It is safe to say that Mary Kubica has done it again. Her track record for excellent psychological thrillers is impeccable. In Every Last Lie, the characters are so well-developed. They seem like real life people in real life situations and it only ups the stakes. Kubica does a great job at building up suspense and writing a very clever story. Equipped with an actual mind-blowing twist I have never seen done before, this is sure to be the next big psychological thriller of the year. Readers in need of a book that will keep them on the edge of their seat, look no further. Every Last Lie is the one for you! Be sure to check out today.

I have read and enjoyed all other Mary Kubica's books and she is one of the authors whose books I buy without even reading the blurb, as she always manages to surprise me and I've learned to 'expect the unexpected' with her books. Unfortunately, there's nothing unexpected in Every Last Lie. It is exactly what it says in the title - a book about lies. The narration alternates between a new mother of two, recently widowed Clara and her deceased husband. There are plenty of lies that are gradually revealed but mostly the story is about how tired and exhausted Clara copes with grief and motherhood. The essence of the plot is based on something a four-year old child mentioned in her sleep, which just didn't ring true to me. It was more of a domestic drama than a thriller, which got rather tedious and repetitive in places. The ending came as a bit of an anti-climax and left me disappointed. This is definitely not my favourite Mary Kubica book.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the advance copy.

Another great tension filled psychological read from Mary Kubica.
Nick and Clara have the perfect life- married with 4 year old Maisie and newborn Felix they have everything going for them. Then, just after Felix is born Nick takes Maisie to a ballet class to give Clara a rest and things will never be the same again.
Told from the point of view of Clara in the present and Nick in the time frame leading up to the event, this is he story of Clara's desparate need to know what has happened after Nick is killed in a car crash on the way home to her. Was he murdered as she suspects , was it suicide and what secrets was Nick keeping from his family?
Gradually all is revealed though Clara's relentless investigation and Nick's narrative from beyond the grave.
All characters are well described including Boppy, Clara's father, caregiver to Clara's mother who is suffering from dementia. The reader feels immense sympathy for Clara who suffers a terrible loss and then continues to suffer as she realises that Nick was not entirely honest with her for reasons she cannot fathom.
This is a well written book that examines a difficult situation. There are many twists and turns as the novel progresses but one begins to wonder at some points whether Clara is entirely rational in suspecting various people of being the "bad man" Maisie claims to have seen at the scene of the crash.
My only criticism would be that on a couple of occasions Clara's behaviour seems somewhat excessive, particularly as she is accompanied by a 4 year old witness.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for my arc in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this but not as much as I've enjoyed Mary Kubica's previous novels. Its not that the writing has lost quality, its still quality prose, well plotted and executed - the thing for me with "Every Last Lie" was the premise and to a lesser extent the characters. I've loved this authors previous books for their differences, for not telling a generic story - and whilst the thought has been there as told by the ultimate resolution to this, in reality it doesn't really stand out in story in any way from a lot of others I've read (and also enjoyed just not raved over) Hence the slightly lower rating than before.

It is an intriguing tale - told by Clara and in retrospect by Nick after he is dead - I think the main strengths of Every Last Lie come not from the mystery element but from the portrayal of grief. That was what engaged me with Clara and allowed me to gloss over her rather unlikely decision making processes. Hearing from Nick gave an emotional tug knowing what was coming for him so overall that worked very well.

However the rest of it wasn't so appealing to me personally - I could see the story panning out before me and predicted most of the moves - which wouldn't really be an issue as I do that a lot, but the ending just annoyed me enough that I'd almost have preferred it if this had been solely about grief and acceptance without all the rest thrown in.

Having said all that, overall it is a highly readable story that I'm sure most will embrace entirely and I'm still a huge fan of the authors use of words and how she presents, it is beautiful writing despite its very subjective faults in this case I shall look forward with not some little anticipation to her next book.

Recommended for psychological thriller fans - just not quite working on all levels for me this time.

Perhaps I am the only reader to think Every Last Lie fell a bit flat, in comparison to Ms. Kubica's previous works? Don't get me wrong, there were elements that were spot on. Clara, harried mother to the ever inquisitive 4-year old Maisie and newborn Felix, was on the mark. A woman in mourning who has two young children to cope with whilst dealing with the shock of her husband's unexpected death plus new concerns for her aging father (who is caring for her, the children and her Alzheimer-suffering mother). It's a lot to deal with and I found her (mostly) true to form. Especially in her constant negotiations with Maisie. That was golden. As was the plot build but it just fell short, in my opinion, with no real payoff at the end.

