My copy of this book came from Netgalley. I so enjoyed We Were Liars that when I saw this book was available, I knew I had to request it!

It is an incredibly compelling book, very hard to put down. It is also a book that is hard to say too much about without risking giving things away, so I won't say more, but it is a very good, very exciting and very absorbing book!

Thank you to Netgally and Hot Key Books for the e-arc.

I’ll preface this by saying the best way to go into this is blind. I knew next to nothing about it going in- but I have read and enjoyed E .Lockharts other works- and the short length of the book appealed to me. What I will say is this book is engaging, intriguing and well structured. The characters are well written and rounded and the story drags you forward at a comforting pace. This is a really high four stars- more like 4.5 and only short on the five stars due to 1. I reserve those for books that give me a brand new feeling and excitement and 2. I don’t read much in this genre, and though I loved it, I’m not familiar with troupes.
However, I thought this was surprising, it never felt fake or cheesy, and the line between truth and lies was really interesting to explore. It was nice to see how the front cover played into the story so fluently as well.
This is a good base point to start this book- I would recommend it, would even go so far as to say it’s fantastic. It you want a quick thrill- pick this up. If you really want to know more about what I felt about the characters and structure and so on- feel free to read through the headings below to see if you’d think this book is for you. I don’t want to spoil, so some story set-up or hints may be shown below and things I wasn’t aware of going in- so move forward at your own discretion.


Character

The set up for each character is so smart. It doesn’t blab everything all out at once, dropping hints, ideas down. Giving insight a little at a time. It twists the time you spend with each character, warping your perception of them all the way to the end. Everyone has layers and is complex, and you can only see so much through Jules perception. She’s an unreliable narrator, and at first you’re inclined to trust her opinions and word on everything. You’re willing to sympathise and trust her- to believe whatever bad she may have done is justified.

Structure

This here is what really made the book shine. The timeline is not linear- and is mostly skipping further and further back in time (with intermissions of leaps forward). This structure warped our perception of the situation- creating mysteries for the reader that the main character herself was privy to but we either didn’t have enough information to fully comprehend her thought process or the answer was in the past. The going backwards in time never felt like a flashback (even though that’s what it was- this whole book is more or less one big flashback- but it doesn’t feel like that). Every scene either raised questions or gave insight- and sometimes gave both. It never felt like the book was info-dumping. It was all subtle and deliberate, and it must’ve taken a lot of work to make this structure work so well. This was the perfect way to tell this story- and it was why the mystery ad intrigue of this book worked so well.


Plot

The plot is in the mystery. It’s in the little things hidden in each scene- and how the author peels layer after layer of information to us without it ever feeling like info-dumping. It’s all intriguing, and it pulls you forward to find the answers. Everything is suspicious. The way the story is going never quite clear till the latter half of this book- and then you realise it was heading this way all along. Is it about grief? Revenge? Deception? Read it and you’ll see.


Conclusion

Overall, this is an intriguing book (and yes I know I’ve used that word a lot) that is told in an engaging way that makes this such a compelling read. The mystery keeps you going, and the complex characters make this rich in a way the author manages to warp all perceptions of them throughout the book as we learn more and more about them. I would pick this up if you’re looking for quick read full of quiet thrills that will keep you wondering right to the end.

I love E Lockhart so so much and Genuine Fraud did not disappoint. Twisty and dark

A rollercoaster ride with Jule, a very unreliable narrator. The story is told backwards for the main part, so you have to work hard to piece the story together - and try and work out exactly who Jule is and why she is where she is....

I've read two E. Lockhart books previously - one of which I enjoyed (We Were Liars) and one of which I didn't as much (Fly on the Wall). In both cases however I really liked the writing style and appreciated the premise of the stories.

Genuine Fraud has a really interesting structure and it took me a little while to get used to it. It starts and finishes with the same scene, working backwards until the end where we're brought back to the present moment. It also has an unreliable narrator which always makes for a wild ride. I appreciated that even in the last few pages I was questioning who the narrator was.

