Thanks to the publisher, author and netgalley for an early read of this intriguing, psychological thriller. To quote L.V. Matthews herself '"To Love a Liar" is a novel about out-of-control people in out-of-control situations.' It's a very clever novel about husband and wife, Chris and Jill, and their secrets and lies. Chris is an ex-undercover cop and his past is under scrutiny re a death 19 years ago. When on top of this his wife goes missing we witness Chris's unravelling and paranoia. Well researched and well written it will hold your interest to the end. Well worth a read.

I really enjoyed To Love A Liar, though it wasn't what I was expecting, which is definitely a good thing.

Chris Fletcher is a man with secrets...one dead woman, 19 years earlier brings Chris back to the UK to attend an inquest. With him is his wife, who has started to distance herself from Chris following his revelations.

The book goes back and forth from the then (19yrs ago) and now - I really liked Chris as a character and enjoyed how the story was given to us - this is perfect if you like a thriller that will keep you guessing to the very end.

Told over a dual timeline from multiple POV’s, this was a really interesting insight into undercover police and how their work and private lives often get entwined.
Chris is happily married to Jill, but he’s also in love with his girlfriend Sophia, who’s pregnant with his child.
Two parallel lives that are bound to collide.
This was a real page turner, with lots of secrets, twists and turns.
The characters had such depth and I felt their love and pain.
The way the author added comments via social media was very modern and impactful.
A gripping read that I can see transferring to the big screen!
With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book. We've all heard the stories about the undercover police officers who became emotionally involved with women in the groups they were infiltrating. Some had children together and then suddenly disappeared without trace when their posting ended. This is one such story. Chris is the police officer and he is happily married. However, he falls in love with Sophia whilst working undercover. They move in together and she falls pregnant. However, Chris is pulled from the situation before the baby is born, leaving Sophia heartbroken and determined to find him. I liked that we see how complicated the situation was, and how it affected all the people involved. This is a real page turner that will keep you guessing to the end.
Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
Copied to Goodreads.

Nice, easy read thriller with lots of twists and turns. Great holiday read or while away the hours on a rainy weekend. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

I can’t remember why I requested this book. Never heard of it or the author but I am so glad I did. I really enjoyed it.
Chris and Jill have a seemingly ordinary life. Unable to have a family they have their precious dog, Jill is a successful published author of poetry and Chris works for the police. The story starts with the uncovering of some diaries of a girl Sophia, found dead some years ago with a needle in her arm, a supposed suicide. But the diary links her to Chris, when he was undercover, infiltrating an activists group. He is now awaiting a verdict as to his guilt, trying to mend things with his wife and reliving the undercover operation that led him to become too close to Sophie and falling in love with her too. Then Jill goes missing and Chris starts to unravel, not knowing what he’s done or hasn’t done. Those trying to keep him safe are also holding information back from him.
It’s a story centred around love and trying to do the right thing whatever the right thing is however muddled it’s become.
It’s a story of out of control people in out of control situations

#ToLoveALiar. #NetGalley

I’ve seen lots of great reviews for this book so it shows i’m in the minority but I didn’t love it. It was an interesting look at the ethics of undercover policing but it never fully hooked me. Not a bad book as other reviews prove, but just not for me.

Undercover policeman Chris Fletcher and his wife Jill Moore, a poet, find themselves holing up in the cottage of Jill’s aunt, somewhere remote on the coast. They live in Sardinia actually, but have returned to England because of ‘the inquest’. A very important inquest, because it is Chris who has to testify about his actions on the day of the untimely death of Sophia, a young mother, some 15 years ago.
What Chris has to do with that? Well, Sophia was actually his girlfriend – but was it real or not? Chris was undercover, infiltrating within a group of young people police thought could become dangerous. Although he was undercover, he went home to his wife often, under the pretence of ‘going to do a job in landscaping’. Of course he couldn’t talk to Jill about what it really was he was doing. And then Sophia was found dead and it was ruled suicide. Until 15 years later her secret diaries were found by her sister. Now, although the inquest is just that, it’s no trial, the internet explodes with speculation and Chris and Jill have to stay below the radar.
This was a slow starter, but before long I was intrigued because there were stories behind the stories. And not just behind Chris’ stories, but Jill has some secrets of her own. Slowly the layers of the real story are unfolded and the pace picks up.
It was a great read with interesting characters and a lot of twists. Highly recommended!
Thanks to Penguin UK and Netgalley for this review copy.

Well, gosh. This was such a thought provoking book. My first thought when writing this review is, if I was pushed to, where would I pitch the genre. It's not as simple as saying crime fiction, or contemporary fiction. There is mystery at the heart of the book, and suspense, the author delaying some of the key information we might need to fully understand what is happening in the story until the absolute perfect moment to hit us with it. It has surprises, misdirection, and moments that made my eyebrows shoot into my hairline. But it is also a story of relationships, of duty, and of fear. Fear of discovery, for more than just the central character, Chris. It also feels a little harder to review as there are elements of the story that are best discovered in the reading.

