The Lie Between Us

Mad Women #3

by Amanda McKinney

This detective's secret will follow her to the grave...

At three in the morning, Detective Ame Bassette receives a panicked call from her sister Delphine who has just killed her drug-dealing boyfriend.

Ame makes a snap decision—to risk everything to save her sister from spending life behind bars. Together, they go on the run but quickly discover that some secrets will follow wherever you go.

After hours of driving, Ame finds herself lost in the dangerous swamplands of south Louisiana, where she comes across Gramarye Lodge, a run-down hotel with a sordid past—that may be connected to a horrifying cold case Ame once investigated. Soon after checking in, it becomes apparent that someone doesn’t want Ame to leave.

Between the eccentric lodge owner, the mysterious guest on the third floor, the wayward teen, and Ame’s mentally unstable sister, Ame begins to question who she can trust… and if it isn’t only her sister’s secrets that are coming to light.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Audiobook, Dark, Amazon, Psychological Thriller

Kindle Edition

First published February 24, 2023

About the author

Amanda McKinney is the Amazon Charts bestselling and multi-award-winning author of more than thirty romance and thriller novels. Her books have received over fifteen literary awards and nominations, including the prestigious Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence, and have been included in lists such as POPSUGAR's 12 Best Romance Books, and featured on the Today Show.


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Reviews

[Kaceey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ya’ll ready for some voodoo stew?

Ame was a young detective in Louisiana working on what would become a notorious and unsolvable serial killing. Now, years later, she finds herself on the run in an attempt to save her younger sister from a murder charge. Will she sacrifice herself to do so?

Bravo Amanda McKinney!🙌 You did it again! Taking us deep into the mind of one of her “mad-women” to deliver a wildly twisty, short thriller!

I had no idea how this would all fit together! I should’ve known you would once again pack a full length thriller into less than 300 pages and I never felt short changed!

I’ve enjoyed this series (that can all be read as standalone books) and can’t wait for the next!

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man, do I LOVE a twist I don't see coming! I loved this creepy and atmospheric thriller set in the Louisiana bayou. This might be my favorite book I've read by this author so far. Definitely shocked me with that twisty ending. Fantastic!

Many thanks to Amanda McKinney for providing me a copy of this eARC.

[Katrina (Catching up on Reviews) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Even though this was a short book, I just couldn’t get into it. The story follows Ame, a detective, who gets a shocking call from her sister—she says she’s killed her boyfriend. Instead of reporting it, Ame decides to protect her sister by running away and taking the murder weapon with her. The book is set in Louisiana, but despite the interesting setup, it just didn’t click for me.

[Wiseask · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am almost at a loss to describe how confounding this short book is. I received it for free, thinking that it was a domestic thriller from the cover art showing a well dressed woman with long blonde hair holding a vintage Norman Bates knife. I dared to hope that it was not just a domestic thriller but a clever domestic thriller.

Instead it was about a thoroughly unlikeable female Bayou County police detective named Ame who’s both an alcoholic and workaholic, smokes too much, has a weakness for sour gummy bears and beef jerky, and professes not to care what her male colleagues think of her though she eavesdrops when she overhears them talking about her. She is supposed to be physically attractive, but she is so poorly written I pictured her looking like the Susie Myerson character in the Mrs. Maisel show.

The book opens 20 years before with Ame investigating a grisly murder where the victim’s eyes were gouged out and replaced with buckeye seeds. She is staking out a suspect she believes could be the culprit. Evidently he has committed two more murders, disfiguring his victims in the same ghastly manner.

Fast forward to the present where Ame, now age 43 and still a detective, is helping her sister Delphine flee from a crime scene. Delphine, four years younger than Ame, is an incurable drug addict who had accidentally shot and killed her drug dealing boyfriend. Ame leaves her own car at the crime scene so she herself is being sought for the murder. Never mind that she takes the murder weapon with them and had absolutely no motive or reason to kill the drug dealer. Using Delphine’s car, Ame drives them several hours to a log cabin lodge hidden deep in the wetlands of south Louisiana populated by a few strange characters. The mystery is who they are and why Ame had picked this particular place.

You won’t be able to guess the mystery, not because it’s so clever but because it’s so preposterous. Ame supposedly had a plan in place for nearly twenty years, but when it came time to execute the plan, events unfolded so unpredictably that the plan succeeded due to chance, not by design. But in the end Ame got what she had planned for, hoped for, and expected — as well as a nasty surprise that she had not expected.

[Melissa (honeybee.reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off I want to thank @amandamckinneyauthor for my free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Whaaaaat !!! Mckinney has outdone herself with the newest addition to the Mad Women Thrillers. This one is unpredictably amazing. I truly adored this one. Honestly, I will read ANYTHING she writes. 

