So well written I was drawn in from the first pages it kept me up reading late into the night.The authors characters come alive there are so many twists and turns kept me guessing till the final pages.#netgalley #h&s

The Lies I Tell is a brilliant domestic thriller told in alternating and intersecting POVs of two strong, independent, and resourceful female characters. (Finally a domestic thriller that doesn’t rely on a crazy unreliable female narrator) Meg, a woman of many names and talents, is a cunning con-artist who is on a mission to right the wrongs that have been done to her. Kat is a struggling writer who has been hunting Meg for the last ten years after a phone call from then-stranger Meg upends her life by placing her in harm’s way. Now that Kat has found Meg, she is determined to carry out the perfect revenge by exposing the con. However, as Kat gets to know Meg, she begins to second-guess Meg’s motives and wonder who is the real swindler in the story. A cleverly written and perfectly-paced domestic thriller with two strong females dedicated to upholding girl code and taking back the power, The Lies I Tell will no doubt be the favorite beach read of summer 2022.

I loved the first book by this author and was looking forward to reading this one. I thought it started out very well, I liked the main character. However the second part of the book didn't click with me, and I found myself losing interest. I wish I had enjoyed it more.

Meg Williams has a different name and job depending on which town she is in. She’s a con artist who will become whoever you need her to be. Kat Roberts has been waiting ten years to meet the woman who upended her life and now she has, Kat is determined to expose her. But as the two women grow closer, Kat finds her assumptions may not be 100% correct.

This is a twisted domestic thriller, examining how two women attempt to seek justice for the past and change the future. I found the whole novel intriguing and enjoyable. Thank you to NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton and the author for the chance to review.

Oh my word !!!!!! What a brilliant read , I raced through this in one morning and seriously could not put it down
When Kat who is a reporter stumbles on Meg at a party , she realises that she can hold Meg accountable for something that happened in her past that changed her forever , she blames Meg and starts to investigate her whilst befriending her , the more she investigates the more she realises that the things Meg has done are a lot more complicated than initially thought . It was great to have a book with 2 strong female characters at the centre and I was invested in both of them . This would be a fabulous holiday read and I really can't recommend it highly enough

I've previously read The Last Flight, and didn't honestly think this could be better. But, it is! I loved it! A super fast read - mainly because I just couldn't put it down. I loved both Meg and Kat. Both flawed characters, but with good hearts. I could never have guessed the ending.

A fast paced thriller that will keep you guessing to the very end.

I received a free review copy from the publisher, via Netgalley - thank you!

4.5 Stars

One Liner: Fast-paced and interesting

Meg Williams has multiple personalities, depending on where she is and what she wants. She’s a con artist of the best kind, utterly convincing and charming her targets to be under her spell. She knows what people need to hear and gives them that to take away their money and disappear until she finds the next target.
Meg is now back in action as a real estate agent in LA. She has old scores to settle, and this is her biggest act ever. The previous cases won’t mean a thing if she can’t pull this off.
Kat Roberts has been waiting for a decade to meet Meg. Their path crossed for a split second all those years ago, and that instant changed Kat’s life forever. She persisted with the sole ambition of exposing Meg.
As the two women meet and get to each other, Kat realizes there’s a lot she doesn’t know. Meg is not who she is, but she isn’t a single-minded con artist either. As if things aren’t confusing enough, Kat has to deal with relationship issues that make her question everything she knows.
Can the two women succeed in finding justice when it seems so elusive? What does it cost them to fight the world that’s not in their favor?

My Observations:
• There’s nothing better than a fast-paced thriller to keep the reader hooked. The pace is consistent from start to finish. It doesn’t even feel like a 320-page book.
• The main characters are well-sketched without going into elaborate detail. We can understand their traits by following their thoughts and actions (and no ramblings). Neither of them is perfect. They are flawed but strong enough to deal with life’s twists and turns.
• We know what Meg plans and intends for other characters, and it is fun to see them fall into her trap. This kind of narration is my favorite when done well.
• There are enough twists and turns to keep the story going. I guessed most of them, but that didn’t diminish my interest in the least (I always like it when the plotline goes plausibly without any weird twists).
• The climax felt a tad less impactful. It sure fits the overall plotline, but I expected a little drama or complexity. But this one just flowed by. It was seamless, which is good. However, it also means that the climax doesn’t stand out.
• Yet, the ending makes up for it. It sorts the loose ends and leaves us with a smirk (or a chuckle). It could also lead to a sequel, though I’m not sure a second book would be necessary.

To sum up, The Lies I Tell is a fast-paced, twisty thriller with an antagonist as the main lead. She is someone we’ll root for, and that makes the book a hit.

