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The Liar's Diary
An accomplished poet with a keen eye for detail and the written word, Patry Francis has written a riveting debut novel that will thrill fans of Jodi Picoult and Sue Miller.
Answering the question of What is more powerful: family or friendship? this debut novel unforgettably shows how far one woman would go to protect either.
They couldn't be more different, but they form a friendship that will alter both their fates. When Ali Mather blows into town, breaking all the rules and breaking hearts (despite the fact that she is pushing forty), she also makes a mark on an unlikely family. Almost against her will, Jeanne Cross feels drawn to this strangely vibrant woman, a fascination that begins to infect Jeanne's perfect husband as well as their teenaged son.
At the heart of the friendship between Ali and Jeanne are deep-seated emotional needs, vulnerabilities they have each been recording in their diaries. Ali also senses another kind of vulnerability; she believes someone has been entering her house when she is not at home—and not with the usual intentions. What this burglar wants is nothing less than a piece of Ali's soul.
When a murderer strikes and Jeanne's son is arrested, we learn that the key to the crime lies in the diaries of two very different women . . . but only one of them is telling the truth.
A chilling tour of troubled minds, The Liar’s Diary signals the launch of an immensely talented new novelist who knows just how to keep her readers guessing.
Answering the question of What is more powerful: family or friendship? this debut novel unforgettably shows how far one woman would go to protect either.
They couldn't be more different, but they form a friendship that will alter both their fates. When Ali Mather blows into town, breaking all the rules and breaking hearts (despite the fact that she is pushing forty), she also makes a mark on an unlikely family. Almost against her will, Jeanne Cross feels drawn to this strangely vibrant woman, a fascination that begins to infect Jeanne's perfect husband as well as their teenaged son.
At the heart of the friendship between Ali and Jeanne are deep-seated emotional needs, vulnerabilities they have each been recording in their diaries. Ali also senses another kind of vulnerability; she believes someone has been entering her house when she is not at home—and not with the usual intentions. What this burglar wants is nothing less than a piece of Ali's soul.
When a murderer strikes and Jeanne's son is arrested, we learn that the key to the crime lies in the diaries of two very different women . . . but only one of them is telling the truth.
A chilling tour of troubled minds, The Liar’s Diary signals the launch of an immensely talented new novelist who knows just how to keep her readers guessing.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2006
16 people are currently reading
1098 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews
March 22, 2008
Because I know a ton of writers, and I like to support their efforts, I often buy books which are not really my own particular genre or taste. I never regret it because we all need all the support we can get in this business...but every once in awhile, I get this fabulous surprise in a package that I don't really expect to like.
Just such a gift is Patry Francis's "The Liar's Diary" which is touted as a "seductive psychological thriller" and a murder mystery. (not my cup of tea) Except! Except! IT IS!!
This cleanly written, suspense-laden little gem had me up half the night and unable to put it down all day today. It's just twisty and turny, SO well written, and while you know you're "doing" a murder mystery, you get so much character study and expert writing that you simply get the lost in the art of it, and keep turning those pages as fast as you can! Wonderful!
I had a great read with this book and would recommend it to anyone who thinks they don't care for this particular genre.
And it's a MUST for those of you who like the head-scratching
who dunnits! What a present. Thank you, Patry!!
Just such a gift is Patry Francis's "The Liar's Diary" which is touted as a "seductive psychological thriller" and a murder mystery. (not my cup of tea) Except! Except! IT IS!!
This cleanly written, suspense-laden little gem had me up half the night and unable to put it down all day today. It's just twisty and turny, SO well written, and while you know you're "doing" a murder mystery, you get so much character study and expert writing that you simply get the lost in the art of it, and keep turning those pages as fast as you can! Wonderful!
I had a great read with this book and would recommend it to anyone who thinks they don't care for this particular genre.
And it's a MUST for those of you who like the head-scratching
who dunnits! What a present. Thank you, Patry!!
April 1, 2008
I had a difficult time with this book. It had twists and turns and beautiful writing, but then the twist near the end felt like it belonged on Lifetime and I wanted to throw it across the room.
