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Truth Truth Lie
Everyone here has killed someone.
There is no way off this island.
You will all either kill or be killed here.
One of these statements is a lie. But which one?
Amira’s less than thrilled to be spending the weekend with her husband’s university friends. Two of them are hosting a joint fortieth on a private Scottish island, with vintage champagne, expensive gifts, and soaks in the wood-fired hot tub. Despite the luxury, Amira knows she’s going to feel left out, not to mention freezing cold and cut off.
When they decide to play ‘two truths and a lie’, anonymously posting three statements about themselves into a box, years of resentment start bubbling to the surface. And then an extra slip of paper emerges, scrawled with three chilling threats. Who wrote it? And are two of the statements really true—have they all been responsible for someone’s death?
With no phone reception and no way off the island, the group are trapped here until the end of the weekend. And as tension rises and secrets are spilled, they can’t shake the feeling that they’re not the only ones here. Is someone watching them? Someone who wants them dead? Or is it one of them who has murder in mind?
There is no way off this island.
You will all either kill or be killed here.
One of these statements is a lie. But which one?
Amira’s less than thrilled to be spending the weekend with her husband’s university friends. Two of them are hosting a joint fortieth on a private Scottish island, with vintage champagne, expensive gifts, and soaks in the wood-fired hot tub. Despite the luxury, Amira knows she’s going to feel left out, not to mention freezing cold and cut off.
When they decide to play ‘two truths and a lie’, anonymously posting three statements about themselves into a box, years of resentment start bubbling to the surface. And then an extra slip of paper emerges, scrawled with three chilling threats. Who wrote it? And are two of the statements really true—have they all been responsible for someone’s death?
With no phone reception and no way off the island, the group are trapped here until the end of the weekend. And as tension rises and secrets are spilled, they can’t shake the feeling that they’re not the only ones here. Is someone watching them? Someone who wants them dead? Or is it one of them who has murder in mind?
347 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 21, 2024
2921 people are currently reading
11150 people want to read
About the author
Claire McGowan
43 books2,021 followersClaire McGowan grew up in a small village in Northern Ireland. After a degree in English and French from Oxford University she moved to London and worked in the charity sector. THE FALL is her first novel, which is followed by a series starring forensic psychologist Paula Maguire. She also writes as Eva Woods.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 569 reviews
February 23, 2024
Ready to play a rousing game of Truth, Truth, Lie?
Okay, I’ll go first:
1. I love to read
2. Goodreads is my favorite place to talk about books
3. I hated this book
Well…you can see by the stars I dished out, along with the positive review below, that clearly #3 is a blatant lie!
Unfortunately for the characters in this book, deciphering the lie wasn’t nearly as easy.
A birthday party for two friends in a group that have known each-other for most of their lives.
But now to complicate things even more, we have children, wives, husbands and even an influencer girlfriend in the mix.
What more unique way to celebrate the birthdays than on a remote island off of Scotland. No Wi-Fi no cell service😱. Just an emergency phone. Otherwise complete seclusion. No contact with the outside world. I don’t see a problem with that do you? I can sense everyone starting to sweat… (I'm out🙋🏼♀️).
On the first night after of heavy drinking the adults decide to play a party game of Truth, Truth, Lie.
Only there is one extra notable piece of paper thrown into the box with the words,
◆Everyone here has killed someone.
◆There is no way off this island.
◆You will all either kill or be killed here.
Now it’s every man, woman and child for themselves! A fight to survive the weekend!
If you enjoy locked-room thrillers then this is the book for you!
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer
Okay, I’ll go first:
1. I love to read
2. Goodreads is my favorite place to talk about books
3. I hated this book
Well…you can see by the stars I dished out, along with the positive review below, that clearly #3 is a blatant lie!
Unfortunately for the characters in this book, deciphering the lie wasn’t nearly as easy.
A birthday party for two friends in a group that have known each-other for most of their lives.
But now to complicate things even more, we have children, wives, husbands and even an influencer girlfriend in the mix.
What more unique way to celebrate the birthdays than on a remote island off of Scotland. No Wi-Fi no cell service😱. Just an emergency phone. Otherwise complete seclusion. No contact with the outside world. I don’t see a problem with that do you? I can sense everyone starting to sweat… (I'm out🙋🏼♀️).
On the first night after of heavy drinking the adults decide to play a party game of Truth, Truth, Lie.
Only there is one extra notable piece of paper thrown into the box with the words,
◆Everyone here has killed someone.
◆There is no way off this island.
◆You will all either kill or be killed here.
Now it’s every man, woman and child for themselves! A fight to survive the weekend!
If you enjoy locked-room thrillers then this is the book for you!
Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer
June 11, 2024
Imagine being stuck on a remote Scottish island with a bunch of old friends. Sounds like fun, right? Well, not so fast. In this thrilling tale, secrets bubble to the surface, and a seemingly innocent game of "Two Truths and a Lie" turns deadly.
The story kicks off with a tantalizing spoiler – you know someone is going to die, but you don't know who or how. This unusual start hooks you in immediately. As the plot unfolds, the tension builds brilliantly. Each character has something to hide, and as they reveal their truths and lies, the stakes get higher and higher.
The mystery keeps you guessing: Who's the victim? Who's the killer? The intense moments are plenty, making for an exciting and gripping read. If you love suspense, unexpected twists, and a bit of drama, this book delivers all that and more. Prepare for a wild ride where past actions come back to haunt in the most severe ways!
The story kicks off with a tantalizing spoiler – you know someone is going to die, but you don't know who or how. This unusual start hooks you in immediately. As the plot unfolds, the tension builds brilliantly. Each character has something to hide, and as they reveal their truths and lies, the stakes get higher and higher.
The mystery keeps you guessing: Who's the victim? Who's the killer? The intense moments are plenty, making for an exciting and gripping read. If you love suspense, unexpected twists, and a bit of drama, this book delivers all that and more. Prepare for a wild ride where past actions come back to haunt in the most severe ways!
November 24, 2023
I feel like I just read ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’. However, it was Truth Truth Lie. This played out straight like a horror film/book. Fans of locked room thrillers just might enjoy this.
We have 8 adults and 3 kids going away for a birthday celebration for Vicky. Her big 40th birthday party. All family and friends. They take a boat over to an island, one they used to own when they were young. As the party gets started, they decide to play Two Truths and a Lie. Everyone adds a slip of paper into a hat with their truths and lies. Then one is pulled out saying ‘Everyone here has killed someone. There is no way off this Island. You will all either kill or be killed here’. Which ones are the truth and which one is the lie?
This started off pretty promising, I tell ya. Then after a while I felt like I was on a hamster wheel. Ugh. 😳 Everyone is a suspect and round and round we go through our list of suspects. The last third of the book was just everyone accusing one another and lots of fighting. That started to annoy me. I just wanted to wrap it up, since I chose to read it during my Thanksgiving travels. Then when the end came, it just felt rushed and I still had many unanswered questions.
If you enjoy locked room thrillers and I Know What You Did Last Summer, you might want to check this out. Lots of tension and suspense. There are some better reviews out there for this one, so what do I know?
Thank you Thomas and Mercer, NetGalley, and Claire McGowen for an advanced readers copy. All opinions are my own
—- 3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
We have 8 adults and 3 kids going away for a birthday celebration for Vicky. Her big 40th birthday party. All family and friends. They take a boat over to an island, one they used to own when they were young. As the party gets started, they decide to play Two Truths and a Lie. Everyone adds a slip of paper into a hat with their truths and lies. Then one is pulled out saying ‘Everyone here has killed someone. There is no way off this Island. You will all either kill or be killed here’. Which ones are the truth and which one is the lie?
This started off pretty promising, I tell ya. Then after a while I felt like I was on a hamster wheel. Ugh. 😳 Everyone is a suspect and round and round we go through our list of suspects. The last third of the book was just everyone accusing one another and lots of fighting. That started to annoy me. I just wanted to wrap it up, since I chose to read it during my Thanksgiving travels. Then when the end came, it just felt rushed and I still had many unanswered questions.
If you enjoy locked room thrillers and I Know What You Did Last Summer, you might want to check this out. Lots of tension and suspense. There are some better reviews out there for this one, so what do I know?
Thank you Thomas and Mercer, NetGalley, and Claire McGowen for an advanced readers copy. All opinions are my own
—- 3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
August 25, 2024
Trapped on an island with 8 adults and a few children, with guilt, paranoia and envy destroying what they thought were long time relationships as friends from college. A game of two truths and a lie is played one night putting the pressure on many, especially after an extra anonymous card is played. A chilling surprise, as many more will come with a blood shed as well.
"Everyone here has killed someone.
There is no way off this island.
You will all either kill or be killed here.
One of these statements is a lie. But which one?"
Amira watches the truth come out of her husband's college friends and challenges intercept their chances of surviving. I loved watching it all unfold on this audio. Kudos to the narrator, Clare Corbett, and as always to the author, Claire McGowan!!
"Everyone here has killed someone.
There is no way off this island.
You will all either kill or be killed here.
One of these statements is a lie. But which one?"
Amira watches the truth come out of her husband's college friends and challenges intercept their chances of surviving. I loved watching it all unfold on this audio. Kudos to the narrator, Clare Corbett, and as always to the author, Claire McGowan!!
August 27, 2024
I found myself flipping the pages to try to figure out who was doing what to whom.