This is my first by the author, but I’m going to pick her works and keep my eyes open for future ones.
Thank you, NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton, for the eARC. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.

I enjoyed Last Flight so much that I was delighted to be given the opportunity to read The Lies I Tell and I wasn't disappointed .The story is clever and complex, the characters very interesting, two women seeking revenge ! A gripping fast paced read ,one of those books that is hard to put down and I especially liked the surprise ending .Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC.

AH I'm screaming, crying and throwing up.
This is everything I want a good thriller to be and I enjoyed every second of it.
Now I can't wait to read THE FLIGHT, because I already have a feeling, it will easily become my favorite too!
Highly highly highly recommend this book to ALLLLLL thriller fans.

Last year I read Julie's debut novel The Flight and enjoyed it very much. The Lies I Tell is if anything even better. Once again we have two principal female characters, Meg and Kat and the narrative is split between the two. Meg is a con artist and highly successful at it. In her sights is an aspiring politician. She has it all worked out what she has to do. But she hasn't reckoned on Kat. Kat is not at all successful. Her journalistic career ground to a halt after a traumatic event and she's stuck writing banal copy. Her hopes lie in a story she's been working on for a few years, that of Meg the con artist and she's determined to get it right this time.

This is such a clever novel with all the scam details worked out and two different female protagonists who you really begin to root for. The character development especially of Kat is done very well and the plot is also nicely worked out.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

After reading The Flight, I was so excited for this authors newest book. And I wasn’t disappointed. I enjoyed it, the characters and their motivations were compelling, I didn’t know where to turn or who to trust and I found myself unable to put the book down! Amazing work.

I was highly anticipating this book after reading this authors first book. I love Julie Clark's writing. Her characters are always done so well. This book did not disappoint. I read this in pretty much in one sitting. I just had to know what was going on. I would highly recommend this book if you loved this authors first book. So good!

The lives of two women, a con artist and her unintended victim, collide 10 years later in this amazing character-driven novel.

This has been one of this year's most awaited books and I loved every minute of it. Meg Williams is the con artist and Kat Roberts is the one trying to expose her. The two characters dance around each other, each trying to deceive the other while other events unfold in their life.

I couldn't pick a side because I loved them both. This is definitely going to be one of my favourite books of the year.

Julie Clark has done and incredible job. I'm looking forward to reading more from her including her debut novel "The Last Flight".

THE LIES I TELL blew me away in a very slow-burn manner. I like my mystery novels to be quiet and character driven and that's exactly what I got in JULIE CLARK's latest novel.

I didn't read anything about this book, before getting into it. I didn't read the author's debut novel last year, so I decided to pick this one up. I'm happy I did. The story is about Meg, a con artist and Kat, a journalist on the trail of aforementioned con artist.

That's all I will say, because that's all you need to know to get into it, let the rest of the story wash over you while you read it. The back story of both ladies is revealed little by little as we follow them along in present day and in the past.

I started out skeptical, not liking either of them but that quickly changed. By the end I was fully invested.

I've been wrecking my brain trying to think of things I was missing in this book, or things I didn't really like. There's nothing. The writing is pleasant and easy to get into, the plot is executed well, the characters are interesting, the sense of urgency and problems are clear. Highly recommended!

The Flight was my favourite book of last year and I gifted it to several people, so I was excited for Julie Clark's new book.

I was right to be!! Another extraordinarily compelling, intelligent and riveting novel, the characters are superb, so much depth and you are rooting for them even when they are stitching up people beautfully (who totally deserve it)

A book about karma, absolutely beautiful payback, but also about friendship and about how women are perceived and treated, but also how they triumph.

I absolutely loved every page of this brilliant book and again will be gifting copies at Christmas, Julie Clark is fast becoming one of my favourite writers.

Read it. And love it!!

I read Julie Clark's last novel 'The Flight' last summer, so I was excited to see her latest was available on Netgalley as an advanced reader copy.

Meg/Maggie/Megan is an interesting woman - some may call her a con artist, but she'd characterise herself as more of a modern day Robin Hood. She takes from those who deserve it, whether it be their money, their reputation or their life as they know it.

I read this in 1-2 settings and wasn't entirely sure how it would go, as there's a few twists in there for good measure. I think it would make a great series or film.