Then I thought about it a few hours later. Then a few days later. It started to dawn on me that even though the ending had initially felt contrived, it wasn't. It was damned near perfect. And now, two weeks later, I'm still mulling over it. I guess that's a clear sign that it was worth the read.
Then I thought about it a few hours later. Then a few days later. It started to dawn on me that even though the ending had initially felt contrived, it wasn't. It was damned near perfect. And now, two weeks later, I'm still mulling over it. I guess that's a clear sign that it was worth the read.
did-not-finish
February 11, 2024Part of my project to try reading books that have been on my to-read shelf for 10 years. Hoped at first it would be similar to Notes on a Scandal, and the first chapter was promising, but 15% in, I’m already sick of how oddly petty and immature all the characters are.
February 17, 2009
I was wandering round Target, waiting for the pharmacy to fill my prescription, and had just reached the books’ section when I found it – bottom shelf, red and cream cover with an image of a woman in lacy apparel. I’d looked at several paperbacks already, and it wasn’t the picture that enticed me. But the blurb on the back was intriguing. Suburban life falling apart, mutual vulnerabilities, long-held secrets, something darker… those are things I might expect to enjoy. Stunning, magnetic personalities less so, but I decided to buy it anyway.
The book began gently, with a character I quickly related to – married, insecure, low self-esteem, struggling with the conflicting responsibilities of wife and mother. Her son has problems of his own, and she tries to help and support, never sure where the line between enabling and ennobling lies.
The husband; is he as bad as the narrator paints, or are we seeing only through her eyes? The friend; is she really out of control or controlling; maybe just another flawed personality with hidden depths? The colleagues… the school… Patry paints relationships and gossip with a clear steady hand. I could hear the conversations and picture the scenes; felt I’d been there; felt like I knew exactly where she’d placed me.
By the time I reached the top of the roller coaster ride, midway through the book, I realized I’d spent all my time listening to a conversation without noticing it was too late to get away. Actually, I might have put the book down then. I’d reached that point where I need to trust the writer; an advantage established writers have over newcomers, I suppose. I could see the written world falling apart ahead of me, and knew I didn’t want to watch dismay devolve into unmitigated disaster. Luckily I'd seen Patry’s writing elsewhere, so I did trust her. In the darkest of places, she creates amazingly uplifting articles. So I knew her book wouldn’t leave me without hope, and it didn’t.
The reader begins to guess at secrets as the story speeds up. I found myself hooked, unable to stop reading, and wishing I could protect the character from making those so natural mistakes. I thought I knew exactly where I was going till the sudden shock that I didn’t guess, and the puzzle I hadn’t even realized would need to be solved.
The characters all stayed true to themselves, true to how I’d come to know them through reading. The dilemmas were resolved; sadness and pain leaving a path open to hope. And the clues all made sense. By the end I knew I’d read a really good book, one which I'd recommend to anyone interested in well-developed suburban characters with dark secrets waiting to derail them.
The book began gently, with a character I quickly related to – married, insecure, low self-esteem, struggling with the conflicting responsibilities of wife and mother. Her son has problems of his own, and she tries to help and support, never sure where the line between enabling and ennobling lies.
The husband; is he as bad as the narrator paints, or are we seeing only through her eyes? The friend; is she really out of control or controlling; maybe just another flawed personality with hidden depths? The colleagues… the school… Patry paints relationships and gossip with a clear steady hand. I could hear the conversations and picture the scenes; felt I’d been there; felt like I knew exactly where she’d placed me.
By the time I reached the top of the roller coaster ride, midway through the book, I realized I’d spent all my time listening to a conversation without noticing it was too late to get away. Actually, I might have put the book down then. I’d reached that point where I need to trust the writer; an advantage established writers have over newcomers, I suppose. I could see the written world falling apart ahead of me, and knew I didn’t want to watch dismay devolve into unmitigated disaster. Luckily I'd seen Patry’s writing elsewhere, so I did trust her. In the darkest of places, she creates amazingly uplifting articles. So I knew her book wouldn’t leave me without hope, and it didn’t.