June 13, 2024
an amazing secluded island
thriller - ms. mcgowan played
all her tricks with this group of
freak friends trying to survive
revenge for their dark sins. ♡
thriller - ms. mcgowan played
all her tricks with this group of
freak friends trying to survive
revenge for their dark sins. ♡
April 22, 2024
My thanks to Thomas and Mercer, Claire McGowan and Netgalley.
Had you asked me a very few, scant years ago about this author, then I'd have said to stay clear. But..this author has proven to me that she can fucking rock some shit!
This book? Yeah, that's the good shit! Sniff it. Snort it. Smoke it.
You do any of that and lol, you're probably too messed up for this!😜
Seriously? This story came together more than I would have guessed.
Good stuff.
Had you asked me a very few, scant years ago about this author, then I'd have said to stay clear. But..this author has proven to me that she can fucking rock some shit!
This book? Yeah, that's the good shit! Sniff it. Snort it. Smoke it.
You do any of that and lol, you're probably too messed up for this!😜
Seriously? This story came together more than I would have guessed.
Good stuff.
June 3, 2024
4.5 stars. This was sooo good!
A twist on the closed room murder mystery trope when the 'closed room' in this case is a private island off the Scottish coast.
We follow a group of Oxfors University friends celebrating the joined 40th birthdays of twins Vicky and Jonathan. The group decide to play 2 truths and a lie, when a sinister note is found among the game.
" Everyone here has killed someone"
"There is no way off this island"
"You will all either kill or be killed"
Who put it there and what is true and what is a lie?
As the group become more and more paranoid with no way to contact anyone for help, their past starts to catch up to them. Truths are revealed in this deadly game.
Told from multiple POV including the tragic stories of the innocent victims of their past, this fast paced mystery will leave you guessing.
A excellently written book with great character analysis and back story.
I personally loved the fact that the last 15% of the book had very short chapters which just made the pace all the better.
This was my first book by Claire McGowan and she is now firmly on my radar.
A twist on the closed room murder mystery trope when the 'closed room' in this case is a private island off the Scottish coast.
We follow a group of Oxfors University friends celebrating the joined 40th birthdays of twins Vicky and Jonathan. The group decide to play 2 truths and a lie, when a sinister note is found among the game.
" Everyone here has killed someone"
"There is no way off this island"
"You will all either kill or be killed"
Who put it there and what is true and what is a lie?
As the group become more and more paranoid with no way to contact anyone for help, their past starts to catch up to them. Truths are revealed in this deadly game.
Told from multiple POV including the tragic stories of the innocent victims of their past, this fast paced mystery will leave you guessing.
A excellently written book with great character analysis and back story.
I personally loved the fact that the last 15% of the book had very short chapters which just made the pace all the better.
This was my first book by Claire McGowan and she is now firmly on my radar.
June 2, 2024
I have to give this book a mixed review. I enjoyed the overall story and the plot. I did find the characters confusing. I couldn’t always tell who was with who and who did what but I was still able to keep the story together. I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did a good job.
June 11, 2024
It would seem that I'm an outlier here. I thought this book was absolutely dreadful. Time spent reading it is time I will never get back.
May 28, 2024
This started out really well but some of it just seemed far fetched to me. Also there were a lot of sub characters which confused me and the plot. I felt the ending was rushed, more time could have been spent on the culprit and I felt the last chapter just didn’t fit were it was placed. Should have been much earlier in the story. Wasn’t for me this one
May 28, 2024
4 stars audio and story
December 7, 2023
I just concluded my last book of the evening (lies) it’s only 8:56pm and that means I have one last one in me before my head hits the pillow.
I know, I know, you think I’m crazy but after a wild week, the only way I know how to reset and recharge is when I sit down in my reading room with my books.
I saved the best for last (for the night)
Drumroll please…..
Truth Truth Lie
I bounce around from thrillers to romcoms, I know, wild and drastically different but I love both so much!
A good friend of mine hooked me on Claire McGowan, a few years ago and I haven’t been the same since . I absolutely adore these books and Truth Truth Lie, is no different! This book right here is literally and literary, everything.
I had to catch my breath a few times but never once lost interest. I was completely invested in the storyline from page one. I mean, this is to be expected, it’s Claire McGowan, we are talking about.
I felt the electricity in my soul and my just couldn’t believe what I was reading . This book has bestseller written all over it.
Don’t believe me, I dare you, instead, find out for yourself. Here’s a teaser:
Everyone here has killed someone.
There is no way off this island.
You will all either kill or be killed here.
One of these statements is a lie. But which one?
Amira’s less than thrilled to be spending the weekend with her husband’s university friends. Two of them are hosting a joint fortieth on a private Scottish island, with vintage champagne, expensive gifts, and soaks in the wood-fired hot tub. Despite the luxury, Amira knows she’s going to feel left out, not to mention freezing cold and cut off.
