INCREDIBLE!!! Thank you NetGalley, Amanda McKinney and Storm Publishing for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow!! That was a profoundly intense, darkly twisted and emotionally charged journey!! A Marriage of Lies is my first experience with this author’s work, and I am utterly enthralled by the story. Initially, I was torn between four or five stars, but after sleeping on it and waking up still consumed by its brilliance, I'm convinced it unequivocally merits five stars!! I devoured this book completely, utterly captivated, unable to tear myself away until I reached the final page in one sitting, keeping me on pins and needles until the very end!! Consider this a warning to clear your schedule, grab a snack, and set aside all responsibilities before immersing yourself in this book!! The blend of secrets, lies, jealously, drama, mystery, murders, gripping suspense, intense tension, short chapters, inventive and original plot, intricate twisty twists, complex and morally ambiguous characters, fast pacing, alternating perspectives, and a surprise ending make this a compelling and phenomenal psychological thriller!! Truly, the narrative seamlessly weaves together elements of domestic drama, police procedural, and a serial killer psychological thriller genres, resulting in a perfect blend of gripping intrigue!! I am proud to add this to my favorites list for 2024!!! 💙💙💙💙💙

Beneath the facade of every marriage lies a web of secrets. In Detective Rowan's marriage, the secrets have turned deadly. The moment her husband returned home reeking of alcohol and avoiding her gaze, Rowan sensed the deception. They use to share love so intense it felt unbearable to be apart, but now they are two people harboring secrets from each other. He underestimates her skills as a detective, uncovering truths and solving mysteries is what she does. Rowan knows what he's done. And now, as she sits in a police interrogation room, facing the damning question, "Did you kill her?" Rowan delivers one earth-shattering admission:"Yes." This is all you're going to get from me on the synopsis because I really do not want to spoil the experience for you. Believe me, it's better to dive into it without knowing anymore. Brace yourself for a riveting, twist-filled rollercoaster ride!!!

Overall, I was thoroughly immersed from start to finish. The ending caught me off guard and left me with goosebumps!! I am absolutely thrilled to read more works by Amanda McKinney. I wholeheartedly recommend this book and believe it deserves all the stars!! ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

TW: child abuse, neglect, foster care, suicide attempt, eating disorder, dementia, child with developmental delays

This book was really well done, and I enjoyed it immensely. The story focuses around a police officer who is investigating a series of murders in her town. The story switches perspectives throughout which I enjoyed and really kept me hooked. I read this very quickly, and it was pretty easy to keep up with. I also didn’t know who to trust, or what to believe, which is a huge plus when reading a thriller/crime based novels. 5 ⭐️

I think this novel was amazing because it was twisted & very dark. I literally was trying to solve the slayings, the moment I thought I was getting closer then the plot would take an unexpected turn. The book was an absolute page turner.. the characters were a little off the hinge but that’s what made this storyline GREAT!

Thank you to Net Galley for the advanced copy of this book. I rated this book 4 stars and enjoyed the narrative told from the different characters.

This was my first Amanda McKinney book and it definitely won't be my last. This book had me hooked, I finished it in a little over 24 hours. I wanted to keep reading to figure out how all the characters were connected as each chapter was a new pov. There were so many twists and turns that I never predicted what was happening.

The book begins with Rowan's pov, a detective investigating multiple murders in her area. Then we are introduced to Amber, Rowan's therapist. As a true crime girly, I was very intrigued by this book & like I said blew through it quickly but didn't really know what was happening until it became clear how the characters were connected. I wanted more in-depth character building in the beginning to help me have a better grasp on what was happening than the oh-wow moment I had about halfway through when it all clicked.