Jule is a girl on the run - but why is she on the run? And where did she come from? This is a mystery thriller with murder and deceit. It's a short read (as Lockhart books generally are) and you can whizz through it in a short amount of time.

There isn't a whole lot of character building but that's to be expected when the protagonist is unreliable. She's the master of disguise and pretends to be several different people - the main being her best friend Imogen.

Although the story was really interesting (and apparently the same storyline as The Talented Mr Ripley, which I haven't read) because it was so short and fast-paced, I felt like you missed out on a lot of the elements that make thrillers so addictive. At no point was I particularly bothered by any of the characters or even what happened to Jule in the end. That was a big issue for me because why else am I reading?

I don't recommend this book if you're looking for an intense thriller that sucks you right in and leaves you wanting more - but if you're looking for a quick read that isn't your standard mystery novel then this could be a good choice.

This is a fascinating, engrossing book from the author of the much-loved We Were Liars. Tonally it's very different to this and her other previous work which I also loved, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks, it tells the story of Jules (whose truth you never really fully understand). Yes, there were some flaws (the ending was not the most satisfying) but it was so engaging and well written that I read the whole thing in an evening. Sign me up to the E. Lockhart fanclub, stat.

My only real criticism was the age of the characters - I understand that this is because the author's previous books have come under the YA category, but it felt like the book had originally been written with characters in their early-to-mid-20s and then just made them a few years younger when told it had to be for a younger audience. I thought this made it just a little less believable (a 17/18 year old doing all this? Really?).

I am a big fan of E Lockhart and couldn't wait to read this book so was grateful to receive an ARC through NetGalley. I loved the suspense built up through the reverse chronology and the unpredictable characters who kept me guessing throughout and I couldn't get enough of the antiheroine.

Well.

This is such a frustrating book.

I really like characters that are meant to be unlikeable and this book is full of them, however if you had read Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr Ripley (E. Lockhart couldn’t have been more inspired) then you’ll know this book, they are very similar to those characters and so is the plot.

I really like how the plot develops, the story going backwards as Jules tells the story, however in places it can feel like the story is almost filler, to an ending that really is a bit of an anti-climax. Nothing really happened, it was too easy for a character that is developed as someone strong, tough and smart.

It has a good pace and the writing is fantastic - this book will keep you hooked no matter what, not to mention the scene setting is very picturesque. How Lockhart paints the places the characters go in the book is amazing, however for me it’s story that’s already been told and been done better really.

I was absolutely fascinated by the way this story was told backwards, and how it informed my understanding of Jule. I was genuinely disturbed by how things played out but her character was built in such a way that I trusted her completely until suddenly I didn't. It took some getting used to, but as soon as you could anticipate that the gaps would be filled in, I couldn't stop reading.

I'm really drawn to characters like Jule who can so easily change identities and fly around the world at a drop of a hat. It's glamorous and dangerous all at the same time, and reminded me of Ally Carter's 'Heist Society' and one of my favourite films, 'Hanna'.

For such a short book, there was so much going on and a constant thread of 'something's not okay' that unnerved me but I was desperate to get to the bottom of it. 'Genuine Fraud' definitely fits with E. Lockhart's other titles, with aspects of Jule's character reminding me of Frankie from 'The Disreputable History...' and characters from 'We Were Liars'. If I've liked her other books, you're guaranteed to like this one, and if you're new to this author, I'd definitely recommend starting here for action and pacing.

A mystery/thriller where the question isn't who, but rather why and how.
This book is nothing like We were liars, but somehow captures the same mysterious feeling of something being not quite right.
Throughout the book, Jule explains her thoughts and her reasoning behind what she does, but because of her re-invention of herself, the reader is never sure wether she actually believes herself or if it's just another part of her constructed personality.

"Jule had told a hundred lies to make Immie love her. She deserved that love in exchange for them."

