A villainous heroine finds herself plunged into a seductive world of power, politics and murder in the court of the vampire king in this bloodthirsty debut from an unmissable new voice in fantasy romance. Perfect for fans of Hannah Whitten and S.T. Gibson.
Mistress of Lies ticks all the boxes for what I enjoy in a great fantasy, and it's unsurprising that this was one of my top tier reads of 2024. A vilainous heroine gets entangled in a web of secrecy, lies and betrayal as she tries to navigate the court of the vampire king.
K.M. Enright delivers a bloodthirsty debut with a murder mystery at heart, set in a city where unrest is brewing. I loved our heroine's mettle as she tried to manoeuvre and claim her place in the upper society. The sibling relationship with her brother was well portrayed, and I enjoyed the system of blood magic and the horrors that were gradually revealed. Looking forward to finding out how this series continues, in particular the poly relationship, as this was left on an interesting cliffhanger.

Mistress of lies started as a captivating read, starting with murder, mystery, corruption and intrigue in a dark and sensual world.

The book features a strong cast of characters each with strong motives.

I found that the politics started strong but then felt quite stagnant throughout most the book as we instead spent quite a lot of time focusing on character interactions which begin to feel quite grating as the interactions felt overly sensual for no reason- not something that interests me. Almost reminding me of A Dowry Of Blood.

The magic was a cool system, the magic, politics and inequality creates a dark and captivating story for justice.

Towards the end I found I begin to tire of the book, I would still consider giving book 2 a try as the start was very promising for a great book overall.

The individual threads of this story ties into one beautiful woven tapestry of a captivatingly beautiful and deadly, romantic tale with a clever twist on blood magic!
A remarkable debut I immensely enjoyed and really looking forward to reading the sequel!

I had a bit of a mixed experience with Mistress of Lies. The premise immediately drew me in—there’s something about a character like Shan, who is so calculating and mysterious, that promises a gripping story. The world-building is intriguing, especially the magic system that revolves around blood, which has a dark, almost sinister quality that adds an edge to the story. The way magic is tied to bloodlines and power creates a tense atmosphere, and the Eternal King makes for a chilling villain.
However, as the story unfolded, I found myself losing some of the connection I had with the characters, particularly Shan. While her actions are bold and her ambition clear, I often felt like I was being told about her motives rather than shown them. As the book went on, I struggled to maintain a strong connection to the characters or their motivations.
The dynamics between the main characters also felt a little disjointed at times. There’s a lot of interaction between Shan, her brother, and two love interests, but it didn’t always feel as compelling or as cohesive as I expected. The relationships, particularly the romance, lacked the emotional weight I hoped for. I was told there was tension and passion, but it didn’t always come through in a way that felt real or engaging.. I’m definitely curious about where the story will go in the sequel, but this book left me wanting more closure and clarity.
Mistress of Lies has a lot of potential with its rich world and complex characters, but I didn’t feel as connected to the story or characters as I hoped. While it’s an enjoyable read with some unexpected turns, I think it could have benefited from a bit more character development and a tighter narrative. I’ll be interested to see where the series goes, but for now, this one ends up as a neutral 3 out of 5 for me.

So I started this book a while back, I’ve managed to get just below 50% but for me this is the first book I’ve had to DNF
I thought the way it started I was going to absolutely love this book, like the ruthlessness with the main Fmc but once it was getting political I couldn’t keep going I just lost interest

Polyamorous vampires again? Yes please!

The first few pages immediately hooked me with action and smooth writing that kept me reading. It has angst, it has action, it has vampires and intriguing queer characters. Definitely a good autumn read !

Thank you to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group UK for the advance reader copy.

I will start by saying that the premise of this book sounded amazing and very interesting, but unfortunately I feel like the story itself feel into the waffling category of books.

There’s a lot in the beginning which feels like it’s setting up a fast paced story and then the pace becomes nearly glacial.

I found that this took me a lot longer to read than it should have and I wasn’t interested in any of the characters as the book went on.

This is a 2.5 review rounded up to 3.

I WANTED to love this so badly because it had everything I usually enjoyed and those things were honestly not that bad but this book's biggest offense was the writing style, especially since we were told everything and shown nothing. No atmosphere, no nothing. I'll keep an eye on this author but this debut wasn't it.

