Title: The Lies We Told by Camilla Way
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 336 pages
Book Rating: B+
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
The highly acclaimed author of Watching Edie returns with a new novel of dark psychological suspense that explores how those closest to us have the most to hide…
A daughter
Beth has always known there was something strange about her daughter, Hannah. The lack of emotion, the disturbing behavior, the apparent delight in hurting others…Sometimes Beth is scared of her and what she could be capable of.
A son
Luke comes from the perfect family, with the perfect parents. But one day, he disappears without a trace, and his girlfriend, Clara, is desperate to discover what has happened to him.
A life built on lies
As Clara digs into the past, she realizes that no family is truly perfect, and uncovers a link between Luke’s long-lost sister and a strange girl named Hannah. Now Luke’s life is in danger because of the lies once told and the secrets once kept. Can Clara find him before it’s too late?
Review:
The Lies We Told by Camilla Way is a compelling and very clever mystery.
Clara Haynes is worried when she wakes up to discover her boyfriend, Luke Lawson, is not at home. Her concern intensifies when he also fails to show up at work where he is up for a big promotion. She contacts Luke’s best friend, Joe “Mac” McKenizie, who has not heard from him either. After learning Luke’s parents and friends have no idea where he is, Clara finally notifies the police of his disappearance. After discovering Luke is being stalked and has received hundreds of threatening emails, the case is given a higher priority. Clara and Mac decide to investigate Luke’s disappearance on their own and Clara is stunned by the information they uncover.
Interspersed with the chapters taking place in the present are passages that take place in the mid 1980s. Beth is very concerned about her young daughter Hannah’s increasingly terrifying behavior. Hannah bullies her classmates and her actions are becoming more violent. Beth tries to convince her husband, Doug, their daughter needs professional help, but in his presence, Hannah is nothing but sweet and loving. By the time Doug believes his wife, Beth is caught in an untenable position that could destroy her family. Will Hannah get to the help she needs?
The Lies We Told is a suspense-laden and riveting mystery. Clara’s urgency as she tries to locate Luke is palpable. Dismayed by the changes in Luke’s family, she does not know whom to trust. Beth’s chapters are mesmerizing and readers will be captivated by her desperation to prevent Hannah from harming the rest of the family. Camilla Way brings these two seemingly disconnected story arcs together in the novel’s stunning finale. Fans of the genre will absolutely devour this twist-filled mystery.