The reader begins to guess at secrets as the story speeds up. I found myself hooked, unable to stop reading, and wishing I could protect the character from making those so natural mistakes. I thought I knew exactly where I was going till the sudden shock that I didn’t guess, and the puzzle I hadn’t even realized would need to be solved.
The characters all stayed true to themselves, true to how I’d come to know them through reading. The dilemmas were resolved; sadness and pain leaving a path open to hope. And the clues all made sense. By the end I knew I’d read a really good book, one which I'd recommend to anyone interested in well-developed suburban characters with dark secrets waiting to derail them.
June 23, 2008
Jeanne Cross, a school secretary, appears to have the perfect family. Her husband, Gavin, is a respected doctor, and their son, Jamie, is well liked by his peers. When Jeanne becomes acquainted with Ali Mather, a music teacher,she finds the first friend of her adult life. Although their friendship isn't easy, Ali becomes very important to Jeanne. Ali's murder forces Jeanne to unwillingly examine her life. This book was not an enjoyable read for me. It had more than one plot device that I do not like. None of the characters were likeable. Overall, I found it to be a depressing book.
March 17, 2008
What kind of secrets does a family hide behind their perfect facade, and what does it take for these secrets to come to light? That's the premise behind The Liar's Diary- an explosive read that will have you suprised up until the last page. Awesome!
June 22, 2007
You better set yourself aside a good chunk of time when you pick up The Liar's Diary (the stunning debut novel by Patry Francis) because I can tell you from personal experience that once you start reading, you're not going to want to stop until you've finished.
On the surface, this is a book about the seemingly perfect Cross family, living their slightly flawed lives out in the suburbs (the only flaw appears to be the superficial flaw of the son who is overweight) and the woman, the unwanted element, who enters their lives--Ali Mather. Below, the surface, however, this is a book about betrayal; it's about secrets and lies and years of abuse and denial and how all of these things if not uncovered and dealt with in some healthy way, can lead to disaster, which in this case, they most certainly do.
It is also about Jeanne Cross's awakening and her realization that she has been stuffing down her emotions for close to 20 years. As is typically the case with such repression, when the pressure cooker reaches its limit--it explodes.
Most heartbreaking of all, this book about errant mothers, abusive fathers, and lost children. And while there are certainly villans (Gavin Cross being the most obvious choice for villan, but Ali being cast as one as well from time to time), these villans are also human beings, who are damaged and hurting and acting out in the only way they know how.
I will not (because I don't want to ruin it for you) go into details of the plot (there are many surprises in store, though!), but I will say without hesitation that if you don't pick up this book and read it, you're going to be missing out.
On the surface, this is a book about the seemingly perfect Cross family, living their slightly flawed lives out in the suburbs (the only flaw appears to be the superficial flaw of the son who is overweight) and the woman, the unwanted element, who enters their lives--Ali Mather. Below, the surface, however, this is a book about betrayal; it's about secrets and lies and years of abuse and denial and how all of these things if not uncovered and dealt with in some healthy way, can lead to disaster, which in this case, they most certainly do.
It is also about Jeanne Cross's awakening and her realization that she has been stuffing down her emotions for close to 20 years. As is typically the case with such repression, when the pressure cooker reaches its limit--it explodes.
Most heartbreaking of all, this book about errant mothers, abusive fathers, and lost children. And while there are certainly villans (Gavin Cross being the most obvious choice for villan, but Ali being cast as one as well from time to time), these villans are also human beings, who are damaged and hurting and acting out in the only way they know how.
I will not (because I don't want to ruin it for you) go into details of the plot (there are many surprises in store, though!), but I will say without hesitation that if you don't pick up this book and read it, you're going to be missing out.
October 31, 2018
I have been flip flopping between 3 and 4 stars with this one. I think I am going with 4 because I can't get this story out of my head. I gave this 3 stars right when I finished because I was mad at the ending. I'm still mad and there are definite issues, but the writing is great. I was sucked into this story immediately. I have had this on my shelves for many years and was glad I picked it to read.
