Gudenkauf proves herself the master of the smart, suspenseful small-town thriller that gets right under your skin.” –Gilly Macmillan, New York Times bestselling author of The Nanny Everyone has a secret they’ll do anything to hide… Twenty-five years ago, the body of sixteen-year-old Eve Knox was found in the caves near her home in small-town Grotto, Iowa–discovered by her best friend, … Iowa–discovered by her best friend, Maggie, and her sister, Nola. There were a handful of suspects, including her boyfriend, Nick, but without sufficient evidence the case ultimately went cold.
For decades Maggie was haunted by Eve’s death and that horrible night. Now a detective in Grotto, and seven months pregnant, she is thrust back into the past when a new piece of evidence surfaces and the case is reopened. As Maggie investigates and reexamines the clues, secrets about what really happened begin to emerge. But someone in town knows more than they’re letting on, and they’ll stop at nothing to keep the truth buried deep.
And don’t miss Heather’s latest book, AN OVERNIGHT GUEST! You’ll be chilled and riveted from start to finish with this story of an unexpected visitor and a deadly snowstorm!
Check out these other riveting novels of suspense by bestselling author Heather Gudenkauf:
The Weight of Silence
These Things Hidden
One Breath Away
Little Mercies
Missing Pieces
Not a Sound
Before She Was Found
more
This story had me in its clutches from the very first chapter and didn’t let go until the exciting, satisfying end. There was a lot of drama and angst all throughout as well. Reliving the days from 25 years ago when Eve was murdered was extremely hard for Maggie. As secrets from that time start to be revealed, you would think the clues would uncover the murderer but will they implicate an innocent person instead?
This is How I Lied is a must-read for thriller lovers as it has just the right mix of good and evil characters. You will definitely want to get to the end of the story but the journey to get there is a roller-coaster ride. Totally intense! I highly recommend it!
Heather Gudenkauf writes exceptional small-town thrillers and that’s no different when it comes to This is How I Lied. I had so many questions while reading this book! Heather takes us on a wild goose chase and leaves a trail of breadcrumbs that continuously lead to dead ends. I thought I knew who did it but then was blindsided to find out they DIDN’T! Then the big reveal happens and BAM! Everything makes sense! This is one wild ride and I enjoyed the journey from beginning to end.
One of the things I really loved about this book was Eve’s backstory. There’s something so intriguing about her life, and everything that lead up to her murder is slowly revealed throughout the novel using flashbacks through her POV. Had she not “told” her story through these flashbacks the story wouldn’t be as strong as it is. This is something we see in many of the authors books and it really works because it makes them feel whole. The other two POV’s are through Maggie (Eve’s former best friend turned police detective), and Eve’s younger sister, Nola. Nola is something else. I’d like to say her character is unreliable as we don’t really know if she’s insane or not, but I’m not quite sure. She’s a hard one to read, and I had a tough time connecting with her. Some of the pieces of her life were quite gruesome and I never thought they were necessary for the story, but it showed us her strange side so..
One of the things that I didn’t care for about this book (besides the weird attributes Heather gave Nola) was how slowly everything was presented. I honestly think this story could have been a winner is 50-75 pages were taken out. Some parts dragged so much for me and it was hard to stay focused. Other than this, Heather writes another great thriller and I enjoyed it. I can’t wait to see what she writes next as I’m always looking forward to her next book
Eve Knox was only sixteen when she died in the caves by her house. She was murdered, her body found by her best friend Maggie and Eve’s younger sister, Nola. While there were some suspects–her boyfriend, Nick; the local town drifter–no one was ever arrested and the case, led by Maggie’s police chief father, went cold. Now Maggie herself is a detective in her hometown of Grotto, Iowa. She becomes lead on Eve’s case when it is reopened after new evidence emerges. Immediately Maggie is transported back to her childhood and her friendship with Eve. But as Maggie digs deeper into the case, she realizes there were a lot of secrets buried with Eve, many of which no one in Grotto want discovered. Maybe not even Maggie herself.
“Over the years, I lost my mom, my innocence and my best friend. This street has been a graveyard to me.”
