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.
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.
