Linwood Barclay is one of my all time favourite authors and this book did not disappoint!
This plot was brilliant and it kept me guessing right to the very last page. Highly recommend.

I'm a huge fan of Linwood Barclays books and while this one wasn't my favourite one of his it is definitely worth a read. There are all the twists and turns that make his books so good, it was interesting to read a book written from the perspective of those left behind when someone goes into the witness protection program as well. The characters were a bit lacking for me in this one I think though, the relationship between Jack and Lana felt a little bit bland. It was a good read but didn't leave me wanting more at the end.

A really great and intriguing read. I loved the characters and the story. Will look out for more from this author.

On starting this book I wasn't too sure if it was going to be one hook me in, but it really did with a bang!

The characters are believable and real, with so many twists to it. This book beats all expectations!

I had the huge misfortune of starting this book at 11.15 pm, just to read for 10 minutes, two hours later my husband had to then wrestle my Kindle from my hands as I absolutely could not put the book down!

Just a brilliant rollercoaster read.

As always Linwood Barclay doesn't fail to satisfy

More than highly recommended

The Lie Maker is another cracker from Linwood Barclay. Does he ever write a bad book? As a small boy, Jack’s father is taken away because he has done bad things and killed people. He was given a deal of being in a witness protection scheme for giving up his boss. Jack never really recovered from the loss of growing up without his father. His mother remarried a man called Earl but he didn’t live up to Jack’s ideal. As an adult however, Jack has made something of a life by being a writer, albeit not very successfully and has a girlfriend, albeit based on a lie, or rather failing to tell her the truth about himself. As he struggles to make a living, he is made an offer he can’t refuse and this leads to a rollercoaster ride of danger. His journalist girlfriend, meanwhile is investigating suspicious suicides and is also curious about Jack’s new secret job. The story has many twists before it’s dramatic conclusion and is a highly original thriller that doesn’t disappoint.
My only problem with Linwood Barclay books is they are so good that I just can’t put them down and then before I know it, the book is finished and I have to wait months for another one.

I would like to thank Netgalley and HQ for an advance copy of The Lie Maker, a stand-alone thriller, set mostly in Boston.

Jack Givens’ father, Michael Donahue, went into witness protection when Jack was nine. Now, Jack has a job writing new backstories for people going into witness protection and decides to use his contacts to find his dad. One problem, Michael is missing, either on the run from his enemies or picking up his former job as a hitman.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Lie Maker, which is a bit of a mixture with a relatively slow start, a consuming middle, where the author hooks the reader into Jack’s story and gradually reveals what is going on and it finishes in a rush of tension and action. There are twists, some more guessable than others, and a lot of of emotion that revolves around regret and the cost to others of selfish actions. This latter I found very interesting as that cost is well explained and drives several personalities in different ways, so it offers food for thought.

I am a longtime fan of the author as I like the way he puts ordinary people into extraordinary situations and, somehow, they don’t lose their core values or sense of self. This novel is no different with Jack being drawn into a strange job and trying to take advantage of it, as would most of us in a similar situation, although most of us don’t have a murderer in witness protection as a father. The characters are very well drawn and realistic, apart from a couple of psychopaths who are on a rampage to avenge a wrong, allegedly.

The novel is told from various points of view and that works well as there is a bit of misdirection involved and I’m not too proud to admit that I fell for all of it. The present day timeline is interspersed with trips into seminal moments of Michael’s life, mostly his murders, and again that works well as it fleshes out his mentality and motive.

This is not a particularly meaty read as it concentrates on one thing, finding Michael Donahue, but there is enough there to make it engrossing. There are more murders and a theatrical element as well as a nice touch of irony in the solution.

The Lie Maker is a good read that I have no hesitation in recommending.

Jack is just a child when his Dad is taken away into witness protection, leaving him and his Mum alone. Then we meet Jack again as a grown man and struggling author; when he is approached by the US Marshalls with a lucrative opportunity, he can't refuse. Jack soon finds himself writing fictional histories for people in witness protection and starts looking into tracking his Dad down. When they tell him they can't track him down, Jack ends up following a trail and uncovering secrets.

Well, what can I say? I just LOVED this book. The premise was unique and exciting and I loved the whole idea of writing back stories for those in witness protection.

The characters were wonderfully engaging and I was hooked right from the start; I was totally invested and was with Jack every step of the way.

This well written book was a rollercoaster of emotions and I was very happy to go along for the ride. I even shed a tear at the end, and that is not something that happens often with a book!

My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for sending me this ARC in return for an honest review.

This was such an enjoyable read with an amazing twist at it's heart.
The story is told to us mostly by Jack with the occasional piece by others, mostly Lara, to fill in what is happening in the world outside of Jack's narrowed viewpoint.
The characters were well written and I felt I could understand them and their motivations. There was a slight duality to the timeline where we were told about why Jack's father left by living through a bit of that time with him.
I found it to be a most interesting story and the writing was very engaging, I found it very difficult to stop turning the pages. If it hadn't been for family commitments that I couldn't get out of, I would have had this finished days ago. Next time I start a book by this author I will make sure to clear my schedule for a day or two first!

I have read the vast majority of Linwood Barclay's books and this one was no less enjoyable than the rest. It was a fast-paced, suspend your disbelief mystery/thriller, with a surprisingly loveable cast of characters.
Another solid read from Barclay and exactly what we know and love him for!

Jack remembers his dad (Michael) leaving when he was just 9 years old. He was going into police protection, he admitted to his son that he has killed people. Jack’s mum remarries and Jack takes his step-fathers name. His mum dies of natural causes, but Earl still looks out for Jack, least he can do for his dead wife.
Years later, Jack is a writer and he is approached to write backstories for people going into police protection schemes.
Lana, Jack’s girlfriend, is a journalist and investigating a couple of apparent suicide/misadventure drownings.
Fast paced, page turning, emotional rollercoaster. Great writing and compelling reading.

