Ummm what??? This book is twisted, for real. 😳😳😳 Needless to say I loved it! Maybe I was reading too fast to see what the heck was happening but I was left with a few questions at the end…great for a series! Definitely recommend this book to anyone who loved and twisty suspense mystery that leaves you with a disgusted face during reading! 😁

Chief Maggie Riley runs the police department in her small town, keeping her past at a distance. Early on, though, an outsider is found murdered in their small town, so Maggie has to call in the Staties for help solving the crime.

Maggie is a great character, and I enjoyed the book. The narrator was good. The POVs switched regularly, but it was easy to follow. Everyone seemed to be hiding just enough that make them suspicious, without being over the top upsetting about how lame their backstory actually was.

I will say: the title gives away a good bit, which is probably my least favorite part. However, I'd be happy to read more Maggie Riley books in the future.

Overall: 4 stars

I'll tell my students about: alcohol, sex, infant death, miscarriage, murder, gore, trauma, language

**Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for the free ALC. All opinions expressed are my own.**

3.5 ⭐️

Chief Maggie Riley finds a body of a man that’s been stabbed on her way home trying to get ahead of a storm. She finds him in the forest and right beside him, scared, is Heather. Maggie isn’t convinced that Heather is the killer but the townspeople think otherwise. Now Maggie needs to use her skill set and network from her past life to uncover the truth.

I found the storyline to be interesting and I almost wish I had read it instead of listed to as an audiobook. It was fast paced and entertaining enough but It was still missing something. Unfortunately, I wasn’t crazy about the narrator and that had a big impact on my overall rating. This is the first book I’ve read by Shannon Hollinger and I’d give her books another shot but maybe I’d try reading a physical copy instead. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture Audio for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This first in a new police detective series certainly kept me captive. I enjoy this genre for an audio book and this story didn’t disappoint. It’s very well narrated and the characters definitely came alive for me.
When Chief Maggie Riley comes across a dead body while driving home one night, little does she expect that she’s going to have to face the secrets of her past once again. And Maggie isn’t the only person in town with secrets. Heather, a local teenage girl, mysteriously appears from the woods behind the crime scene covered in blood. As Maggie tries to unravel the mystery of the murder, the story takes on plenty of twists and turns as secret after secret is revealed and I was kept guessing up to the very end as I tried to figure out who had committed the murder.
I’ll definitely look out for the next book in this series.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy of the audiobook in exchange for a review.

This was a good detective based book that followed a crime that was being solved. I like how it was told from multiple perspectives.

Ratiing: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: suspenseful crime fiction

THE GIRL WHO LIED by Shannon Hollinger is the first gripping crime novel in a series.
This book had me drawn in quickly. Filled with several twists and turns, it was an audiobook I couldn't stop listening to.
Maggie Riley is Chief of Police in the small town of Coyote Cove. Driving home one evening, she comes across a body on the road. Little does she know that this investigation will unravel so many more secrets, including her dark secrets. The chapters are from the perspective of a few key characters. Maggie is a very strong female lead character. This is not a genre I would typically read, but I look forward to the second book of this series.
I had the opportunity to listen to the enjoyable Audiobook version of this book courtesy of Bookouture and Netgallery.

Thank you Netgalley & Shannon Hollinger for allowing me to heat this book on audio in exchange for an honest review!

I was completely sucked into this book! The minute Chief Maggie Reilly and Heather start speaking I immediately thought I had solved the mystery myself but little did I know the twist and turns this story would take.

The narrator was great, and had me on the edge of my seat!

This amazing book and audio comes out on August 2, 2023. Run to it!

This book was pretty good, but there were a few things I struggled with.

There were so many POVs. I do like when the story have more than one, but this had four in total I believe. It took me out of the story a bit.

I also felt the story seemed to drag. I felt like it could have been cut down a bit. Some of the twists were good, but I was underwhelmed overall.

I waffled back and forth about how I felt about this book while listening. There were times I was really engaged and highly satisfied with the book, and then other times that the story seemed to drag. The writing was inconsistent and clunky at times, and the narrator (I got the audiobook version) delivered some lines in a way that made them sound more childlike than I believe the author intended. The overall story was engaging and fun, but the follow through was lacking. Some moments, decisions, and reactions, especially from the law enforcement, were unrealistic and unlikely to occur in real life. There were story elements that petered out into nothing, making the reader ask why they were put there in the first place. I know this is developing into a series, but it seemed like some things were set up for a sequel and others closed out the story. However, it was unclear why those choices were made, and if the sequel would continue this investigation story thread. I will definitely read the sequel, as I did enjoy the book overall. If you’re looking for a light read, this is a great choice. Thank you to NetGalley for giving me an advanced copy of this audiobook!

I raced through this book as I really immersed myself in the story.
This is a sneaky little tale with multiple strands tying up neatly in the end. The characters are strong and well written. Without giving anything away, you can't be sure that everyone is as they seem. The story begins with a bang, as a man is found murdered in the woods and a frightened girl steps out of the same woods covered in blood. It is up to Maggie to discover the facts and unwind all the threads.
I am looking forward to reading book 2 in the Chief Maggie Riley series.

Its dark in the Maine woods tonight - and this book will give you all the creepy tingles you're looking for!

