Cover Image: The Better Liar

The Better Liar

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Member Reviews

I really enjoyed this book so much. It has a really great plot, superb main characters and I read it in one sitting. I would highly recommend this book.

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Wowzers, this was one hell of a read.

A mind bending, psychological novel that is jam packed with twists, turns, deceit... everything you want from this genre!

A real twisted domestic thriller, dark and atmospheric you wont be able to put it down. Loads of misdirection and red herrings to add to the mix!

If truth be told the blurb didnt capture me but I went in blind and hoped for the best and I'm so glad I did. It's a fast paced read so get comfy and plough on through!

A solid 4*

A huge thanks to netgalley and Random House UK for the ARC.

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A twisty turny thriller full of dysfunctional relationships and unlikeable characters. It's cleverly done. .

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This started off really well as a sister finds her sibling dead of a drug overdose and then befriends another woman and persuades her to take the dead sister’s place in order that she can collect on her inheritance.

There are lots of twists and turns and for the first half of the book I was gripped. However, for me, it then became a bit silly. So, overall, a frustrating read with a ridiculous ending. Disappointing.

2.5*

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity to preview.

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Leslie and Robin are sisters but haven't seen or spoken to each other for 10 years. When their father dies and leaves them a fortune they need to reconnect. However, when Leslie turns up at her sisters flat all she finds is the body of her sister.
But, Leslie needs that money and is determined to stop at nothing to get it. She finds Mary, an actress and offers her money if she will be Robin. However, Robin's life was not all that it seemed to be and Leslie has secrets.
Who is the better liar?

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WOW this book has literally kept me up all night, I couldn’t put it down!! What a rollercoaster of a ride I have been on. Deep breathe!! How can I give this great book the justice it deserves without giving anything away!!! Here goes,

Leslie needs her sister Robin, so that she can claim their joint inheritance, she hasn’t seen her sister for years. She discovers Robin sadly is dead from a drugs overdose. Along the way she meets Mary who is hiding from an ex and convinces her to pretend to be her sister in exchange for half of the inheritance. They both need to sign the paperwork together.

The story is told from Robin’s and Leslie’s point of view and goes back to their childhood.

This is such a whirlwind of a book, there are more twists and turns than a rollercoaster ride and just when you think you know what’s going on there is another twist!!!

This totally surprised me especially the ending. I feel like I’ve been in the tumble drier on a fast spin and haven’t got my sea legs back!!

A must read book that I haven’t been able to stop talking about. This is definitely an author to look out for.

Thank you to Netgalley for my copy in exchange for a review.

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Well wow what a strangely twisted little book. Following the death of her father Leslie is trying to track down her missing sister Robin as she needs her to sign at the same time to claim their inheritance. What she finds is her corpse and decides to talk a complete stranger into pretending to be Robin.

With thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the early read.

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I don’t really know what to make of this. It was very slow going and didn’t pique my interest although the concept sounded interesting, it just didn’t live up to expectations. The plot got more interesting with the twist with Mary but even then it still didn’t really grab me. And I found Leslies reason for wanting her inheritance a bit silly. Thanks to the author, Netgalley and Harvill Secker for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

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After her father dies, Leslie must locate her sister, from whom she had been estranged for ten years, if they are to inherit his money.
When Leslie turns up at Robins’ last known residence she finds she is too late as she appears to have died from an overdose. Desperate to inherit she persuades Mary to impersonate her sister and agrees to split the amount with her.
Can Mary carry off the deceit? It becomes clear as the story continues that both Leslie and Mary have things to hide - will they get the money?

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The thing that got me the most was how easily Mary played Robin. She is a great con artist. I am such a fan of this book. Especially of the truly shocking twist at the end. And Leslie who despised her mother, has turned out to be an adult all to similar to her. I loved the guessing game of it all and I was honestly thrown back at how well Mary was written. I believed her every second, that she was simply a young woman who wanted to help Leslie and live her dream. Recommend to fans of Talented Mr Ripley.