I cannot quite put my finger on what wasn't right. The jumps in logic on Clara's part? She makes some serious leaps without much evidence to support it. Some of the bazaar things she does just didn't make sense. I appreciate she felt stressed, and maybe that was meant to convey the stress she was coping with, but it lacked something for me.

Thanks to Net Galley & HQ Mystery & Thrillers of an ARC of this book in exchange for a review. The 3rd book I have read by this author.
The pages turn quickly as the story unfolds.
Nick has a lot on his mind as he offers to take their 4 year old daughter to dancing so as his wife Clara can stay at home with their newborn son Felix. Nick has his own dental practice which is struggling financially, he has had to let some staff go including his long term friend Conor, he has a mal practice case hanging over him, an old girl friend has been in touch telling him her 12 year old son could also be his and he has had a falling out with a neighbour. He has started gambling to try and raise some funds and on top of all his problems he hasn't been getting much sleep, so he is tired and grouchy. He takes a shortcut on the way home to avoid traffic, he is speeding and there is a fatal accident!!!!
Clara cannot accept what has happened, as the days go past she continues to discover that Nick had a lot of secrets recently, there seems to be money problems, an expensive necklace purchased, was he having an affair with his past girlfriend, was she not the most loved woman in his life. Maisie is having nightmares, neither of them are eating or sleeping much, as well as her newborn son she also has elderly parents and her mother requires a lot of care and attention.
Everything becomes too much, her mind is constantly whirring, she believes Nick has been murdered and there are many suspects. Another excellent psychological thriller. 4.5 stars

A truly fantastic read! This book introduces so many potential 'baddies', who in turn create so many twists and turns to the plot that I was kept guessing to the very end. Fantastically written from two perspectives - Clara in the present, and Nick in the weeks leading up to the event. Excellent!

Clara's life is turned upside down when she answers the door to police officers and learns that her husband Nick has been tragically killed in a car smash whilst travelling home with their young daughter Maisie. Clara, recovering from the recent arrival of new son Felix is completely and utterly devasted. Thankfully daughter Maisie survives the head on impact with a tree but it quickly becomes obvious that she is suffering mental trauma from the event.
Clara will not believe everyone's conclusion that Nick had himself to blame due to reckless driving and Maisie's behaviour causes her to believe there may have been another party involved. The story them moves between Nick's life prior to the event and Clara's life immediately after, in coming to terms with what happened. Sadly, I did not feel much empathy with either of the main characters. Clara seemed so besotted with her husband she could not see the woods for the trees and, despite Nick loving his wife and young family, he was way over his head in lots of things which he kept secret from them. I ended up feeling both of them were just too gullible for words. The way Clara also shows violence toward the end of the story just didn't feel right, especially as Maisie sees her and for me didn't seem in kilter with the vision of the wife and mother she was. I had hoped the ending might uncover something intrinsic to the plot and of interest, but this didn't play through and so left me disappointed. Just not for me I'm afraid.

Clara Solberg loves her life - married to the love of her life Nick and caring for her beautiful little girl Maisie and the gorgeous new addition to the family, baby Felix. But when a knock on the door changes her life forever, Clara must face this new world of grief and anger as a single parent. Thankful that she didn't lose her precious daughter in the same accident as her husband, it is only when her little girl starts having nightmares screaming about the bad man that was chasing them, that Clara begins to suspect foul play. Determined to uncover what happened on that lonely country road, Clara must dig deeply into her husband's life, but as she begins to discover the truth, she must face up to the fact that maybe she never really knew him at all...

Mary Kubica weaves an emotional and cryptic tale in her novel EVERY LAST LIE which lured me in and held me entranced to the very end. Slowly-paced with richly developed characters and detailed descriptions, this is not an action packed thriller that will jolt you out of your chair, but rather a front row seat watching what seems to be the perfect family slowly start to crumble around them at every turn.

​Clara's grief and desperation to know the truth is so gritty and raw that I found myself tearing up often as she struggled to put one foot in front of the other. There were plenty of twists and layers to keep you gripped and even though I only planned to read a few chapters I had finished it before I knew it. EVERY LAST LIE by Mary Kubica is perfect for suspense fans everywhere and I look forward to reading more from this author.