Cheif Maggie Riley of Coyote Cove has found a body in the woods, a stranger come to town and met with a dire circumstance. But Maggie is so much more than a police chief with all the expertise and secrets that go along with them. She hastens to gather evidence before a storm rolls in, not knowing that a Storm has already hit her quiet little town.

I loved Maggie Riley and I cannot wait to keep reading this series. The writing was straightforward, procedural and engaging and the characters were all unreliable which is 100% my favourite thing in a thriller. There are a few trigger warnings to attach to this story but I loved it. Amazing work!

ARC AUDIO REVIEW!!

4/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This was a multiple POV following Chief Maggie Riley as she deals with the twists in her small town. Maggie finds a body in the woods of her small town, but that body reveals countless crimes and twists within a small town. Maggie gives such girl boss energy, and I can't wait to read the rest of the series! I loved watching Maggie come into a mothering role to with one of the girls she encounters during her investigation. The character growth for all of the characters was a beautiful thing that Shannon is EXCELLENT at. I really enjoyed listening to Maggie girl boss her way through the crimes in her small town, and can’t wait to read more of Maggie’s story!!

Amelia Sciandra was an AMAZING narrator for this book, and not only killed Maggies part, but so many other characters. The characters that were absolute jerks she managed to make sound like jerks, and the characters I loved she made me fall in love with this book even more!

Read this if you enjoy:
- Who did it?
- Twist on Twist
- Being on the edge of your seat
- Total Girl Boss Energy

Huge thank you to NetGalley, Shannon Hollinger, and Dreamscape Media Publishing for the ARC!

I received a free audio book, and am giving this review voluntarily!

Not my favorite writing style
Was kinda choppy and kept pulling me out of the story until I got used to it

Oh my gosh!! I had to sit for a bit to swallow the shock of the ending! I did not see that coming! This book is not just a who-done-it puzzle. It is a serious, wonderfully crafted, crime mystery that made me feel intense emotions. Fear. Sadness. Hope.

The Girl Who Lied, immediately pulled me in with a great opening scene: A dead man on the side of the road and a disoriented teenage girl coming out of the forest nearby. I could NOT STOP listening. I enjoyed meeting Chief Maggie Riley and getting to know her strong, take-no-crap but compassionate personality. I also appreciated learning about the investigation and forensics process.

I am looking forward to reading about Chief Maggie’s next criminal investigation!

Many thanks toNetGalley, and bookouture for the opportunity to read this book.

A body found in the woods. A teenage girl found wandering nearby. The clock is ticking as Police Chief Maggie Riley races to piece it all together. I blew through this book in two days and really enjoyed the narrator and most of the story. It was towards the end that things started to fall flat for me. I felt like the last couple of chapters were rushed to identity the real killer. I'm definitely going to give book #2 a try but would have like to have seen a little more about how Chief Riley came to her conclusion.

Thank you NetGalley, Shannon Hollinger, and Bookouture Audio for giving me access to the ALC.
The Girl Who Lied is a fast-paced thriller. I love the multiple POVs. Shannon Hollinger did an excellent job with the different characters throughout the book.

It kept me on the edge of my seat and I finished the book in one sitting. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book in this series.

I would give this book a 3.5 rounded up to a 4 because part of my issue was the narrator. I think if I had read it vs. listened to it I may have gotten a different view of it. Taking out the audio part of it this book was good. It followed a few different people and their secrets. I never truly new who was the killer until the end. I had ideas then changed my mind then changed it again. I wanted to know what everyone was hiding. At times I did get a little lost but followed it back as it bounced around a lot between characters and I think that is really the only reason why I didn't give it a 5 star as I wasn't the biggest fan of the flow. I look forward to the next book.

“The Girl Who Lied” is a fast-paced thriller told from multiple POVs. Shannon Hollinger did an excellent job of juggling the different characters motivations throughout the book.

It kept me on the edge of my seat and I finished the book in one sitting. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book in this series.

Thank you NetGalley, Shannon Hollinger, and Bookouture Audio for giving me access to the ALC.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance audiobook copy of The Girl Who Lied (Chief Maggie Riley Book 1) by Shannon Hollinger in exchange for an honest review. I started this book last night and finished it in the early hours. Once I started, I just had to find out what happened. I really liked Chief Maggie Riley and Steve. I'm interested in reading more about them and finding out their hidden secrets.

The Girl Who Lied (Chief Maggie Riley, Book 1) by Shannon Hollinger

Narrator: Amelia Sciandra
Publisher: Bookouture Audio
Release Date: August 2, 2023
Listening Time: 7 Hour Hours and 28 Minutes

Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Murder, Police Procedural

Coyote Cove, Maine is full of secrets. Maggie Riley is the police chief in a two police officer force. She thinks she is looking for a bear hunter but finds a dead body instead. A rainstorm is coming in quick so Maggie must decide to cover the body or let the rain wash away the evidence. She calls officer Dale Murphy and has him make the necessary calls. She then notices Heather, a teenage girl, standing nearby in the woods. She asks her what she is doing but does not get any coherent information.

The narrator gives the characters in the book life but more so to Maggie and Heather. Maggie has made mistakes in her previous career and moved to Maine to start over again. Heather is on the brink of womanhood. She is childlike and after testing determined to be mentally challenged.

The book has a fast pace, the characters are developed, and it is written in first person point of view from multiple perspectives. Everyone in this town has a secret and I cannot wait until the next installment in the series to find out more. If you like psychological thrillers, you will enjoy listening to this book.