This had the twists and turns that I was hoping for, it worked with everything that I was hoping for. It had that twists that I was looking for and thought the concept was so well done. Amanda McKinney has a great writing style and the characters worked with this plot.

March has been an exceptionally good month for my read and reviews with some amazing books. However, I have to say A Marriage of Lies tops them all.
A serial killer on the loose, with three wealthy women murdered and mutilated. Detective Rowan Velky and her partner Kellan Palmer are assigned to the case. Rowan has marriage problems. Her husband Shepherd, has lost his job and made no attempt to get another. He’s out every evening, coming home late and Rowan is convinced he’s having an affair. Both of them were brought up in care and met as teenagers. Marriage followed, and for a time everything was fine. However, Rowan’s reluctance to have children, after her own traumatic experiences growing up, cause a rift and that, together with Shepherd’s absence each evening, is creating serious problems. Rowan has regular counselling from Amber, who has her own marriage problems, plus concern over her seven year old son Connor, who struggles at school.
The story is written from Rowan and Amber’s viewpoints and as the case progresses the reader is pulled into the private lives of each of the women, who have more in common than they both realise. It’s a cleverly written novel, where nothing is quite what it seems and the finale provides a totally unexpected and explosive twist.
My thanks to Storm Publishing, the author and Netgalley for an ARC of A Marriage of Lies in exchange for an honest review.

First I want to thank NetGalley, Storm Publishing and Amanda McKinney for my ARC of A Marriage of Lies.

OMG! What just happened!? This book had me sucked in from the first page! I couldn’t put it down! I read it in less than 24 hours.This one was a wild ride and I definitely didn’t see the ending coming! The characters were well developed and I liked the multiple POV chapters. I was left wanting more! If you’re in need of a twisty domestic thriller this book is for you! This was my first Amanda McKinney book but definitely won’t be my last.

Four kept me up past my bedtime stars for my first Amanda McKinney read. In the small town of Blackbird Cove a serial killer is at work. Rowan Velky and her partner Kellan Palmer are a united front in catching the person who is targeting women and leaving a distinctive mark on their bodies. The title is well chosen. The marriages inside all seem to be built on lies. While this book kept me riveted to the action, there were some things that did not add up for me. Kudos to the author for including a character with my first name. I don't see that very often.

Thank you to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

A Marriage of Lies
By: Amanda McKinney

What an exciting book, I finished it in two days. I didn't anticipate all the twist and turns that this book delivered. The characters were relatable, well developed and engaging. I'm giving this book a 4 star review and withholding 1 star because the ending seemed a bit rushed or maybe I just wanted more closure from some pivotal characters.

A big thank you to Storm Publishing, Amanda McKinney and Netgalley for thus ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book is anticipated to be released on March 29th, 2024.

This book was absolutely incredible!! It's had me completely hooked all day, I've been reading at work, making dinner, in the bath and I just could not put it down! And I don't mean that figuratively. It's well written from multiple povs It's just so perfectly plotted out to make two seemingly unrelated incidents, converge absolutely perfectly! The way it all comes together is sheer genius. Overall its dark, it's twisty, there's some perfectly executrled misdirection and overall it's just a must read

WOW! What an incredible read!

Rowan is a homicide detective in a small Texas town. We also meet her therapist, Amber. Both women have troubled marriages.

Rowan is tasked with investigating a shocking murder of a young woman in a wealthy community. As she dives into the investigation, two more women are killed in similar manners. What starts as a murder investigation quickly turns into a serial killer murder investigation.

I don't want to reveal too much more about the plot, but let's just say a LOT of other crazy things are going on in addition to the murders. Who is responsible for the murders? The reader is kept guessing until the very end.

The story is told through multiple perspectives. Some of the perspectives and side stories seem completely random and unrelated, but all come together at the end for some shocking reveals. There were so many different moving parts. I was constantly trying to guess how everything tied together and was shocked with the final reveal. I also really appreciated the character development. I was fully immersed and connected with the characters.

This was my first novel from Amanda McKinney. I loved her writing style. Definitely will be reading many more from her! A Marriage of Lies is one of those books where you keep saying "one more chapter" and suddenly you find yourself finishing the novel in one or two sittings. One of my favourite reads of the year by far!!