Started off promising but ended up disappointing on many fronts. Firstly, I don't think I ever read a book about an investigation less interested in investigating. The stakes were very high and the characters just bumbled around, attending balls and endlessly commiserating their misery. The book would go in circles, bringing up the same needles internal monologues... we get it okay. The twist was so predictable a character raised it as a possibility in the book very early on. The world was confusing, I don't understand the dimensions of the magic system, what they can do or the significance of any of it. The silver lining was the characters (mainly Samuel) and their relationships. Shan got on my nerves with the whole Sparrow obsession but seeing them together was cute.

I really wanted to like this but it needed more focus and fewer pages.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC, all thoughts are my own.

This book was intensely fascinating and compulsively readable, and I imagine that I will be thinking of it a long while after reading its final page.

Pretty much every character in this book is arrogant and foolish, which makes for an interesting, if often frustrating, story. Shan in particular is so certain of her cunning that you can almost believe it, were it not for the way in which everything seems to go wrong, or at least slightly to the left of what she had been planning. Everyone dances around each other, convinced of their own worthiness even in circumstances where such consideration should probably be suspect, and while I didn't dislike it, if they don't wise up a little in the next book I may rather lose interest. No one communicates with anyone else, even when they are working towards a common goal and know it, which to me just felt odd.

The one thing that rather baffled me, I suppose, was the ways in which the characters act regarding improving their society. Ostensibly, all of the three main characters wish to improve conditions for the Unblooded, but none of them seem to have a very clear vision of how to accomplish this and mostly act in self-interest with very little actual strategy. I was intrigued by the ways in which the book began to explore how revolution and societal improvement were viewed by the privileged versus the unprivileged, but it seemed to shy away from really committing to contemplating it and the characters' motives seemed so muddled by the end that it was hard to tell whether what I thought was touching on it was actually there intentionally at all. I'd very much like to see how this might be further explored in the sequel, though.

This book was faintly reminiscent of Blood Over Bright Haven to me, but with less of a distinct sense of its own identity and somewhat less of a willingness to look at the social issues that drive the plot directly in the face. I will be reading the sequel because I very much want to know what happens next but how that turns out will probably strongly inform how I feel about the series overall. This book certainly gave me a lot to think about, and I enjoy that in a story.

Mistress of Lies is a book that sweeps you away in a dark fantasy world of blood magic, horrific killings and actually morally grey characters, and I absolutely adored it way more than I expected. This is not your usual romantasy, but a thought-provoking story that intertwines a captivating plot with an interesting commentary about revolutions and the often hard costs of changes through its brilliantly built characters.

The only issue I had was probably the fact that for how fascinating the magical system was, a mix between common witchy magic and vampiric abilities, I would have loved a little bit more information about the actual dynamic of how it worked.
Nevertheless, the world-building was generally blended almost seamlessly into the story, while also providing a rich and interesting setting to the plot, and the writing was evocative, rich and easily flowing, perfectly fit for a book bathed in blood.

Characters-wise, it was simply perfect. All of them felt unique and all-round, playing their role in a layered game of conspiracies and violence: Samuel has a special meaning to me, for his heart of gold that has to constantly battle with that mix of anger and fear hidden in the deepest part of himself, and the way his thirst for justice and his rightful anger makes him so much hotter; and Isaac, even if he was extremely tired and stressed for most of the time, is such a marvelous character overall, almost as morally grey as Shan and so deliciously flirty.

But Shan was definitely the main character through and through: she is so unapologetically herself, never shying away from what needs to be done to fulfill her goals for the sake of the people she loves, for the greater good, and admitting it proudly.
She is beautiful, bold, and bloodied, and in a world of heroines who often keep their moral compass too much on the white side, she is a breath of fresh air, impossible not to get addicted to.

The romance between the Shan, Samuel and Isaac is one of my favorite parts of the book, and so perfectly written: it is the kind that makes you gasp and giggle your toes but also cry a little bit, steamy and filled with tension but also soft and comforting when needed. The way the feelings between them slowly develop (or reawaken) into something deep and true, not a fling or a quick romance but the soulmate kind of love, was so beautiful to read.
It was absolutely heartbreaking how a certain plot twist (which I probably should have expected, but ended up surprising and gut-punching me either way) influenced their relationship, and yet the feelings, the love, stayed there through the hardships and the mistakes – I truly can’t wait to see more of it in next book.

