Gathering Lies

by Meg O'Brien

Trapped by an earthquake in a small writer's colony on a tiny island off the coast of Seattle, six women are forced to rely on one another for survival, but when two strangers arrive on the island and one of the women turns up dead, the victim of an apparent accident, Sarah Lansing begins to suspect that someone on the island is a murderer. Original.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Crime, Thriller

408 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

There is more than one author with this name

Reviews

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a mystery thriller whose purpose is to act as a short entertaining pastime, in which it succeeds. The author’s writing is good enough to keep the reader interested till the book is finished - admittedly very fast - but the content has nothing else to offer besides a pleasant distraction.

[Susan Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought for sure I had read other of her books but I can't find any record. Strange. Anyway, this one is set on a Shaw Island in the San Juans - right here in Puget Sound. And while it has several interesting plot points, the main one is murder on the island after a 9.1 earthquake hits the area. I'm not sure I would have been as interested had I didn't live here but I enjoyed it.

[Norla Chee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Six women stay at Thornberry, a small writer's retreat and a 9.1 earthquake hits Seattle. Over the next few days two are murdered, two men show up unexpectedly both telling a similar story to Sarah Lansing, who is in danger because she has evidence against Seattle cops who raped and killed a woman. Everyone is a suspect, and that's the good part, because you can't be entirely sure until the end.

[Toesnorth's mom]

stupid and boring

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book really kept me guessing who could be trusted. Scary.

[Rosie Garner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gripping mystery. Unsure who was good and who was bad until near the end.

[Clare O'Beara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has an unusual setting of an island off Seattle undergoing a major earthquake. The small group of women attending a week for budding writers, weren't prepared. Our protagonist is a lawyer who has been pursued by rotten cops, and she wants to prepare a book about her side of the story. Turns out the buildings are damaged and the probable turmoil in the city means there won't be anyone coming across for a while. There's tinned food and a veg garden, but no generator working and no cell phones. There are aftershocks.
Unexpectedly the group discovers two different men on the island, and issues of trust arise, mainly linked to the aforementioned rotten cops who might have sent an agent out to find any evidence the lawyer has kept.
There's violence, adult activity and much lying and conniving.
The downside is we don't have any time to get to know the ladies before the earthquake, and some improbable events occur - like, a woman not rushing back to yell to the others that one of the men does have a cellphone.
This is a reasonable read but you won't learn much about writing as they all abandon that immediately.
I read a paperback. This is an unbiased review.

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sarah Lansing, an attorney, has been set up by a group of corrupt cops and is currently pending her trial. While waiting, she heads to a writers retreat to work on her incriminating book on the "Seattle Five" cops. But while there, a devastating earthquake wreaks havoc in nearby Seattle, and strands several people on the island retreat with her.

Over time, a few unexpected people show up on the island. While tensions rise among the small group, Sarah begins to question if one (or more) of the people trapped on the island with her are actually there to stop her and find the incriminating evidence she has spoken about.

The part that I struggled with most on this book was how all of the components came together- and how unbelievable a lot of the events were to the story. I felt like the story, unfortunately, took me too all over the place and the pacing felt off at times. I found myself easily stepping away from the story and it took me far longer than expected to finish the book.

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little contrived in that an earthquake traps a group of women on an island and then two men appear. The characters are a bit two-dimensional but perhaps the idea is that the heroine doesn't know most of them, and doesn't know who to trust.
It was a good read and all is well in the end.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

not a bad book

[Χαρά Κ. · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,75✨

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A mystery about a woman who is withholding evidence in a take down of the police department. She gets stranded on an island with others and finds herself in danger. Somewhat predictable.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an easy read, but fascinating! I enjoyed the turns and twists in the plot! It is narrated well. Recommended for cozy mystery fans!

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An earthquake in Seattle traps six women writers at a nearby island. The women are being killed one by one. Sarah, a public defender, who is trying to write a book exposing some "bad" cops, connects with an old boyfriend that appeared after the quake. Sarah is afraid to trust anyone but ultimately discovers brings down the bad guys and finishes her book.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sarah Lansing is a lawyer who is fighting to stay alive on an island where she has gone with five other women for a writer's retreat. The women are a mixed group through must battle survival after a shattering earthquake hits the tiny island they are staying on, and as one of the party has clearly murdered one of them. Who is safe and why is there such danger? Sarah herself has plenty of deadly secrets but who are the others really, and who can be trusted?

[JenniferB]

Good suspense and atmosphere, a bit weak towards the end

[Kay Wells · Rating 3 out of 5]

not bad quite a page turner half way through the book would read another by the author