This is a delightfully creepy and confusing tale of a girl who will do anything to come out on top. Told in reverse, this book keeps you guessing almost to the last page. Who really is our main character? What drives and sustains her? How far, exactly, has she gone to get to where she is now? Jule is the epitome of an unreliable narrator and it makes for a fantastic journey. You do not want to know anything more going into this book. Be warned though, there is no neat little bow wrapping up this story

Wowzer! Like many other people I loved We Were Liars but Genuine Fraud is something else!

The first thing that strikes you about this book is that it starts at the end. Jule, an orphan is living it up in a posh hotel. She’s rich, alone and feisty. But also a little bit mysterious and deadly. Slowly, chapter by chapter the novel begins to go back in time and the reader finds out more about Jule and her friend Imogen and the plot gets even thicker. A friendship woven with secrets and lies and a couple of murders thrown in for good measure.

I loved the way this novel worked backwards, it’s a very skilful way of writing and a great approach to keeping the intrigue going, we know the ending from the beginning and now it’s just a matter of finding out the how’s and why’s.

There were definitely some ‘gotcha’ moments as well as that brilliant moment where pieces start fitting together and you’re sat there thinking ‘wow, you devious bitch.’ But I also loved that there is such a strong female presence in this book along with very blurred lines on who is the ‘good guy’ and who is the ‘bad guy’.

Overall Genuine Fraud is an unputdownable novel with one of the best examples of an unreliable narrator that i have ever read.

E. Lockhart’s newest novel, Genuine Fraud, is every bit as engaging as her bestseller We Were Liars. It’s a novel told in reverse, as each chapter takes the reader a step back into Julie’s story. Julie is on the run. Does her relationship with Imogen, her wealthy friend, have a connection to what she’s running from? Julie is tough, streetsmart, and a master of disguises. But who is Julie? We never really know until we reach the end of the novel. One thing we are sure of is that Julie is a survivor and that she will go to great lengths to stay that way.

The plot is fast-paced, taking the reader along to various locales, including Martha’s Vineyard, London, and Mexico, and offering up new plot twists along the way. This is a book to pick up for readers who don’t mind a dark story and enjoy a plot that will keep them guessing right until the end.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Genuine Fraud starts out so deliciously good. Starting from the end and working it's way back to the start, this book features Jule - a girl on the run, usually in disguise (hence the title), and calling herself Imogen. Obviously she is not Imogen, and so her disguise isn't doing so well and her cover is blown. The book basically tells you the story of how she got into this mess. Very exciting premise that's for sure and really cool delivery - give me a fast paced, mysterious chase sprinkled with some murder and I'll be stuck to the book until I've devoured it.

Except for there was no mystery really; it seemed really apparent from very early on how Jule had gotten to be where she was and there was no secondary plot twist to leave me feeling foolish for thinking it was so easy to figure out. It just was. And I'm not sure if it was just because the book runs backwards, or if I figured things out that shouldn't have been so obvious, but this story just didn't have the level of surprise I would have expected from what is ostensibly a mystery type of story-line. I can only assume having the ending before the beginning kind of ruins that suspense.

Really lovely writing style, and a unique approach which absolutely deserved three stars for that alone, but for me a good mystery is the same as a fast paced movie. You've got to be hooked, with your bum hanging off the edge of the seat and your hand halfway to your mouth (full of popcorn) frozen in midair because you're so into it. I just wasn't hooked - I'd have eaten the whole bucket of popcorn by halfway if it was a movie.

Characters
Julie is known in the book as many, many names, but is referred to as Jule on the most part. Very little is known about her as a person, which gives me a sense of fear or uncertainty. Had it have been a first-person narrative, I would have said she is the most unreliable character of YA fiction I’d ever come across. In fact I still, hours after reading, don’t trust her or her motivation for doing what she does… which is why I’m so spellbound by her.
Jule is incredibly intelligent and resourceful. Just wait until the pin starts to drop and, while we never get a true sense of who she is, you do realise how strong she is.
Imogen is a spoilt, unlikable character and there seems to be a sense of justification about what happens to her. Yes, we get a lot of information second hand, but you do later realise there’s other things you have to look out for to learn about this character. Not that it helps.
Forrest and Brooke are equally unlikable; however, you may feel a little sympathy for them. They’re both upper class collateral damage.
Plot and writing
It’s hard not to talk about both of these together, owing to the nature of the book. It’s a third person narrative that has a backward/ retrospective plot that is reminiscent of the beautiful film Memento (2000).
This is unputdownable writing. I read it in one sitting, mainly because I needed to know. I don’t think I could have kept up with the threads had I been dipping in and out of the narrative.
While it’s clearly not a new concept, as Memento can attest to, it is a gripping way to set out a novel and it won me over from the start.