Chris Fletcher is a former police officer. He and his wife, Jill, are called back to the UK from the life that they have built for themselves in Sardinia, to give testimony into an enquiry into the death of a young woman, Sophia, twenty or so years earlier after her sister makes allegations that Chris is responsible for Sophia's death. This is no secret, it is clearly spelled out in the opening pages of the book. It is more the revelations about Chris, about the part he did, or maybe didn't play in Sophia's death. And it is that uncertainty, if you like, and Chris's choice of specialism in the police, that makes it really hard for me to pitch the book into any particular genre. Because Chris wasn't just a regular bet copper. Chris was an undercover officer. And that statement alone is probably enough to get your mind whirling in all kinds of directions as it did mine.

I love how the author has played this book, moving the action back and forth in time, following Chris and Jill in the present, and Chris as Sophia in the past. The present day point of view is told in primarily from Chris's point of view, and the past from Sophia's, with a few very key exceptions. this worked really well for me as I think it is essential that we are inside Chris's tortured mind, his fear amplifying the tension that surrounds the whole experience. And it is Sophia's innocent acceptance of the man Chris claims to be when he infiltrates the Green Is Go environmentalist action group of which she is a member, that really makes the fall out from what he does, from what ultimately happens, all the more shocking. The betrayal of Sophia, the way in which being in Chris's orbit changes the course of her life, really hits home, and getting to know her, experience her strength, her compassion and yes, perhaps naivety, makes what happens to her all the more shocking.

Given the rise of protest parties, this story is perhaps all the more poignant and relevant than I might have expected, and I found myself drawing parallels between not only the current political climate, but the dissection of the behaviour of various police officers over recent years, and they were just the ones who weren't paid to lie. When your whole reason for being is to be a different person, to get close to criminals and make them believe you are anything other than a police officer, it is inevitable that the innocent as as caught up as readily as the guilty. And it made me think a lot about whether doing bad things to good people is ever justified, whether methods of policing, as ambiguous and shady as Chris's actions seemed to be, went too far. We probably all have opinions, I know I did, but based on what you see on TV and in movies. What about the very real people who get caught up in this deception, this anything goes approach to catching the bad guys? This is where the book really does challenge you and challenge perceptions.

There are many scenes in the book that will make you question exactly what did happen back in 2002 when Sophia met her very unfair and untimely end. Was it murder, neglect, depression or something far more sinister. LV Matthews has created such tension in the book that I really did feel like it could be any, or all, of the above. That sense of Chris being hunted by the present, all of the people in the social media age ready to convict based on only half of the facts, as people are prone to do in modern life, but also by some as yet unknown threat from his past, all added to that radiating sense of danger that grows the further we get into the book. And, perhaps strangely, whilst I felt utmost sympathy for Sophia, the ultimate victim in this story, I had a strange kind of sympathy for Chris too. I didn't find it as easy as you might expect to condemn his behaviour, as immoral as it might have been, and that sense of the hurt that he is also feeling is really well conveyed in the book.

This is no straight forward story, the lines blurred not only by what happens in the book, but also when considering the actions were taken, in theory, in the interest of protecting the public. With additional scenes from a documentary on the subject interspersed throughout the book, I found my reasoning constantly challenged and I was completely drawn into the story or Chris, Jill and Sophia in the same way that someone might become addicted to a true crime TV show or podcast. You might think it would be easy to come to a conclusion about the rights and wrongs of the whole affair when you start reading. You'll most likely find you are wrong. Absolutely fascinating and a book that has made me think long beyond the turn of the final page.

Rating: 4.3/5

On this occasion I am going to borrow from the author's own notes to gives a précis of this book. '"To Love a Liar" is a novel about out-of-control people in out-of-control situations. Although it is about real events from the world in which we live, it is completely fictitious. This is a novel about love. It is about putting your trust in those who them betray you. It is about trauma, and the loss of identity. It is about trying to do the right thing when the right thing itself is murky and unclear.'

The author has clearly taken inspiration from real life scenarios that have been reported in the media and which, in a number of cases, are still under active investigation. Although, as L.V. Matthews states in her notes, this is a work of fiction, this could quite easily have been a true crime account. A significant amount of credit needs to go to the writer for the amount of research that has gone into this in order to give it a genuine sense of realism. That, combined with the author's skill in drawing credible and relatable characters with authentic voices, is what makes this such an absorbing piece of fictional writing. "To Love a Liar" could easily find itself being adapted for television and I am sure it would work extremely well in that medium - but it also works extremely well in the written form. Easy to recommend.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for supplying an ARC in return for an honest review.

Chris is a retired police officer living overseas with his wife, Jill. He has been called back to the UK to give evidence at an inquest for a case he had been involved in many years earlier. This opens up old wounds for both of them, threatening their whole livelihoods and also their relationship. A great story, full of twists and turns which had me guessing right up to the very end. I really loved it!

