Tuesday, May 19, 2020

This Is How I Lied Blog Tour


TITLE: This Is How I Lied
AUTHOR: Heather Gudenkauf
PUBLISHER: Park Row
PUBLISHING DATE: May 12, 2020


FROM GOODREADS: 

Twenty-five years ago, the body of sixteen-year-old Eve Knox was found in the caves near her home in small-town Grotto, Iowa—discovered by her best friend, Maggie, and her sister, Nola. There were a handful of suspects, including her boyfriend, Nick, but without sufficient evidence the case ultimately went cold. 

 For decades Maggie was haunted by Eve’s death and that horrible night. Now a detective in Grotto, and seven months pregnant, she is thrust back into the past when a new piece of evidence surfaces and the case is reopened. As Maggie investigates and reexamines the clues, secrets about what really happened begin to emerge. But someone in town knows more than they’re letting on, and they’ll stop at nothing to keep the truth buried deep.

MY THOUGHTS:
Wow!  I almost don't know how I can even do this book justice. That's just how much I loved it.  All I can say is that I can easily see it making my favorite books of the year list in December. 

As the synopsis says, twenty-five years ago Maggie Kennedy-O'Keefe's best friend Eve Know was found dead in a cave near her home.  No one, including Maggie's father who was the police chief at the time, was able to determine who had murdered Eve.  Enter present day where Maggie is now a detective for the same force her father once worked.  She is happily married and about to give birth to a much tried for daughter when new evidence about Eve's death surfaces.  Maggie is assigned to the case and is determined to once and for all put to rest her friend.  However, is she prepared for what she will discover?

The story is told in alternating timelines and from the perspective of Maggie as well as Eve's sister, Nola and even Eve herself.  Through their narratives, the reader sees what happened leading up to Eve's death and learns that there were quite a few suspects who may have gotten away with murder.  I personally love dual timelines so immediately Gudenkauf drew me in.  Slowly the reader is introduced to more Grotto residents.  We meet Maggie's father who is suffering from dementia as well as her artistic brother who has moved back home to care for him.  Nick is Eve's high school boyfriend and is truly unlikable from the beginning.  Maggie's husband Shaun is trying to be supportive of his wife, but doesn't understand why she wants to take on such a high pressure case eight months into her pregnancy.  And finally there is Eve's sister Nola.  Nola is one strange individual.  From the beginning we learn that she had a troubled childhood and has a concerning fascination with body parts, both animal and human, and how they work.  Nola is now an adult veterinarian and one has to wonder if she entered the profession because she wanted to help animals, or cut them up.

Needless to say, there's so much to love about This Is How I Lied.  Just when I thought I knew where the plot was headed, the author would methodically throw in another twist or turn.  I really grew to care about Maggie and her family and also really wanted justice for Eve.  I found myself growing increasing worried about Nola and her possible role in her sister's murder, and while I wouldn't necessarily call her a morally grey character, even though I didn't like her, I didn't fully dislike her as well. 

If you are looking for a great thriller to escape in then I highly recommend This Is How I Lied.  I will definitely be seeking out more works by this author and am pleased to find a new favorite thriller I can recommend to everyone.

I received a copy of this book from Harlequin Trade Publishing in exchange for an honest review. 

RATING: 5 PAWS



ANIMAL TRIGGER WARNING:  I won't go as far as saying there is animal abuse in this novel but there were some animal-related scenes which made me very uncomfortable. Just be forewarned and you should be okay. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Heather Gudenkauf is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of many books, including The Weight of Silence and These Things Hidden. Heather graduated from the University of Iowa with a degree in elementary education, has spent her career working with students of all ages. She lives in Iowa with her husband, three children, and a very spoiled German Shorthaired Pointer named Lolo. In her free time, Heather enjoys spending time with her family, reading, hiking, and running. 

22 comments:

  1. I can't wait to read this one. I confess I skimmed a lot of the details because I'm hoping to read this one soon and I want to go in with a blank slate, but I'm so excited to see your five paw rating :D

    ~Mogsy @ BiblioSanctum

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    1. I so hope you love this one and yes, you are best to go in blindly. It makes thrillers so much more fun!

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  2. WANTTSSSS! I can't remember when last i read a less than stellar review of Gudenkauf's work. She just really is such a stupendous writer.

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    1. It's my first from her but definitely not my last. This one was all kinds of awesome.

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  3. This sounds great - and I'm always on the hunt for a good thriller so I'll make a note of this one.
    Thanks
    Lynn :D

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    1. Definitely one of my favorites so far this year and it seems I've read quite a few.

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  4. This sounds amazing! I need to read more thrillers, and I'm a little afraid of Nola, although it seems she might surprise me😁

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  5. I've seen this book around, but wasn't sure if I wanted to pick it up or not. Pretty sure you've convinced me, just seeing how much you loved it. :D I've been in a thriller mood for a while now, and this sounds like just what I need!

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    1. I do hope you love it Sammie. I've been reading a lot of thrillers and this one really stands out.

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  6. I keep hearing different things about this one. Some love it, like you; some say it's closer to a 3-star read. But no one's hated it. I liked the previous Gudenkauf novel I read, so I really want to give this one a try sometime this summer and see for myself. :)

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    1. I want to pick up some more of her stuff. Hope it works for you.

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  7. I've heard some mixed reviews, so I'm thrilled to read that you loved this one. I feel like we have pretty similar reading tastes, so this makes me more confident to read it!

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    1. I think we do to Ethan so I hope you end up loving this one as much as I do.

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  8. oo I thought about this one because it is set in Iowa and I like this genre. I spent my first 20 years in Iowa. Excellent review! I'll have to find this one.

    Anne - Books of My Heart

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    1. I do think you'd really like this one. Oh, and my Mom just borrowed The Stranger from me and she liked it as well.

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  9. Sounds like a good one so can't wait to try it.

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  10. Oh wow! This sounds fantastic! I have been wanting to try her books and this one sounds like a good place to start. Great review!

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    1. Thanks Carole and I think it's a great one to start out with.

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  11. I wish I liked Thrillers. This was a great review. 👍✨

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