There's a few characters to get to know in the short amount of pages, and I'll admit I was wondering how they would all tie up. But when the twists arrived, holy hell I was not prepared for that ! Just when I thought she was done, oh nope she wasn't, packed on another twist. I did not see that coming ! 

I loved the writing, as usual from Mckinney's books. From book to book she keeps improving her writing style and technique. I was hooked straight from the beginning. How she's able to make you feel and connect with the characters in such a short amount of pages is unreal, especially with characters that are so flawed. That ending though, major bang !

If you want a thrilling ride with some shocking twists and even more shocking ending ! Read it you won't regret it !

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella was a pleasant surprise. Good characters (even the unlikeable ones) and the story came together nicely.

[Ria Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very entertaining little thriller. Super short yet very twisty! It didn't feel rushed for the most part, except maybe a little towards the end. The whole time I was trying to figure out how all the story lines would come together in such a short span of pages. But they did! With some crazy twists.
Thank you, Amanda Mckinney for a free ARC

[Hannah | Reading Under Covers · Rating 4 out of 5]

Big thank you to the author for giving me the chance to read this one early!

This thriller may be short, but it really packs a punch! It's got a mysterious serial killer, multiple timelines (LOVE), and several twists.

I felt like I didn't get a really good feel for the main character (some things seemed to come out of left field based on what we do find out about her), and I think a lot of that comes down to the length of the book.

Overall, a nice popcorn thriller with some really nice moments of suspense!

Publishes February 24.

[Sandra R · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. A novella, well written with twists. There are flashbacks to twenty years prior throughout. It's not really an intense thriller, but it plays with the mind and is a bit creepy and strange. Deals with murder and drug use, so keep that in mind. I read it in one sitting and the ending is... 🤔😯 Not was I was expecting - but good.

[Shannon The Co-Captain · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

This was pretty good. I wasn’t able to put it all together until the end. It was good enough to check out some of the other books in the series.

[Chelsea Acuna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐️ a very quick story with some interesting twists. Although I loved the short story, it felt like it could’ve also used more. Enjoyed the audiobook!

[Lori Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

second book by this author, loving it.! On to her next one.

[Aarika Paolo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a short, quick read for me. I did not see the twists at the end coming at all.

[Carey S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

Prepare to be creeped out! This story sucks you in from the start. There are multiple creepy elements like dead bodies, heroin use, voodoo dolls, accidental deaths, buckeyes for eyes, swarming flies, and the like that will force you to think about this story long after you have finished reading it. The story starts with a 20-something year old female detective investigating a case where the victim has been dead a few days. We see this same detective 20 years later as she rescues her sister from a crime scene. In between, we are introduced to other characters who play large or small roles in the story. There are clever twists and turns scattered throughout that are introduced within the storytelling. And the ending will drop quite a few jaws…

This story is well-written and definitely makes readers think. I deducted half a star for believability. Most of the story is credible; I just had a hard time believing the boat part—how come the rope didn’t get caught on anything while they were ‘soaring over the water’/how did Ame keep Elliot from seeing the rope and what was attached? No spoilers here; you’ll have to read this intriguing story to figure out what this means…

[Susan Vrabel-Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who's Who???

This is a very fast read, I finished it in half a day. This is the story of Ame and Delphine, sisters on the run. Ame is a detective. Delphine is a drug addict. A man was killed, which sister is guilty?
Read this book and find out!!!

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

"If you don't live it, it won't come out of your horn." (Charlie Parker)

But in Louisiana they do and it does.

That's where Amanda McKinney sets this one down in another edition of the Mad Women Series. And it has a tatch of voodoo, bayous, swamps, and the unexplainable.....Cajun style.

Detective Ame Bassette has been on the police force for almost twenty years. She's seen everything until that call comes in at 2 AM. The body of an elderly woman is found in her rundown little shack of a home. What Ame gazes upon is shocking. Someone left their calling card.

Ame has been working on this case day and night. It seems that the killer has been making the rounds in a 90 mile radius. All similar cases with no valid suspects yet.

Another call comes in during the middle of the night. This time it's Delphine, Ame's younger sister. She's hysterical and screaming into the phone for Ame to come pick her up. This is the usual for Delphine. She's a heavy drug addict who's been in rehab three times already paid in full by Ame. It never seems to stick.

But when Ame gets to Delphine's apartment, it's a whole different scenario. Blood is like an abstract art on the floor and the walls. And there's a body of a man on the floor. Ame grabs Delphine and they're officially on the run. Delphine has a record and she's currently on probation. Ame tosses her police career out the window in order to help her sister.

They hunker down in an out of the way lodge miles away near the bayou. But as the days wear on, there seems to be more fear in these darkened doorways here than on the run.

Seriously speaking, I've been smacked alongside the head with this Mad Women's Series. Amanda McKinney creates rattlin' scenarios like no other. I've read The Raven's Wife and pre-ordered The Keeper's Closet coming out in August. I garontee you will be hooked as well.

