The Weight of Lies

What is it about books with really bad mothers? I guess it’s because I didn’t have one and I wonder if I could have ended up a normal human being if I didn’t. Some books have equally screwed up daughters, but in this one, Meg is trying. Mostly she succeeds, but her lie detector is obviously in the shop because she pretty much believes everything people tell her. Especially when it comes to her book which she hopes will cast true light on the legacy of her mother, her mother’s famous book and the real events that inspired it.

Overall it succeeds. If you read enough of this kind of book, you know that things aren’t what they seem. Everyone is suspect, particularly the people that the writer paints with innocence. The very fact of show more the Kitten narrative woven into the regular text should be enough of a tip off. Carpenter keeps you guessing though and there are a few surprises in the end. Not enough for total originality, but given the genre it’s hard to do. There are only so many dark and hidden secrets to go around.

This was an audiobook for me and I loved the narrator. If I didn’t know her name I would have guessed it was Patricia Clarkson; her voice is very similar. The cadence and rhythm of her delivery matched Meg pretty well and added to my enjoyment of the story. show less

Actual rating: 4.5

Goodness, gracious, great balls of fire! The Weight of Lies is addictive, fast-paced, and gripping. Carpenter gives readers the right amount of horror, romance, and mystery. The book had me speculating and guessing until the end (which I liked). It's clear, Frances (mother) and Meg (daughter) have a dysfunctional and antagonistic relationship. Meg has a lot of resentment toward her mother and decides the ultimate revenge is writing a tell-all memoir about the skeletons in her closet. And that's where the story takes off...Initially, what caught my attention about this book was the cover, but once I started reading it, I did not want to put it down. Carpenter spins a plot full of twists and surprises at a fast pace -- a show more lot happening at once so keep up! The novel shifts between the present and chapter excerpts from Frances's best-seller thriller, Kitten. Another great summer read to add to your tbr list!

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for granting me an ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

For more reviews, visit: http://debbiesbooknook.com/ show less

Forty years ago, Frances Ashley wrote a horror novel, Kitten, that became a cult classic. However, her daughter, Meg, and Frances have a fractured relationship due to the popularity of the book, and Frances‘s behavior. When Meg is offered an opportunity to write a memoir about her relationship with her mother, she heads to Bonny Island to research the story behind the book. Meg doesn’t realize the dangers awaiting her in the island.
This is a creepy novel about a murder mystery/ whodunit. I liked the atmospheric feel of this novel and the mystery interspersed with the fictional novel. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Last year I read the fantastic Burying the Honeysuckle Girls by Emily Carpenter and I've been waiting a while now to read her next book The Weight of Lies. So, was this book as good as Burying the Honeysuckle Girls? Yes and no. Yes in that the story is intriguing and frustrating puzzling. But, no in that I was not as taken with the story in the book as in Burying the Honeysuckle Girls. Don't take me wrong, Emily Carpenter has once again proven that she can write a story that keeps your interest all the way until the end. But, I found the chapters from the book Kitten that intervened the story not as interesting as the rest of the book. Can't say why really, it just never really truly got to me in the same way that the rest of the story show more did.

Nevertheless, The Weight of Lies is a great book. Several times during the books progressed was I frustrated beyond words. I really wanted to find out what happened all those years ago when Meg Ashley mother was staying at the hotel on Bonny Island, Georgia. The events inspired her to write the cult classic Kitten. But, is there any truth to the book? Or is it all fiction? Meg travels to the island to investigate the truth and meets the woman behind the main character Kitten and is charmed by her. But, she keeps discovering lies after lies while she digs for the truth. And, it seems that her quest for answers is perhaps not healthy for her. Could she be in danger?

I liked this book because it's such a fantastic story with lots of twists and turns. Emily Carpenter has once again proven what a fantastic author she is and I can't wait to see what she write next!

I want to thank the publisher for providing me with a free copy through NetGalley for an honest review! show less

Step into the world of a mother/daughter rift that has Frances and Megan Ashley involved in a whirlwind drama that ties in past and present. Megan “Meg” Ashley, a reformed socialite, has never felt that her month, Frances Ashley was involved in her life or fit the mold of what a good mother should be. Frances Ashley, world famous author of Kitten, doesn’t seem to realize there has been an issue with her parenting, despite not speaking to her daughter for several years. When Meg has the opportunity to write a tell-all novel about their relationship, she jumps at the chance.

