An engaging psychological thriller with an original plot, morally ambiguous characters, intricate twists, alternating perspectives, fast pacing, a page-turner, and a surprise ending. Rowan, a protagonist in the story, a homicide detective in a small Texas suburb, investigates the mysterious murders of wealthy women in the area. The pacing is just right with concise and to-the-point chapters. Rowan is a likable character, and the story takes unexpected turns involving secrets, mental health, lies, jealousy, and murder. I don't want to spoil any surprises, so I won't say much more about the plot.

I enjoyed how the story intertwined multiple perspectives, leading to a surprising climax. This is what I love about thriller novels.

Thank you to Amanda McKinney, Storm Publishing, and NetGalley for the eARC.

I did the read the whole book but found its delivery depressing and difficult to follow. Basically A Marriage of Lies is a police procedural combined with a psychological thriller that didn't quite come off for me. Lots of secrets unravel between detective Rowan and her husband Shep told through different characters' points of view and switches between timelines. Not for me, sadly. Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.

So many twists!

A Texas detective, Rowan Velky is engaging and likable immediately. Married to her longtime love, Shep, she senses things aren’t as they were when he becomes evasive, and spends more time away from home and returning with the scent of alcohol. Not to mention their connection just doesn’t feel the same anymore.

Called out to the wealthy part of town, a young woman has been murdered and she and her team are tasked to solve it. Then another young woman is the victim of a homicide in an eerily similar fashion. And one more… seems there’s a serial killer in their small town!

The characters were all excellent and worked extremely well through the story. I did have the killer worked out, but there were enough twists that I didn’t care! Another page turner!

Thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and Amanda McKinney for the arc. Expected pub date 3/29/2024

I love this cover! It makes you want to read without even knowing what the book is about! First book by this author!

The one thing i liked about this book is the eeriness it has about it. There is multiple POV which is my favorite book, you get to see several different points and get to see which characters you like. It was well written and i just really liked this book because of the twists and turns within the story. It was a ride and will def recommend the author and this book.

Thanks NetGalley for letting me read and review.

This book was fabulous literally sucked me in and read it in a day I loved the characters so much I did not guess the ending

This book was fabulous! I devoured it in 2 days. Could not put it down. The suspense was perfect! The creepiness kept me guessing until the last page. Read this book! This author just became an automatic read for me! If she writes it I’ll read it! Thank you so much for allowing me to read this book as an ARC reader!

This book was a fast paced psychological thriller mixed with a police procedural that kept me wanting to find out more.

So many twists and turns that made me love this book more. Soo...Soo good

Thank you netgalley and storm publishers.

All thought are my own and isn't influence by anyone else

The book cover has an eerie feel to it, which I like. The multiple POVs were engaging. This book was incredible! I felt so many different emotions reading this. So many twists and turns. Once you think you have it figured out. BAM! Another twist. 😂 What a roller-coaster ride this book was. Definitely among my top favorite reads this year. (SO far)

*Some content in this book could be triggering to some people.*

What an incredible ride! Strap in, brace yourself and remember to breathe. The nerve shredding twists and turns will leave your stomach in knots. I am still reeling at this unexpected thriller.

Detective Rowan Velky gets called to the scene of a gruesome murder. The murder scene is in a upper crust part of town where these things do not happen. They are perplexed as the scene is clean of any forensic evidence. Whoever killed this woman knew how to cover up their crime. Meanwhile Rowan's personal life is in shreds. She is living with her husband, Shepherd. She is fairly positive that he is having an affair. He lost his job some time ago, and refuses to get another one. She feels she is in a loveless marriage. Both Rowan and Shepherd had a difficult childhood growing up in the system. You will learn more about their past throughout the book as each chapter is told from a character's point of view. Some are in the present day and some are in the past. This buildup just makes the story even more compelling and intriguing.

Someone is lying, everyone is lying, and secrets seem to be the norm in this story. As new characters are introduced, the plot thickens, literally. I cannot stress enough how fantastic this book is. Amanda McKinney has a quality to her writing that brings her characters to life. The characters in this book will live on in your head long after you close the book.

