This Is How I Lied is a spine tingling, page-turning, whirlwind of a read. Wowzers! It grabbed me immediately, took me through some great twists and didn’t let go until the final pages. It was soooo good.

Maggie is a police detective in the small Iowa town where she’s lived her whole life. When new evidence emerges in the unsolved case of her best friend Eve’s 25-year-old murder, Maggie jumps at the chance to find her friend’s killer. This atmospheric read bounces from 25 years in the past to the present, giving readers a look into Eve’s life leading up to her murder and Maggie’s current day hunt for the elusive killer.

The characters, an assortment of small-town citizens with many secrets to hide, are well-developed. One character in particular stands out from the crowd. Nola, Eve’s sister, is one complicated, delightfully sinister character that added a layer of creepiness that I enjoyed. While not a woman I’d befriend (eek!!), she’s an interesting, wounded character that added a lot to the story.

There was one rather large twist and an event that had me suspending disbelief a little outside my comfort zone but overall I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It is a well-crafted, powerful and gripping novel (available at WPL as a book and a recorded book) that had me guessing and second guessing the identity of the culprit. With its compelling cast and engaging story, I highly recommend it to fans of suspense.

— Laurie P.