The lies I tell by Julie Clark, and it is the first book from the author I have read, and I have heard great things about her previous novel that I had to request a copy of this. I found this to be a cleverly written intriguing novel and liked it so much I virtually read it in one sitting.
Meg and her mother were evicted from her home and ended up living in her car until her mother died. She has drifted to place to place. Ten years later Meg is a con artist. Planning her way through life seeking revenge of all the wrong doings in her life.
Kat is a struggling journalist and ten years ago was on a fast track to be something good, but something happened with a tip she got from Meg that went out of control. So, when Kat discovers that Meg is in town. What better is to reveal Meg as a con artist and get revenge from what happened all of them years ago.
Thank you, Hodder and Stoughton, for a copy The lies you tell. I found this to an interesting read of two women becoming friends but each having an ulterior motive to get what they want out of life. Meg manipulating men to do her bidding and con men out of money that she thinks that she is owed with the way her life turned out and Kat seeking revenge on Mia and trying to get own life back on track. I liked the way the story pans out it was like a competition between the two, who can out do it other. But as the saying goes ‘you can’t kid a kidder’. This is fabulous read 5 stars from me.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

In this book we meet Meg, who has had a really tough time growing up, with her mum dying when she was still in school, and also losing her home. She’s changed her life to get as far as possible, but not everything she does is full of truth. We also meet Kat, who is a struggling journalist. An incident happened 10 years earlier which links her to Meg, and Kat has spent those ten years looking for Meg, whilst living a slow life with fiancé, Scott.

I really enjoyed this book. I really enjoyed Kat and her character, she was relatable, yet brave and determined. Meg, although you could see why she was doing what she was doing, was also highly unlikable. The writing flowed really well, making this story really easy to read. We also read between different time perspectives so we can see what happened to Meg and Kat that has made them be who they are today. I wasn’t sure where this would end up, but the ending was satisfying. A great read that’s different from the usual stories I read! Would recommend!

I was so excited when the ARC of this book got approved!! I have always wanted to read Julie Clark's books as I have heard many raving reviews about her previous book Last Flight, which I haven't read yet. But this book, was disappointing at all and I actually enjoyed devouring this book in one go!

Meg Varnum, Maggie Littleton, Meg Upton...all these different name belong to the same person--a woman who is actually a con artist by getting herself into a relationship with men with money and eventually and slowly withdrawing their money from their accounts with excuses of payments or some sort. Kat is a journalist who goes as an undercover to expose this Meg. She has a fiance, named Scott who is addicted to gambling. While Kat is trying to expose her, Meg knows what Kat is really up to.

The story is told from the perspectives of both Meg and Kat. The author has done a good job of drawing the reader into the story and I was literally hooked into the story from start to finish and couldn't simply put the book down. The story itself is fast paced, which is one of the main things I like about a thriller with some twists and turns along the way that will keep you guessing what the ending is going to turn out like. I felt like I was watching a movie rather than reading a book and overall, I actually enjoyed reading this book! The ending was gripping and shocking and not to give too much spoilers...let's just say, Meg is the female version of Robin Hood. I really did like the ending actually. I do like the feminist vibe in the book as well that portray the women as strong, courageous and ambitious and would do anything to get what they want.

I would most certainly read more books from this author and I couldn't wait to read more from Julie Clark !

If you like a gripping fast paced thriller that will make you feel like you are watching a thriller movie on the screen with ambitious women as main characters, and if you like women as con artists as a main topic in the story, then this book is one for you--worth five stars!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Hodder and Stoughton for the ARC. The review is based on my honest opinion only.

Meg Williams is a grifter with several successful long cons, Kat Roberts is a journalist with more than a story on her mind. Revenge and/or justice? Manipulation or integrity? Making amends? Survivor or a villain? Lies versus truth? Who is the cat (Kat? Maybe, maybe not)? Who is the mouse? Will Kat get the scoop of the year/decade or will Meg succeed? Two clever women with their own agendas, engaging in a battle or game of wits and who you root for changes so many times which absolutely keeps you invested in learning the unpredictable outcome.

One of my favourite programs from several years ago was “Hustle“ so Julie Clark has me intrigued from the very beginning. Like their marks in the TV programme there’s always a reason and this emerges organically in this well written, multilayered and tense psychological thriller. The dual perspectives work brilliantly, seamlessly knitted together so the storyline flows. The characterisation is outstanding and all are well portrayed. The plot is clever, the pace is brisk, it’s completely immersive and it’s hard to put down as you get to understand the patience, trust and clever plans to determine who can outwit who. In places it shocks, you applaud some actions, there are surprises and I love the end. Although I don’t entirely understand some of the American legalese involved it actually doesn’t matter as it’s what it achieves that counts.

Overall, this is such a clever book. I loved ‘The Flight’ and I love this one equally. I can’t wait to see what brilliance Julie Clark comes up with next. Highly recommended and a very easy five star rating!

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Hodder and Stoughton for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.