Thank you Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

4.5⭐

Amanda McKinney delivers a crime thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat and glued to your Kindle!

As Detective Rowan Velky whilst sitting in a police interview, answers 'yes' to the question "Did you kill her?".

But why?

And what does her close relationship with trainee detective Kellan Palmer have to do with it?

Or that of her husband Shep. Who used to tell her everything. But she now believes is cheating on her.

And not forgetting her therapist Amber. Who can't understand why Rowan returns week after week to see her.

And with a twist very few will see coming. A Marriage of Lies is an intriguing read. That brilliantly combines the different threads together to make a compelling story. That I won't easily forget and would thoroughly recommend to all.

This one kept me on my toes. Wow! The characters were great and I particularly enjoyed Kellan. The story is full of twists and suspense. I couldn't read fast enough. I think it is my favorite book by this author. The ending was absolutely perfect!

I sped through this book in one sitting. It was everything I love in a thriller; twisty, suspenseful, and kept me guessing throughout. Big thanks to NetGalley, the author and Storm Publishing for the ARC copy of this great read.

A psychologically Acute Thriller.
A Marriage of Lies by Amada McKinney is a breathtaking book that you will find you cannot put down. Rowan Velky is the lone homicide detective in a small suburb in Texas Rowan is in a loveless marriage with her husband Shepheard. Shepherd has not worked in months and Rowans aunt who is currently battling dementia is living with them. Rowan is stressed out and overworked and is also seeing a therapist called Amber due to her job and her loveless marriage which Rowan refuses to leave.
Rowen is also working on a murder case where the victims' eyes were mutilated. Without giving anything away the book has two completely unrelated stories. One story is the murders which Rowen and her team are determined to solve. The other is her troubles within her marriage her therapist and the relationship between Rowen and the detective she is training called Kellen.
This is a brilliant book that has a great plot with many twists and turns. It has a very intricate plot, which is a psychologically acute thriller. The ending you will not see coming. Highly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley and to the publishers of this book for giving me a free advance copy of the book to preview and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Fast-paced read that I read in a day with lots of disparate strands that seemingly aren’t connected until they are! Short, fast-paced chapters with lots of twists and turns that kept me guessing. The story built to an unexpected ending which itself had its own twists and turns. Lovers of fast-paced thrillers will really enjoy this one!

Thanks to Thriller Book Lovers Promotions and Storm Publishing for this complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

I will post my review on my book IG, X and Threads on March 29 as part of the Thriller Book Lovers Promotion book tour for this novel.

WOWZA!!!!

This book is proof that you do not need a lot of pages to deliver a jaw dropping, shocking, addictive, and thrilling book!!!! Amanda McKinney knocked my socks off with A Marriage of Lies! I was glued to the pages and had to know what was going to happen next!

Rowan Velky is a police detective who gets called to the scene of a horrific murder scene. This murder victim has been marked with an "X". She and her partner, Kellan, have their work cut out for them as soon there is another woman murdered with an “X” carved in her body as well. Not only does Rowan have a murderer to catch, but she is also dealing with personal issues. She knows her husband has been lying to her...

A Marriage of Lies was a riveting and captivating read which became a twist filled page turner for me. There are several characters and POV's and at first, I wasn't sure how things would play out with all of them. Amanda McKinney has left me impressed with her well written, well thought out, and shocking book.

I didn't want to put this book down and devoured most of it in one sitting. My one issue is that the main character took her dog everywhere and left him in the car while she worked. Poor doggie.

Dramatic, addictive, shocking, and hard to put down! This was my first book by Amanda McKinney and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future!

Despite guessing what was going to happen for the final 'twist' as all of the main characters have their troubles it adds to the suspicion and intrigue of what is happening in the locality throughout the novel.

I particularly enjoyed how the plot concentrates on these character as opposed to the victims which was quite novel.
The background of the two main characters is dark and their seemingly ideal lifestyle was never going to last.

