Not a bad read, just not for me but however someone else may really like this book but enjoyable in places ..

“Unlike most con artists, Meg wasn’t a sociopath. She was just another woman exhausted by the way the system seems to always fail us.”

The Lies I Tell was my introduction to Julie Clark and, let me just say, I’m impressed! I immediately purchased her other book The Last Flight after finishing this one. Thriller is my genre of choice and this was a fantastic suspenseful story of revenge.. I’m a huge fan of dual POV and reading the perspectives of a con-artist named Meg and the investigative journalist named Kat who has been chasing Meg’s story for years just played out beautifully. I love books where the sides are not black and white, but many shades of grey. It makes for such dynamic, interesting characters. Despite Meg being a criminal, I really found myself rooting for her. The way that Kat’s, Meg’s, and the supporting character’s motives played out was well executed. I enjoyed the pacing of this one and at no point ever felt bored. On top of alternating POV, I really liked how it alternated between different timelines. Sometimes I find that can take away from a story or add to confusion, but it really worked here. If you’re a fan of thrillers, revenge stories, and dual POV then this is simply one you cannot miss. Bravo, Julie Clark!

A compelling book which grabs you from the beginning and stay with you throughout. Well written. Excellent.

Oh my word! This hero is one big cinnamon roll hero. He is so freaking cute, sincere, shy and genuine. I loved this story! I loved how mature they both were in the way they communicated their fears and obstacles, how he showed how much he liked her without any abandon and how they let themselves fall in love.

The author’s writing style lends itself perfectly to the genre. She knows exactly when to end a scene and mount suspense. The characters are well-drawn and believable. The plot is perfectly paced, holds your interest, and keeps you guessing!

I really enjoyed the authors previous book the flight and looked forward to reading more from this author. If you haven't read the flight I highly recommend that you read this book too. Especially if you enjoyed this one.

In this book we meet Meg who goes from town to town, creating different names and different jobs depending on the man that she wants to con.

This was a well written book, with unreliable characters. I enjoyed this book but not as much as her previous books.

Julie Clark has become one of my auto read authors. I enjoyed her last book so much and this was another high tension read.

Meg is a con artist, moving around cities, using different names and backgrounds, depending upon the man she wants to con. She thinks of herself as a righter of wrongs and it gave me a little Robin Hood vibe. While not stealing, she manipulates men to give her money and gifts, until she finally settles on her ultimate target.

Kat Roberts is a reporter and she has been investigating Meg for years, after Meg caused her life to implode. Kat wants to expose her and she will do anything to achieve her goal. But as an unlikely friendship forms, Kat begins to question her assumptions. Is she being conned, or was she wrong about Meg all along?

The author really knows how to build suspense and the lies and deception kept me turning the pages. While I did see parts coming, there were also a couple of unexpected twists, leading to a satisfying ending. Another one I recommend and I look forward to more by this author.

Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for this gifted advance review copy.

Kat waited ten years for the reappearance of con artist Meg Williams. Kat was then a young aspiring journalist and helped covering the story of a teacher who preyed on his students. Kat figured out that Meg had something to with exposing him and run away with his money. But she made a mistake while making her own investigations and she holds Meg responsible for what happened to her then. Kat thinks that Meg led her run into a situation without caring if she gets hurt. So she set a google alert with her name. When Meg turns up as a real estate agent Kat knows that she is up to perform her next scam. And she is determined to expose her.

Last year I read Clark’s “The Last Flight” and loved it. I was surprised how complex and multilayered the story was. So my expectations for her next book were high. I was not disappointed. Quite the opposite. I loved it and after reading so many mediocre books lately I devoured it almost in one sitting. Here we have two strong female characters and I equally enjoyed their alternating chapters. I have a thing for con artists at the moment so this book was right up my alley and Clark’s writing kept me glued to the pages. I think I have a new favorite author.

Investigative journalist Kat is surprised when Meg Williams returns to town after ten years. Kat is convinced that Meg is a con artist and the person responsible for a shocking event in her past, an event that has affected the rest of her life. Kat is now determined to get close to Meg so that she can find out what she is up to and reveal to the world who she is.

The opening chapter, set in current times, gives an air of mystery. Who is Meg Williams? Why has she returned to her childhood home? What is she planning to do? The story then jumps back ten years. At this point in the novel I was a little sceptical that the story was going to hold my interest. I'm so glad I persevered as I was totally gripped by the end.

Initially Meg is the more interesting of the two main characters. As a result of circumstance she becomes a con artist, it's a means of surviving. As the story progresses you then start to wonder if the "cons" are for survival, greed or a means of seeking revenge. Kat comes across as simply somone trying to do her job as a journalist. She's desperate to make her mark and tries to strike out on her own, this has horrifying consequences.

As the story then moves to our current time frame Kat tries to befriend Meg. Kat blames Meg for what happened to her and wants to uncover the truth so that she can finally publish the big exclusive story she feels she deserves. In trying to get closer to Meg Kat has to develop her own "con" and it's at this point you realise that con artist and journalist are the same - deceiving people to get what they want. You begin to question if Kat's methods are entirely ethical, particularly as you discover more about Meg and her reasoning.