'Genuine Fraud' had me flipping pages quicker than I could have imagined.
Much like 'We Were Liars', Lockhart creates situations that you feel you are almost part of. Whilst her writing style is just as engaging as her previous books, it is the reverse-chronological order of events that are both maddening and ensure you cannot put the book down. Every time I thought I understood Jule, or what had happened in her past, another mystery would be thrown my way. Starting in the present and working backwards a couple of weeks/ months at a time was a unique structure for me, but I loved it.
The female characters are all fairly feisty, but Jule is a law unto herself and a brilliant protagonist. I would definitely love to see more of her.

This book caught me and kept me hooked from the first sentence, but it was a little difficult to get my head around the backwards storytelling at first, but after I'd gotten used to it, it was really great to see how each event had been triggered by the one before it. It was a very different way of storytelling but a very interesting one.

Jules was a very interesting character. It was both hard to get to know her and very, very easy because there were some things that were very true to her, such as the superheros and the way she picked up on things so easily and could memories things so quickly. And other things that seem like a part of her but that she has lied about completely.

This is definitely one of these books that I sped through, not wanting to put it down and am now regretting it because it's over. If you're looking for something compelling and intriguing that will keep you reading then this is the perfect book.

Brilliantly written and cleverly constructed, Geniune Fraud is one of the freshest, most exciting books I've read in a long time. Starting at chapter 18, we unravel the story from ending to beginning, every chapter turning events that seemed harmless in the previous chapter into something more sinister with every page turned. An absolutely cracking 5 star read.

This was a hard book to like. There was nothing to like about Jule and after a time realised I didn't care about her. I read on in the hope something would rescue this, but there was nothing. The reverse timeline also added to my frustration.

I was one of the many fans of We Were Liars so when I was offered the chance of an early review copy of Genuine Fraud, I nearly snapped the publishers hands off! I thought that this was going to be a popular one with reviewers but when the reviews began to roll in I started to worry! Would this just be a retelling of The Talented Mr Ripley but with a female protagonist as many are suggesting? Well I’m relieved to tell you that I absolutely devoured this ruthlessly compelling thriller and whilst there are definitely similar themes running throughout, I found it to be more of an homage to that well known and much admired tale. And as this is targeted at young adults, it is coming to an audience that possibly hasn’t read any Highsmith before and will enjoy this book and judge it on its own merits.

This is actually the first time I’ve read a novel where the narrative progressed backwards and it’s a technique that the author embraced wholeheartedly with great success. I absolutely flew through it in one very intense sitting. I didn’t find there to be too much confusion with this method of storytelling as it suited the plot, following the flow of deception until it returned to its source in the present again. Jule is the ultimate unreliable narrator, an obviously flawed individual whom I struggled to connect with until her motivations started to become clear and even then I didn’t admire her as much as I think I was expected to. There was an horrific fascination in watching her friendship with the spoilt heiress Imogen knit together in reverse although I have to admit to not having any sympathy for pretty much all of the characters here! Still, I found them intriguing enough to want to observe their fate without really coming to care for them.

If you’re looking for another We Were Liars then you won’t find it here. But what you do get is a cleverly crafted, sumptuous and cinematic suspense that I wanted to read again the minute I had finished it. When it comes to YA, I still think E. Lockhart holds all the cards and can pretty much do no wrong. This wasn’t the story I was expecting but in her able hands it became an instant classic for a new generation.