Another gripping read from Linwood Barclay, my all time favourite author. Finished this one in a couple of sittings!

Wow! Well I was excited at the prospect t of reading another Linwood Barclay and I certainly was not disappointed.
Barclay always manages to find that original angle that makes his stories one level up on the rest. Great characters too with a very clever twist.
Can’t wait for his next one now so I’m hoping he’s busy writing.

Linwood Barclay is one of my favourite authors so I was looking forward to reading this book. I struggled with it a bit at the start as so many characters were introduced at once and it was a bit slow. But then it picked up, swept me away and had me hooked. There were so many twists and turns and it all came together brilliantly at the end. I loved it and would highly recommend this book

I am a fan of Linwood Barclay and was delighted to receive an arc of The Lie Maker. It is a twist filled suspenseful thriller of an author who has struggled most of his life with the fact of his father going into witness protection. The narrative is fast and the characters well written, leading to a satisfying denouement.

I really enjoyed The Lie Maker - Linwood Barclay's latest thriller. . I was first introduced to Linwood through one of his short stories in an anthology, so was very keen to try out his full length books and have thoroughly enjoyed his engaging writing style ever since. This is the third book I've read by Linwood and so far have loved them all as have all been very different and the plots are equally as good and this was no exception

Without repeating the blub I just want to say what an exciting and twisty plot this was and very excited for the next book by this author, but also pleased there are many more for me to enjoy.

Five stars and a big thank you to HQ and Netgalley for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and HQ Books for the ARC of this book.
Linwood Barclay never disappoints. Don’t know where he gets all his inspiration from because his books are so varied and always draw you in for more.
The idea of someone writing backstories for people was believable for a long time but then it began to get a bit weird and then it was over. Loved the characters. More please Linwood.

The Lie Maker by Linwood Barclay
Jack Givins is a struggling author he has published one novel and now his new novel has been rejected by the publishers. Then his car blows up and he finds himself in need of finances so when he is offered a lucrative proposition he grabs it with both hands. His girlfriend is a journalist and she spots a story in the making. Through this opportunity Jack sees the possibility of reconnecting with the father he has not seen since he was 9. His father was a bad man who was taken into witness protection.
The story is full of twists and turns and keeps you engaged throughout in typical Linwood Barclay style. A fast paced thriller which whilst not always believable definitely gets you hooked and reels you in. I will be recommending it to others who like this genre in my various book groups. Thanks to the author the publishers and to Net Galley for the opportunity to read the book in return for an unbiased review.

As a long time fan of Linwood Barclay I was not disappointed with yet another thoroughly enjoyable tale with the usual twisty plot and great characters. Pace and complexity were spot on, tension builds nicely and keeps you guessing throughout whilst leaving you with a satisfying ending and looking forward to the next from this author.

I’m a huge LB fan so was delighted to receive a galley copy ahead of release and once again he didn’t disappoint. A truly unique concept - who writes the backstories for individuals entering witness protection - takes you on an exciting twisty journey with a hugely satisfying ending. Superb!

I’m a big fan of Linwood Barclay and was so happy to receive an eARC to review.
I’ve been very slow with my reading recently and have found some books a struggle but every time I picked this book up I slipped right back in. I did really enjoy it and didn’t find it a struggle at all.
I don’t know how minds work that can create such intricate and twisty stories, what an awesome skill to have! I rated this 4 stars because I don’t think it quite had the “something special” that some of his books have had, like my favourite - Trust your eyes! It was a really good story, with interesting characters and back stories… some you’ll like and I was surprised who I was rooting for! Interesting bad guys.
Well worth a read!

Jack Givins, a thirty-four-year-old author with two published books with a small amount of success. Unfortunately his agent informs him the publishers turned down the third but that he’s been provided a mobile phone and someone will call him with a lucrative opportunity. Jack’s agent has no other information just that a call will come. After the call Jack meets with the U.S. Marshals Service who would like to employ him to create false histories for those being placed in WITSEC. The money being offered is just too good to turn down so Jack accepts the role and the large advance paid into his account. In addition Jack realises that this might be a safe way to try and contact his father who was placed in the WITSEC programme to keep him safe from some very dangerous criminals that he testified against. Jack and his mother did not join his father and despite knowing about his father’s crimes Jack still wants to reconnect and hopes his new job will allow him the opportunity to reach out to his father safely.
This latest Linwood Barclay novel is as exciting and fast paced as I have come to expect from this author. Definitely a book not to be missed.

Wow what a book!
I loved this, it was one of the few books that has actually made my jaw literally drop!
It started out interesting enough with a main character (Jack) who was very likeable and you followed his life in the present and found out a bit about his past which obviously had a huge affect on him.
Then the story took off and went in places I never expected.
What a master storyteller Linwood Barclay is, when you thought you were done with the twists more kept coming.
Layer upon layer of intrigue and reveals and plot twists.
Definitely my kind of book.