[Elizabeth Connor · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to the author for an ARC of this book, which I forgot to read for far too long. As it turns out, I didn't love it. I've much preferred all of her other books that I've read.

This one was a little confusing, and I never felt like the narrator and MC, Ame, was ever very honest. I suspected she was an unreliable narrator, which she was, but as it turned out, she wasn't the only one hiding big secrets. The problem is that I never quite identified with her or felt anything for any of the characters. I just didn't care what happened. Despite that, there were a few lines that stuck with me.

Thinking of her heroin-addicted sister Delphine, Ame thought, “Funny how you can care so much about the well-being of someone who couldn't care less about yours."

And there was another exchange that made me laugh. Ame is a police detective, and her sergeant tells her that there are three people waiting to speak to her. He knows the names of the two men, but all he knows about the woman is that she looks like 50 Cent. Sure enough, when Ame enters the room, she confirms that the woman could be 50 Cent's twin sister. The thought of this cracked me up.

McKinney's writing is always good. The prose is engaging and easy to read. My only problem here was the lack of emotion I felt about anyone. Even when I got to the big reveal, I was like, oh well. I recommend reading one of her other books, which I'm about to do now.

[Ag · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was just a few weeks ago when I read Amanda McKinney’s "Widow of the Weeping Pines" and that was a winner. I was quick to crown it by calling it my favorite January read. Then I saw that "The Lie Between Us" is coming out in a few days and of course, I wanted to read it also. So, I did.
I might have forgotten how to breathe after reading that last page of this book for a moment.
Would it be tacky to say that this is my favorite February read, although February is not over yet?
Would it be tacky to say that this one might be even better than the previous one?
The book is a quick read. The beginning is weirdly tame, with so many characters it feels like I can’t keep track of who is who, what are those people, and why they are all here, and it feels like nothing really makes much sense, but maybe it is just a slow burn. Why would this be called a part of “mad women series”, no one is mad here, ya kno, lots of absolutely normal and borderline boring people. Those are a few chapters like that in the very beginning. And then. And then. And.
It should be illegal to write books that are SO good.
Loved it so, so much. It was twisted, twisty, and gripping, and full of crazy people, as it turns out in the end. And that is just what I am looking for in a psychological thriller book.

[Cathy Geha · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Lie Between Us by Amanda McKinney
Mad Women Series #

First words thought at the end of the book…OMG…Twistily Twisted! Couldn’t put it down and had to find out what would happen next.

What I liked:
* The voices telling the story
* The plot, pacing, and being absorbed in the story
* The shifts between past and present
* The twists, turns, and surprises that kept popping up…till the very end
* The gritty dark thrill-ride this story was
* Considering what made the characters the way they were
* Wondering what the future holds in store for the characters that remained at the end of the book
* Being pushed a bit beyond my boundaries and wondering ‘what if’ I were in some of the characters shoes

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Beginning to think that it is impossible to really understand the way some people think and the decisions they make

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author/in this series? Definitely

Thank you to the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

[Sharon Grow · Rating 5 out of 5]

The one thing I can tell you is to expect the unexpected in this twisted mystery of murder and deceit. The back and forth between characters and timeline may be a bit confusing at first, but don’t give up, it is well worth the story and ending. Hardened Detective Ame Bassette is on the case of the Buckeye Butcher who places buckeyes on his victims. She gets a panicked call from her sister, Delphine, a drug addict, and finds her along with three dead bodies. Although she has tried to help her sister, they find themselves on the run. They stop at the Lodge of Lucien in Louisiana to hide…and think. Someone must have seen her leave the scene of the murders as it is her picture on the news and she is wanted for murder. She slowly makes friends with the teenage son of the lodge owner. Who is the man living on the third floor? What is going to happen to her sister, to her? A menacing feel to a story that will keep you guessing until the surprising end. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation, from the author, for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

[Claire Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amanda McKinney has become my Queen of Thrillers, Plot Twists & Completely Unexpected Endings with the Mad Women Series

Yet again Amanda takes you on a rollercoaster ride of ups, downs, twists and turns with The Lie Between Us, part of the Mad Women series.

This short Thriller follows the story of Ame, a police detective who for years has been trying to solve the Buckeye Killer case. Her life and career are thrown into turmoil when she is forced to make a decision that will cost her either her job, or her sister. Her decision leads her to the depths of Louisiana, where things and life don't exactly go to plan.

This quick read was an amazing book to read, and the ending WOW! you just have to read it to believe it and I'm not sure that I do yet. Can't wait to see what's in store for us next in this series which is quickly becoming one of my favourites by Amanda.

