Book Review: An Honest Lie by Tarryn Fisher
An Honest Lie by Tarryn Fisher
Published: April 26th 2022 by Graydon House
Rating: ★★★★ (4)
Genre: Adult // Mystery, Thriller
Quick Thoughts: A compulsive, well-developed plot with a killer bite and equally enigmatic voice.
About The Book: “I’m going to kill her. You’d better come if you want to save her.”
Lorraine—“Rainy”—lives at the top of Tiger Mountain. Remote, moody, cloistered in pine trees and fog, it’s a sanctuary, a new life. She can hide from the disturbing past she wants to forget.
If she’s allowed to.
When Rainy reluctantly agrees to a girls’ weekend in Vegas, she’s prepared for an exhausting parade of shots and slot machines. But after a wild night, her friend Braithe doesn’t come back to the hotel room.
And then Rainy gets the text message, sent from Braithe’s phone: someone has her. But Rainy is who they really want, and Rainy knows why.
What follows is a twisted, shocking journey on the knife-edge of life and death. If she wants to save Braithe—and herself—the only way is to step back into the past.
This seething, gut-punch of a thriller can only have sprung from the fiendish brain of Tarryn Fisher, one of the most cunning writers of our time.
Looking for more great reads by Tarryn Fisher? Don’t miss The Wives and The Wrong Family.
First Thoughts
I know, I know. I’ve never read a book by Tarryn Fisher, who—as much of the book world knows—is very much a cult-classic among the mystery/thriller community. So when I was offered the chance to read An Honest Lie a month or so ago, I was completely enthralled by the idea of diving into one of the much-loved authors books.
My Review
Rainy, our lead character, lives in a remote, off-the-grid place called Tiger Mountain. She hasn’t always lived there, though. But escaping to live there was what she needed—what she had to do—in order to survive her past. Although, not everything about Tiger Mountain is a blessing. Keen to fit in and take on the advice of her boyfriend, she begins adapting to a new friend group. But Rainy is reluctant to get close to some of the Tiger Mountain women that are far from her cup of tea.
Only, once the group invite her on a girl’s trip to Vegas, she wants nothing to do with it. Her past lays dormant there, and she knows that going back would be dangerous, we just don’t know how treacherous it can be. But one thing after another leads her to going, pulling herself through loads of uncomfortable scenarios that she’d rather not be having, but finds herself going along with. And after an eventful night there, it suddenly becomes clear that something bad is happening. One of her friends, Braithe, doesn’t come back to the hotel room. Rainy gets a text, and suddenly her world is tipped upside down once more, because she knows exactly what’s going to happen—and who they really want.
Overall, An Honest Lie took me on a wild ride. Honestly, at the beginning, I found myself feeling disconnected from the story for a good chunk of the start and I almost hesitated reading more, but I am so, so glad I didn’t put it down. Whilst I found the present day POV much slower and unexciting as the past-POV, I still ate up every twist and turn that the book took. There is something truly edgy and exciting about the way Tarryn writes, and I can’t wait to read more from her. If you’re after a compulsive, well-developed plot with a killer bite and equally enigmatic voice, you’ll want to read this. Four amazing stars!
About The Author
I would like to write a novel that every, single person loves, but not even J.K. Rowling could do that. Instead, I try to write stories that pull on people's emotions. I believe that sadness is the most powerful emotion, and swirled with regret the two become a dominating force. I love villains. Three of my favorites are Mother Gothel, Gaston and the Evil Queen who all suffered from a pretty wicked case of vanity (like me). I like to make these personality types the center of my stories. I love rain, Coke, Starbucks and sarcasm. I hate bad adjectives and the word "smolder". If you read my book-I love you. If you hate my book-I still love you, but please don't be mean to me; I'm half badass, half cry baby.
Have you read An Honest Lie or any of Tarryn’s other books?
If you haven’t, don’t forget to add this thrilling book to your TBR!
Let me know in the comments or on twitter @LittleMemoirs!
happy reading!
