This thriller is one of the most intense and emotionally charged books I've read in a long time. The narrative pulls you in with its dark, intricate plot and relentless suspense, leaving you on the edge of your seat. The characters are deeply developed, each adding to the overall tension and emotional weight of the story.

The audiobook version enhances the experience significantly, with a performance that perfectly captures the book's chilling atmosphere and complex emotions. It’s rare for a thriller to resonate so profoundly, making this read both compelling and haunting. If you’re looking for a thriller that will stay with you long after you’ve finished it, this one is highly recommended.

I got about 20% through this audiobook before I figured out why I kept getting myself confused...it was the narrator! She wasn't doing anything wrong, it was jsut that she is distinctive that her voice had stuck in my head and I had not long ago listened to another murder mystery that she narrated and kept expecting those characters to pop up!
The narration is great though and has the perfect voice for our victimand the vibe of this story.
Will and Sarah Trent, are finally married and on their honeymoon and for what seems to make perfect sense for Will is to book a honeymoon based upon his past. The characters of this mystery were really interesting and the whole concept gave almost an old school agatha christie type murder mystery. There's only so many suspects due to the location and it turn sout almost everyone has a secret and more than most have a reason for murder.
For a change I felt the murdered was blatantly obvious...then I started to doubt myself. The book has plenty of twists and turns and the usual characters still make their appearances along with the evolving growing relationship of Will and Sarah.

I received this audiobook as an ARC and provide my honest review.

I’ve been a fan of the Will Trent books for years, and this latest one was no exception.

This is Why We Lied is almost, but not quite, a locked room style murder mystery, where all the characters are suspects and Will and co have to muddle out what happened.

The twists and turns were intriguing, and the way that the characters motives and lives threaded together was so intricate. All of the characters felt rounded in themselves, but also mixed into the mystery in such clever ways.

I absolutely loved This is Why We Lied and can’t wait for the next Will Trent book.

Newlyweds Will amd Sarah, head on their honeymoon. Will has booked a lodge in ,mountain range, with lots of outdoor activities for them to enjoy.
After a hike to the main house, they meet the owners and the rest of the guests.
Enjoying a secluded midnight swim in the nearby lake they suddenly hear screams of distress. Upon investigation Will discovers the owner Mercy, has been violently stabbed and assaulted. She dies in his arms.

What follows is the investigation into her murder.

This is my 1st Will Trent book, but it didn’t matter that I haven’t read any others. The story works as a stand-alone

I enjoyed listening to this and at times didn’t want to stop listening as I was intrigued as to how things would pan out. I had my suspicions and although I suspected some bits, others were a surprising twist.

I am looking forward to reading more involving Will and his wife Sarah


Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to listen to this title

I nearly gave up on this one but got through to the end. Complicated tangle of family secrets and a shared company is the backdrop too the story. Mix in unfinished business from a children's home and small town thinking and you have the recipe for a cover up and an untimely death. The story & plot are ok it's the elated conversations and a complicated police investigation that takes its time, maybe I wasn't in the mood for it.
Thank you #NetGalley for the audiobook to read.

Will Trent, GBI investigator is back in book number 12, at long last he is married to Sarah Linton, medical examiner and they go on their honeymoon to McAlpine Lodge- not the honeymoon location of Sarah’s dreams but she’s willing to do anything to make Will happy.

On their first night, they hear a bone chilling scream and find the lodges manager and the owners daughter Mercy McAlpine dead. Will is convinced it has to be David, Mercy’s ex, the father to Mercy’s son John and Will ex friend come enemy from the boys home they grew up in years ago. But there are a lot of dark secrets and lies to uncover before they can find out who the murderer is.

Although this book number 12 in a series, it can definitely be read as a stand alone book. I found it really hard to decide who the killer was and when it finally was revealed, I was slightly in shock because I did think it could be that person but not for the reason they were.

Really looking forward to reading more of Karin Slaughters books!

This is only the second book I’ve read from Karen Slaughter and is part of the Will Trent series. This is why we lied is actually number 12 in the series and it can be read as a standalone but having enjoyed it so much I’m on a mission to read the earlier books to get to know Will and Sara more.

Full of twists and turns this book begins as Will and Sarah begin their honeymoon to a remote lodge, run by the McAlpine family,, They expect to find peace and relaxation but within hours of their arrival a murder takes place, leaving them no option but to become involved in the investigation.

The characters in the book are plotted and portrayed with skill , each one with their own backstory and their own possible motives.

Harrowing and shocking in places this book explores many difficult issues including domestic violence, toxic families, child abandonment and substance abuse.

Throughout the book I had my own theories but as the plot unfolded the ending definitely was entirely unexpected for me, the dual storyline added to my understanding but still left me shocked and astonished.

I listened to this book on audiobook narrated by Kathleen Early and whilst initially struggling with the amount of characters (probably my brain) I found her characterisation helpful .

