The Lies They Tell

It takes a special writer to 'get' the essence of Maine when writing fiction. Nowhere is this apparent than when creating a story that features natives VS PFAs (People From Away). In this dark and gritty story, Gillian French nails both groups perfectly. Having grown up near the coast and later serving as library director in a wealthy Maine community, I know of what I speak. The characters, setting and slow reveal are all done just right, leaving those still standing at the end, scarred, but with enough hope to keep going. The ending is perfect.

Really good. Very reminiscent of [b:Grit|31706530|Grit|Gillian French|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1485342551l/31706530._SY75_.jpg|51273687] in a lot of ways, which is a good thing.

I'm always looking for great YA Mystery writers, and I think I've found one in Gillian French. Her stories are so much more than the actual mystery, and I love the intricacy that feels easy. There are so many things I loved about this book, it's hard to figure out where to start.

First, I'm always going to be a fan of the us vs. them trope. The haves and the have-nots. For whatever reason, I like seeing the way the lines are drawn and what happens when people cross them. I also love having a glance into the world of the show more rich and the reckless. Pearl enters into this walled-off world in order to see if there's anything to find out, and it's interesting seeing how she handles it.

Second, the setting. I love a small-town, beach-town setting. I haven't read very many books set on the coast of Maine, so Tenney's Harbor (a fictional town on the real island of Mount Desert Island) was a welcome setting for this book. I also really liked the dynamic that these people that Pearl needed to get in with only live in this place for 3-4 months per year. It's like, they blow in and create all this tension and drama, but also they are what sustains the touristy town's economy-- can't live with them, can't live without them.

Finally, the mystery. This family, particularly Cassidy (the daughter), haunted me throughout this book. It was like she was there just below the surface the whole time. But it was so much more than: What happened to the Garrison's? It was friendship and family too. I especially liked the way Pearl had to deal with her father's drinking problem and how that was a factor in the book. Also, the way she crushed on her best friend Reese-- and all the pain that caused her.

Now that I'm officially a Gillian French superfan, I'm running to get her newest book, [b:The Missing Season|39937609|The Missing Season|Gillian French|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1539639276l/39937609._SY75_.jpg|61830251]!

OVERALL: Giant yes!! This is what YA Mysteries should be. I loved the beach-town, the intricate characters, and how it was a mystery with so much more going on. Totally 100% recommend.

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Good mystery.
I liked Grit a lot, so I'm not surprised this was a good read. I felt bad for Pearl. Her mom moved away, her dad's an alcoholic, and she in unrequited love with her best friend. I had issues with all the boys in this book. Reese had to know how Pearl felt about him, but he continued to date Indigo even though she treated Peark like shit. And as soon as she started spending a little time with Bridges, he abandons her. And then Bridges is using her as entertainment and to forget a girl in his past. Akil was a huge dick and Tristan had a lot of drama. Pearl deserved better. The mystery around who killed the Garrisons and what really happened was interesting and kept me intrigued. Well written and engaging story.

I actually really wanted to like this more than I did. I was looking for small town mystery and family secrets creating this dark and atmospheric story and I don’t feel like all of that was fulfilled. The story was mostly obvious and underdeveloped. The Lies They Tell follows Pearl Haskins as she tries to find answers about the Garrison tragedy, where a mysterious fire left only one family member alive. As Pearl grows closer to Tristan Garrison she looks to uncover the lies and betrayal surround that night.

Things I Liked
The writing was beautifully atmospheric. It fit perfectly with the setting and the mystery. There was this ethereal air that kept you slightly removed from the story, but in a good way. It was like keeping a secret, show more there was always more to know.

Things I Didn’t Like
I found the mystery to be relatively weak. This really isn’t a story about Pearl befriending the lone survivor of a tragedy to uncover a mystery, it’s more about her dating outside of her social class and navigating a judgemental best friend. They mystery didn't feel like the focus of the story, it was mroe of a b plot.

The characters mostly just felt there. I didn’t connect with any of them, or any of their relationships. I think the one that hooked me the most was Pearl and her father - because I’m always here for familial relationships, but there wasn’t a lot of it. The characters felt very distinct, not like they were a part of the same story.

I thought the ending was a bit of a letdown. It felt unfinished and unsatisfying and not in a mysterious “anything can happen” way, but in a “nothing at all happened and there’s no resolution way.”

Like I said, I feel like this was just weak overall for me. I was looking for a thrilling mystery that combined family, secrets, and small-town drama, but The Lies They Tell felt very surface level to me. I wanted a deeper, more complex story, but this was incredibly easy to read - even if it did frustrate me at times.

I received a copy of the book from HarperTeen via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review. show less

Tenney's Harbor, Maine a place with a large influx of the summer families, those westhy families who live in the big houses. Pearl, seventeen, lives here with her dad who is a caretaker for those big estates. Pearl herself works at the country club serving the wealthy. Then something happens, one of the family's estate starts on fire, a fire that will cause the death of four members of the family, except for the teensge son Tristan who was away at the time. Pearls life changes as her Dad is unofficially blamed for the fire, or at least not stopping whoever set it. It will cost him many of his caretaking jobs as many cancel his services.

Pearl decides to investigate by becoming friends with the son and his friends. I enjoyed Pearls show more loyalty to her father, loved how she wanted to find her own snswers. Of course she finds things that spurs her on, and this turns into a nice little mystery. Written for the YA audience, no blood no gore, I appreciated this straightforward mystery, something little found in adult thrillers nowadays. Took me back to my Nancy Drew past. The ending a little predictable, but did enjoy the journey to get there.

ARC from Edelweiss. show less

"You know the Yeats quote, 'Things fall apart; the centre cannot hold.' You'd never let that happen, if you couldn't help it. That's not a bad thing."

For some reason, I just didn't feel the connection of pull for this one. I loved the characters and found Pearl's life to be interesting and sad. Her struggle to keep her world afloat as she took care of both the house, her father, and juggled summer kids and her awful job at the club. Her drama with the people at work and also the summer boys was realistic and fascinating.

But the mystery just wasn't pulling me in. I kind of guessed the who done it, but I honestly wasn't passionate either way to find out. It made the story feel drawn out and a bit blah. I wish I'd loved it more but it was show more jut okay. show less

An entertaining summer read about the thrills and horrors of the über rich on their summer vacations.

It was richly developed through the novel until the end. It had an abrupt and unsatisfying ending.

CW: mental/emotional abuse, violence, murder