I read a couple of this author's previous books and thoroughly enjoyed them. This one didn't quite reach the heady heights set by them but was a solid enough read in itself. It's a dark and, at times, disturbing psychological thriller that messed with my mind pretty much all the way through as I got all caught up in the secrets and lies that were plentiful throughout.
Clara is at home with new baby Felix as she hears the devastating news that her husband has been killed in a car crash. Luckily their young daughter Maisie, also in the car, was unhurt. The investigators deem the crash an accident caused by Nick driving too fast for the bend. Clara struggles to believe this as she thinks she knows her husband better than the police and this belief is backed up as Maisie appears to have flashbacks about what happened; talking about a bad man coming. With the police not budging, it is up to Carla to try and get to the bottom of things herself. But as she starts to investigate, to open up Nick's life, things don't go quite as planned. Told in the present day with the aftermath of the crash and Carla's investigation, we also hear from Nick in flashback as we begin to learn his secrets. As the two timelines merge, the bigger picture starts to become clear. But what kind of a picture will eventually emerge?
I really felt for Carla. Her devastating loss coming soon after the joy of the birth of her son. She also has a sick mother and is trying to help her father at the same time as he is trying to help her. I loved the interaction between the two of them as they shared their struggles, especially when Maisie adds to the mix when she starts to act up with her terrors after the accident.
Nick was a bit of a complex character; I never really connected with him completely during the book. He shows both dark and light sides throughout as more of his back story emerges.
As already mentioned, I spent the majority of the book with no idea of the truth. But instead of this being frustrating, I did have quite a bit of fun trying to work it all out. I had several theories that I added to and subtracted from throughout my time reading. And then towards the end, when the tension ramped up , I gave up trying and just went along with the author!
Pacing is quite slow and steady. The book relies on the cerebral rather than the action packed and, as such, it may not suit all. Me, I do love a slower paced book as long as it keeps my attention and interest and this book definitely did both.
I think the ending will split people and definitely marks this book as a potential book club book. I personally thought it was very fitting to the rest of the story. Brave though and I can't wait to see what others think. With this sort of ending being in the minority these days, it's somewhat refreshing to find a book where it happens and it works.
All in all, a good solid read that left me mostly satisfied at the end.

My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Enjoyable book about a widow who thinks her husband and child might have been murdered rather than been in an accident
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in return for an honest review

Meet Clara whose mother no longer knows her, nor does Clara really know her husband Nick, as she discovers after he dies. Sometimes it felt like wading through treacle reading this book as there are many pages where nothing happens, nor is it helped by annoying Clara, irritating Nick and their equally pesky offspring. No matter how much I tried, just did not take to the characters in this story and as a consequence didn't care much about what happened to them either. Disappointing as it didn't live up to its promise plus it was a bit predictable too. Probably just me and other people will love this book.

I havent read anything by this author before. The book was well written and i enjoyed it but did not take to the characters very well and i dont really know why. I will be trying her debut novel upon reading recommendations.

This is a compelling, and unsettling thriller based around a woman’s unbearable grief when her beloved husband is killed in a car crash. Losing a loved one so unexpectedly would be upsetting and tragic for anyone, but Clara has only just given birth to their second child, Felix. The oldest child, 4 year-old Maisie, was in the car when it crashed, but physically unharmed. So, now Clara has two very young children to bring up alone – with, as it turns out, no money. All the couple’s money had been sunk into Nick’s dental practice, and he omitted to let Clara know that it was in dire straits.
The police say the accident was caused by Nick’s dangerous driving. Clara cannot accept that – even though she knows that he was prone to speed everywhere. Maisie has terrifying nightmares about a “Bad Man” following the car that she and Nick were in, and freaks out every time she sees a large black Chevy. Clara becomes convinced that Nick was driven off the road by this car, and sets about investigating. But as she finds out more about the things that Nick has not told her, she starts to wonder whether he may have committed suicide. With Maisie onboard? She has never doubted Nick before, but now? Suicide? An affair? Financial fraud? Stealing? Who could possibly want to kill him, and why?
Clara cannot sleep, being kept awake at night by Felix, and by Maisie’s nightmares. She is not eating or looking after herself (or her children) properly, and becomes progressively more desperate, paranoid and unhinged. She manages to suspect virtually every other character appearing in the book (except Felix!).
She is certainly depressed – perhaps there is a touch of post-natal depression – and she really needs some professional psychological support. As does Maisie. Maisie is clearly traumatised. Trying to calm her down by offering bribes, and saying that Nick will be home soon is really not enough. Clara’s father wants to help, but has his own problems looking after Clara’s mother, who has advanced dementia. Her neighbour wants to help – but she, too, comes under suspicion.
Clara’s meltdown is, to an extent, understandable. Grief can turn ordinarily rational people crazy. But, she goes too far. At many points in the book I just wanted to shake her, and make her realise what damage she was doing to her children – and to herself. However, her changing mental state and suspicions make for a very fast paced and thrilling read.
The story is told from two different perspectives: Clara (in the present) and Nick (before the accident). The title is misleading. Nick never actually lies to Clara – but he omits to tell her so many things. As the story progresses, Nick’s input clarifies to the reader, why Clara’s suspicions are aroused, and whether or not the suspicions are groundless. If only he had spoken to her directly.
There are several important lessons to learn from this book. Always talk to your partner about everything that affects you both – tomorrow may be too late. Don’t have all your money in joint accounts. Make sure you have an up-to-date idea about your partner’s financial state, and that they are aware of yours. Never be too proud to accept help when it is offered.
This book is full of ‘if only …’, and shows just how horribly wrong things can go, if only you didn’t talk.

