The First Lie

Brilliant book all about Selkie and searching her family ties. Love that it is also based in Hawaii my ideal holiday destination. Fantasy, eerie, strange but interesting

#TheFirstLie #NetGalley
Rose Madder by Stephen King, Ashley Bell and Innocence by Dean Koontz, couple of titles by Haruki Murakami..If you are not a fan of such books Selkie Moon's journey and her friends will make zero sense for you
But if you are like me, I believe you will be searching right now for the second book of the series joining Derek in his burning desire to know where did Selkie disappear for two whole weeks and what was she doing
Surreal magical journey!

We're in Hawaii for this story. Setting is important to me and this is well done. I lived in Hawaii in the late 1950's and it was interesting to visit a more modern Hawaii, while at the same time learning more about its ancient folklore. I enjoy learning when I read fiction and went to Wikipedia and YouTube several times to investigate ideas here.
Selkies are Celtic myth, seals who can turn into people. Myth and the supernatural are heavy, and if you don't care for it, this is not the novel for you. Sometimes it got a little heavy even for me. There's murder and mystery here, but it all has to do with the psychological health of the heroine, Selkie. Selkie has a sharp edge to her, but we do understand the reasons which helps to make her likeable.
Overall, I enjoyed this novel which is the first of four, with a prequel as a fifth. This one works as a standalone. I'm planning to read more.
Thank you Netgalley and author for a free e-copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

The First Lie is the first book in the Secrets of Selkie Moon series by Virginia King.

Selkie has relocated to Hawaii from Australia to escape an abusive ex-husband. She has a struggling new business and relationships with some men who may not have her best interests in mind.

Odd things start happening to Selkie when she starts seeing a woman who is warning her. Selkie is a strong character and ends up with a small group of good friends. They form the family she never really had.

It was interesting to learn about Hawaiian folklore as they tried to understand what was going on.

This is a great psychological thriller that really is a roller coaster ride!

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the I free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. #TheFirstLie #NetGalley

"The First Lie" is a paranormal mystery story. Selkie Moon leaves her emotionally abusive husband in Australia and relocates to Hawaii. She has a chance to leave the past behind and start a whole new life.

In Hawaii, she moves in with Wanda, who has a tutu (grandmother) that was a kahuna (wise person, sorcerer). Wanda brings Tutu's mirror to the flat, where Selkie sees a mysterious woman, which frightens her. This sets the tone to unravel the mystery of the strange woman.

"I'm falling off a cliff towards the rocks and the sea, when these words ring in my ears.

Someone is trying to kill you."

Right there. At the beginning. It grabbed my attention and I couldn't put this book down. The story is about mystery and self-discovery with some mythological elements thrown in. I thought that most of the characters were well fleshed out and helped move the protagonist on her journey.

The story is well-told with strong dialogue that helps progress it. And sometimes, she peppers her prose with some really beautifully descriptive images. Here's a couple of my favorites:

"Concealed lights illuminate fading frescoes and crumbling pillars. Vines crawl through niches, and faux mosaics lie unfinished at my feet."

"Around and around the room I go, pounding the vinyl with my bare feet . . . "

And like I said – peppered; this isn't purple prose.

I don't normally read paranormal, but every once in a while I'll try something new if it's mixed in with what I already like – mystery and legends/mythology, in this case. I'm glad that I gave it a try and plan to read the next book in the series.

I have never read a Virginia King novel, but this was fabulous! Humorous, exciting and all in all great story! Many of Selkie’s questions are answer in this book. A great pick me up for women. On to the next!!! Thank you Virginia King!!!

Selkie Moon is the kind of girl that female readers will associate with in terms of her life in the ‘everyday’, but unraveling a connection with something a little supernatural or folk lore-ish makes her journey of self discovery all the more enticing.

The detail of research incorporated into this book in terms of psychology and mythology makes the mystery of Selkie’s stalker all the more thrilling and engaging.

Perhaps an amateur female sleuth isn’t the most original idea, but Selkie is one of a kind and the nature of blended genres makes this creative story (and hopefully the series) quite unique.

Possibly aimed more at female readers, it’s hard not to like this book and also find yourself picking up tidbits of information to spark the imagination as the world of Selkie Moon goes far beyond the norm.

this was a great start to a series, I really enjoyed going through this journey and look forward to reading more from the series.

Selkie Moon flees Sidney to go to Hawaii, leaving an abusive husband and a tense relationship with her stepmom. She is struggling to get her business off the ground and lives with Wanda, whom she found through an advertisement.

Selkie has a fear of the water and often has nightmares of being trapped underwater. During one of her dreams, she hears that someone is trying to kill her. Did it come from the dream, or did she actually hear the words spoken?

After seeing a face in a mirror, she is convinced that the unknown woman was trying to warn her. But after an excursion to a cemetery with Andrew, a man she has been seeing, the woman appears again overlooking a cliff. This time, Selkie believes the woman is trying to kill her.

Selkie came by her name born out of a myth that seals can turn into humans. This story centers around myths and the supernatural. From the beginning of the story, Selkie is fearful and by the end of the story, she is stronger, I liked seeing her grow. I was aware of the myth about mermaids but not seals. I enjoyed the supernatural aspects in the story. I, also enjoyed learning more about Selkie following a hypnosis session with some surprising details.

I received an ARC from NetGalley via BooksGoSocial and I have voluntarily reviewed this book.