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This is a thriller about sibling love and rivalry. The narrative is written from the perspective of three characters - Leslie, her sister Robin and Mary. It charts the sisters' dysfunctional childhood (after which Robin leaves and doesn't return) and, in the present, the period after their father's death when he stipulates that the sisters must get back together to receive their inheritance.

As the book enfolds there is a growing tension between the characters as there is a gradual disclosure of the events that led to Robins's disappearance and Leslie's current predicament. Needless to say there are a number of big twists as we learn the real truth. All in all a great debut novel.

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The Better Liar was a really great psychological thriller featuring two sisters, a will, lots of secrets and an attempt to pull off an end run around an annoyingly badly timed death…

This has a pitch perfect title because you absolutely know that everyone in this 3 way narrative is lying – Leslie, the alive sister, Robin the ghost, Mary the impersonator, all of them are hiding things and it’s a right old page turner of a read which may defy any attempt to predict it’s outcome. 

Really great writing and an unexpected tale of sisterhood in all its forms, The Better Liar is a twisty delight and I’m more than happy to recommend it.

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I struggled to like this book from the start. I didn’t engage with the characters as, to me, there wasn’t anything to like about anyone. I did persevere and read until the end but I’m asking myself why. Granted the ending was the best thing about the story but by the time I got there, I didn’t care about Leslie, Robin/Mary or anyone else in the slightest.

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Wow this book was awesome. A great psychological thriller to keep you on the edge of your seat. It was well written and flowed well. Great storyline. Couldn’t put the book down

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Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for a free copy of this ebook.
It really wasn't my preferred style at all. I thought that the characters were unappealing and their dialogue unrealistic. The plot twist at the end was predictable and in all felt that this book was disappointing. I wouldn't recommend it.

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I can't write much in this review for fear of sharing spoilers. What I can say is that this is a beautifully written, darkly plotted novel. Three unreliable narrators share centre stage - Leslie, a woman hunting for her long lost sister so she can inherit the money left by her father; Robin, Leslie's sister, dead from a drug overdose; and Mary, a stranger Leslie convinces to play the role of her sister for the benefit of the lawyers in control of her father's will.

I loved the twists and turns the novel took, and there were sections of writing so beautifully observed that I read and reread them. This is not the thriller I was expecting, but something far finer - an exploration of family, misery, grief, and mental health - and the ending took my breath away - I'll be very surprised if I don't see this on a ton of awards lists.

Five stars - and I can't wait to read more from this author..

Thank you to NetGalley, who provided me with a free ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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I am sorry to say that I really didn't enjoy this book.
It seemed rather dull and I failed to like any of the characters. As the final - but I felt predictable - twist was revealed at the end it seemed clear that they were not actually likeable anyway as everyone let everyone else down!
Much of the action, for example the initial meeting of the 2 main characters, seemed unlikely and contrived just to fit with the idea of the story.
I am sorry but I cannot recommend it.

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Considering this was the author's first book, I was really impressed. But having read a LOT of thrillers, this just didn't hit the spot for me. Sure, it was written well and the characters were multi-layered and interesting. Sure, I was intrigued throughout but when the major 'twist' was revealed, it was a bit disappointing. It just didn't feel particularly believable in the context of the story. Ultimately, I was hoping for more. That said, I think the author touches on some really important, taboo topics in the novel and I applaud her for doing so.

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This is a story of a dysfunctional family with two supposed sisters who are deceitful and treacherous. Their relationship has to be recreated after years of estrangement to satisfy the father's will. That leads to a story which switches from the elder sister telling her story to the next parts being by the pretend sister who writes her tale as both Mary then using the sister's name,Rose. All very confusing leading to an outcome that is never fully related. There is a lot of descriptive content which could be edited out to sharpen the story. If the book is designed to explore mental issues and suicidal tendencies,it does not really achieve that. The best character is the devoted husband of Leslie who does what she should do; looks after his family and gets on with life.

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Liked the idea of the plot and glad I read it, but still feel as if it failed to really deliver. Difficult to put my finger on exactly what I felt was wrong with it, it just didn't grab me the way I'd anticipated the plot would. On that basis a solid three stars.

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