This book was one of those delicious surprises that turns out to be so much better than you expect. I’ve never read a book by Heather Gudenkauf before, but I certainly will be reading more of her books now! I read this as I was sent a Netgalley widget, and I’m so glad! This is such a dark and twisty tale, and I loved how it kept me guessing the entire time, always wondering and doubting myself about what exactly happened to Eve.
Gudenkauf tells her tale from multiple perspectives and time periods, but unlike so many thrillers these days, she does so deftly. It’s heartbreaking to hear from the Eve of twenty-five years ago, knowing her fate, yet fascinating, as she slowly dispenses details and clues about what has happened to her. Eve’s younger sister is the “town crazy,” a veterinarian with a penchant for extreme creepiness. We also have Maggie’s even-keeled husband, Shaun, who runs their orchard (and did I mention Maggie is way pregnant?), her father, the ex-chief, who is suffering from dementia, and her brother, who has been forced to care for him. And lets not forget Eve’s ex-boyfriend, Nick, who now runs a store in town.
The small-town dynamics are perfect here. Eve’s murder is the biggest thing to happen to this town. Everyone knows everyone else, and they think they all know each other’s secrets. But, goodness, the secrets and lies buried deep in this small town are just beginning as Maggie starts investigating Eve’s death again. The story unfolds perfectly–new pieces coming at you in just the right amount, constantly changing the perspective and allowing suspects to switch around in your mind. Half the thrillers I read, I feel like I have the “whodunnit” figured out from the beginning, but I was never sure here, always frantically reading, always wondering, and being pulled deeply into Eve and Maggie’s lives.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. I loved the surprise of it–finding a book I didn’t expect to be so good–and I loved being drawn into such a taunt well-written thriller. 4.5 stars.
Wow! This book had me feeling all of the emotions. I went from angry to sad to puzzled back to angry back to puzzled and ended with sad. And finally satisfied and content! This was a totally awesome book, with so many surprises and red herring clues that I had no idea who did what, but I was certainly cheering for Detective Maggie Kennedy to find the culprit and bring him or her to justice. As teens, Maggie and Eve Knox hung out together regularly, having been friends for years. Their path seems to veer away from each other when both have boyfriends. But both of them also have secrets and the secrets that they are hiding could kill them. Was Maggie a killer? Or maybe it was Eve’s abusive boyfriend Nick? Or even the strange man in the red sweatshirt? Mix in a mentally disturbed sister named Nola Knox and the story gets very complicated and even more puzzling. At times I felt like I had whiplash from trying to keep up with all of the turns in this mind-stimulating novel. What a great thrill ride it was, all the way up until the end when I had tears in my eyes. Fans of psychological thrillers and suspense will devour this book! Congratulations to Heather Kudengauf for another winning story that will capture her readers from the beginning to the end!
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Twenty-five years ago, sixteen-year-old Eve Knox was murdered and her body found in the caves near her home in small-town Grotto, Iowa by her best friend, Maggie, and Eve’s sister, Nola. Despite several suspects, no one was charged with her murder. Maggie is now a detective in Grotto and seven months pregnant. When a new piece of evidence surfaces, Maggie is assigned to reopen the case. It soon becomes clear that there are secrets yet to be revealed, and the killer may still be living in their small town.
A sometimes difficult novel to read because of the serious issues addressed and the consistent tension, This Is How I Lied is suspenseful and disorienting. The story is told in multiple points-of-view, including Eve’s leading up to her death. I recommend it for anyone who enjoys suspense.
Content Warnings: SPOILERS domestic violence; sexual assault; pedophilia END SPOILERS
Thanks to the publisher and Edelweiss for the ARC. The opinions in this review are honest and my own.
Once I started to read This Is How I Lied by Heather Gudenkauf, I could not stop. What happened to Eve Knox all those years ago? Discovered by Maggie and Nola, the death has haunted Maggie for years. Decades later, Maggie is married with a baby on the way, but also a detective. When new evidence is found, can she find new clues to finally catch the killer? But with so many secrets and lies surrounding this case, can she find the murderer before it’s too late for anyone else? Going back and forth between the past and present, we slowly learn more about each character and action taken by each. I was literally at the edge of my seat until the very end!
Happy reading!
