I have been reading Louise Jensen books since the beginning and she is absolutely an auto read author for me. She has a way of taking her seemingly innocent and normal characters and throwing them into a world of chaos and drama, with short chapters that leave you wanting more, this is a tough book to stop reading.

The Abbott family seems from the outside to be your average family, very loving and caring. But when Mel, the mother goes missing, their lives become as series of confessions or secrets. At the same time the lodger they had arranged arrives and the girls, Jen and Amy start to think that he knows more than he is letting on about their mother’s disappearance.

Now there is much more to the story than that and it does get a bit complicated. I was never confused though, as the author is so clever with her multiple points of view and timelines. There are so many unexpected twists and turns that you won’t be able to out this book down until you know what on earth is happening, and why. So well done.

Thanks so much to HQ for my advanced copy of this book to read. Get it on your TBR, out on April 24th.

✨ 𝐋𝐨𝐮𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐉𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐧 ~ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐚𝐫 ✨

📍 Publication Date: 24th April 2025 📍

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

@fabricating_fiction

I was elated to be sent an Advanced Readers Copy of The Liar from @netgalley 📕

This is a suspense filled psychological thriller that intricately builds on strong female family bonds and friendship. How friends can become family and how family is everything. Amongst these tight connections there are woven secrets and lies that threaten to blow a family apart.

The Abbott family consists of Mum Mel and daughters Jen and Amy. Camilla is Jen’s best friend who the Abbott’s have wrapped their arms around and included her as their own along with her small son Mason.

An odd lodger moves in and Mel goes missing. Who is this lodger? Where is Mel? Would she really leave her family so suddenly with no real warning!

Louise’s characterisation of Mel, Jen and Amy is impeccable and reminded me of the closeness between my Mum, sister and I.

There were clues left throughout that nicely bring you to your major plot twist along with further unexpected events and shocks that blindsided me along the way causing huge ripples throughout the story.

Can poor decisions, made under intense pressure and panic make someone a bad person?

It was a book that I wanted to quickly read to figure out what happened to Mel and on the flip side I wanted to savour every word!

I have only read All For You but it’s time I started making my way through Louise’s back catalogue! Will you be preordering this? You’re crazy not too!

#bookstagram #booknerd #booklover #bookaddict #thrillerreads #thrillerreadsrecommnedation #thrillerbooks #bookreview #booklove #bookcommunity #crimefiction #crimebookjunkie #thrillerbookvibes #thrillerbookreccomendations #thrillerbookaddict #thrillerbooksaddict #advancedreaderscopy #ARC #louisejensen #theliar

THE LIAR BY LOUISE JENSEN.
Release date set for the 24th of April 2025.
This is my first book by this author so i went in with a fresh set of eyes.
I thought this story was well written.
There are multiple POVs.
Also there were plenty of twists and turns which were really good.
Fast paced and really engaging throughout.
I will definitely be looking to see what other books this author has released

✨️Another Louise Jensen book that I just loved! If you know me you know I love a multiple POV, and this was done incredibly well! The character development and the attachment you can build with the characters on so many different levels is something that will forever amaze me about Louise's writing! The bond between all of the female characters is something that comes through in so many different aspects.

I found myself going through a roller coaster of emotions throughout this read, and I must admit, Amy is probably my favourite character! She was funny, courageous, and determined to get to the bottom of where her mum was and unearth all the secrets that seem to have been buried within the family for many years✨️

So in The Liar, we meet the Abbotts; mum Melissa who lives with her daughters Jennifer and Amy. There's also Jen's best friend Camilla and her young son.
Mel tells her daughters that she is taking in a new lodger called Luke, that she has met, thoroughly vetted, and that he will be arriving on a certain day, but that she won't be there as she's going to visit her brother for the night. Whilst Mel is gone, a man arrives at the door and seems to make himself at home. Luke is asking lots of personal questions, looking at family photos, and Amy even finds him going through her mums desk!
They start to wonder if Luke is who he says he is.

The girls then receive a message from their mum saying she needs a break, which is completely out of character, and then radio silence. Hours then turn to days and nobody has heard from Mel or managed to track her down.
Maybe the Abbott family aren't what they seem either?

📍The Liar is out 24th April 2025📍

I was luckily enough to be approved for this ARC on Netgalley, but then I also had a proof of The Liar sent to me by Louise herself, and I'm incredibly grateful to Louise for doing so!
*All opinions are my own*

“There's a saying that goes something like in life, you only regret the things you didn't do but that's not true, is it? There's so much I'd change if I could.”

