The Perfect Liar-Books On Tour (Review)-Psych Thriller-Available Now

This book had a great premise, but I can’t help feeling that there was something lacking.

Don’t get me wrong; I read it one sitting, so it definitely had me engrossed and curious to see what happened. I liked the set up of three women “getting away from it all” and heading to Tuscany, especially since they all seemed to be in disparate places in life.

Susanne was divorced and missing her teenage son who was off on holiday with her ex-husband. Evie, her new friend, had recently lost her mother, inherited her mother’s house, and was at loose ends. Dale, her long-time best friend, was just ready for a vacation.

When they get to the villa (owned by a friend of Susanne’s) they find that Harry (the friend’s godson) is already there. Is Harry too good to be true, as he doesn’t seem to mind the company of the older ladies, especially Susanne?

Or is something else going on?

The author does a good job of casting doubt on each of the character’s motivations. There’s just enough to question about each of them that I was never quite sure if anyone had ulterior motives or not.

There was also a great twist at the very end that got me. I didn’t see it coming and it was a great way to end the book.

All of that being said, there were a few things that could have been slightly better.

I thought that the character development could have been a little bit deeper. It seemed like each woman’s situation was more for the plot than for any development of the character. Even though each woman’s situation was unique, there didn’t seem to be much purpose for the situations.

Every time I thought each woman’s perspective would produce a new offshoot of interest, it didn’t. There seemed to be quite a few paths that were approached but never taken.

There was a definite “Talented Mr. Ripley” vibe to the whole thing as well. You’ll understand when you read it.

At one point in the book, the author also introduces a new point of view. It quickly becomes apparent why that person is contributing to the story, but the arrival was a bit jarring.

I also felt that Susanne’s decisions in the latter half the book were questionable. I get why the plot needed to go in that direction, but the choices didn’t seem honest and (again) were more to move the story than be true to the character.

Even though this was a little bit of a mixed bag, I would still recommend it because the author does a nice job of throwing enough questions out there that it made for interesting reading.

Author Bio:

Throughout Beverley’s many years spent working in advertising and PR, she had always wanted to write fiction. In 2015 a creative writing course inspired her debut novel, Seeking Eden, which was published in 2017. The sequel, Eden Interrupted, soon followed. Beverley’s third novel – her first with Bookouture – fulfils a long-time goal to publish a psychological thriller.

Born in Yorkshire, and raised in Kent, Beverley currently lives in West Sussex with her partner and their adorable terrier. When not writing, you’ll find her reading, walking the dog or listening to rock music.