Social media and the internet play a big role in the con. Living our lives online, sharing details of our day to day existence and those silly quizzes that ask for your "drag queen" name (your first pet's name and the street you lived on as a child). This story explains terrifyingly well how someone could trawl through all that information and use it very effectively to get closer to you.

As the conclusion draws near you feel Kat's rising sense of panic, she doesn't know who she can trust, and you begin to root for Meg as she points out that lies can be useful in "tipping karma in the right direction". I was actually sad when I finished the book. Whilst Kat's story reached a natural conclusion I feel sure Meg has lots more to offer.

After loving The Flight, I was delighted to be approved by NetGalley for Julie’s newest book, The Lies I Tell.
Meg is an enigma, known around the USA by numerous different names and is now returning to her original home and name. But why now and what for?
Journalist Kat has been on Meg’s, admittedly little known, trail for a number of years following a chance encounter where she gave Kat some advice that led to a horrific and life defining experience for Kat. Now Meg is back and only Kat knows some of the truth of Meg’s life and existence.
Kat knows about Meg but will Meg find out about Kat? Who is who in a game of cat and mouse? And just what is Meg’s real reason for returning home, in name and place, after so long?
This book kept me gripped and guessing throughout. Telling the story from both narrators helped to drip feed the reader just the right amount of clues. Would recommend.

hmmmm i was really on board with this book for the first half or so, and then it just became very business focused which is something i think i’ve discovered i dont really enjoy in thrillers… business/company jargon bores me to tears

This was really enjoyable. I liked how the more I got to know main character Meg, the more I liked her and was actually rooting for her despite what she's doing being morally questionable. All the men she targeted were horrible and it was actually really fun to see them getting what they deserved. I enjoyed following the scams but some of the details flew over my head a bit as I don't know how american financials work. The ending was good and I wasn't left with any unanswered questions.

Blisteringly Perfect….
Julie Clark has knocked it of out of the park with this blisteringly perfect portrayal of revenge. The female lead is so credibly drawn that the reader will feel every nuance and in every action she takes the reader will be behind her all the way. The cast is solid and relatable, the plotline perfection and the writing fluid and realistic. You will find yourself rooting for Meg to succeed and ultimately thinking about this book long after you have finished reading. Brava!

I absolutely loved Julie Clark's previous novel The Flight so was hugely excited to get the opportunity to read The Lies I Tell. Meg is a grifter who moves from place to place with various aliases and back stories , now in LA to take revenge on the man who she believes stole her family home many years before. Kat is a journalist who has been attempting to track down Meg and write a story on her after a traumatic incident in her own life 10 years previously. Julie Clark writes a gripping revenge thriller full of twists and turns from the dual perspectives of Meg and Kat. I found it to be a compelling read that delivered surprises and and a satisfying ending. Recommended.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

I really enjoyed this book, it gripped me right from the start and didnt let me go. I highly recommend reading this book.

This was a fascinating thriller about revenge and deceit featuring Meg, a grifter with many aliases and someone journalist Kat has been trying to track down for ten years due to the impact Meg caused on her life a decade ago. Meg herself has been waiting over ten years to exact retribution against the man who ruined hers and her mothers lives. Told from both perspectives it was interesting to see how Meg operated and to an extend you could appreciate just what she was doing and why, Kat’s trust issues with both her boyfriend and Meg added a good dimension to the story. I didn’t understand some of the American systems which made some elements of the scam harder to follow although it’s easy to enough to get the overall gist, for me this was a good slow burner made all the more interesting by the twisted relationships and morals. 7/10

I struggled with this story, not sure whether it was the opening or the fact I had little sympathy for the characters but other reviewers don’t seem to say the same

The Lies I Tell was a novel i read in one go!

Absolutely loved both Meg and Kat! Highly recommend this book for anyone who loves a strong female narrator

#TheLiesITell #NetGalley
Wow!!! A must read.
Meg Williams. Maggie Littleton. Melody Wilde. Different names for the same person, depending on the town, depending on the job. She's a con artist who erases herself to become whoever you need her to be—a college student. A life coach. A real estate agent. Nothing about her is real. She slides alongside you and tells you exactly what you need to hear, and by the time she's done, you've likely lost everything. Kat Roberts has been waiting ten years for the woman who upended her life to return. And now that she has, Kat is determined to be the one to expose her. But as the two women grow closer, Kat's long-held assumptions begin to crumble, leaving Kat to wonder who Meg's true target is.
This was a very gripping tale. I enjoyed it so so much. Julie Clark is an amazing author.
Thanks to NetGalley and Hodder Straughten for giving me an advance copy.

I received in advance reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

What a deranged wild ride - the ending made absolutely no sense but the book was so crazy it worked. One of the more gonzo psychological thrillers. You either like that or you don’t. 3.5 rounded up