I did feel that some elements were not written about enough of seemingly forgotten (the neighbour, Aunt Jenny for example)

Looking forward to a thriller that will keep you engaged and guessing the outcome from the first page to the last? A Marriage of Lies by Amanda McKinney certainly does that and more. Detective Rowan Velky and her partner Kellan Palmer respond to a call in an affluent neighborhood to discover a young woman brutally murdered, added to the questions that rise at the scene is why is the letter X has been carved across victim's eyes. While still in the early days of the investigation, a second victim is discovered by Rowan during an evening run. This victim is marked with the X on her palm. Trouble in 3s? Definitely not routine for Rowan and her department so when a third victim is found the FBI is brought in. During this time Rowan's marriage
seems to be falling apart. Shepherd, her husband and soul mate have been together since they met while in the foster care system.as adolescents. Rowan is disturbed that he has lost his job, has rejected job offers and is drinking too much. She also believes that he is having an affair and she is determined to find out who the woman is, not just determined, rather obsessed This just provides a glimpse into what is happening, there is intrique and excitement .on every page. A Marriage of Lies is a compelling and fast-paced novel with believable characters and an ending that may surprise you. Even if you have an inkling as to the ending I believe you will find it an extremely satisfying read. Thanks to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and Amanda McKinney for the opportunity to read and review A Marriage of Lies. my review is voluntary, and reflects only my opinion. 4 stars

A Marriage of Lies by Amanda McKinney

Wow…Just ~ W OW ~ This is a twisty twisted tale with so many secrets and so much intrigue that I will need some time to process it, I think! Good job Ms McKinney!

What I liked:
* That it made me think and care
* I was absorbed by the characters and story as it unfolded
* The plot, pacing, setting, and writing were excellent
* The characters were not easy to like but I did feel I understood them
* The characters I felt most in tune with were Rowan’s dog Benjy, her aunt Jennifer with Alzheimer’s disease, and perhaps Chris & Emma
* That Kellan never gave up on Rowan
* The twists and turns and red herrings
* How it all concluded without any loose ends still needing to be tied together
* Thinking about all of that was covered - lies, secrets, infidelity, attempted suicide, murder, twisted love, unhealthy protectiveness, mental illnesses, criminal behavior and more
* That it made me think about love and loyalty and what people are willing to do in the name of love

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Knowing that abuse and abandonment of children happens all to often and the child fostering and care systems are often insufficient and even abusive
* The pain more than one suffered at various times in the story

Did I like this story? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Definitely

Thank you to the NetGalley, Storm publishing, and the author for the ARC – This is my honest review

5 Stars

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

Interesting psychological / domestic thriller with some interesting twist.

Good writing and character development. This story is about, two children put into the system at an early age, who become adults wirh various deep+seated problems (some based on abandonment) move forward into their adult lives.

Thia is also the story of two marriages, both falling apart - and the various impact of the individual's secrets and lies.

Another fantastic novel. Well written, relatable characters. I could never have guessed the ending. Trust no one on this story. Highly recommended xx

4 out of 5 stars!

I’m a detective. Why would my husband think he could get away with cheating? It is my job to figure out mysteries. We used to be in love. So in love, I couldn’t live without him. But now he lies and keeps secrets from me. I know what he did. When the detectives ask if I killed her, I say yes.

Wow! “Marriage of Lies” by Amanda McKinney is a fast-paced, emotional, and psychological read! I had a hard time putting down this book with all the twists involved and the short chapters that made the book fly by.

Rowan, our main character, was very likable and knew what the heck was going on. As a detective, she was picking up on clues and trying to figure out what was going on. I didn’t mind the other characters, I felt like they played their part very well and their actions lined up with their personality. Of course, I didn’t love them all, but you will find out why if you pick up this book!

I thought I was going to rate this book a 5 out of 5, but there was some stuff that prevented me from doing so. In my opinion, there were big escalations happening all throughout the book but, the ending was a drop-off. It wasn’t terrible, I was just expecting more craziness that lined up with the rest of the book. I also thought there were some unanswered questions that could have been explained. I think the ending could have been dragged out a tad longer to fill those plot line holes.

Pick up “Marriage of Lies” by Amanda McKinney on March 29th, 2024!

Thank you to Storm Publishing, Amanda McKinney, and NetGallery for a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

binged it! Pretty sure I read it in about 3 hours. That’s how you know you’ve got a good thriller! 👏🏻 Occasionally I thought I had this one figured out, but I was always slightly off, and that’s how I like it! If you’re looking for a quick read that will keep you on your toes, this is a great one!