story, which I guessed long before it was revealed, but this did not make the tale any less compelling. I found myself furiously turning the pages to see if my guess was right, staying up way past my bedtime to get to the last page.
LIES is the best thriller I have read in a while. Recommended.
I received a copy of this title from the publisher and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.
This was a very entertaining psychological thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat. Joe is basically a stay-at-home dad who is out driving with his young son when they see his wife driving and on the spur of the moment decide to follow her into a hotel parking lot. What he witnesses is his wife having a heated argument with a family friend and when he intervenes they come to blows and punches are exchanged and the friend, Ben, is knocked to the ground where he hits his head and is left unconscious. In the meantime, Joe’s son suffers an asthma attack and he leaves to seek medical attention and when he returns Ben and his wife are gone. Are you hooked yet? This is just the start. There are so many twists and turns to keep the pages turning and a well developed story it was hard to put this one down, so I didn’t. I recommend this one!
My reading tastes seem to have changed this past year and I’ve been scooping up a lot of books in the mystery/suspense genre. So when St. Martin’s Press sent me a paperback ARC of this book, I couldn’t wait to dive in.
I am impressed with T.M. Logan’s writing. I was practically glued to the pages of this book. So many things happened in a short period of time, literally 8 days from start to finish. The opening line of the book grabbed my attention right off the bat.
Poor Joe. This man really gets put through the wringer. My heart really went out to him. He’s just an average guy who loves his wife and son more than anything. Not the most ambitious of people, but he’s doing okay and he’s happy. He has everything he’s ever wanted. Until one fateful day, one moment in time when he makes a split decision that turns his whole world upside down.
I tried really hard to jot down things I thought were clues all throughout this book. Tried to form theories on what I thought was happening. But in the end, I hadn’t figured anything out at all. And I must say I was totally thrown off base when all was revealed. Shocked! I would not have figured that out at all.
This is a great book to get lost in. I’m off to see if Mr. Logan has written anything else I can get lost in!
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for an advanced reader’s edition of this paperback. #LiesBook
Lies by T.M. Logan was quite the read. I really enjoyed even though I didn’t care for any of the characters. Well, I fib. I liked Will. Typically if I can’t find anything to like about characters, the book becomes a DNF (did not finish), but not this one.
The author set Joe up to be the one people cared about in this book, but in my opinion he was too much. Too good, too laid back, too naïve…I could go on.
All that said, the twists in this book weren’t what I thought they would be and I was hooked. Even while I was muttering about jerks I was turning pages on my Kindle faster and faster.
This author definitely knows how to hook a reader and keep them involved. I’m very interested to see what the next novel of this author’s is like. If you like a tightly plotted, fast moving psychological thriller, this is for you. It does mess with your head.
This is my first read from T.M. Logan and probably will not be my last. This book sucks you in from the first page until the last. Many twists and turns and an ending you would never guess. This was an excellent book that you just can’t put down.
This book was such a fun read. It had me guessing until the very end. It’s a fun mystery read that will make you think. See if you can figure things out, before the main character does.
I received a galley from the publisher and after reading the synopsis I figured I’d give it a try. Reading through the first few pages I started thinking that maybe this just wasn’t the book for me as the storyline wasn’t catching my full attention. I wanted to at least finish a few chapters before adding it to my “didn’t finish” list so I took it with me to read in the bathtub.
I was on chapter fifteen when I realized that my toes looked like raisins and the water was cold. This mind-blowing read truly packs a powerful punch. You find yourself thinking that you know how it’s going to end but the reality is that Joe realized the truth before I was smacked in the face with the astonishing revelation that had my jaw dropping and left me feeling all twisted up inside.
Betrayals and lies are just the beginning of this well-written storyline that will leave you wondering just how much you can trust those who are the closest to us.
What a ride this book took me on! It was a heart-pounding journey, a great mix of trying to unravel the puzzle (which I absolutely failed at) and just feeling bad about the events taking place. This poor guy. I mean what in the world was going on? I love books you can’t figure out until the author lays it out for you. It was hard to put down, a story I thought about even when I wasn’t reading it. I don’t want to say much because it has the chance of giving something away.
I will say, I’m primarily a reader of love stories. I read books like this once in awhile to get a little something different. And this exceeded all expectations. I couldn’t have told from just the blurb how crazy of a story I was about to fall into. I will definitely look for more from this author in the future.
Wow! My first pick from Netgalley proves to be a gem.