When they decide to play ‘two truths and a lie’, anonymously posting three statements about themselves into a box, years of resentment start bubbling to the surface. And then an extra slip of paper emerges, scrawled with three chilling threats. Who wrote it? And are two of the statements really true—have they all been responsible for someone’s death?
With no phone reception and no way off the island, the group are trapped here until the end of the weekend. And as tension rises and secrets are spilled, they can’t shake the feeling that they’re not the only ones here. Is someone watching them? Someone who wants them dead? Or is it one of them who has murder in mind?
I know, I know, you think I’m crazy but after a wild week, the only way I know how to reset and recharge is when I sit down in my reading room with my books.
I saved the best for last (for the night)
Drumroll please…..
Truth Truth Lie
I bounce around from thrillers to romcoms, I know, wild and drastically different but I love both so much!
A good friend of mine hooked me on Claire McGowan, a few years ago and I haven’t been the same since . I absolutely adore these books and Truth Truth Lie, is no different! This book right here is literally and literary, everything.
I had to catch my breath a few times but never once lost interest. I was completely invested in the storyline from page one. I mean, this is to be expected, it’s Claire McGowan, we are talking about.
I felt the electricity in my soul and my just couldn’t believe what I was reading . This book has bestseller written all over it.
Don’t believe me, I dare you, instead, find out for yourself. Here’s a teaser:
Everyone here has killed someone.
There is no way off this island.
You will all either kill or be killed here.
One of these statements is a lie. But which one?
Amira’s less than thrilled to be spending the weekend with her husband’s university friends. Two of them are hosting a joint fortieth on a private Scottish island, with vintage champagne, expensive gifts, and soaks in the wood-fired hot tub. Despite the luxury, Amira knows she’s going to feel left out, not to mention freezing cold and cut off.
When they decide to play ‘two truths and a lie’, anonymously posting three statements about themselves into a box, years of resentment start bubbling to the surface. And then an extra slip of paper emerges, scrawled with three chilling threats. Who wrote it? And are two of the statements really true—have they all been responsible for someone’s death?
With no phone reception and no way off the island, the group are trapped here until the end of the weekend. And as tension rises and secrets are spilled, they can’t shake the feeling that they’re not the only ones here. Is someone watching them? Someone who wants them dead? Or is it one of them who has murder in mind?
July 15, 2025
**contains spoilers**
I delayed writing a review for this book as it was the chosen book of our book club so I didn't want to influence anyone else's opinion before our meeting. Following our discussion, despite enjoying the book when I read it, I've down graded my rating from 4.5 stars to just 4 as absurdities were highlighted by others.
When first reading it I thought it reminiscent of Agatha Christine's 'And then there were none'.
I did enjoy it, the pace really ramping up towards the end. But how realistic is it that a small group of friends should all have the unfortunate common factor of being responsible for the death, whether directly or indirectly, of someone. I personally cannot think of anyone I know whether close or distant friend or relation. who has had this misfortune at any time in their lives to date. So for 100% of the group to be responsible for someone else's death is a bit of a stretch of the imagination.
The characters were all unlikeable but the most unlikeable must be the self centred birthday girl, Vicky. She just came over like a truculent and sulky teenager who thought the world should revolve around her.
As for her brother Jonathan - how marvellous was he? Able to survive in cold water with strong currents for goodness knows how long without contracting hyperthermia. Difficult for anyone, let alone someone who only has full use of one arm? But what a real superman he is, able to climb great heights with a mangled foot and then wrestle and strangle someone when he only has FULL USE OF ONE ARM.
We felt there were so many unanswered questions at the end. Who was arrested? Did Joan get caught? How did Arthur know to take the DVD? How did they all get into the now repaired boat? The list goes on....
I delayed writing a review for this book as it was the chosen book of our book club so I didn't want to influence anyone else's opinion before our meeting. Following our discussion, despite enjoying the book when I read it, I've down graded my rating from 4.5 stars to just 4 as absurdities were highlighted by others.
When first reading it I thought it reminiscent of Agatha Christine's 'And then there were none'.
I did enjoy it, the pace really ramping up towards the end. But how realistic is it that a small group of friends should all have the unfortunate common factor of being responsible for the death, whether directly or indirectly, of someone. I personally cannot think of anyone I know whether close or distant friend or relation. who has had this misfortune at any time in their lives to date. So for 100% of the group to be responsible for someone else's death is a bit of a stretch of the imagination.
The characters were all unlikeable but the most unlikeable must be the self centred birthday girl, Vicky. She just came over like a truculent and sulky teenager who thought the world should revolve around her.