Meet the Abbott family - Mel and her daughters, Jen and Amy - whose seemingly ordinary lives take a dark turn when they welcome a lodger, Luke, into their home. At first, he appears to be the perfect tenant, but it soon becomes clear that he’s hiding something.

But Luke isn’t the only one with secrets. This family is absolutely drowning in them, and when Mel suddenly disappears, the truth begins to unravel in shocking and unexpected ways.

Told from multiple perspectives (Mel, Jen, Amy, and their friend Camilla) across different timelines, The Liar is a masterclass in suspense. If that sounds complicated - don’t worry. Jensen executes it flawlessly, keeping the narrative clear and immersive without ever losing momentum. Just when you think you’ve figured things out, she delivers a twist that flips everything on its head. The short, punchy chapters - especially toward the end - make it impossible to put down.

The characters are deeply layered, neither fully good nor bad, but flawed, impulsive, and intensely human. The dynamic between the Abbott women is one of the book’s strongest elements, and Amy, with her inquisitive nature and love of classic detective shows, stands out as an especially endearing character.

While the novel leans into a familiar thriller trope - the mysterious lodger (which I personally love!) - Jensen breathes new life into it with fresh twists and an unpredictable, gripping plot.

This is my second read by Louise Jensen, and I’m officially a fan! I already have The Fall and The Family waiting on my shelf and I can’t wait to meet The Finch Family in book eleven, coming in 2026! 🤩

A huge thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this - all opinions are my own.

When Camilla and her son Mason leave the Abbott family home to get a place of their own. It leaves a big gap in the Abbott’s lives and a spare room. They decided to get a lodger in. Luke arrives although Mom Mel isn’t there when he arrives. Luke tells Amy that everything has already been arranged.
But Luke is not all that he seems, when he starts asking questions about the family Then Mel disappears texting Amy that she needs ‘A break’ Amy senses something is not right with it all.
I thank the publisher for a copy of the Liar by Louise Jensen. This is another gripping, tense thriller about secrets and lies and family values. I found this to have an intricate plot, and I did enjoy this for me personally but at times I got a bit confused when the character kept reflecting back and forth of what was then and the present. But like the authors other books. It is well worth the read. 4 stars

Louise Jensen for me has become a must read over the years. An automatic buy author, so my expectations were high with this one. It didn’t disappoint.

It had all the elements I’ve come to expect from Louise Jensen over the years. It had mystery and suspense, was tense & emotional. The author perfectly weaves these elements together with lighter moments, that perfectly balances out.

I love stories with multiple timelines, when it’s done properly I find it exciting and it brings a lot of depth to the book, it really allows the author to explore more of the plot line and add extra dimension to it.
Combine that with the multiple p.o.v.’s and you have a fully fledged, multi layered read that has everything you could want from a book in this genre.
I’d happily recommend this to everyone, if you don’t usually read this genre, I’d still say to pick it up and give it a go. There’s enough going on in it, that there’s sure to be something to grab your attention.
5 stars!

When family friend Camilla decides its time to move into her own place with son Mason it leaves a gaping hole in the Abbott family home and an empty room. Mel decides to get a lodger, though she's very clear that it has to be someone that both her and the girls feel comfortable with and when Luke arrives on their doorstep he seems the perfect fit.

From the outset its apparent that Luke is hiding something, though in fairness that doesn't alter his suitability as contrary to my initial thoughts regarding the closeness of the Abbott family, they have so many secrets from each other it rattled my brain.

A tense, engaging domestic thriller, more than once I thought I'd guessed where it was going only to be proved wrong. There's a lot going on and with multi threads and differing narratives The Liar certainly kept me on my toes. Started strong, levelled out a bit and from midway through was edge of the seat stuff that had me reading late into the night.

This is the easiest 5 ⭐️ rating I’ve given in a while! Sometimes I’ve to think a little about if it’s a 4/4.5 or 5 but this was an easy decision. From a strong, tense opening, to a tough, heartfelt but hopeful ending, Louise Jensen wrote an excellent story.

I’m going to have a major book hangover from this one!

It was both tense and suspenseful, funny and familial, and I don’t think I’ve connected more with a family than I did with the Abbotts. Their closeness seeped out of every page, and their highs and lows really pulled on my heartstrings.

The story is told from 4 POVs (Mel, Jen, Amy and Camilla). It pulls you into 3 different timelines; now, 5 years ago and 4 weeks ago. The storyline of 4 weeks ago brings the reader through the events that lead to the present mystery of Mel’s disappearance.

