The Better Liar was a book that I went into with high expectations after hearing so many great things about it. For that reason it was bumped up my to be read list and I am really glad that I did. This book was clever, twisty and addictive. Definitely a “ just one more chapter “ book. I really wanted to see how it was all going to play out and the ending was brilliant. This book will be big in 2020.

Leslie and Robin are sisters, who have not seen or spoken to each other for more than 10 years. But their father has just passed away and his will states that both girls must meet with the lawyer in order to get their inheritance. Leslie manages to track Robin down in Vegas but when she gets there her sister is dead. She meets Mary, a struggling actress and the pair drown their sorrows together. It is then that Mary is offered the role of a lifetime with a payout that will change her life.. the part of Robin. Can the girls pull this off? They are so different and the lies start to be unearthed. The twists that this book takes are fantastic and had me wanting more.

Thanks to Random House UK, Vintage Publishing and.Netgalley for y advanced copy of this book to read. All opinions are my own and are in no way biased

.... and the Oscar goes to ....... Mary, for her winning performance, skilful chameleon like adoption of personas at the drop of a hat, her methods of acquiring and using information to her advantage, her resourcefulness, her survival, her mirror faced beauty, her intelligence and disingenuousness. You snooze, you lose Leslie, you caught a tiger by the tail. So, what’s that all about? Leslie’s sister Robin ran away from home twelve years ago. In order to secure an inheritance from their father both girls need to present themselves to a law firm so Robin needs to be found. Leslie tracks her down in Las Vegas but it’s too late as Robin is dead. By chance, Leslie meets Mary, a waitress, who bears a resemblance to Robin and a deal is struck - Mary will impersonate Robin. What follows is twist upon twist, secrets piling in top of lies, fear, shocks and traps in a gripping and intriguing thriller. The story is told in alternate storylines from Leslie, Mary and Robin and this flows extremely well.

This is a really enjoyable read which keeps you guessing and the intrigue throughout. Though I did work out one of the twists that in no way spoils the unfolding drama. Though not necessarily all likeable, the characters are are well crafted. Leslie is disconnected at times, she lies but you realise that both sisters have been riddled with secrets that are burdensome. Mary is more likeable but she devious. There is a lot of tension, fear, surprises and plenty of things that you don’t see coming. Revelation builds on top of revelation: about Leslie, about Dave who is Leslie’s husband, about Robin and Mary and you are just recovering from one when the next one blindsides you! The dynamic between Leslie and Dave, Leslie and Mary is fascinating and some of it creates a really brooding atmosphere which I especially like. The end is excellent and certainly not what I expected!

Overall, a very impressive debut novel, cleverly written so you keep being surprised, it’s tense, intense, twisty and dark.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Random House UK, Vintage Publishing for the ARC.

This book is about two sisters who have led separate lives for the last decade. Until now. Their father has died and his will stipulates that they must meet the Lawyer together to claim their inheritance. Leslie must find her younger sister. She heads to Vegas where she meets Mary after finding her sisters body. She offers Mary money to pose as her sister which she accepts.
This book is fast paced and deals with a subject that is still taboo. The end is surprising. A good read.

Leslie and Robin need to work together to claim their inheritance, only Robin is dead, living under an assumed name and seemingly overdosed.
Step up Mary, wannabe actress who is prepared to pretend to be Robin in order to get her share of the money.
There are hints about the sisters childhood that lead you to believe you can understand Leslie a little better as each chapter passes but her current circumstance and her reasons for being so desperate for the money are less understandable.
Initially it seems like Mary is doing all of the lying but Leslie holds her own and Mary soon finds out that some of Leslie's facts are indeed fiction.
With a nice twist at the end this is a cleverly plotted book although a little thin on the characters background for my liking.

The story in this book is one that keeps you wanting more. As you learn more about the girls and hear the account from “Robin” you start to understand their childhood was dotted with issues which had such an overarching impact on them and how they operate.

The main character Leslie is not the most likeable but you have this desire to know more about her and understand why she is the way she is. All the whole learning about Robin and Mary as they also try and piece together the puzzle that is Leslie

The twists at the end come at you thick and fast that I ended up ploughing on through the book until the early hours.

Overall it’s a good read about relationships, secrets and love. How deep of a love really goes.

I received this book via net gallery. Thanks for the read.

My thanks to NetGalley and publisher Random House UK, Vintage Publishing, for the ARC.
This was an OK read - not, I think, an entirely unique base-plot, with a presumptuous and almost predictable conclusion.

Rachel Vreeland is dead from an overdose in her room. Really Robin Voigt, she had been estranged from her family for 10 years. Her sister Leslie has tracked her down because their father had died and a healthy amount of money has been left to them both. The problem is - Leslie needs Robin alive and able to sign papers to release the money she so desperately needs.

Enter Mary - a would-be actress currently waiting tables, she befriends Leslie in Las Vegas where her sister died, and in return the pair of them hatch a mutually-agreeable plot to obtain the inheritance.

The story is told from a three person perspective - Leslie, Mary and Robin

I'm afraid I found a considerable amount of narrative/ dialogue to be repetitive - musing memories - emotional examinations and decision=making - a good skim-reading work-out.

If you don't work it out beforehand then there's a major twist - however I found it rather predictable.
Whose the better liar? The one who comes out on top!

A good-enough read if you have nothing else on the shelf.

The Better liar has a fantastic plot idea and I was excited to see where i5 went. Unfortunately while reading I wasn’t very invested in the story, I disliked both characters and the writing style isn’t my cup of tea. There’s a lot of lies to shift through and I was quite happy with the ending.

I would recommend to casual readers.