As for her brother Jonathan - how marvellous was he? Able to survive in cold water with strong currents for goodness knows how long without contracting hyperthermia. Difficult for anyone, let alone someone who only has full use of one arm? But what a real superman he is, able to climb great heights with a mangled foot and then wrestle and strangle someone when he only has FULL USE OF ONE ARM.
We felt there were so many unanswered questions at the end. Who was arrested? Did Joan get caught? How did Arthur know to take the DVD? How did they all get into the now repaired boat? The list goes on....
February 23, 2025
That ending was garbage.
What we have is a group of narcissistic friends who pretend to be thick as thieves but are actually just backstabbing thieves. There was only a one person I could stand out of the whole group.
The princess of “the group” is turning 40 so she decided she wants all her friends and their tagalong partners to pay for an expensive weekend away on an island that her family use to own. The island has no WiFi and no power, just turbine power and a backup generator, so you can only imagine how well that will turn out to be.
The first night tensions are already high. We’ve got a couple that hasn’t even divorced yet and the husband brought his new girlfriend that is 10 years younger, two business partners that went bankrupt over one’s negligence, the princess and her cheating and self absorbed husband who doesn’t even like her or their kids, a husband who’s been in love with the princess forever and has always allowed “the group” to treat his wife like she’s less than, and a woman who was part of “the group” at one point but left Oxford after a prank gone wrong so when they decide to kick off the party with “two truths and a lie” secrets start to come to the surface. Within 24 hours half will be dead and the rest of them will forever be changed.
The ending was trash but it was still really good. The way it played out is not something authors do too often and they should because even though I had an inkling that was probably going to be the outcome it’s a different spin than usual. The annoyance I had at Vicky throughout the book was rage level too. That’s why the ending was kind of genius BUT it ending so abruptly made it GARBAGE. I wanted to see those who deserved it, to suffer. To be held accountable for their actions and those who didn’t deserve the treatment they received from “the group” to bring validation but I digress.
What we have is a group of narcissistic friends who pretend to be thick as thieves but are actually just backstabbing thieves. There was only a one person I could stand out of the whole group.
The princess of “the group” is turning 40 so she decided she wants all her friends and their tagalong partners to pay for an expensive weekend away on an island that her family use to own. The island has no WiFi and no power, just turbine power and a backup generator, so you can only imagine how well that will turn out to be.
The first night tensions are already high. We’ve got a couple that hasn’t even divorced yet and the husband brought his new girlfriend that is 10 years younger, two business partners that went bankrupt over one’s negligence, the princess and her cheating and self absorbed husband who doesn’t even like her or their kids, a husband who’s been in love with the princess forever and has always allowed “the group” to treat his wife like she’s less than, and a woman who was part of “the group” at one point but left Oxford after a prank gone wrong so when they decide to kick off the party with “two truths and a lie” secrets start to come to the surface. Within 24 hours half will be dead and the rest of them will forever be changed.
The ending was trash but it was still really good. The way it played out is not something authors do too often and they should because even though I had an inkling that was probably going to be the outcome it’s a different spin than usual. The annoyance I had at Vicky throughout the book was rage level too. That’s why the ending was kind of genius BUT it ending so abruptly made it GARBAGE. I wanted to see those who deserved it, to suffer. To be held accountable for their actions and those who didn’t deserve the treatment they received from “the group” to bring validation but I digress.
May 30, 2024
This was my first mystery book as I usually read romance and fantasy. Also my first Claire McGowan book!
A group of friends meet up on a remote Scottish island to celebrate the birthday party of twins Jonathan and Vicky. Amira, whose point of view is one of the perspectives that appears in the book and in whose perspective I was most interested, is something of an outsider here since these are all her husband's friends from his university days.
They play the game "Two Truths and a Lie" which causes a lot of drama when an extra piece of paper is found in the container. Who would threaten them? Who knows their secrets? Who wants revenge?
I loved the suspense building in this book. It's the kind of book you will want to keep turning the pages to find out what happened next. This was the main thing I enjoyed as it was a quick read.
For me, there were too many characters. I prefer 1-3 POVs as I can differentiate the characters and get to know them. This has so many characters and not one of them was likeable in the slightest. They were each deserving of their fate.
I would recommend this to anyone who likes mystery and suspense books. It has accessible writing, a fast pace and web of secrets and lies. Nobody is firmly on the side of good or bad, right or wrong, and that’s explored really well here.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thanks to @tandemcollectiveuk @amazonpublishing @clairemcgowanwriter for the chance to take part in my first readalong!
A group of friends meet up on a remote Scottish island to celebrate the birthday party of twins Jonathan and Vicky. Amira, whose point of view is one of the perspectives that appears in the book and in whose perspective I was most interested, is something of an outsider here since these are all her husband's friends from his university days.
They play the game "Two Truths and a Lie" which causes a lot of drama when an extra piece of paper is found in the container. Who would threaten them? Who knows their secrets? Who wants revenge?
