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 received a complementary copy of this book. The opinions expressed are strictly my own.

This was a quick, easy page turner and I liked the different POV of the characters. Although The twist was pretty easy to figure out , the ending was still satisfying.

I would recommend this book to others!

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

A MARRIAGE OF LIES had a fantastic premise and great cover—I requested it right away on NetGalley! The prologue set the stage for a compelling story that promised to be marked by an intriguing mystery and twists we would not see coming--fingers crossed. This is always my hope when I first pick up a new psychological thriller. Well, I can say without reservations of any kind that Amanda McKinney delivered in a very big way!! I enjoyed this book way more than I thought I would, with its unique plot, realistic dialogue, superb character development, and shockingly devious twists that will make you rethink everything you believed going into this story. And to enjoy A MARRIAGE OF LIES to its fullest extent, the less you know about it, the more you’ll love it.

We are introduced to Detective Rowan Velky, our protagonist, who is a truly fantastic character—strong, intelligent, resilient, and devoted to a fault. And if I’m honest, anyone who loves her dog as much as Rowan loves her Banjo, I love, too!! The way Amanda wrote Rowan was brilliant, as well as how she wrote the other characters in this poignant story. Poignant because threaded intricately throughout this novel are serious topics that deserve to have our most fervent attention, one of those being Alzheimer’s and its devastating impact. (I won’t list any others here for fear it may give something away.) But I do want to say that one of my favorite characters was Rowan’s Aunt Jenny, suffering from Alzheimer’s, whose love for her niece is so incredibly endearing. And then there’s former Marine, Detective Kellan Palmer, Rowan’s partner, someone we all need in our lives—a source of strength, optimism, and compassion when life becomes just too hard.

There is a large cast of characters, some more likable than others, some downright despicable, but each developed fully. The dialogue was fantastic, too, never stilted and so engaging. The multiple POVs were handled incredibly well, and with its short chapters, the pace of the book ran at lightning speed. I could not turn the pages fast enough. Had it not been for life’s mundane chores and needing to eat, I would have finished this book in one sitting!! I can’t wait to read my next book by this author!!

I want to thank NetGalley, Amanda McKinney, and Storm Publishing for gifting me the ARC of A MARRIAGE OF LIES! It was such a privilege to read this before publication. And I appreciate you trusting me with an honest review!

4.5 stars rounded up!

Rowan and Shephard have an odd marriage. They are really only together because they saved each other in their broken childhood.
Amber and Mark also have an odd marriage and have a child on the spectrum.
Rowan’s therapist is Amber who she thinks she can confide in. But can she?!
All of a sudden three women are found dead basically back to back but no trail of the killer is left behind. Not until Amber has something to confess. But is her confession to the police, what really happened?!
This book lacked suspense to me until the very end. It took me weeks to finish it which had me discouraged. Overall is was a good easy read. I did enjoy the writing style of this author since it was my first.
Thank you to NetGalley and Storm publishing for the opportunity to read this.

Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.
This was my first book by Amanada McKinney and she slayed it!! Wow!! A Marriage of Lies is twisty and left me spinning emotionally, and the ending was so good! I love it when a book continuously keeps me guessing. You will want to clear out your whole day to read this one!

This book took me for a wild ride. This is my first book by this author and her writing is so captivating. There wasn’t a boring moment in this book. I was constantly trying to figure out what the heck was going on.

She makes so many different people look guilty. The prologue kind of gives you an idea of how it ends, but that plot twist was perfection!

I had such a fun time with this book and look forward to reading more by this author!

If you like a thriller with a lot of twists, bad marriages, lots of drama, and some cheating, this might just be the perfect book for you!

Beyond thankful to NetGalley and storm publishing for the early access to reading this book!

Betrayal has consequences in this twisty, psychological thriller. I tend to rate thrillers pretty harshly, but this one was really good. There are several suspects and I kept changing my mind about who was the real killer right until the end. I went into this thinking it would be "just a detective" book, but its much better an exceeded my expectations. The author does a great job of feeding you parts of the story to keep this book thrilling and intriguing with no lull in the middle. Wonderfully told and gripping.