The non-romantic relationships were equally well done, from the loyal friendship between Shan and Bart, to the complex and bumpy one that bonds Shan and Anton in a way that often felt suffocating and in which, still, the love and the care were undeniable.

I recommend Mistress of Lies to those looking for a unique fantasy with a poly romance, brilliant characters ready to sacrifice (almost) everything for their rightful goal, and a truly creepy and unjustifiable villain (which the bookish world needs more of).

What a hook. Instantly I was sucked into this book and world. Completely obsessed with the fmc and the writing style. Poly romance AND political intrigue?! What a debut for an author I will absolutely be keeping an eye on from now on!

Thank you netgalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review

Whilst I enjoyed the idea of the plot in this book, I personally didn’t enjoy the way all of it was executed. I loved the mystery and trying to track down what was going on in the community in the book, but I found the romance part of this book very confusing, and just messy, I didn’t like the romance part of it at all. I think the book could have done without the romance.

I am a supporter of women's rights but, more importantly, I am also a supporter of women's wrongs.

Mistress of Lies has all the obvious elements that usually turn a book into an obsession for me: vampires; interesting magic; intrigue; and a female character whose crimes I can get behind. It was a lushly described dig into a new and interesting magical world. I love the magic system and how it's presented and used throughout this book, with creepy, beautiful, spindly claws and a lick of blood. I loved the representation in this book and many aspects of the main protagonists' characterisation.

Some things just fell a little bit flat.

I'm not entirely convinced by the romance between the characters. It feels a bit more like lust than love, which takes away some of the punch of the climax. Some of the characters' decisions and motivations are similarly unconvincing, especially so with Shan, who I felt could have been more selfish than she ended up being presented. I wanted to see more from secondary characters like Anton and more from the villain. Of course, this book does end with a nod to a sequel, so many of these issues are things I can sit on.

Overall, I think the vibe of this book mattered a little more to me than some of the substance - definitely enough so for a sequel to intrigue me.

This story started off so strong and had me hooked for most of it. I did however find myself losing motivation to finish the story as it felt like the plot slowed right down. The world the story is set in has so much potential, and I will be keen to see what comes next (hopefully much more of the Blood Worker magic!) the plot and romance sometimes felt rushed or flat, but for the most part this was an enjoyable start to a series which will hopefully only get better.

I was instantly taken into the story and the mysterious main character Shan in the first chapter - killing her own father after years of careful plotting is a very strong start. I also liked the magic set-up of the world, albeit a bit morbid, it was fascinating to dive into this world of Blood Workers and those whose blood they use for their magic, and to run the kingdom. Truly terrifying villain, the Eternal King.

However, the strong connection or intrigue I felt for Shan at the start got somewhat lost during the middle of the book, as her character becomes more about plot and arguing with her three male counterparts (brother and two love interests) than anything about her motives, her strategies or her inner world and power. We get told a lot that would have been lovely to be shown. That also goes for Samuel, the other main character. I felt a strong connection to him at the very start that I very quickly lost, kind of as he loses his connection to his roots in the world of the Unblooded - somehow the whys and hows of what everyone is doing is not clear to us throughout the book. I couldn´t really connect to the love story, either, we just get told that there is an intense connection, but rarely actually feel it. I will say that I did like Isaac as a character, being mysterious and hard to read to both Samuel and Shan. However, then those two should maybe be less hard to read for us in order for that to have an impact.

The ending was rather disappointing - not so much because I disliked what happened, although I kind of did, but more because not many of the plots that were opened up were actually closed, and it feels like everything is just a set-up for the big reveal in the following books.

Nevertheless, this was an enjoyable read with numerous shocking moments and turns that I did not see coming. Thanks to Orbit and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

i'm so sorry but i couldn't bear to read it. i don't know how to explain it but since the beginning i just know that i won't be able to fully enjoy it. sort of a bad first impression. something in the writing maybe. the main character failed to hook me into the story. but the cover is stunning, i give you that at least.