I loved the suspense building in this book. It's the kind of book you will want to keep turning the pages to find out what happened next. This was the main thing I enjoyed as it was a quick read.
For me, there were too many characters. I prefer 1-3 POVs as I can differentiate the characters and get to know them. This has so many characters and not one of them was likeable in the slightest. They were each deserving of their fate.
I would recommend this to anyone who likes mystery and suspense books. It has accessible writing, a fast pace and web of secrets and lies. Nobody is firmly on the side of good or bad, right or wrong, and that’s explored really well here.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thanks to @tandemcollectiveuk @amazonpublishing @clairemcgowanwriter for the chance to take part in my first readalong!
July 18, 2024
Started off quite intrigued by the group and their truth truth lies but it kinda flopped towards the end 💦😭 a lot of build up and not enough resolution! Also didn’t really vibe with any of the characters.
August 23, 2024
It felt like an effort tbh
May 28, 2024
AD/PR - 4.5* - Truth Truth Lie follows a group of old Oxford uni friends (plus partners/kids) as they gather on a remote Scottish island to celebrate a joint 40th. When a game of two truths and a lie turns sinister, they find themselves in a cat-and-mouse game of murder. I think it’s one of my fave locked-room thrillers ever!
You can’t beat a Scottish island with no wifi or signal for an “And Then There Were None” story. This read like a slasher horror at times with the grisly (but very inventive 👀😂) murders and the scenes of terror with hunter/hunted and power cuts. I was going crazy trying to figure out what was going on. It was so clever because I didn’t have a clue and couldn’t begin to guess who was responsible or where they’d all gone, yet when it came together I KICKED myself! I love a thriller where everything is there for you to find but it’s hidden by red herrings and misdirections. You got me GOOD, Claire!
Once I started there was zero chance of me following the schedule. I don’t think there was one chapter that was an easy place to put the book down! Yes there’s a slight bit of suspend belief which I usually hate, but it was so well thought out and genuinely plausible just improbable. The term “popcorn thriller” was invented for Truth Truth Lie! They were all very unlikeable, either rich and privileged or jealous hangers on, but I loooooved to hate them. The final chapters were TENSE and the ending did not let me down! This was my first Claire McGowan but I’ve now ordered two of her others after loving this so much!
You can’t beat a Scottish island with no wifi or signal for an “And Then There Were None” story. This read like a slasher horror at times with the grisly (but very inventive 👀😂) murders and the scenes of terror with hunter/hunted and power cuts. I was going crazy trying to figure out what was going on. It was so clever because I didn’t have a clue and couldn’t begin to guess who was responsible or where they’d all gone, yet when it came together I KICKED myself! I love a thriller where everything is there for you to find but it’s hidden by red herrings and misdirections. You got me GOOD, Claire!
Once I started there was zero chance of me following the schedule. I don’t think there was one chapter that was an easy place to put the book down! Yes there’s a slight bit of suspend belief which I usually hate, but it was so well thought out and genuinely plausible just improbable. The term “popcorn thriller” was invented for Truth Truth Lie! They were all very unlikeable, either rich and privileged or jealous hangers on, but I loooooved to hate them. The final chapters were TENSE and the ending did not let me down! This was my first Claire McGowan but I’ve now ordered two of her others after loving this so much!
October 14, 2025
i mean the fact that this borrowed heavily from the influential classic, and then there were none, would mean that this would indeed be a page turner... luckily I was not turned off by the barrage of characters early on. once i got the groove of things, i enjoyed the structure and the reveals BUT towards the end the book kinda lost its teeth... honestly thought it was gearing up towards something dramatic and unforgettable... alas it was nothing but a whimper... I am imagining that someone told the author to tone the story down or something because it just lacked the heights I sorta built up... to be fair, I enjoyed maybe 65-70 percent of the book so rating this a 3
October 27, 2024
A thriller where an old friend group that clearly hate each other is reuniting for an event and secrets get revealed… SIGN ME UP! It’s actually hilarious because I think I enjoyed the gossipy mess of this book more than the actual mystery. The book starts off by telling the readers that a dead body is found and after that it’s a bit slow, but once they play 2 truths and 1 lie it ramps up quickly. A very good isolation thriller where I had no idea what was going to happen next. A whole bunch of unlikable characters but I enjoyed every second.
October 15, 2024
Claire McGowan is the author of the Paula Maguire series of 6 books and has written 9 standalone psychological thrillers. Truth Truth Lie is her latest book. It was published earlier this year. Several of her books are available FREE on Kindle Unlimited too.
If you are a fan of books where there are lots of people gathering in a remote location, a group of friends who all have secrets they don’t want revealing, people harboring resentment and grudges from years ago and a psychopath intent on killing them all, then Truth Truth Lie is perfect for you.