My thanks to Netgalley for my copy of Linwood Barclay's The Lie Maker. This book has lots of twists, interesting characters and a good pace. I sometimes struggle with American novels because their language can be very different to that used in the UK but this was pretty straightforward and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Thanks to Net Galley and HQ for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
This is a twisty thriller with lots of suspense.
Jack Givens father, Michael, was a hitman, he left Jack and his mother, to go in to witness protection when Jack was just a nine year old boy. Over the years he visited Jack secretly unbeknown to Jack’s mother.
Jack is now an adult, a struggling author, his 3rd book has just been rejected, he has been approached by US marshals, offering him a very lucrative deal to create new believable lives for those in witness protection. Jack is dubious at first, he wonders though could this be a golden opportunity to perhaps find Michael who he hasn’t heard from for a while.
The plot thickens when Jack realises that the woman who hired him may not be a US Marshall and that he is not the only one looking for his father. His reporter girlfriend, Lana has gotten involved, she had been investigating two drownings and now thinks both the judge and the doctor were murdered.
A sharp twisty read, full of suspense. Is it believable? absolutely not. A clever plot with some colourful characters. Linwood Barclay has once again cleverly entertained his readers.

Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for the copy of this book.

I don’t think I’ve ever read something I didn’t like from Linwood Barclay and #TheLieMaker is no exception. Barclay tells a great story, he’s a natural storyteller and you become really invested in the characters.

The premise around this thriller is the author son of a man in Witness Protection who is recruited by Witness Protection to write back stories for those going into protection. Jack has kept a low profile over the years as his father, Michael, was taken into WP for committing some very bad deeds but for a powerful man who is the one who goes to jail. . Jacks mother didn’t wasn’t to go with him and she and Jack stayed behind. Jack has wanted to find his father ever since and sees an opportunity to track him through his new job. But they tell him, he’s gone missing.

With some weird things happening in Jacks life and his father now missing, is someone out for revenge against him or his father? Maybe one of the families whose life was affected by his crimes?

Jacks girlfriend Lana is a reporter and Mack isn’t allowed to tell her what his new job involves, but she’s a reporter and of course, she wants to know! Of course this puts Lana in danger.

What follows is a great thriller with many twists and turns. Jack’s stepfather Earl also finds himself involved and the most puzzling thing in the book is quite why Jack continues to give Earl the time of day. However, he’s not necessarily a bad man, but a weak man.

The thriller reaches a satisfying conclusion with all the ends neatly wrapped up in a thrilling denouncement.

As with all his books, you really want the good guys to win and you are rooting for the, all the way.

It’s a great read and thoroughly recommended. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to enjoy the thrills!

Jack knows his father wasn't a good man and had done some bad things before he was whisked away from him. Years later and Jack finds himself involved in the very programme that took his dad could this be his chance to actually find him again?

Barclay's books are always a twist filled thrilling read. I do love them so much. They're a slow burn but it draws you in until you just have to know more. The plot is told through multiple characters, allowing for more depth and understanding of each character. There is a lot going on so takes some following initially but it soon falls into place. The ending was very good. Not quite how I wanted it to end but for the book it was perfect. It finished the story in the only way it truly could. The characters are not overly likeable and yet you warm to Jack and even Lana. A twist filled thrill ride.

My thanks to HQ for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘The Lie Maker’ by Linwood Barclay.

Over the years I have read a number of Barclay’s novels and know that he is an author who delivers the kind of thriller that once started is fairly impossible to put down.

When Jack Givins was nine-years-old his father was whisked away by a team of U.S. Marshals into witness protection leaving Jack and his mother to cope on their own. Jack begs him to stay though before he is driven away his father tells him: ‘You’ll find out eventually. Your dad’s not a good person. Your dad killed people, son. That’s what I did. I killed people.”

Years pass and Jack is now thirty-four and is a struggling author. He is approached by the U.S. Marshal Service who wish to engage his services to create credible false histories for people entering WITSEC. It’s well paid though naturally he has to keep everything secret. This proves difficult when his reporter girlfriend, Lana Wilshire, becomes curious about changes in his behaviour.

Jack also realises that the job may provide a way for him to find his dad. Yet after all these years will his father’s enemies still be looking for him? No further details to avoid spoilers.

As I said above this novel was very much in keeping with what I expect from a Linwood Barclay thriller. It’s not just non-stop action as he takes his time developing Jack and Lana as characters before winding up the threat levels.

‘The Lie Maker’ isn’t meant to be literature but rather fulfils its brief as an entertaining page turner with plenty of twists.

Sorry I never got to read this book before it was archived due to circumstances beyond my control, but I still intend to read it and will post my review to all relevant sites

Another page turner from Linwood Barclay. Fans of this author will be happy and I’m sure new readers will search out his other books.
Jack Givens has had 2 books published but not his third. Then gets an offer to write back stories for people in witness protection. So he and his reported girlfriend, Lana, set out to find his father who had been placed in the witness protection programme when Jack was very young.
This is a fast paced thriller with the usual twists and turns and provided you can overlook the naivety of the main character, it is an enjoyable read.

Thanks to NetGalley.co.uk and the publishers for this ARC.

I really enjoyed this twisty fast paced thriller which kept me engaged till the very end with its red herrings and suspense and a dramatic finish.
I liked the characters especially Jack and Lana. I enjoyed reading all the different characters perspectives and how they interlink. It is well written with plenty of lies and surprises.
Overall an unputdownable read. Definitely recommend this one.
Thanks to #NetGallery @HQ for an arc of #TheLieMaker by @LinwoodBarclay in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Book publishes 31st August 2023.