A fabulously written gripping story that was a pleasure to read. I would absolutely recommend this book, it was brilliant

The concept of To Love A Liar is absolutely fascinating. The ethics of undercover policing a news story many have been drawn to in recent years and I was thrilled to dive deeper into this world. This book did an excellent job of considering all perspectives in these circumstances and was suitably complicated. However, the execution of this book in terms of the writing felt a little flat for me. The writing style felt a bit too telling and didn’t leave a lot of clues for keen mystery and thriller readers like myself. In fact, in some sections the plot was explained plainly and quickly which took a lot of the excitement out of it. I kept disengaging and didn’t find it fully absorbing which is a shame as the plot itself was very thoughtful.

A convincing story told over a wide timespan. The author's research is evident but not overpowering. The deception is difficult to read about and the main character doesn't always elicit sympathy but the plot keeps the reader intrigued to discover the final outcome.
Thanks to NetGally and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

“To Love a Liar” by L.V. Matthews completely sucked me in from the very first page and refused to let go. Chris Fletcher, the protagonist, is a man shrouded in secrets and haunted by a past that feels thick with betrayal and regret. As the story unfolded, I found myself questioning everything — his motives, his guilt, his sanity.
The narrative is meticulously crafted, weaving between past and present with such finesse that I was instantly pulled into the claustrophobic atmosphere Matthews creates. The layers of deception slowly peel back, revealing a web of lies that kept me guessing until the very last twist. The author’s exploration of themes like loyalty, guilt, and the devastating impact of past mistakes struck a chord with me. It’s not just a psychological thriller; it’s a deep dive into the shadows of the human psyche.
Chris is a character I couldn’t help but feel drawn to — strong yet fragile, haunted yet resilient. His internal conflicts are palpable and kept me glued to every word. The supporting cast is equally well-developed, their interactions authentic and layered, adding depth and plausibility to the story.
What truly impressed me was how Matthews masterfully navigates the dark themes without feeling gratuitous. The story is thought-provoking, full of subtle clues and hidden truths that challenge perceptions of morality and justice. The pacing is perfect, gradually ratcheting up the suspense and making each revelation more shocking than the last.
The way the author seamlessly switches between timelines kept the story dynamic and engaging. The past secrets and present mysteries collide in a way that continuously surprises me, and the looming inquest added an extra layer of tension that kept me on edge.
This book is a brilliant example of psychological storytelling at its finest — a manipulative, immersive journey into deception and the complexity of human relationships. It’s dark, gritty, and utterly compelling.

Really good book which I will recommend to others.

Thanks for the opportunity to read & review it.

To Love A Liar is such a fascinating thriller. I always love it when an author tries to do something different, and the angle here of an undercover cop and the system they live in, is original and insightful.

Chris is a brilliant character. There's no doubt that he's done wrong in his life and that somewhere along the way, he has made a mistake that is now costing him everything. But how much of it was the job? How much of it was choice? Did he ever have a choice? It was so interesting to see inside the world of an undercover police officer, with the lengths they have to go to, the rules they have to follow, and the many things they have to sacrifice.

Because of this, it's a very character-driven thriller, which adds a lot of emotion to the story. I wouldn't say it's a particularly action-packed or psychological thriller, but it certainly immerses you deeply into this dark world as it explores themes of trust, identity, and betrayal.

I really enjoyed this one, as I have all of Matthews' thrillers. Go and read it!

I'm on the tour for this in September so some of my links will only be live then.

Very interesting book and a bit different from your run of the mill domestic thrillers. Very dark at times, every character is flawed which makes for an interesting read. I wasn't keen when the main character Chris had memory lapses/ false memory episodes, that is purely a personal thing, but I guess it shows how his life experiences alter his state of mind.
Well written and meticulously researched to make it realistic, this was a really good book. Heartbreakingly sad at times.

To Love a Liar is a good read about trust, betrayal, secrets, lies and love. Chris, a former police undercover officer, and his wife, Jillian return to the UK when new evidence comes to light on a case Chris worked on twenty years earlier putting him under suspicion and media scrutiny. The repercussions this has on his marriage and relationship with Jillian are far reaching. When Jillian disappears Chris becomes the main suspect - is he responsible for her disappearance though? I found this quickly turned into a very moreish read that I read in less than a day. The authors writing is good and I like how the story moves from past to present times easily and is told through different characters. I could picture the remoteness of where Chris and Jillian are staying in my mind from the authors vivid descriptions. I didn't really like Chris although I did start to have empathy for him and feel the author has done well in portraying him and the stresses and pressures that go with being an undercover officer and how mental health can be affected. I think the inclusion of social media comments by others is done well and all to realistic in todays world. Overall, a well written book with a good plot line which is full of tension, atmosphere, mystery and suspense that had me guessing as to how it would end. I'd recommend this to those who like books with plenty of thrills.

3.5 stars

I really enjoy this author’s style of writing, the pace of the book is so well done and the twists are revealed with great impact. Through the POVs, and at times they are possibly unreliable due to mental health issues and alcohol consumption, we do not know the full story until the final chapters where everything comes together. The plot is very clever, the characters are well developed and their motivations are believable. I felt sorry for both women, Sophia and Jill, and Chris irritates me but I was drawn in to the undercover policing world and how he lived two very separate lives with devastating endings for the women he loved.