Overall a brilliant read one which will keep you guessing right to the end !!

I’ve read a few Karen Slaughter books almost 10 years ago and enjoyed them but with all the books on my TBR, she fell off my radar. After attending Slaughterfest in June I was keen to pick up her latest book in the Will Trent series (Number12), This is Why We Lied and thoroughly enjoyed it!

Special Agent Will Trent has just married medical examiner Sara Linton and they travel to the remote, off grid McAlpine Lodge for their honeymoon. Within hours of their arrival, Mercy McAlpine, the manager of the lodge is dead. Sara had spoken to her only hours before after an altercation with her son John, and Mercy said that all her family hated her and wanted her dead. Both her husband and dad are abusive and her mum is disappointed in her. Mercy knows a secret about her brother and her brother’s best friend has been spurned by her on more than one occasion. The family have decided it is time to sell the lodge, and Mercy is against the sale and this is what causes her son to yell at her.

Will find Mercy dying of multiple stab wounds but is surprised by her families reaction when he tells them of her death. Will and Sara soon start to uncover the secrets and lies of the McAlpine family but they are not the only suspects, some of the guests are also behaving suspiciously.

I listened to the audio book of This is Why We Lied on Netgalley and it was a brilliant book. It didn’t really matter that I hadn’t read all the proceeding books as the book works well as a standalone. With a bunch of thoroughly dislikeable characters, I really enjoyed the investigation and the secrets that unravelled - I was genuinely shocked as to what some of the characters got up to!

A fast paced crime thriller, I urge you to give this one a go. One of the best thrillers I have read this year and it has ignited my desire to go back and start at the beginning of the series!

**Listened to the audio book and read along with electronic written copy**

I have read a lot of Karin Slaughter's books and usually I am gripped from start to finish. Unfortunately I was left super disappointed by this one.
The plot itself was soooo slow, and I resented having to go back and read this book each sitting. I appreciate that this book is within a series, but I would have thought that because of that it would have made the pacing of this book so much quicker.
I found that the plot twists and the ending didn't make up for the slow pacing either.

I really did not enjoy the audiobook narrator either. They were just so whiney and screechy!

If you have read all of the books within the Will trent series, maybe you would like this book - maybe that's why i wasn't so keen.

if you are new to Karin Slaughter I wouldn't start with this book - soooo many better books by Slaughter!

This is one of those books that I just want to say - READ IT - you can thank me later 😉

Karin Slaughter is a total auto read author for me. Over the past twelve months @picco and I have made our way through the Will Trent and Grant County series and have loved every moment of them all - I actually cried at the end of Skin Privilege.

📕 “Who killed Mercy McAlpine? The next thrilling suspense featuring Will Trent and Sara Linton from Karin Slaughter, no.1 bestselling author of Pieces of Her and After That Night

Everyone here is a liar, but only one of us is a killer…"

This Is Why We Lied is book 12 in the Will Trent series - while it can be read as a standalone, you’ll want to go back and read the earlier books not only to get the backstory of Sara and Will, but it’s one of the best series you’ll read.

Expect Slaughter’s trademark twists, and intensity. A cleverly plotted and brilliant crime procedural with a shocking Flowers in the Attic-esque (but more unhinged) crazy family. Despicable characters, toxic family dynamics, domestic violence, while at the epicentre are my favourite characters Sara Linton and Will Trent - loved that Amanda and Faith made an appearance too.

I have nothing but the highest praise for this latest instalment … my only disappointment being that I have to wait for book 13!

Thanks also to @harpercollinsuk @netgalley for the ALC 🎧 Narrated by Kathleen Early, it was pitch perfect! Loved it! 🥰 Both book and audiobook out now.

This was my first Will Trent novel and I think it has intrigued me enough to start from the beginning.

I enjoyed Slaughter's style of writing, it flowed really well - I was surprised by some of the profanity though, I guess I am showing my age.

The story was good and the characters were likeable. The twists were constant towards the end and it got a little tricky to keep up with. It also got a bit dark. But it was my first thriller for a long time and I did enjoy it.

My only criticism really was the amount of dialogue. Sometimes this was constant and it got a little tedious as an Audiobook to listen to 'he said, she said' every other word. I also found some of the writing long-winded. I think the description of a lighter got a whole paragraph at one point! I think the book could have been a lot shorter if some of the waffle was taken out - it was a 16 hour listen.

I think I will check out the others in the series. Thanks to NetGalley for my copy.

Will and Sarah are on their honeymoon. Will had spent a fortune on an outdoorsy retreat at the camp he never got to go to as a child. It's a 2h hike from the road to the retreat or you need a UTV. On their first night, there are screams and a gruesome death. Whilst you may figure out whodunnit, it's unlikely you'll figure out why.

Before I start the review, I just need to say, WOW!