Like I stated above, I never saw any of the shocking moments coming but the reason I had to give it 3 stars instead of 4 was because the end was a bit of a letdown for me. I felt like there was a lot of build-up throughout the book, even though it's a quick read and I felt like the ending was rushed. Nothing seemed to be as shocking anymore but instead just laid out. Some of the actions that took place also didn't seem like the character would do those things, at least in my opinion. Lastly, I love thrillers/mysteries and the end seemed too happily ever after for me. I was disappointed to know everything worked out. Which I know is odd & after looking at others' reviews I am in the minority here but it just felt rushed. I would've loved for the author to length the book a bit and keep me on the tips of my toes in the last 10% of the book as she did the rest of the time.

Overall - I would recommend this book to others & I look forward to checking out other Amanda McKinney books.

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Thank you, NetGalley, the author and the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book had me hooked from the very beginning. There were many twists and turns that I was not expecting. Loved the story. Would recommend this to other readers.

There were some twists and turns in the book that was good. There were a few parts of the book that were a little slow. This is a book that is an interesting read and am glad that I was able to read it.

Rowan Velky is a police detective. She is married to Shepard Velky. They have known each other since their days in the care system.
Kellan is her work partner who she is training.
Amber is Rowan's therapist. She is married to Mark. They are just finding out that their son Connor may have some disablility/delay issues.
A woman is found dead in her home by her Neighbour and so begins a murder investigation.
My brain had to work a little to keep track of all the character relationships and the switching from one part of the story to another, but in some ways that's what kept me so interested to see if I could work how it all fit together. Really loved this book.

Title: A Marriage of Lies
Author: Amanda McKinney
Pub Date: March 29, 2024

After reading this book, Amanda McKinney is now an autoread author for me! This book had me hooked from the start and remained a twisty enjoyable read throughout!

When homicide detective Rowan Velkey is called to the scene of a murder, she is shocked to find that the victim had the letter X stitched over her eyes. After two more victims are identified with similar carvings on their bodies, the search is on and Rowan and her handsome partner, Kellan, make it their priority to find the serial killer that seems to be targeting women in this town.

This book is told from multiple points of view, primarily those of Rowan who is dealing with some psychological issues stemming from her past, and her friend and therapist, Amber, who has her own personal issues that she is dealing with. Both woman are in unhappy marriages and everyone seems to have secrets that they are keeping from each other. There are also flashbacks into Rowan’s past throughout the book that add to the story, but also lead me to question things about her as a character. All of these circumstances add up to a bunch of unreliable characters with many secrets and had me constantly questioning what was really going on!

Amanda McKinney definitely knows how to tell a story and I can’t wait to read more of her books! If you love a good twisty thriller that you won’t want to put down, than you won’t want to miss this one!

Thank you to Amanda McKinney, Storm Publishing, and Thriller Book Lover Promotions for this advanced reader copy!

WOW WOW WOW! What an insanely chilling read that had me reading straight through the night because I COULD NOT put the book down till I was finished! The plot was well thought out and the characters were well developed and the twists and turns were incredibly shocking!

Wow, I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book but I could not put it down.
It is a perfect blend of domestic drama, thriller and police procedural.
This story is so twisty that you will not know which way it is going. The characters and plot kept me engaged from beginning to end. With the short chapters, I just had to keep going to find out what the hell is happening.
This is my first book by Amanda McKinney and it will most certainly not be my last. This a must read for all psychological thriller fans.

3.5 rounded up to 4. This was a good read. The story kept me interested and guessing. However, I wish I knew more about the characters. The book focuses mainly on two characters, but there are other important ones that could be discussed in more detail.

I completed this short book in a day! Rowan Velky is a lead detective in the police force. Her husband, Shepherd, have been together since an early age and met through the foster care system.

Amber is Rowan's therapist. Amber is married to Mark and they have a son, Connor, 7 years old, who is autistic. Both marriages are in trouble. There are lots of secrets and lies in both marriages. A murder occurs and Rowan has been arrested and charged with the murder and she admits it! Did she do it? Is she innocent? I found the plot confusing.

Maybe it was not the right time for me to read this book. Unfortunately, the writing style, chapter style and vocabulary in this book was not for me. Believable characters and scenarios it was not and I was disappointed. I think the book would be better as a film.