July 3, 2021
I never felt a connection with any of the characters in this book. Not a bad book, but just not very engaging in my opinion.
January 25, 2011
Unfortunately I just couldn't suffer through any more than the first 4 chapters, with grown men parked up outside of their 47 year old lover's house, weeping into their coffee, because they loved her so much, but she was seeing someone else as well - I seriously just had to gag. As I heard the ending was so good, I flipped straight to the last few pages, got the gist, was not sorry anyone got murdered and have returned it to the library. I really admire readers who can persevere through very dull and melodramatic bad first chapters if the book comes good, which I'm told this does - but sadly, I don't have the patience.
Read
September 14, 2015I found this book over-the-top cheesy and melodramatic, and thought the characters were incredibly cliched. That was why I was enjoying the story at first, because I found it really funny and ridiculous. That was for the first two disks (I "read" it audio format). Then I just got so completely and entirely sucked into the story that I was enjoying it for itself and really wanting to know what happens next. I was pretty fond of some of those characters by the end of the book, especially Jamie and George. Want to say more but don't want to get into spoilers at this time.
Read
May 14, 2008This is an excellent, suffocatingly tight mystery. I could hardly put it down! The characters are complex and believable. I did not see the ending coming. If you like to be kept in suspense, I recommend this book. (It's a heartbreaking story, but there is a glimmer of hope, and that's all I'm going to say about that.)
December 21, 2008
this was well-written, but not my cup of tea. I thought it would be dark and edgy, like a ruth rendell or barbara vine, or maybe even like that recent book 'what was she thinking" that they made into them ovie Notes on a Scandal" I enjoyed reading some of the comments by other readers - but basically this fell into the Jodi Picoult melodrama school, and would make a fine movie on Lifetime
April 12, 2009
I started out liking it, but then I put it down, I think I just wasn't in the mood for more murder. I didn't realize it was a murder mystery when I started it. There is so much murder on television, plus I didn't like any of the characters. It sounded like a lifetime sob sister movie.
March 16, 2008
This book is amazing. The ending floored me, for sure. I would absolutely recommend this to each and every fan of Jodi Picoult. Definitely one of my favorite novels! :)
September 17, 2021
I borrowed this book along with a later book written by this author, on the recommendation of a friend who, I believed, knew my personal library and reading tastes. Now I wonder if that person knows anything about me at all. The first few pages started off with a new secondary school teacher behaving in a jarring, unprofessional manner which I thought must be part of the overall plot, and I was quite intrigued. Now I just think that the author must never have met any professional people at all, as not one professional in this book behaves like an adult. I could have lived with that - I've enjoyed and recommended other groundbreaking books with a skewed perspective - but the unexplainable behaviour of every single character here was disorienting and off-putting. Each one seemed to pingpong around from one emotion to another with several personality changes within a scene, so I never really got to know or understand any of them. I started off disliking the odious Jamie and never found anything genuine or heartfelt about him to change my mind so his fate didn't make much difference to me. The writing was competent, tending occasionally to cliché - characters stifled gasps, suffered waves of nausea, that sort of literary Polyfilla, and I was put off by characters' lustrous, undulent hair - how I despise descriptions of hair when it doesn't have anything to do with the plot. The ending was lacking in any credibility. I guess if I'd known it was a melodramatic soap opera that I didn't need to believe in right off the bat, I'd have enjoyed this more, and I sincerely hope this book's companion is more mature and balanced.
September 30, 2015
Five brilliant amazing well-deserved golden stars!!! This book blew my mind and played all sorts of crazy games with it and after finishing it the only though prevalent in my mind is that i have to read it again, right now but i also have to wait and soak in the aftertaste of literary goodness left upon my mind.
To be honest i am kind of speechless as to my exact thoughts about this novel, i have so many different opinions and i just don't know what to think anymore.
On a personal level i could relate to the characters struggle a lot. Jamie's obesity and eating patterns were quite reminiscent of my elder brothers suffering through the same problem though for a different reason and lately i have increasingly found myself resorting to food as the only comfort and distraction from the demons of my own thoughts.