In order to write her memoir, Meg is forced to dig through her mother’s past and the real-life events that inspired her novel, turned horror cult-classic. We show more join Meg as she adventures to Bonny Island and Ambletern Hotel in search of the truth behind the novel. Here we meet Dorothy “Doro” Kitchens, who is the real-life Kitten from Frances’ novel, along with a cast of characters who currently occupy the closed hotel. Meg must determine who to trust and who is feeding her lies, while attempting to solve the forty year old murder mystery her mother’s book is based on.

Intermingled with the chapters are excerpts from Kitten. The novel tells the story of Kitten, the 8-year-old daughter of Ambletern’s owners, who is accused of killing another child on the island. Doro tries to prove to Meg that Frances’ story is a work of fiction and that she is innocent. The blame shifts to numerous characters from the past as Meg digs deeper. As lies begin to build, the lines are blurred on who to trust.

Carpenter builds an atmosphere of suspense as the reader whips through the pages trying to uncover the truth about Kitten and the real-life story that inspired the tale. Along-side Meg as she finds bits of the story, the reader is constantly jumping to conclusions, only to be faced with the fact that what looks like the truth, is far from it. This novel is hard to put down, as it revolves around a story that is not only a thriller, but also an in-depth look into human interaction and relationships. I absolutely loved how the fictional novel that inspires the events of the story is woven throughout. The ending was captivating and not entirely what I was expecting. I thought at about half-way through, I had solved the mystery of Kitten, but when the truth came crashing down, I was blown away! show less

Meg Ashley is the daughter of famous author Frances Ashley. Frances wrote a book called "Kitten" and everyone is gearing up for the fortieth anniversary of its publication. This bestselling horror novel became a cult favourite and the Kitty Cult has been trying to solve the murder which has been based on real people at a real location. Meg and her mother have never gotten along. Although she lives a life of privilege, Meg's childhood had been a solitary one and her mother has always been a manipulator. Now Meg wants to be free of Frances Ashley and decides a tell-all memoir is the way to do it. She travels to Bonny Island, Georgia, to dig into her mother's past. She starts investigating the murder herself and talking to the woman who show more was the inspiration for her mother's book. As Meg begins asking questions and sorting through all the lies, the disturbing truth is finally uncovered.

I loved the setting. Bonny Island was swarming with people after Kitten came out but now, forty years later, the Gothic-mansion-turned-hotel, is shut down. The owner, a cook, a housekeeper and a groundskeeper are the only ones left on this beautiful, quiet island. It's not fast-paced but the suspense made me keep turning the pages. Who killed little Kim Baker?! There's another twist in the book before we find out who the murderer is, which I didn't like at first, but without it the book wouldn't have come together as well as it did.

Thank you to Netgalley and Lake Union Publishing for a copy of this book. show less

This book will grab onto you from the first chapter and never let go. This is a book that I will remember for a long time. It is part Southern Gothic and part murder mystery. It will take you a ride that you will not soon forget. Emily Carpenter has a way of weaving a story that is full of complexities and drama. She knows how to pull you into that story and keep you there. There are some very strange characters and you just will never know who is telling the truth and who is weaving lies. Megan's mother had written a book 40 years ago called "Kitten" that was about a psychopathic little girl. The book is about to launch its anniversary and this is when Meg is approached to write a tell all book about her childhood with her mother, show more Frances, the author of Kitten. This book of her mother's is what made Meg want to tell her story of a mother who was famous and never there for her child. She goes to Bonny Island, Georgia to do research for her book and to find out more about her mother's book. I can't say more, you will just have to read the book.
This story is so well crafted and I was simply enthralled from beginning to end . The characters are complex and richly developed. I felt as if I were involved in this story as I was so immersed in this book. It is absolutely mind blowing! I felt so filled with the suspense of it all. My mind was scrambling to figure out what the truth was and I was hooked. I love a good mystery and this is one of the best that I have ever read. The further I got into the book , the more I just had to know what the truth was. You will never in a million years guess the truth. You will be biting your nails and screaming in your head. This book is amazing! I can not even express the way this book made me feel. It took me on a roller coaster ride that is filled with twists and turns. You have to order this book. It is so, so good. I could go on and on about it, but you have to read it for yourself to understand. Hang on for the ride of your life!! I give this a zillion stars!! Best mystery ever!! Make sure to read her first book, " Burying The Honeysuckle Girls" for another great read. Great author, great plot, great book!!! show less