This is Why We Lied is the latest in the long running Will Trent and Sara Linton series. I know the characters, having read some of the series, but I am not fully up to date with it. This didn’t matter in the slightest, this book works wonderfully well as a gripping, dark standalone.

The McAlpine family have proudly run their lodge for 7 generations. They are a ‘close’ family, but the tensions within this unusual family dynamic run deep.
Will and Sara are on their honeymoon, yes, they’ve got married. They are staying at an idyllic, secluded, luxury cabin, set in thousands of acres of trees. It sounds blissful, a perfect setting for them to unwind from their stressful careers, and start their married life. Until late at night, they hear a scream, followed by a harrowing plea for help.

I listened to the audio book, narrated exceptionally well by Kathleen Early. She is a new narrator to me, but I will definitely look out for her in the future.

The characters are so well crafted and portrayed, that some made my skin itch, others increased my blood pressure to an unhealthy level, while a few I wanted to scoop up and protect from the world. The narrator’s performance heightened all of these emotions. The pitching of Bitty’s voice is perfect, it invoked in me, the same feelings that Faith had. It felt like nails running down a blackboard.

This is Why We Lied is compulsive, gripping and very intense. It is a story of long held secrets, guilt for some, and judgement by others; of small town gossip tainting lives, of never being able to escape once the die is cast.

I have to give a specific mention to the conclusion of the book, obviously without giving away any spoilers. The denouement is so horrifying and shocking. The use of the dual timeline, allows us to see the events, and feel the intensity of the emotions, alongside poor Mercy. The narration of this section is outstanding, massively heightening everything.
For me, This is Why We Lied, is a 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️➕ read/listen, her best book; a must read for thriller lovers.

One of the best locked-room mystery/thrillers I’ve read in a long time. Karin Slaughter absolutely nails this genre in a hard-to-put-down, pacey thriller set at a lodge retreat in Nowheresville, USA.
There no shortage of suspects, or felonies for that matter, and plenty of characters who you’d just love to see behind bars. This is one of those uncomfortable stories with a plot line that will make your skin crawl and your stomach churn, so check the trigger warnings before you pick this one up as you’ll need a strong stomach - it’s a long list, but none of it felt gratuitous.
Will and Sara are on their honeymoon (I’d definitely want a refund!) and everything happens in the space of 24 hours. It’s an impressive piece of writing.
Slaughter will keep you guessing, and just when you think you have an idea about who killed Mercy McAlpine, there’s another twist (or another body), and bang goes your theory.
Ruddy brilliant.
Five big ones for Karin Slaughter and a big thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins UK audio for the chance to listen to an ARC, which was expertly narrated by Kathleen Early.
This is Why We Lied is out now.

I enjoyed listening to this book, the characters were very complex and intertwined, but it was quite a long thriller and did feel a bit long in places. I loved how it came together in the end, I didn't guess this ending!

This is Why We Lied by Karin Slaughter
(Narrated by Kathleen Early)

Here’s another successful thriller by Karin Slaughter. The books by Karin never go wrong. What a gripping story.

I love the complex relationship of the characters. Their secrets and here we go another locked and isolated murder case to solve. These all make the story works. I love how the author telling us bit by bit of the thriller, it’s enough for you to be hooked and kept listening to one more chapter.

It’s a relatively long thriller, about 18 hours. But it’s never dull or dragging.

Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for my copy.

Pub date: Jun 20, 2024

Karin Slaughter writes excellent multi-layered novels, filled with more than just the 'usual suspects' and sprinkled with just the right amount of protagonists problems thrown in to make sure you keep turning pages. She also guarantees to keep you on your toes with regard to the conclusion, because it's never quite what you expect.

Also, this might be book 12 of the Will Trent series, but it works well as a standalone and you don't need to have read any of the previous novels to enjoy it.

I know I’m super late to the party with Karin Slaughter books, this is only the second one of hers av read/listened too. I’m defo on the band wagon now tho and gona go thru her back catalogue because am weird like that lol. A real fancy pants of a book, a chonky audio I found, I liked the narrator and found then a great match for the book but needed to listen to them slower than I normally do, my Brian- about their fault! The story and plot was super catch and enthralling, I smashed in in 4 listened and usually it takes me a good week to get through an audio. Really enjoyed it and have recommended it to my book club girlies (even tho they have already read plenty of Slaughter books)

I just love the way that Karin Slaughter writes, so dark and unsettling and full of interesting and complex characters. This was a locked room murder mystery of sorts and I loved it. I will definitely be reading more Karin Slaughter books!

This book is a fun whodunit with a couple on their honeymoon. A dead body throws their vacation plans out the window. The police need to figure out who did it from a group of suspicious characters. There are family secrets, lies, and danger. I couldn't guess the killer! The book is good with lots of twists and turns. You might also like the characters and their relationships.