Your dad’s not a good person. Your dad killed people, son.
These are some of the last words Jack Givins’s father spoke to him before he was whisked away by witness protection, leaving Jack and his mother to pick up the shattered pieces of their lives.
Years later, Jack is a struggling author, recruited by the U.S. Marshals to create false histories for people in witness protection. Jack realises this may be a chance to find his dad – but then he discovers he’s gone missing, and he could be in serious danger.

I have read several other books by this author. All of which were great and this is no exception. Great story, well defined, and three demential characters. The book flows well and, at times is hard to put down. I love the way the author builds layer upon layer which draws the reader in. A terrific ending too.

Firstly thank you to netgalley and the publisher who allowed me to read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I thought I was going to enjoy this a lot more than I did. The story had a lot of potential but somehow just felt flat. There were so many obvious clues as to what was going on that the character Lana(a journalist) really should have picked up on but was oblivious to. Even the ending felt a bit twee. Unfortunately it's not a book I will be recommendingvto others.

I found the beginning of this title very slow and it was necessary to suspend belief. There was not the usual excitement that Linwood Barclay incites. The plot did eventually pick up and the interest increased but a bit too late for me.
Sorry, just 3 stars for this title as it did not capture my imagination.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Linwood Barclay/HQ for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.

A very convoluted tale and far fetched which didn’t have many twists and half way through I realised the conclusion but soldiered onto the end. Not one of the authors best tales just an average read.

Jack’s father was a murderer and had to go into witness protection Jack is heartbroken he is only 9 years old and loves his dad so much but had to stay with his mother.

Now all grown up he becomes an author and was approached by someone who wants him to to write backstories for people in the witness protection programme he definitely wants to do this as he may find his father what follows becomes very dangerous and thrilling it was a great book like all his other books.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC

Linwood Barclay's most recent thriller provides entertainment, complete with his characteristic twists, all within the backdrop of Boston, Massachusetts. The story revolves around Jack Givins, a 34-year-old with two published books to his name. However, his latest work faces a hurdle as his agent, Harry Breedlove, struggles to secure a publisher. Jack's past is marred by the arrest of his father, Michael, who confessed to him about murders he committed. Michael enters the witness security program, agreeing to testify against his former boss, which results in his separation from Jack's mother. Left behind, Jack yearns for his father's presence and embarks on numerous attempts to reunite with him.

As financial difficulties and personal challenges mount, including a torched car, Jack finds himself compelled to accept a secretive job offer from the US Marshals Service. This role involves crafting fictional backgrounds for individuals in the Witness Security Program, helping them assimilate into unfamiliar environments while protecting their true identities. Amidst these complexities, Jack's girlfriend, journalist Lana Wilshire, becomes curious about his covert activities and investigates a pair of suspicious deaths. Her findings lead her to Detective Florence Knight, igniting a chain of events that test the limits of truth and loyalty.

The story's momentum gradually builds, intertwined with escalating tension and suspense. While requiring some suspension of disbelief, the tale offers an enjoyable experience. While not my favourite work by Barclay, it holds definite appeal for his fans. Jack serves as a relatable protagonist, though some may find his acceptance of circumstances without deeper questioning somewhat lacking. The narrative is enriched by unexpected twists, particularly through the resilient character of Lana, who shines in the climactic and thrilling conclusion.

Another tremendous read from the excellent Linwood Barclay. As usual the plot is convoluted, the characters are many and the plot twists awesome. The Lie Maker of the title is employed to write back stories for people who are given new identities but, naturally, the job is not all it seems. A rattling good read!

Jack Givins is only 6 when his dad is taken by FBI officers to go into witness protection. Jack can’t understand why his dad is leaving, and why his mum won’t let them go with him. Jack’s dad Michael’s last words to his son are “Your dad’s not a good person. Your dad killed people son.” Jack’s dad was a hitman for the mob. He turned informer in return for protection, giving up his family in the process.

Many years later, Jack is attempting to make a living as an author. He is waiting for a call from his agent to let him know his third book has been optioned, and he is getting desperate, as he is broke. He gets a call that crushes him, nobody will option his book. This means no money. So when he is approached by an FBI agent with a job offer that seems too good to refuse, Jack doesn’t see much choice. The FBI want Jack to create false histories for people who have been put into witness protection. Jack questions the coincidence of them choosing him, with his connections to his father being in witness protection, and he is assured that this is a background research oversight, and they were not aware.

Jack quickly starts to see his new role as an opportunity to track down his dad. Jack’s girlfriend is a top investigative reporter, and she starts to help him. During the investigation, they discover that his dad is missing, and could be in terrible danger. He rushes to find and help him. Jack soon finds just how much he has underestimated the situation.

This is a quick, easy and switch-your-brain-off read. If you start to think about it too much you will really wonder how Jack could be so stupid to think that the FBI would have missed something in a background check on him. Or that such a programme existed. Or that he wouldn’t look into it more, or that his ace reporter girlfriend wouldn’t look into it on his behalf. Or that he took a job with no mention of contracts etc. I could keep going. The coincidences keep piling up, and Jack keeps looking the other way. You could argue that he is blinded to his end goals, or just extremely naive. However, the contrived nature of things we were being asked to believe in at times was a bit much.

The book did have a good pace, tipping along at good speed, but many of the ‘twists’ were easy to see coming. It was written well, easy to read, and a bit of light-hearted entertainment. A good holiday read, easy to put down and pick up as you need it.

*I received this book from NetGalley for review, but all opinions are my own.

Absolutely great book. I've been a fan of Lingwood Barcley for a long time and this latest book wasn't a disappointment! Brilliant characters and plot.