This was my first book by Amanda McKinney but definitely won't be my last. I'm glad to have found a new-to-me author with a backlog of books that I can binge read.

Thank you NetGalley, Storm Publishing and Amanda McKinney for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A MARRIAGE OF LIES is definitely a book I can recommend. I was drawn into the story immediately. I always enjoy a good psychological thriller and this one had it all. I liked the fast pace and the well thought out characters. I was intrigued the most by Rowan. There were so many secrets about her that I just had to know. I wasn't sure how all the pieces would come together and I was shocked to say the least. If you are looking for a quick, entertaining read, this is a great one to add to your list.

Many thanks to Storm Publishing and Netgalley for my gifted ARC.

This review will be shared to my Instagram account (@coffee.break.book.reviews) closer to the publication date.

Do you want a thriller where you are able to guess the next event but you are proved wrong? Then this book is for you. You don't expect a few twists, you see some yet you don't think it makes sense. Then you read through the whole thing and everything clicks into place. Highly recommend!

Truth be told, this is the first book I've read by Amanda McKinney and I am now planning to read other books of hers!! I have read this for only 5 hours while I am traveling back to the city (since I live in a countryside by the way) and this is one of the books that have kept me on the edge of my seat wanting to know what's next. I didn't expect for this story to have multiple twists and keep me guessing who the real culprit is!!! I am so thankful for Netgalley and especially Storm publishing!!! This is my first thriller book in 2024 and it was the BEST!!! I will be posting a more detailed review on Goodreads and bookstagram. I will be tagging both the author and the publisher! ALL THE BEST for this book!

I’m so glad I read this story. It’s not my normal genre, but I will be looking for more by Amanda McKinney. A story of marriage and lies. Who killed who? Full of twists and turns. It kept me guessing to the end.

4+

Rowan and Shepherd Velky don’t have the best of marriages, he’s a liar and she knows it and they’re definitely keeping secrets from each other. Rowan is a homicide detective in Blackbird Cove, Texas, and much more used to being on the questioning side of the table. Now though, she has to answer them.

Wow. This is an absolute glued to the pages mystery thriller if ever there was one! It’s a belter, a strap yourself in twisty, fast paced rollercoaster of a plot and yes, as well as being furiously whizzed on the rollercoaster, your jaw will end up aching from the reveals. There are several good red herrings and mic drop moments which are filled with tension and suspense. It’s so easy to read, it’s well constructed with short short chapters and alternating points of view that flow and make the suspicion antenna twitch furiously from one to the other trying to figure out the connections. All the characters have good back stories, parts of which are sad and moving. Rowan and her detective partner. Kellan are very likeable and the chemistry is intriguing.

I just wish the ending would have had a bit more to it as it’s a tad disappointing after the terrific buildup, hence the four stars rather than five. However, overall, this is a one sit read, as I find it very hard to drag myself away from the enthralling plot, which has all the ingredients of a good mystery thriller. It’s a highly entertaining read which is my first from this author and it definitely won’t be my last.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Storm Publishing for the much appreciated arc in return for an honest review.

Oh wow, this was such a good read, had me twisted in knots as I discovered how the characters were linked, some flawed and unlikeable just adding to the tension in the storyline.
In the prologue we have a woman confessing to murder and the pace just carries on from there, as the lead detective and her team try to find links with the victims.
A fabulous first read for me for an Amanda Mckinney novel.
I was gifted this advanced copy from Netgalley and Storm Publishing with no expectations of a review. More than happy to leave though

Just wow! Amanda McKinney knocks it out of the park! She is a new to me author and I can’t wait to read more This is a totally bingeable book, from cover to cover. The perfect hat trick. Police procedural, psychological thriller and a healthy dose of domestic drama. Hooked me from the very beginning and did not let go until long after I put the book away. Fantastic characters! All round great book!
Thank you Amanda McKinney, NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book.