Secrets, secrets, and more secrets
Twenty five years ago 16 year-old Eve Knox was discovered, murdered, in a local cave near the town where she lives – Grotto, Iowa. Her best friend, Maggie, and her rather demented younger sister, Nola, discover her body.
Currently Maggie is seven months pregnant and a detective for the Grotto Police Department. It is decided that Eve’s case, which was never solved, would be re-opened and the evidence would be sent away to have the DNA checked, which wasn’t available when the murder happened.
As the story progresses and winds in, out, and about, more and more people are added to the suspect pool.
I’ve enjoyed author Gudenkauf’s books in the past and I liked this one a lot. It kept me guessing all the way through. Just when I thought I knew who the killer was, I changed my mind – over and over.
I recommend this book if you like murder mysteries and/or thrillers.
I received this book from Park Row Books through Net Galley in the hopes that I would read it and leave an unbiased review.
This is How I Lied is a thrilling ride!
This is the second book I have read by Heather Gudenkauf and this is another WINNER!!!!!
The story revolves around Eve, who was murdered 25 years ago and is yet to be solved. The story is told in alternating time lines, 1995 and 2020, past during the murder and the current time.
The story is told in three different points of view, Eve, her sister Nola, and her best friend Maggie.
This is a well developed, complex, multi-layered well written story.
The characters are well developed and fleshed out.
This story kept me on the edge of my seat!!!! What a rollercoaster ride.
Highly reccomend!!!
Wow! That is exactly what I said so many time throughout this power packed book. The author crammed so many awesome pieces into this book, it simply grabs you and you are just compelled to keep reading.
The character development is awesome. It is not often we get a female creepy character. Nola is weird and odd, and just gives you the creeps overall. The level of detail throughout is superior and Gudenkauf is stellar at bringing the goods that leaves you wondering what is coming on the next turn of the page.
With unsettling descriptions and a plot that builds the suspense throughout the story, she weaves us through the garden path right to the edge of the cliff. The “who done it” is uncertain right to the end and then Gudenkauf wraps it up smoothly in a nice little bow – sort of!
For a first time reader like me, she grabbed me with her style of writing. I loved the plot twists and the suspense, but I enjoyed the creep factor even more. She keeps you off balance throughout! So worth the read!
Wow! Heather Gudenkauf, author of “This Is How I Lied” has written an intriguing, captivating, intense, and suspenseful novel. The genres for this novel are Psychological Thriller, Mystery and Suspense, and Fiction. The timelines for this story are in the present and twenty-five years in the past. The author describes the characters as complex, complicated, and each could be a suspect.
Maggie, a very pregnant Police Officer, has the task of dealing with a 25-year-old cold murder case being opened after new evidence is found. This case involved the murder of her best friend Eve so many years before. Maggie and Eve’s unstable sister Nola discovered the body. Maggie has to relive the torturous and terrifying memories from so long ago. As Maggie revisits the various characters, she finds herself deeper into the secrets and betrayals of the town.
I love the way that Heather Gudenkauf vividly describes the scene of the crime and all the possible suspects. The author weaves her web and draws us in. I was sitting on the edge of my seat. There are a few OMG moments! I would highly recommend this suspenseful thriller.
Heather Gudenkauf is on my “I’ll read whatever she writes” lists. Twists, turns, dips and sharp curves…this book has it all. Main characters are all flawed; some are hated, others pitied but they all have one thing in common, they all have secrets.
Eve and Maggie are best friends in a small Iowa town. Twenty five years ago Eve is found dead. Maggie’s dad is the local chief of police and vows to find Eve’s killer. Maggie is now a detective and 8 months pregnant when she picks up the cold case. Secrets and lies are uncovered.
Told in three voices…current day Maggie and 15 year old Eve, and Nola (Eve’s younger sister) present and past. The story flows seamlessly between the voices and is very easy to follow. The beginning of the story will have your blood pumping and have you vested in the story immediately.
Thanks to Ms Gudenkauf, Harlequin and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.
Dark and Twisted. This book is actually one of the better ones I’ve encountered of late for using a particular scene as a prologue… and then coming back to that very scene late in the book (within the last 30 pages or so, actually) and showing how it *actually* went down. Yes, that means that this book has surprises almost until literally the last page. Several interesting storytelling techniques at play here, and touching on several issues within the zeitgeist of the last few years. Very much recommended.