[Catlou · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE LIE BETWEEN US starts like a puzzle with missing pieces. As you read, the pieces begin to fall into place – some expected, some surprising. But I bet you won’t have figured out the biggest surprise of all at the end. 🤯 It certainly caught me totally off guard. But, trust me, things will all begin to make sense the more you read, and this tale is so intriguing, you will easily become completely absorbed in your reading and won’t even notice that time has passed. It is that good! Luckily, it’s a quick read so the passing of time will seem like nothing at all. But you’re going to need to take a breath when you reach the end and probably do something to clear your mind because you will need it after being so caught up in the suspenseful atmosphere created by this story and then finally discovering all the pieces to the puzzle, or so you think. 😳😉

[Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dark and twisted

We all have secrets but Ame knows better than most just how dark and twisted those secrets can be. She thought she had seen everything in her twenty years as a detective, twenty years that have driven her to drink, to loathing, to question everything but even she is struggling to outrun this, no matter how well made her plans and how much research she has done.....there is always something you have missed!
I can see how some would be blindsided by the ending, but there are breadcrumbs there, little hints, slightly questionable reactions and moments that make you pause, there is a niggle, something that isn't quite right but there isn't enough thread to pull to know exactly what that niggling detail is. You can't pinpoint exactly what leaves you unsettled......until you can.....by then it's too late!
I read this on Kindle Unlimited.

[Rhonda Brant · Rating 5 out of 5]

I swear, this author is going to give me a heart attack! The Lie Between Us is the next book in her Mad Women series, and it's a book that creeped me out big time. I'm not normally a thriller genre reader, but this author has sucked me in with her writing, and even though I have to set my house alarm, look over my shoulder every 2 minutes, set the book down because it's intense, I loved every freaking moment of it. This story is particularly creepy, gives the vibe of serial killer vs psycho, and the ending? OMG!!! Definitely needs to be your next read whether you like the genre or not, you'll be a convert from the very first page. Incredible writing that leaves you just hammering for the next book!

I voluntarily reviewed an ARC copy of this book.

[Judi Haley · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a surprise all the way through. Ame Bassette is a Detective and very good at what she does. She is on the case of a serial killer called the Buckeye Butcher. Ame loves her job but her sister has always been a problem to her.

Her sister has called Ame in a panic, she has accidentally killer her boyfriend and Ame knows if they find her sister she will go to prison as she is a drug addict and is on probation. She knows she has to protect her sister, so she leaves everything to help her sister. They are on the run and find theirselves at a lodge. Just going to stay overnight was all they needed and then get out of town, but things are going on in the lodge and Ame doesn't know who to trust!

Great twisty one that will definitely keep you guessing!

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a story you will be thinking about for some time. This author is amazing. I started reading her books a few years ago and I can’t wait to get my hands on one. This story left me gob smacked with the ending. It is complicated and compelling and makes you use your brain as you try and figure out what is going on. There are so many u expected things that pop up and I mean things that kinda creeped the bejessus out of me. The story and writing is brilliant. It grabs you at the beginning and doesn’t let you go til the ending which made my mouth hang open. There are so many choices out there, some good some not but this is one not to be missed. It’s an adventure. Well done!

[Deb Fernow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Got me at the end. To say that this story was totaling unexpected is the absolute truth. It is the third in the series of intrigue/thrillers by this author and was similar to the first without having to read them all. Ame is a detective full of flaws trying to solve crime in her own way. Simple plan but the story is so complex and interwoven that you will have to remember to breathe every so often! Expect the unexpected is the only way to describe this fantastic story! And what an ending!!!

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unexpected twists
Awesome twisty tale, I had no idea where it was going, and what a surprise ending. Interesting set of characters, all who played important roles, and with a great plot as well. The flow of the story was very well done, it felt like I was taken along for a ride as I read it. I love how the author gets into the head of the main character, it really gave me a great sense of being immersed right into the story. I highly recommend this stand alone story of this series. I received this book for free and voluntarily reviewed.

[Gregg · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is bananas!! What an amazing read!! When the twist...or twists..came I audibly yelled expletives...which may make you think you're crazy when you're in a house alone! It's Just That Good!! You have to read it for yourself and have your own jaw drop, just like mine did. McKinney always does this to me with her twists. She's a master! She is the Lucy to my Charlie Brown...just when I think I got it all figured out...Whammo!! This book is a great read and a book you will fly through!! Go get this book! Plus, I'm and Ohio guy and she had me at Buckeyes!! O-H...

[Kat]

free ebook
she was a detective , and her sister a heroin addict
she cut her beautiful hair and dyed it, she was on the run
her sister in the truck of the car, she checked into a lodge and brought her sister into the room but someone from upstairs saw her. he didnt call the police that night, even though she was on tv as bolo

she gives her sister a od and she dies. the lady that owns the place is killed, her son turned out to be the baby she gave away. she meets the father there and they now they own the place
she finds buckeyes under the mattress