Truth Truth Lie features a large cast of characters. Each character narrates their own version of events. The story is about 8 old university friends. These friends rent a house on an isolated island. They gather for a joint 40th birthday party with their children and partners.
Amira is the main narrator. She’s married to Paddy, one of the 8 “University Friends.” She really doesn’t want to be there at all. She’d rather spend the money on a holiday to Tenerife. She doesn’t want to be stuck in a secluded, isolated house with people she doesn’t like or feel comfortable with. The feelings are completely mutual. She’s also going through some marriage issues with Paddy which is making her feel even worse.
Once they arrive at the house and settle in, they decide to play a game called Truth Truth Lie. However, someone sneaks in an anonymous statement. This turns the harmless fun game into a sinister cat and mouse, sparking a deluge of deadly events.
Although there are a lot of characters to get to know, this is a fast paced thriller which kept me thoroughly entertained. With a higher than average body count, and some very grisly murders Truth Truth Lie will keep you turning those pages trying to work out who, what, why and when.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
If you are a fan of books where there are lots of people gathering in a remote location, a group of friends who all have secrets they don’t want revealing, people harboring resentment and grudges from years ago and a psychopath intent on killing them all, then Truth Truth Lie is perfect for you.
Truth Truth Lie features a large cast of characters. Each character narrates their own version of events. The story is about 8 old university friends. These friends rent a house on an isolated island. They gather for a joint 40th birthday party with their children and partners.
Amira is the main narrator. She’s married to Paddy, one of the 8 “University Friends.” She really doesn’t want to be there at all. She’d rather spend the money on a holiday to Tenerife. She doesn’t want to be stuck in a secluded, isolated house with people she doesn’t like or feel comfortable with. The feelings are completely mutual. She’s also going through some marriage issues with Paddy which is making her feel even worse.
Once they arrive at the house and settle in, they decide to play a game called Truth Truth Lie. However, someone sneaks in an anonymous statement. This turns the harmless fun game into a sinister cat and mouse, sparking a deluge of deadly events.
Although there are a lot of characters to get to know, this is a fast paced thriller which kept me thoroughly entertained. With a higher than average body count, and some very grisly murders Truth Truth Lie will keep you turning those pages trying to work out who, what, why and when.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
January 28, 2024
I couldn’t stop thinking about when I’d next get the chance to read this book over the past couple days. It was such an engaging thriller, and I really enjoyed the twists and turns of it. It started out a bit confusing with having to remember who was who with the introduction of all the characters, but by the time I had everything together, the book went from zero to one hundred very quickly. I really enjoyed it, and it was quick paced enough that the story flowed quickly and evenly, even with a turn here or a twist there. The only thing keeping me from giving it five stars was the really in-your-face Covid narrative throughout. Maybe it’s just me, but I want to escape when I read a book. There were scoldings and lingerings on that narrative that detracted from the overall book, which honestly became a bit boring, and I felt it to be almost a cop out with some of the plot points. But again, just my personal opinion. It was a great exciting read, and I recommend it for anyone who’s a fan of thrillers. As someone who doesn’t usually go for a thriller kind of book, this one was excellent. Thanks so much to Thomas & Mercer, Claire McGowan, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy!
November 6, 2023
I LOVE Claire McGowan and snap up every thing she writes. I felt like this book was written FOR ME as who doesn't love a vacation-gone-wrong?
In Truth Truth Lie, Amira has traveled to a private island with her husband and his best college mates to celebrate the birthday of the center of the group - twin Vicky and
Amira always feels the outsider and she and her husband are even more on the outs for this lavish and expensive get away. When the boat drops them off and leaves them for two days she get nervous. When she learns there is no cell service she doesn't know what to think. It's not until a threatening note appear and an unfortunate death occurs that Amira begins to panic.
But at that point, it is far too late. With no phone reception and no way off the island, the group are trapped here until the end of the weekend with only each other to count on. Will they survice? #thomas&mercer #Truthtruthlie
#ClaireMcgowan
In Truth Truth Lie, Amira has traveled to a private island with her husband and his best college mates to celebrate the birthday of the center of the group - twin Vicky and
Amira always feels the outsider and she and her husband are even more on the outs for this lavish and expensive get away. When the boat drops them off and leaves them for two days she get nervous. When she learns there is no cell service she doesn't know what to think. It's not until a threatening note appear and an unfortunate death occurs that Amira begins to panic.
But at that point, it is far too late. With no phone reception and no way off the island, the group are trapped here until the end of the weekend with only each other to count on. Will they survice? #thomas&mercer #Truthtruthlie
#ClaireMcgowan
June 18, 2024
I Know What You Did Last Summer meets Two Truths and a Lie
June 12, 2025
4.5⭐️ Innnnnnnnnteresting! Not at all what I expected, but in the best way!
