Blog Tour: The Lies I Tell by Joel Hames

Hey everyone! Today I’m bringing you my review for The Lies I Tell by Joel Hames. I really enjoyed this psychological thriller!

Synopsis

SHE’S WATCHING YOU,

BUT WHO’S WATCHING HER?

From the bestselling author of Dead North, a tense, claustrophobic psychological thriller perfect for fans of Lucy Foley, Claire McGowan and Clare Mackintosh.

Meet Polly.
Meet Emily.
Meet Belinda.

They’re all me.

My name is Lisa and I’m an identity thief. If I’m not inside your system stealing your money, I’ve probably already stolen it. I’m your friend. I’m a thief. I’m gone. I’m in control.

Only now, the tables have been turned. I’m in danger. My son is in danger. And I don’t know where that danger’s coming from.

Any friend.
Any enemy.
Any stranger.
Anyone from the past I’ve been trying to outrun for years.

NOBODY CAN BE TRUSTED.

About The Author

A Londoner in exile, Joel Hames lives in rural Lancashire with his wife and two daughters.

His works of fiction include the bestselling Sam Williams trilogy Dead North, No One Will Hear and The Cold Years, and the standalone psychological thriller The Lies I Tell.

When not writing or spending time with his family, Joel likes to eat, cook, play the piano, and make up excuses to avoid walking the dog. There’s the MMA thing, too, but he doesn’t like to show off.

You can find out more about Joel and sign up to his mailing list through social media or his very own website:

Facebook: facebook.com/joelhamesauthor

Twitter: @joel_hames Website: http://www.joelhamesauthor.com

My Thoughts

Thanks so much to the author and Zoé at Zooloo’s Book Tours for a copy of the ebook with a request for an honest review.

I read a fair few psychological thrillers and I have to say a few have fallen short for me. Not this one. It was fab!

Lisa lives with her son, Simon. Lisa is an identity thief. But someone is onto her and she has no idea who. They’re using all the tricks Lisa knows and they are outsmarting her and framing her for crimes she did not commit.

The novel is told in two time lines – the present day and when Lisa was a child. I must say, I loved the chapters about Lisa childhood and particularly the relationship between her and her little sister Donna. Lisa is a really complex character, and not just because of her multiple identities. She’s had a really challenging past with alcoholic and neglectful parents who physically and psychologically abuse her (it’s not a happy book, so be warned). This gave me so much sympathy for the character. Yes, she’s a thief, but she is so much more than that.

At the beginning, I did feel a bit confused about who all the characters were, especially because of the multiple identities and seeing how everyone fit together. However, this was all pulled together so well towards the end of the book. My jaw genuinely dropped at one of the revelations towards the end! I think the slight confusion only added to my desire to find out what was really happening.

The plot was intricate but engrossing and I was fully invested in Lisa’s story. I also thought the writing style was great and it kept me hooked.

This is one of the best psych thrillers I’ve read in a while so definitely have a read if that’s a genre for you!