The characters in Mistress of Lies are a mixed bag of intriguing and underdeveloped. Shan LeClaire, the protagonist, is ruthless and driven by a fierce loyalty to her family, especially her brother. Shan’s cut-throat decision to kill her father to secure her family’s power sets the tone for her character – cunning, calculating, and willing to do whatever it takes. However, while Shan’s motivation is compelling, much of her brilliance as a strategist is told rather than shown. Her network of spies and political manipulation exists in the background, but readers rarely get to witness her genius in action, which limits our connection to her.

Samuel Hutchinson is portrayed as the “reader stand-in,” with little depth of his own. Samuel is slowly introduced to the world of blood magic, learning alongside the reader. But while his growth in power is pivotal to the plot, it happens off-page, leaving a lack of emotional payoff when he finally embraces his abilities.

Isaac, the Royal Bloodworker, is proficient in magic and deeply tied to Shan’s past. His complicated relationship with Shan drives much of the romantic tension in the book, and while his backstory offers intrigue, the romantic subplot often overshadows his character development.

The Eternal King, the book’s antagonist, is perhaps the most interesting character. His tragic backstory of grief over his lost family and his immense, mysterious powers make him captivating, though the book fails to fully explore his motivations and legacy. It left me wanting more insight into his character and his role in the political landscape of the world.

The world of Mistress of Lies is intricately built, steeped in political intrigue, messy families, and morally grey characters. The plot centers around Shan’s quest for vengeance and power, with the help of Samuel and Isaac, as they also investigate a series of mysterious murders for the Eternal King.

The book shines in its unique blood magic system, but it’s never fully explained or explored in a way that gives readers a true understanding of its mechanics. The political landscape is rich with potential, but the plot leans heavily into romance, slowing down the pace and limiting the depth of the political intrigue.

The romance subplot takes precedence over the mystery and revenge arcs, with poly and queer elements that add diversity to the story. However, the romance feels more driven by lust than emotional connection, and it often derails the main plot.

The murder mystery element was a strong point, initially drawing in tension as the group searches for a magical serial killer. But the mystery is soon overshadowed by Shan’s plans for revenge and the developing romantic entanglements, causing the narrative to lose focus. As a result, the book feels overstuffed, with multiple plotlines competing for attention without fully developing any of them.

Enright’s writing is generally engaging, but the pacing falters. The book starts strong with a shocking act of patricide but loses momentum in the middle with excessive exposition and a focus on the romantic subplot. While the setup of the world and its characters promises political intrigue, the delivery is slowed by romantic tension that feels repetitive and takes away from the story’s core themes.

At its heart, Mistress of Lies explores the theme of legacy and whether one’s fate is determined by birthright, talent, or circumstance. Shan’s story is one of rising above her father’s failures, while Samuel grapples with his ability and reluctance to wield magic. The question of whether we can change our fate or if we are bound by it is central to the characters’ internal struggles.

This novel leans heavily into the romantasy genre, focusing more on the relationships and romantic tension between characters than the larger political intrigue or fantasy world-building. Readers expecting a high fantasy full of complex plotlines and world-shaking stakes may be disappointed. However, if you’re looking for a fantasy romance with darker themes, Mistress of Lies will likely satisfy.

Positives of Mistress of Lies
Unique blood magic system with political intrigue.
Poly and queer romance elements.
Strong start with a gripping inciting incident (patricide).
Negatives of Mistress of Lies
Lack of depth in world-building and magic system explanations.
Romance overtakes the political and mystery plotlines.
Samuel’s character development is weak, and his power arc lacks emotional payoff.
Mistress of Lies by KM Enright offers an intriguing mix of blood magic, political scheming, and romance, but it ultimately leans more heavily into the romantasy genre than a traditional high fantasy. While it has a compelling start and an interesting cast of morally grey characters, the middle portion slows down with an overemphasis on the romantic subplot, losing focus on the more exciting political and mystery elements.

If you’re looking for a fantasy that centers on romance with magical elements in the background, this could be the book for you. However, for those hoping for a deeper exploration of political intrigue and magic systems, this novel might fall short.

Very intriguing premise, but the characters felt very surface-level, the dialogue wasn't to my taste, and the writing style was too full of telling over showing.

How wonderful to see another new author coming through with such a superb first book? A story full of adventure, romance, tension and magic - my students are going to adore this!