Meet some of the world’s most dastardly creatures, who lie, cheat, and deceive for a living.

There’s the deadly praying mantis that looks like an innocent pink flower. The assassin bug that strums spider webs to lure in a tasty snack. The cuttlefish that changes color to hide its romantic intentions.

To understand how these creatures swindle their way to survival, Liars, Cheats, and Copycats reveals the science behind camouflage, mimicry, and masquerade. Taking readers on a journey from tropical rainforests to the darkness of deep ocean trenches, James O’Hanlon explores how animals and plants use deception to avoid predators, lure in prey, and even reproduce.

From creatures that disappear in front of your eyes to ones that misdirect their foes like masterful magicians, this book exposes the endless ways that animals can survive through breathtaking trickery—and illuminates the evolution of these widespread strategies.

James O’Hanlon is an award-winning science communicator. He has published more than thirty academic papers, and his popular science writing has appeared in ABC News (Australia), Australian Geographic, The Conversation, and Biosphere Magazine. He is the author of Eight-Legged Wonders: The Surprising Lives of Spiders (2024).