A group of friends spend a weekend on a remote island in Scotland to celebrate a 40th birthday and decide to play an "innocent" game of 2 truths and a lie. Nothing good comes out of this game, and before you know it, they are all fighting for their lives. So many secrets, so many lies!
It had me making random guesses all throughout, and I changed my mind multiple times. In the end, I was still wrong. I hate being wrong, but in the context of a plot twist, I am here for it👏
A group of friends spend a weekend on a remote island in Scotland to celebrate a 40th birthday and decide to play an "innocent" game of 2 truths and a lie. Nothing good comes out of this game, and before you know it, they are all fighting for their lives. So many secrets, so many lies!
It had me making random guesses all throughout, and I changed my mind multiple times. In the end, I was still wrong. I hate being wrong, but in the context of a plot twist, I am here for it👏
June 5, 2024
Such an interesting thriller, kept me in my toes till the very end.. and the moral of the whole thing at the end.. is just 👌🏻.
I got confused for a bit because of the time jumps and the huge amount of characters in the book. However, how everything wrapped up at the end was so shocking I want to reread it just to figure out the hows and whys and everything in between!
I would loved if there were different narrators for each character but i know i will literally need a town since we got all the POVs for every passing person in this novel. It was good but needed extra focus.
Thanks to the publisher for giving me an e-ARC in exchange of an honest review
I got confused for a bit because of the time jumps and the huge amount of characters in the book. However, how everything wrapped up at the end was so shocking I want to reread it just to figure out the hows and whys and everything in between!
I would loved if there were different narrators for each character but i know i will literally need a town since we got all the POVs for every passing person in this novel. It was good but needed extra focus.
Thanks to the publisher for giving me an e-ARC in exchange of an honest review
July 5, 2025
Boring, disjointed, and full of unlikeable characters
I really wanted to like this book which is a thriller set on a remote island with a group of old university friends, a dangerous party game, and a sinister message but this book was an absolute slog. I struggled through it, and honestly, I only finished it because I kept hoping it would get better. It didn’t.
The Setup Had Promise. The concept is solid: during a weekend getaway for a 40th birthday, the group plays “Two Truths and a Lie.” But one of the slips reads:
1. Everyone here has killed someone.
2. There’s no way off the island.
3. You will kill or be killed.
It should have set up a tense, high-stakes whodunnit, but instead, we get a tangled mess of flashbacks, confusing timelines, and a cast of characters I hated.
Not a single character felt likable, redeemable, or interesting. Everyone was either bitter, pretentious, selfish, or just flat. I didn’t care who died or why it felt like a group of people I’d never want to be stuck on an island with. And when things started to unravel, I wasn’t shocked or emotional, I was just bored.
The pacing dragged. The back-and-forth timelines disrupted any buildup of suspense, and even the “twists” were underwhelming. Bodies pile up, secrets come out, and a detective shows up… but by the time the story wraps up, there are still huge holes. Big plot threads go unresolved, motivations don’t always make sense, and it felt like the author either ran out of time or interest in tying everything together.
The Ending? Just… No.
Even the final reveal felt like a letdown. You’re left with questions that should have been answered. It’s unsatisfying, plain and simple.
I really wanted to like this book which is a thriller set on a remote island with a group of old university friends, a dangerous party game, and a sinister message but this book was an absolute slog. I struggled through it, and honestly, I only finished it because I kept hoping it would get better. It didn’t.
The Setup Had Promise. The concept is solid: during a weekend getaway for a 40th birthday, the group plays “Two Truths and a Lie.” But one of the slips reads:
1. Everyone here has killed someone.
2. There’s no way off the island.
3. You will kill or be killed.
It should have set up a tense, high-stakes whodunnit, but instead, we get a tangled mess of flashbacks, confusing timelines, and a cast of characters I hated.
Not a single character felt likable, redeemable, or interesting. Everyone was either bitter, pretentious, selfish, or just flat. I didn’t care who died or why it felt like a group of people I’d never want to be stuck on an island with. And when things started to unravel, I wasn’t shocked or emotional, I was just bored.
The pacing dragged. The back-and-forth timelines disrupted any buildup of suspense, and even the “twists” were underwhelming. Bodies pile up, secrets come out, and a detective shows up… but by the time the story wraps up, there are still huge holes. Big plot threads go unresolved, motivations don’t always make sense, and it felt like the author either ran out of time or interest in tying everything together.
The Ending? Just… No.
Even the final reveal felt like a letdown. You’re left with questions that should have been answered. It’s unsatisfying, plain and simple.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 20, 2025
Slightly far fetched and downright ridiculous in places, however an enjoyable read and a page turner. I wanted to find out who / what was to blame but the explanations at the end were a bit flimsy to say the least.
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