This book ought to coming with a warning - do not read in public places - you may embarrass yourself....

 

Ostensibly this is a thriller about young widow Clara, mother of 4 year old Maisie and newborn Felix who has just lost her husband Nick in a car crash. But when Maisie starts having nightmares about a 'bad man' Clara begins to think there is more to the accident than the police are saying. She becomes obsessed with the idea and strives to find out what was going on in Nicks life and soon finds that there was a lot she didn't know about her husband....

 

Now I say ostensibly a thriller because I think it's so much more. The author has really managed to convey the desperation of a woman suddenly on her own, the grief and fear she feels. What is particularly well represented is how she struggles to tell her daughter that her Daddy is gone. In books like this sometimes you wonder if the mother has noticed that they have a kid, or that there has been an actual death. In this book though you feel the grief. It's not an exaggeration to say that I found myself in tears at several points during this novel....maybe it's because I have a daughter only a little older than Maisie who also thinks her Daddy is the centre of the universe but I embarrassed myself on buses and at work reading this.

 

But that's not all. We also hear Nicks side of the story leading up to his death. Here is a portrayal of a man who is truly on the brink. Life is throwing all sorts of crap at him and he tries to cope on his own with increasingly dire consequences. If you have ever had a bag full of worries and tried to deal with it on your own you'll recognise his descent into despair. Again...tears...embarrassment.

 

This is my first Mary Kubica and I thought I knew what to expect. I've had The Good Girl on my kindle nestling among the 1000's of books to be read (so many books, so many idiots stopping me reading) and whilst I liked the sound of it I just haven't got to it because lets face it thrillers are ten a penny these days. But if this novel is anything to go by I've certainly done a disservice to the writer by assuming it's just another psychological thriller. Because for me this novel was so much more. Yes there's a thriller, yes there's tension but it's an amazingly emotional read. I actually felt drained and had to get my thoughts down on this straight away (I should be working....shhh don't tell anyone). Definitely a 5 star novel, now just to find time to read her other books...

 

Thanks to Netgalley and publishers for this digital ARC

So I feel like I should start this review off with a disclaimer. Not that this is a review copy (it is, and I feel very lucky to have received one), but that Mary Kubica is one of my favourite authors and, in my eyes, she doesn’t do much wrong in the way of writing great novels that keep me hooked from start to finish. This book, then, has been one I’ve been looking forward to reading all year…and I am so, so, pleased to say I wasn’t disappointed.

It starts with a seemingly perfect – if tired – family; Nick, Clara, four year old Maisie and new born Felix. They are young, happy and successful thanks to Nick’s dental practice. When a policeman’s knock on the door shatters Clara’s world then, it’s no wonder she struggles to cope, shutting out those who love and care for her and cocooning herself away with Maisie and Felix.

Then, Maisie starts to have nightmares and everything Clara thought she knew about the accident seems to get turned on its head. It’s not just the accident, though, it’s Nick himself. Slowly, as she tries to pick up her life, Clara finds out that what she thought she knew about her husband wasn’t true, that there were things he was keeping from her, secrets she is only now starting to try and unpick, ones that have the potential to shatter her world again.

Slowly, through Clara’s voice in the present and Nick’s as he recounts the months up until his death, you start to get a picture of who they areas people and just what secrets are buried beneath a seemingly perfect surface. It’s not all pretty, some of it is stupid, some of it is sad. A lot of it seems avoidable. As I read on, I realised that I had started to care for Clara and Nick as characters as each twist left me a little shocked, stunned or bereft.