Heather Gudenkauf’s latest effort shows again why readers are ready to pounce on any book she writes. Her plot lines fascinate, her characters come to life, and she makes readers want to read just a little bit longer, please!
The book opens with Eve Knox, 15, in a cave, fighting for her life. She loses that fight. Her body is discovered by her younger sister Nola, and her best friend since first grade, Maggie Kennedy.
Fast-forward twenty-five years to the current day. Maggie Kennedy-O’Keefe is now seven months pregnant, and a detective with the Grotto police department in Grotto, Iowa, a small river town set amid Grotto Caves State Park. Eve’s murder was never solved, and it rankles everyone who knew her, including Maggie’s dad, Grotto’s former police chief. When new evidence is found, Maggie is assigned to the case.
Maggie’s review of the original files and her own investigation puts multiple people on the list of suspects. Every small town has secrets and Maggie’s investigation is threatening to several of the townspeople, one or more of whom are not opposed to taking actions to stop her. Can Maggie solve the case before things get more dangerous for her?
I really enjoyed how the story alternates between the time period of the murder and present day. It really makes the characters come alive as we learn about each of them bit by bit, layer by layer in the then and now.
A fast-paced read, this is sure to please mystery fans. I highly recommend it.
My thanks to NetGalley and Park Row for allowing me to read an ARC of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions stated here are my own.
Heather Gudenkauf kicks her signature suspense up a notch with This is How I Lied, a gripping, whirlwind of a read. Expectant mother Maggie, still haunted by the murder of her childhood best friend, dives into the cold case only to uncover shocking secrets. Dark and creepy, with plenty of questionable characters to keep you on your toes, this is the perfect summer page-turner.
Eve was murdered 25 years ago when she was just 16 years old. Her murder has never been solved. Maggie was Eve’s best friend and is now a detective with the police department. As Maggie goes over the original notes, pictures, and witness statements, Maggie realizes there are a lot of suspects. This thriller has it all! Mystery, lies and secrets, unreliable characters! I loved it and couldn’t put it down until I finished! I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.
This book was one of the best books I have read from start to finish this year. The story grabbed me from the start and I fell in love with it. I am usually not a huge fan did books that are told from the point of view of the characters and you have to pay attention to the titles of the chapters to know who you are reading about and when you are reading about but for this book I did not mind it at all and if just made the book stronger.
The story was great and how it unfolded throughout the book keeps the reader on the edge of their seat and guessing about what took place and what is going on and what is going to happen. This book was one that I did not want to put down because I wanted to know how Maggie was going to deal with things. Was Nola as crazy as she seemed? And what really happened to Eve? Those questions I was dying to get answered and I loved how they were answered. This was an excellent book.
This Is How I Lied gets five out of five stars!
Heather Gudenkauf at her best. Another great twisty who done it! 25 years ago Maggie’s best friend Eve is murdered and Maggie and her friend Eve’s little sister Nola are the ones who find her body in a local cave. Fast forward to present day and Maggie is a police detective and 7months pregnant. She is assigned to be in charge of reopenning this case as new evidence has been found in the cave she was found in by exploring kids.Just when you think you are figuring it out…you learn another twist. Story told in duel timelines 25 yrs apart.
Thank you Net Galley, the Publisher and Heather for the opertunity to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review
Excellent book. A twisted who done it, with a variety of characters and a small amount of insanity that bring light to this story. Well written with drama, tragedy, fear and love woven together to make this an outstanding read. Don’t miss this one.
This was my second Heather G book and I have to say it was just as good as the first! Heather has a way of sucking you in on the very first page and not letting you go until the very last page.
If you love edge of your seat, page-turning, complex characters (which are sometimes mind-boggling), murder with roads leading everywhere and to everyone than you are going to love this book.
While there are a few things happening all at the same time, the road does eventually end where I thought it would. I really did enjoy this journey and if you love suspense thrillers than you will too.
#ThisIsHowILied #NetGalley #Maggie #Eve #Nola #LovedIt
Well written, dynamic characters and a mystery that keeps you guessing until the end. Another winner by Heather Gudenkauf!
Thank you #netgalley and #harlequin-trade for the eARC.