T. M. Logan’s “Lies” is a psychological thriller with nail-biting twists and turns. Granted the plot and prose are well crafted, but the protagonist ultimately drives this story from the exhilarating beginning to the unforeseen end. Joe Lynch doesn’t possess the quality or attribute that distinguishes him from ordinary people. Actually, he is an ordinary person whose life unravels and turns upside down because he decides to chase after his wife’s car in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Joe—average Joe—appeals to the reader right from the start with these lovely opening lines: “My son’s first word wasn’t Daddy or Mummy. His first word was Audi. Which was strange because I’d never owned an Audi, and on my salary probably never would.” Joe’s most endearing quality is his love for his precocious son, his beautiful wife, and his humble background. He’s a teacher. His wife and her friend, Ben, consider him an underachiever. Sadly, a car accident had left him with metal pins in his ankle and took away his chance of being a hockey pro. Since then, he has lived a complacent life as a teacher while his wife works in human resources of a big retail chain. He has a feminist quality about him. He believes in strong women. In fact, he sees his wife, Melissa (“Mel”), as “the extrovert, the leader, the sporty alpha female.” He admires her for going after what she wants. “Mel had gone back to work full-time after four months’ maternity leave, but that was her choice, and I totally understood it. She brought in more than my teacher’s salary anyway, she liked her job, and she was bloody good at it. We fitted together perfectly, like interlocking pieces of a puzzle.” Meanwhile, he views Beth, Mel’s friend, as “the clever, kind, quiet counterpoint, but just as much an achiever in her own.” Moreover, he sees her husband, Ben, pushes her around and cheats on her. He wishes she would be strong enough to leave him and be on her own. “It occurred to me that not once had she said—not once—that she would kick Ben out. Not once had she suggested she would get the locks changed, cut up his favorite suits, put one of his cars on eBay with a reserve price of a penny. She had not said she would talk to a lawyer or think about starting divorce proceedings. He had betrayed her, broken his marriage vows to her, humiliated her, but since her fury on Sunday, all the fight seemed to have gone out of her.”
Little does Joe know that Mel, Ben, Beth or any other people close to him are not what they seem. Joe may have been tremendously observant of his surrounding; but like many people, he sees only the surface. His trusting nature shows how weak and vulnerable he is as a person. Therefore, he can be easily manipulated or misdirected and framed for murder. How will this cuckolded husband save himself and his family? Will it be too late for him by the time he connects the dots?
If you have a few hours to spare, then sit down with a glass of wine and enjoy this riveting thriller. It’s a fast read. By the end of the book, you’ll say, “Wow! I didn’t see that coming. What a story!”
Joe is married to Melissa “Mel” and they have a precocious 4-year-old boy named William “Wills.” Joe is driving Wills home from school when Wills spots his mother’s Volkswagen turning into a hotel parking garage. They decide to find her and say hello to her. Joe spots her with Ben, the husband of Mel’s best friend Beth. They seem to be in a heated discussion so Ben and Wills leave and wait in the parking ramp to talk to Ben. Joe confronts Ben and it leads to an altercation with Ben falling, hitting his head on the cement and getting knocked out. Joe leaves and goes home and Ben is subsequently reported as missing by his wife. From there, the story takes on more twists and turns than a corkscrew with a surprise ending I would never had imagined. I thoroughly enjoyed this page turner and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good thriller. I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I received an ARC from NetGalley. I enjoyed the twists and turns. The pacing was fantastic; short chapters kept me turning pages. I will definitely be looking for more books from this author.
Fast paced read! Joe Lynch is living the life; beautiful wife, adorable child, job he loves. One day he finds its all based on Lies! His normal, boring, content life is upended when he finds out his wife has a big secret. What starts as a minor altercation, turns into him fighting to stay out of prison for murder.
Well written, this book keeps you entertained and curious chapter after chapter. Author Logan shows just enough of the Lies in each chapter till it all comes to an end. Enjoyed this fast-paced read, and look forward to reading this author more!
Total 4.5 Stars. Thanks NetGalley and StMartins Press for this ARC. Opinion is my own.
Joe Lynch was having an ordinary day heading home with his young son, William. William loves cars and can name them, when he spots his mother’s car. Curious as to why his wife would be in the area, Joe follows her. He watches a heated exchange between his wife and a friend, Ben Delaney. When Joe sees Ben leave, he intercepts him and things get physical. Joe leaves an injured Ben on the floor of the parking garage, to rush his son home to get his inhaler. Worried about Ben, Joe returns only to find Ben and his vehicle gone. Ben’s wife, Beth, heard Ben come in late very upset cursing Joe, and left. She hasn’t heard or seen him since, and one of his guns is missing. Then come the taunting messages on FB, texts and computer. A brutal confession from Joe’s wife, Mel, sends his world crashing. His broken heart is telling him to repair their marriage, but trusting again isn’t easy.
Joe’s ordinary day is going to be the start of his worst nightmare. With no one to trust, and going against legal advice, Joe sets off to prove Ben is behind the messages.
I really enjoyed the twists and turns of the story. I thought it was original and unique. I received a free ARC from NetGalley via St Martin’s Press.
Wow! In the first two hours of reading this book, I was almost 200 pages in. It is so suspenseful and plot twisty that it just flies by. Excellent, excellent book, with an ending I never saw coming!
Page turner doesn’t cut it! I really thought I knew the ending and I didn’t! This book comes out on 9/11/2018 and I highly recommend it!
Wow I could hardly put this down. Too bad I have to work instead of just reading books. Poor Joe a hardworking teacher finds out his wife has been lying with s capital L for a long time. Things start spinning out of control after a fight with an aquantance and suddenly the police are breathing down his neck.
Trying to hold things together for his 4 year old son, Joe is trying to figure out the network of lies his wife has spun.
This story has so many twists and turns and a surprise ending that you will not see coming.
Don’t miss this one it will have you on the edge of your seat
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this advance copy. Great read
This was a good story, but I doubt I’ll ever re-read. Lots of twists and an ending that surprised me, this was one suspenseful book! Being set in the UK, sometimes I had to stop & think about the phrases or slang, but overall a quick and decent read-pace was good, but couldn’t really identify with the majority of the characters.
If you like suspense, give it a go. You may just end up enjoying it!