The storyline from 5 years ago seems separate to the current storyline, but we quickly learn how Jen and Cam’s time in college have shaped them and their story, and how the past can never stay hidden.

Much like Mel’s view of people, Jensen writes characters who aren’t good or bad, rather they are complex, impulsive, emotional, and just trying to find their place in a chaotic world.

I didn't love this as thrillers go, it was a bit all over the place with the plot and the multiple POVs, the story is good but it just felt like it was missing a bit of 'oomph' which was a shame!

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

I did really enjoy this book, it was full of twists, turns and red herrings. Definitely my favourite Louise Jensen book so far. A good solid thriller and the ending had me hooked, could not put it down! Would recommend.

A good contender in a common trope. The mysterious lodger is being done a lot in thrillers, but that's no bad thing, especially when it's done well.

Overall I enjoyed this book. The writing style was nice, the characters felt realistic and full of life, and the pacing was good. There were a number of twists and turns to the story, which I enjoyed.

My only criticism is that I don't know how memorable this book will prove to be - in a crowded genre, it didn't really bring anything fresh or exciting, and I have read many similar plots before.

Having said that, I would recommend this book, especially to new thriller fans.

The Abbott family has a new lodger, Luke. But Mel, Jen and Amy have no idea what they have let themselves in for. Because Luke has his own agenda, and this close knit family is not really prepared to handle what enters their lives alongside their lodger...

When the mother of the household Mel unexpectedly goes AWOL, supposedly because she "needs a break", no one really knows what to make of it. Because this is so out of character for her.

But that is not the only strange thing going on. Jensen maintains a high level of suspense throughout, and despite a slow start, the number of twists and turns along the way make more than make up for that. Well worth a read.

Wow!!! Just wow! This is the best book from Louise Jensen yet!!

The characters are complex but relatable. The storyline is fast-paced but not confusing. The family dynamic is really interesting, too.

I loved Amy! She is clever, inquisitive, caring, funny, and brave. Her love of old detective shows was really endearing. I also loved the bond between Melissa, Jen, Amy, and Camilla. It's somewhat unconventional, but it works for them.

The twists and turns in this book genuinely floored me. I was messaging a friend with 😲🤯.

This is a solid 5 stars and already a contender for book of the year 2025!!

Twisted and tense, this kept me reading right to the end in almost a single sitting. The Abbott family is close knit and their lives are turned upside down when lodger Luke moves in. This is a psychological domestic thriller. Jensen delivers what she does best; taking ordinarily people leading ordinary lives and turning it into something extraordinary. It’s a slow start as the characters and background are introduced but it cleverly builds layer upon layer. It’s a pure escapist read, kept me engrossed from start to finish and as always, the final chapter blew me away, Ticks all the right boxes and I loved it.

A thriller which has so many twists and turns to be revealed. I enjoyed this book very much, Louise is a very strong thriller author. Definitely one of my favourite books by her. Would recommend.

Jen lives with her mum and sister to help her with the bills Jen is a schoolteacher her mum a social worker her best friend has moved out of their home with her son to try go on her own. but she is struggling they help out when can .so Jen's mum decides to get a Lodger Luke. the day he turns up Jen gets a message of her mum that she staying at her brothers have a break. but things are not adding up to Jen won't say no more, but this book is so addictive. lies secrets and someone will do anything to hide their secret an amazing read

Louise Jensen is an author that you should always have faith in. This book felt a bit slow to begin with, but I think the book needed that. Growing to know the characters and their traits was fab and completely would have ruined the book without it.

Mel, Jen and Amy are wa close knit family. Like most, they have their secrets but enter Camilla and you have a full luggage set.

The journey these characters went through was like getting on rollercoaster and strapping yourself in for them bumps and twists in the ride.

You can always count on Louise to answer every question, lay it all out for you as you stroll through the pages.

Another fantastic book that almost had me crying at the end for the character and the situations they were facing. Maybe even emotions for the wrong people. Another fab book as always!

*The Liar* is a gripping psychological thriller about the Abbott family, whose lives are turned upside down when a mysterious lodger named Luke moves in. As his interest in their personal lives grows, tension builds, especially when Mel, the mother, suddenly disappears. The story unfolds through different perspectives, keeping the mystery of Luke’s intentions alive while exploring the family's hidden secrets and struggles. With sharp pacing and emotional depth, this book will keep you hooked until the very end.