Thank you to Storm Publishing and the author for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This book was a fast paced psychological thriller mixed with a police procedural that kept me wanting to find out more. After reading the prologue, I was sucked in and just needed to get to the bottom of what happened to have Rowan in such a position! I liked Rowan as a character, though there were definitely multiple times throughout the book I was questioning and didn’t understand her actions. I enjoyed the multiple points of view and storylines that may appear unrelated until the twists hit! The bits of mixed media dispersed throughout the book would grab my attention everytime. The text message conversations and interview transcripts were a great addition to the storyline. I found that the information gained from these added to the story by quickly letting the reader immerse themselves before switching back to our narrator POV.
Not everything I read added up in my brain right away, but I was so satisfied with how the story ended and how all of the loose ends were tied up for the reader- again, the introduction of some mixed media came in extra handy! This was the first book I’ve read by Amanda McKinney, but it won’t be my last. I enjoyed her overall writing style and ability to create such a twisted and enjoyable plot. Short chapters are my favorite, and this book checked the box for that.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
The plot premise has potential but due to the choppy, repetitive writing its fails to deliver. The details were excessive and many were unnecessary as well as lacking research.
I would not recommend - but also wouldn’t discourage others from reading it.

4.5/5 (rounded up)
This was such a twisted, and gripping story. I was hooked from the very beginning. I enjoyed the multiple POVs as it gave the story more depth, and intrigue. I figured out the killer, but there were still so many twists I didn’t see coming, so that’s why it got 4.5 not 5 stars. There weren’t any slow spots, or parts I thought should be removed. I only wish there was a longer conclusion, as it felt a bit rushed. Highly recommend

Thank you to Amanda McKinney, Storm Publishing, and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest opinion.

Beneath the surface of every marriage there are secrets. This one is deadly.
My husband is lying. The minute he came home with alcohol on his breath and unable to look me in the eyes I knew it.
We used to be in love – the intense ‘I can’t be without you for a second’ kind. Where it hurts deep to be apart.
But now, we’re the couple that keep secrets from each other.
We hide the truth.
He thought I wouldn’t find out. I’m a detective – it’s literally my job to uncover clues and solve mysteries.
I know what he did.
And now I’m sitting here, in a police interview, being asked the question ‘did you kill her?’ to which I utter one life-shattering word: ‘yes.’

The details of this book immediately drew me in and I knew I had to read it. This was my first novel by this author and overall I liked her writing style, as I usually do when there are multiple POVs, and the chapters were short, which I also really enjoy. There were parts that I found to be slow paced and there are a lot of characters to keep up with, but the characters are well developed and the relationships are interconnected within the story…but that's all I can say without giving anything away. This book had everything I love in a thriller: jealousy, lies, secrets, tension, twists and turns, along with a bit of murder! I loved the use of multiple narrators and flashbacks, to create an image in my mind of the bigger picture, and it had me guessing the entire way through. I was able to piece together a few pieces of the puzzle, but ultimately my detective skills were no match for McKinney, as there were still many moments where I was shocked. I also enjoy a book that ties up all the loose ends at the conclusion of the story (unless they are planning for a sequel) and this book made it all make sense. Overall I found it to be a very enjoyable thriller and I am looking forward to reading more books from this author. Everyone check it out when it releases on March 29, 2024.

I was intrigued by the premise of this book and completely drawn in by the prologue. This psychological thriller combined with domestic drama and police procedural was fast paced and really kept me guessing. McKinney wrote a compelling story that had relatable characters and some amazing twists that I didn’t see coming.

The book is told from two points of view. Rowan, a detective who is trying to solve a vicious homicide, and Amber, a therapist. While reading the first third of the book, I couldn’t figure out how the two perspectives would interact but then McKinney started to weave their stories together slowly putting the puzzle pieces together. The big twist completely shocked me and I loved how the twists just kept on coming.

In thrillers, sometimes it’s hard to connect with the characters but Rowan was such a relatable character. As a detective, she was strong and confident but as a wife we saw her insecurities. I liked reading about her struggles both past and present and found her to be a fully fleshed out character.

This was my first book by McKinney but it certainly won’t be my last. The short chapters and pacing worked so well and once I started I didn’t want to put this book down. Thank you Thriller Book Lovers Promotions and Storm Publishing for a digital review copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book almost felt like an episode of Law and Order: SVU. It’s a twisty mystery that will make you think you’ve figured it out only to realize you haven’t! Once you pick it up, you won’t want to put it down!

𝗠𝘆 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 4 ⭐️
A MARRIAGE OF LIES
🤍𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: thriller
📖 273 pages
𝗘𝗺𝗼𝗷𝗶𝘀: 🕵🏼‍♀️🚔💀🩸😮📓🔪😵🐶
𝗣𝘂𝗯 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲: 3/6/2024

🩵𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲🩵

Thank you @thrillerbookpromotions @amandamckinneyauthor for the #gifted digital copy!