The twists also left me wondering just what was going on. I really had no idea if Nick was indeed the victim of foul play or, as the police insisted, just a man who drove too fast round a narrow bend. When I finally made it to the end I felt as exhausted as Clara – it had been quite a ride. Was it the ending I was expecting? No. Was it the right ending? Yes. I have to say I finished the book completely satisfied with where I ended up. For once, even the epilogue didn’t bother me (my over pet peeve).

It all leaves me saying that I loved this book and would recommend it wholeheartedly.

My Review: Firstly I absolutely LOVED “The Good Girl” and often recommend it, so I was absolutely delighted when the publishers sent me an ARC of Every Last Lie in the post last week and settled in the knowledge that this author ALWAYS delivers a gripping thriller.

This story is about Clara, a young mother of a 4 year old daughter Maisie and a 4 day old son Felix and how her world falls apart when her husband Nick is killed in a car accident. However it appears that the nightmare has only just begun as Clare begins to undercover things about her husband she didn’t know and begins to suspect something far more sinister than a tragic car accident.

With alternative chapters told from Clare in the present, grieving and trying to keep her young family safe, and Nick, in the past, recapping his version of events, there are some real red herrings and twists and turns and several times I had to put the book down and collect my thoughts.

OMFG, my heart didn’t stop beating like a runaway train throughout this book and if you are looking for a fast-paced, knicker-gripping thriller that takes you on more goose chases than a goose-chasing goose chaser then download this book next.!

I have not read Mary Kubica before but I have heard good things about her books, and when I saw this one it sounded right up my street. Nick and Clara Solberg appear to have the perfect marriage. Nick has his own dental practice and Clara has just given birth to their second child, Felix. But Clara's life is shattered when Nick is killed in a car accident. Also in the car at the time, was their young daughter, Maisie. When Maisie starts talking about a 'bad man', Clara wonders if the car crash wasn't an accident after all. But who would hate Nick enough to kill him?

The story is told from Clara's point of view, as she investigates the accident by talking to Nick's work colleagues and anyone who might have witnessed the crash, but we also have Nick's version of the events leading up to his death. It is a clever story and well-written. No one really has the 'perfect' life, and Nick and Clara are no exception. I enjoyed how each layer was peeled away to reveal the real people beneath, and I liked the character of Nick and how he felt his control over his life was slipping away from him. Clara's story, told in the present, was desperately sad, as she came to terms with the death of her husband.

While there was a lot about this book I enjoyed, it wasn't really me. It would suit someone who is more into family dramas and psychological suspense. I prefer stories with a little more humour (although it would have been inappropriate here!) and, while there was the mystery of Nick's death to solve, I did feel disappointed with the ending. I don't normally give star ratings to the reviews on my blog (I leave that for Amazon and Goodreads) but I would like to emphasise that I would give this book a solid four stars; anything else would be unfair, as it was well written and had engaging characters. I also enjoyed trying to guess who the murderer was - which I didn't get right - something else I always like!

So, recommended if you like your murder mysteries to be psychological and domestic, but perhaps not if you prefer them to be a little more traditional.

She always trusted her husband. Until he died. Clara Solberg’s world shatters when her husband and four-year-old daughter are in a car crash, killing Nick while Maisie is remarkably unharmed. But when Maisie starts having nightmares, Clara becomes obsessed that Nick’s death was far more than just an accident. Who wanted Nick dead? And, more importantly, why? Clara will stop at nothing to find out the truth – even if it makes her question whether her entire marriage has been a lie…
This story is told in two parts. Clara and her husband Nick. It’s a story of several themes, how people deal with grief, a police investigation and how marriages change over time, especially once children appear.
The suspense builds throughout the novel and the reader is challenged to make decisions about Clara’s thought process. Do we believe her that her husband was murdered by someone causing the accident? Or was it just one of those freak things?
A very classy novel that does what it says on the tin.

When you are reading it's sometimes about the journey and other times it's about the destination and this for me was one of those books where it's all about the journey. Rather than take the straight fast highway, Mary Kubica takes us on all the twisty side roads to our destination and yes sometimes you don't know exactly where you are but trust me she knows exactly where we are headed. I found this book to be full of tension and the slow pace just added to that for me. When an author can make you like, dislike, then love the same character in the course of a book that's powerful writing. I loved how what I thought was an irrelevant detail in the first half of the book would make total sense when it was mentioned again later on. It surprised me just how much of an emotional reaction I had to this one and had tears in my eyes more than once. 'Snug as a bug in a rug' said by the character Nick, was also one of my late fathers sayings so I guess that added an extra pull for me. I genuinely found this to be a book that I couldn't put down and strongly recommend it.