“We’re All Lying” by Marie Still completely captivated me from the start. The novel starts off with a scene of a missing person being reported to police and from then on it goes into flashbacks explaining how the characters got to that point.
This novel is full of secrets—from every character involved. There’s infidelity, there’s mental health, there’s revenge, and there are family complications.
One of the aspects I enjoyed the most was seeing a strong female friendship and how college friends turned business partners support one another as life around them seems to be crumbling down. I also enjoyed reading about two females running a successful business and not letting any complication take down what they’ve worked so hard to build.
This thriller dives into the complexities that arise after an affair, as a relationship begins to crumble and what lengths people go to in order to try to save their relationships and family. Cass, the main character, has it all—a thriving company, a husband and two children, a beautiful home—a “picture perfect” life, but slowly it all comes crashing into pieces. One email changes her life forever.
I was fortunate to read an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this debut novel. I found myself raving about it at dinners, in conversations with friends, and giving my non-reader boyfriend a play-by-play every time I finished reading another part. I could not believe this was a debut novel by this author with how wonderfully written and crafted this story played out. The characters were well-rounded and complex—believable, everyday characters you’d want to know in real life.
This is a fast-paced story, and one I found myself thinking about when I wasn’t reading. It keeps you guessing with many twists and turns and surprises you various times throughout the story. Though there were some parts I was able to guess, there was more than one occasion where I was so surprised, I gasped out loud as I read. It kept me guessing until the very end. And, although I had some suspicions of how it would end, I never quite guessed it. The story ended with no loose ends and all your questions answered.
If you like psychological thrillers about domestic life, you’ll really enjoy this one. There’s no doubt Marie Still will be an “always buy” author for me from now on.