Jeannes obvious psychological problems and her inability to accept them freakishly mirrored my own journey through having other people tell me that i need help and myself refusing to believe them though now i have managed to somewhat come to terms with my issues and get help. Reading through her struggle from her perspective and then reviewing them through my own helped me a lot in facing my own problems and for this reason this book will always hold a very special place in my heart.
Apart from the well developed characters the writing itself was so simple yet so profound that no matter how sleepy or how busy or even how bored i was of the content of the novel at times i still could not tear off my eyes from the page.
The first half of the book is quite slow and kind of dragging in the middle but then i had to understand that this book wasn't supposed to be a fast paced action packed thriller or fantasy like the books i usually read, instead i was supposed to enjoy the revelations of the characters personality slowly bit by bit and if you read this not for action but to gain an insight into the human mind and relationships and the harsh truths of everyday life that often get ignored, then you will not be disappointed..
It is kind of hard to believe that this is a debut novel and i cannot wait to read what else this author has to offer.
To be honest i am kind of speechless as to my exact thoughts about this novel, i have so many different opinions and i just don't know what to think anymore.
On a personal level i could relate to the characters struggle a lot. Jamie's obesity and eating patterns were quite reminiscent of my elder brothers suffering through the same problem though for a different reason and lately i have increasingly found myself resorting to food as the only comfort and distraction from the demons of my own thoughts.
Jeannes obvious psychological problems and her inability to accept them freakishly mirrored my own journey through having other people tell me that i need help and myself refusing to believe them though now i have managed to somewhat come to terms with my issues and get help. Reading through her struggle from her perspective and then reviewing them through my own helped me a lot in facing my own problems and for this reason this book will always hold a very special place in my heart.
Apart from the well developed characters the writing itself was so simple yet so profound that no matter how sleepy or how busy or even how bored i was of the content of the novel at times i still could not tear off my eyes from the page.
The first half of the book is quite slow and kind of dragging in the middle but then i had to understand that this book wasn't supposed to be a fast paced action packed thriller or fantasy like the books i usually read, instead i was supposed to enjoy the revelations of the characters personality slowly bit by bit and if you read this not for action but to gain an insight into the human mind and relationships and the harsh truths of everyday life that often get ignored, then you will not be disappointed..
It is kind of hard to believe that this is a debut novel and i cannot wait to read what else this author has to offer.
October 8, 2011
The Liar's Diary was, hands down, the best book I've read in a very long time. If not for needing sleep, I could have easily read this book cover to cover in one sitting. I was that drawn into the story. Patry Francis' debut novel was one of great suspense and mystery that I would recommend to anyone.
I found the characters to be well formed and easy to relate to. Patry, effortlessly brought these characters to life, making them feel both ordinary and special at the same time. From the first chapter, I found myself caring about Jeanne, the main character, and her family, as if I were reading a story about my own friends.
The plot was fast paced, with twists and turns, full of shocks and some things you expect. It did slow at times, but appropriately so. The background and some character introductions, were laid slowly, filling you in to key details bit by bit. However, it didn't drag at all. And the end? "Oh my!", is all I've got to say about that!
In all, The Liar's Diary was a well written, captivating story of secrets, love, and lies that keeps you constantly guessing what the next surprise will be. Loved it. Kudos to Patry Francis.
I found the characters to be well formed and easy to relate to. Patry, effortlessly brought these characters to life, making them feel both ordinary and special at the same time. From the first chapter, I found myself caring about Jeanne, the main character, and her family, as if I were reading a story about my own friends.
The plot was fast paced, with twists and turns, full of shocks and some things you expect. It did slow at times, but appropriately so. The background and some character introductions, were laid slowly, filling you in to key details bit by bit. However, it didn't drag at all. And the end? "Oh my!", is all I've got to say about that!
In all, The Liar's Diary was a well written, captivating story of secrets, love, and lies that keeps you constantly guessing what the next surprise will be. Loved it. Kudos to Patry Francis.
