4.25 stars ( )

Julie Clark, author of The Flight, does it again! The Lies I Tell is a thriller wrapped in a psychological study wrapped in a tale of unlikely relationships.

From the first chapter, I was absorbed by the story of Kat and Meg. By how they arrived at their current positions, by their choices and by what happened to them throughout their lives. You think about the people with whom you engage, what secrets they may be harboring, and when we know what the right thing is.

The twists and turns keep coming, making this a very enjoyable and fast read. The resolution is satisfying and unexpected. The story is great fun - and I look forward to Julie's next exciting tale!

Much appreciation goes to NetGallery and the publisher, Sourcebooks Landmark, for the opportunity to read and review an ARC. ( )

I had a very hard time putting this book down. I loved the way the author teased you a bit with the present day story and then went back and gave you part of the backstory, then in the middle of the book went back again and filled in some of the gaps. I thought both characters were quite smart for the most part. I don't like it when characters do things that make you ask "What are they thinking?" The only spot when I thought the character did something out of character was when Kat left the apartment when Scott was moving out. I thought she should have been smarter than that. He had proven himself to not be trustworthy and then of course she got burned because he stole her notes.

I found myself feeling really bad for Meg, but not enough to excuse what she did. One of the reasons I didn't give this a 4 was because I didn't like how it ended. I felt like the author was trying to justify what Meg did and give the impression that because she helped women with the money that she stole, that it was okay. I really didn't like that Kat heads down the same road of revenge. .

There was no graphic sex or violence, there is an implied date rape with the character waking up the next morning with only a shirt on. There is a fair bit of language which is one of the reasons I didn't rate it a 4. F-word 10 , Blashphemy 15 , assorted other language 15 .

I enjoyed this book, it really held my interest and if the ending had been slightly different and it had less foul language it would have been a 4.
Review coming soon to Literary Club Podcast Season 2 episode 12
https://www.buzzsprout.com/1984185 ( )

“The difference between justice and revenge comes down to who’s telling the story.”

Meg Williams is a con woman who has mastered her craft over the years - meticulous planning, in-depth research, and a whole lot of smarts result in the almost flawless execution of her plans, changing locations and identities as the situation demands. But there is more to her story and her motivations as is gradually revealed as the narrative progresses. Unbeknownst to Meg, she has been on someone’s radar for over ten years, ever since one of her cons inadvertently resulted in a young journalist’s life falling apart.

Kat Roberts has waited ten years to exact revenge on the woman whose actions wrecked her life years ago. She is out to con the con woman, expose her and write about all of it. A lot is going on with both of these characters. While Kat has her eyes set on revenge, Meg has returned to town with her own agenda that involves settling old scores. Kat, hiding her true identity, succeeds in befriending Meg and what follows is an intricate web of deception, revenge, unlikely friendships and some surprising revelations along the way. The first-person narrative is shared between Meg and Kat in alternating chapters. The story jumps back and forth between the past and present-day events, giving us a clear understanding of who these women are, the grudges they have nurtured and what motivates them to do what they do.

If you enjoy strong female protagonists, this story does not disappoint. I found Meg more interesting than Kat, though both of these women do hold their own. Consistently paced, with a good dose of suspense, tension and an intricately woven plot, The Lies I Tell by Julie Clark is a smartly crafted story that hooks you in from the first page and keeps you engaged till the very last sentence. This was my first Julie Clark novel and it won’t be my last! ( )

wow! torn between 4/4.5. this book was a great change from my normal murdering husband or wife type deal. the woman con artist was a great angle. it was great to learn more about Meg as the story went on and how she intertwined with Kat. thanks to winter break, I started finished in a day - I couldn’t put it down! ( )