I WANT TO THANK NETGALLEY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY OF READING AN ARC OF THIS BOOK IN RETURN FOR AN HONEST REVIEW.

What did I just read?! This book was ADDICTIVE! My first by this author, but it won’t be my last! I’ll be thinking about this book for a while. I am so thankful I had to chance to read this early and will be sharing with my fellow thriller lovers!

A rollercoaster of a ride – full of twists and turns you never see coming. Had me hooked at chapter one. Rowan is a detective who is trapped in a loveless marriage. She suspects her husband is cheating on her and being a detective, she finds herself in a perfect place to find out the truth. Aside from being in therapy for childhood issues she encountered and are still haunting her, she is involved in an investigation involving a serial killer. As the events in the story unfold, there are more twists and turns than anyone can imagine.
This book is fantastic, and I am looking forward to reading her other books.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with it this ARC in return for my honest review.

Wow, what a gripping thriller! So many twists and turns in the plot and at no point did I guess who was responsible! This was a well written thriller with great characters and plot.

I stayed up late so I could finish this book, I honestly couldn’t put it down. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

Detective Rowan Velky has a complicated life and a tragic past. When a serial killer starts killing wealthy women in her town, she has to confront her past if she is to solve the gruesome crimes. There are great twisty turns and a compelling psychological backstory that makes this a riveting thriller.

4 stars out of 5!

This book immediately drew me in and I ended up finishing it in one sitting. It is written in multiple POV which I really loved. There was a lot of suspense and a few big twists at the end. Just when I thought I knew what happened another twist was thrown in and I had been wrong. This is the first book I have read from Amanda McKinney and I was very impressed and can't wait to read more by her. I'd definitely recommend if you are looking for a psychological thriller with a very satisfying ending.

Rowland and Shepherd have been married for a while and everything seemed good, until it wasn't. Shepherd had become distant and Rowland thought he was cheating. She had been very busy at work as a detective (3 bodies have turned up, linking to a possible serial killer) but something wasn't adding up with her husband.

Thank you Netgalley and Storm Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Pub: March 29, 2024 by Storm Publishing

How was this my first read by Amanda McKinney!? After devouring A Marriage of Lies, consider me hooked on her killer plots and engaging writing style.

A Marriage of Lies delivers:
🖤 Morally grey and messy characters who make bad choices and mistakes - this is a compliment!
✔️A combo of psychological suspense and police procedural
🖤 Multiple POVs
✔️ A small town setting where everyone knows your name
🖤 A gruesome serial killer
✔️ Lots of misdirection
🖤 An ending that I didn’t see coming and left me wanting more

The story moves at a fast pace, with lots of unexpected turns and a deep dive into the characters’ minds. I can’t get enough of the psychology behind peoples actions and I would love to read more about what our cast of characters did next. I have my eyes on one person in particular…

Thank you @thrillerbookloverspromotions and @amandamckinneyauthor for including me on this book tour!

I can’t wait to dig into Amanda McKinney’s backlist :)

Detective Rowan Velky is unhappy in her marriage. Amber, her therapist, is also battling an unhappy marriage. However, Rowan’s problems go from bad to worse as a dead body is found with X’s carved into her eyes… As the bodies continue to pile up, with the same tell-take X markings, Rowan battles to solve the case before the FBI takes over. What message is the killer sending?

At the same time, Rowan’s suspicions of her husband’s infidelity increase and Amber tries to locate the owner of a mystery patient’s diary…

I think the flashbacks really help build the story, giving some hints while also misdirecting the reader to maintain the suspense.
Part mystery, part rom-com. This is an enjoyable, although somewhat predictable, read. The chapters were well paced, which made them really easy to read, clearly denoted a shift in timeline and built suspense.

I enjoyed the different storylines going on and how these eventually merged together. At times scenes felt a bit jumpy or unclear, more so towards the end of the book. The big reveal, followed by the resolution felt very quick and a bit too easy, which made it a bit unrealistic.