February 27, 2011
I have finally finished this miserable book. To refer to it as a book seems wrong... I love books, and this bound pile of pages is an insult to books. I've given it a rating of 1, only because what it deserves isn't an option. I actually feel angry - angry that so much of my time has been wasted, angry that I couldn't just toss it out, angry that anything so undeserving could be published and tempt a reader to open it's pages. This was her first novel. It may not be her last, but I won't give her another chance. Maybe that seems unfair, and probably is, I know people can grow... but I'm not interested. No writer is perfect, even my favorite author has disappointed me, but it was long after she earned my respect. She can't lose me. Maybe I'm harsh as a critic. Okay, no maybes about it, I know I am. I need things from books - to make me feel, to make me think, to make me laugh or cry, any little thing, really - but this only made me tired and irritable and angry. And now, finally, I CAN MOVE ON.
March 18, 2013
It was a great psychological mystery. The initial half of the book sets up the background for the death, the mindset of the various characters, why they do what they do, etc. The latter half deals with unveiling of the mystery. It is written in the first person narrative, the narrator being Jeanne, a 42 year old mother of an overweight teenage boy, whose husband is a well known and popular orthopedician. Events start when a new, exotic music teacher, Ali, whose in her late forties arrives at the school where Jeanne works as a secretary and which Jamie (the son) attends. Initially Jeanne is vary of Ali, but later is pulled into a friendship with her. A good book, which I would recommend to all fans of psychological thrillers. Here, things move at a moderate pace, no gore or thrills, but quite a dark, psychological crime story - my forte.
October 3, 2017
This book made me angry. Angry that I spent so much time on it, angry that the plot "twist" was implausible and quite a stretch. Angry that the author tried to get me to believe that her two main characters were truly best friends, as there was no level of friendship displayed in these pages. The whole thing was just unbelievable. An uneducated Jeanne wouldn't use the type of advanced vocabulary that she did. A middle aged man doesn't just suddenly become a pedophile out of the blue. There would be signs and red flags throughout his early married life. I'm sorry I spent any time reading this garbage.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2012
This book was painful to read, slow paced and uncomfortable. My time is limited, so I prefer novels with an uplifting bend. However, Francis had some lovely turns of phrases and it was a decent book - I'm just surprised that Jamie didn't kill his father instead of terrorizing a teacher. Also, I found the mother's ability to lie to herself to be just a tad too far fetched.
I think I shall return this to half price.
I think I shall return this to half price.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 21, 2021
This book was a tremendous disappointment after having just read All the Children are Home by the same author. The author obviously improved her writing skills from this 2007 effort to 2021's All the Children.
There is so much wrong with this book that it is difficult to narrow down the flaws. The major deficiency is that the characters are not realistic. Not one of the primary characters is believable.
I was excited to read a second Francis work, but I won't read any more.
There is so much wrong with this book that it is difficult to narrow down the flaws. The major deficiency is that the characters are not realistic. Not one of the primary characters is believable.
I was excited to read a second Francis work, but I won't read any more.
June 1, 2011
The Liar's Diary doesn't really need another rating and review, but I have to weigh in. First, the book is a first rate mystery that plays fair and kept me guessing right to the end. More than that, this is a compelling, disturbing and, in the end, deeply satisfying psychological study. Highly recommended!
October 13, 2021
I read Patry Francis' book All the Children are Home and really liked it. This one has a really good plot, but there were a few things that were annoying. Jeanne, the main character seemed really unstable, and honestly, unbelievable. Her mood and actions swayed day by day. I couldn't believe how many times she stood up so quickly she spilled what she was drinking. I liked it, didn't love it.
November 12, 2021
I thought about DNF this book a few times because it was taking me awhile to get into it. Then I would read a chapter that piqued my interest enough to keep going. I’m afraid if I say anymore I will give too much away. If you start it stick with it, you won’t be disappointed
February 13, 2008
This was a completely engrossing story and I couldn't put it down.
August 1, 2013
Unexpected ending.... some of the characters demonstrated sincere compassion. I enjoyed every page.
August 14, 2014
Wow! A disturbing tale of a family locked in secrets.
July 7, 2012
Well-written book - family drama with a mystery. 3 1/2 stars.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 190 reviews