Well, my friends, it’s official. I have too many books in my Netgalley queue. I guess it’s a good thing Netgalley November is either coming up soon (or already here, depending on when I get this review published). But to be fair, I’ve only found a few books on Netgalley that I really disliked. And The Lies I Tell by Julie Clark was NOT one of them. I really enjoyed it and look forward to finding more books by this author. I wish I could tell you what first attracted me to the book, but honestly? I can’t remember. I tend to do that with Netgalley, unfortunately. I’ll request a book because it looks amazing, then by the time I get to it, I can’t for the life of me remember what it’s about.
Totally fine with me, though, because I like going into books blind. I do hope you enjoy my review of The Lies I Tell by Julie Clark. I’m looking forward to talking about it!
This post may contain affiliate links. Your purchase provides The Picky Bookworm with a small commission, and I’m so grateful for the support!
Synopsis
Meg is a con artist who will become whoever she needs to be to achieve her goal. Life Coach. Realtor. College Student. By the time her victims find out the truth, she’s long gone, they’ve lost everything, and she’s someone completely new.
Until she decides to return home under her real name and identity.
Kat is a journalist and blogger who has waited ten long years for Meg to come home. Her own life was ruined a long time ago, and she’s determined to expose Meg for who she is.
But as Kat and Meg get to know each other, how can they tell who the real bad guy is?
Thank you to Netgalley for a free copy of (book) in return for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Excerpt
Meg
It starts how it always starts.
With me, quietly slipping alongside you – no sudden moves, no loud fanfare. As if I’ve always been there. Always belonged.
This time, it’s a $10,000-a-plate fundraiser. After nearly ten years, I feel right at home among the extravagant trappings of the rich – the original artwork on the walls, the antiques that cost more than most people make in a year, and the hired help I pretend not to notice, quietly moving through homes like this one, perched high on a hill with all of Los Angeles glittering below us.
If you’re one of my targets, know that I’ve chosen you carefully. It’s likely you’re in the midst of a major life change – a lost job, a divorce, the death of a close family member. Or a heated run for elected office that you’re on the verge of losing. Emotional people take risks. They don’t think clearly, and they’re eager to believe whatever fantasy I feed them.
Social media has become my primary research tool, with its check-ins, geo-tags, and shameless self-promotion. And those quizzes some of your friends take and share? Dogs or cats? Number of brothers and sisters? Most of the questions seem harmless, but the next time you see one, take a closer look. Name five places you’ve lived or Four names you go by – both of which allow me to approach you. John? It’s me, Meg! From Boise, remember? I knew your sister.
It’s so easy, it’s criminal.
I spend hundreds of hours on observation and research. Profiling the different people in your life, finding the one I can befriend, the one who will lead me to you. When I’m done, I know everything I possibly can about you, and most of the people around you. By the time you’re saying nice to meet you, I’ve already known you for months.
Does this worry you? It should.
My Thoughts
One of my favorite parts of The Lies I Tell is this quote from the book,
“Two women, working together, are a force to be reckoned with.”
While it doesn’t sum up the book perfectly, it gave me enough insight into the two women that I knew I’d like the book. I wasn’t wrong. I couldn’t put it down. I doubt you’ll be able to, either.
Main Characters
The Lies I Tell had tons of cool characters, but I want to focus on the two characters whose points of view Julie used for her story. I loved both of them so much. They were different and yet the same. If you read the book for no other reason, read it to get to know these amazing women.
Meg
Meg is a con artist. At first, it doesn’t seem like she chooses that life out of some desire to be rich. She chooses it out of necessity. When she chooses to do it for money, though, and I found out her motives, I kind of rooted for her to succeed. I never wanted the cops to find her. That type of evolution was interesting to read, because I don’t find it in many books anymore, so I loved finding a villain I wanted to succeed.
Kat
Meg ruined Kat’s life 10 years ago, and because of that, Kat wants nothing more than to see Meg go to jail for her crimes. Yes, conning people out of thousands of dollars is wrong, but that’s not Kat’s only motivation. I don’t want to give away too much on how Kat’s life got ruined, but needless to say, it was a long journey back, and she’s right to want vengeance. I found myself also rooting for Kat to get her justice, because she deserved it.
Pace & Storytelling
Reading a book where both main characters are on opposite ends of the “good and evil” spectrum, but wanting both of them to succeed, was kind of a weird read for me. I think Julie found a way to find this balance in her storytelling perfectly, because I never wavered in my opinion of either woman. I disliked things they did, of course, but I rooted for their overall missions.
I loved the pace, as well. Some thrillers told in this manner can feel rushed or feel slow. The Lies I Tell felt neither. Some of the story was told in the past, giving some history behind the women’s connection, but most was told in the present. Using both timelines allowed the story to progress how it was supposed to, without giving too much away at once, and without info-dumping. I can’t tell you how much I hate info-dumping. Read a book once that was 6 pages of description before even one sentence of dialogue, and needless to say, I never finished it. No, I won’t tell you the book.
The Character I Want To Meet
I’d love to meet Meg. Just to sit and pick her brain about how she chose her victims, and the psychology behind it all would be fascinating.
I’m not saying I’d want to be a con artist. The fear of jail would be enough to keep me on the straight and narrow. But I’m fascinated by how minds work, and why people do what they do. Motives are fascinating little creatures to me. Meg’s motives and how she honed her skills would be something I’d want to learn about.
My Biggest Takeaway
The quote above is probably my biggest takeaway. “Two women working together, are a force to be reckoned with.”
Meg’s mom told her that when she was younger, and she used it as a mantra throughout her life. In today’s world, when misogyny runs rampant, and women find themselves trampled on every day, finding stories of women who don’t allow that world to sour their soul or steal their spirit is a wonderful thing. Even if that story is fictional.
Will I Read Other Books by Julie Clark?
Um, YEAH! I’ll read as many as I can find. Can’t promise it’ll be tomorrow, or next week, or next month, but Julie will make it onto my TBR again, have no fear. You’ll see more reviews for Julie Clark books as soon as possible.
My Recommendation
If you like thrillers, stories with strong women main characters, or just really good books, check out The Lies I Tell by Julie Clark. I seriously doubt you’ll be disappointed. I went in totally blind, and I gave as little info in my synopsis above as possible, so hopefully if you enjoy going in blind as well, this review didn’t spoil any of that for you. I hope you’ll grab a copy, and if possible, please use the affiliate link below. It’ll get me a small commission, at no extra cost to you, and I’m so grateful for the support!
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed my review of The Lies I Tell, by Julie Clark. I enjoyed the book very much, and if you enjoy thrillers, I’m willing to bet you’ll enjoy it, too. If you’ve read the book, plan to read it, or simply want to leave a note telling me how much you enjoyed my review, please leave a comment below! I love comments, value your input, and respond to each one. I also send out weekly post notifications to my newsletter subscribers, so if you want on that list, be sure to subscribe using that form in the sidebar, and you’ll start getting those emails the next time they go out. Thanks again for visiting, and I hope you come back next time for a new article or book review!
Until Next Time, Friends!