Wow, what a rollercoaster! From start to finish, A MARRIAGE OF LIES had me on the edge of my seat. The intricate web of connections between the two MC’s, Rowan & Amber, kept me guessing until the very end. Every character felt like a potential suspect, adding layers of suspense & intrigue to the story.

The dual POV, past chapters, text messages, & mysterious depositions were brilliantly woven together, keeping the pace fast & the plot gripping. I couldn't put it down, eagerly trying to connect the dots & uncover the truth. With its twisty narrative & relentless suspense, this is a must read! It’s super bingeable & delivered an unforgettable ride!

⚠️ mental health, child abuse, self harm, eating disorder, infidelity

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:
◽️ who dun it
◽️ dual POV
◽️ not knowing who to trust

𝗣𝗹𝗼𝘁: Suspicion grows when my husband returns reeking of alcohol, avoiding eye contact, triggering a realization of his deceit. Once deeply in love, now we're a couple harboring secrets. Despite his assumption of secrecy, as a detective, uncovering truth is inherent to my profession. I unearth his misdeeds & find myself in a harrowing police interrogation, where I confess to the chilling question: "Did you kill her?" With one word, my life is forever altered: "Yes."

I think I started off liking this book more than I did when it ended… I loved our main character of Rowan Velky and her backstory, but some of the other characters not so much. I also found this story to be quite predictable, which is okay- but it took away from the shock value that I was expecting.

In this story we have Rowan Velky who is an unhappily married homicide detective at the Blackbird Cove Police Department. Rowan’s husband, Shepherd hasn’t worked in months and her aunt who is currently battling dementia is living with them. Rowan is stressed out and overworked.

We also have alternating chapters of Amber in this story. Amber is Rowan’s therapist. Amber is yet another unhappy married woman. Not only is Amber unhappily married, but she just learned that her young son has some cognitive issues as well.

While we are learning about the lives of Rowan and Amber, there are three murders that take place in the town. Rowan is on the case to find out who and if there is a serial killer involved. All these women have distinct markings on them, so it appears that they must all be related somehow. But who will get to the bottom of these murders? And why were these women killed in the first place?

This was a fast-paced book that I did enjoy, I just didn’t love it. I did however, love the short chapters and Rowan’s character. Moving forward, I would love to read more about Rowan Velky and hope that there might be a sequel to this book!
(3.5 stars- rounded up)

Many thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing, and the author for an ARC of this book which I had the pleasure of reading. Publication date: March 29, 2024.
Genre~ General Fiction (Adult), Mystery & Thrillers

This is the first time I read a book by this author and it won’t be the last!
I started this one yesterday evening and finished it at dawn, it was such a page turner that I didn’t want to put it down!

This story was told from multiple POV and a couple flashbacks as well. It flows smoothly with great and easy to read writing style that comes with short chapters which get me hooked into the story very early in the beginning.

There’s a lot of red herrings thrown throughout the story, it was quite difficult to figure out the culprit. I wasn’t so sure until the end, so the big reveal is quite surprising.
While I really like the plot twist, the story ended slightly too rushed. Instead of showing, it’s more of telling the readers of what happened after.

Overall, this book is a gripping fast-paced psychological thriller with unexpected plot twist that really surprise me!
I’m looking forward to read more books by this author in the future!

Special thanks to the author, publisher and netgalley for giving me an e-ARC and to Thriller Book Lovers Promotions for having me on this book tour. I’m leaving this review voluntarily!

⚠️ 𝐓𝐖: suicide attempt, murder, child abuse, addiction, brief mention of cancer and child death

Banjo! Amanda McKinney you had me hooked within the first three sentences of chapter 1, as I am owned by a Banjo myself.

“He thought I wouldn’t find out. I’m a detective – it’s literally my job to uncover clues and solve mysteries.

I know what he did”

I wasn’t sure what to expect aside from marital issues and secrets but this book is so much more. The prologue piqued my interest and I couldn’t put it down. There are so many twists and every time I thought I had it figured out it would keep me guessing.

This was my first Amanda McKinney book and it won’t be my last!

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

This book was awesome in every way. The first time I read a book by this author and she was outstanding. I never expected the book to be like this and it was so much different and better than I anticipated.

This book definitely kept me guessing and I couldn’t put it down as it’s so good. I will be looking out for more books by this author

The finest twisty thriller that had me hooked from the beginning.

Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing