Tell Me All Your Lies

by L.A. Detwiler

“We’re all made of stories, past and present. But the future relies on our choices. And my choice? Blood. Dizzying, bedazzling blood in all its sickening glory.”

Some lies are better left as truth.

Elliott Clairmont’s mother murdered a man when he was three. Ever since then, their lives in Paris have been filled with deceit, murder, lies…but also a strong mother-son bond. As Elliott gets older, Lucy Clairmont teaches her son two important skills: tarot reading and serial killing.

When his mother is murdered, though, twelve-year-old Elliott sets off on a quest to find his true history. His journey to the United States reveals truths and many lies about who he really is.

Feeling lost and alone in America, Elliott eventually sets on a path to secure his family’s sordid legacy and to follow what he deems is his sinister purpose. Will he finish his family’s stained quilt of stories, or will the law catch up with him before he can carry out his master plan?

From USA Today Bestseller L.A. Detwiler comes a harrowing story of loyalty, lies, and grisly murders. Stephen King meets East of Eden in this serial killer family saga.

297 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 4, 2024

About the author

L.A. Detwiler is the USA TODAY Bestselling thriller author of The Widow Next Door with HarperCollins UK and several other chilling page-turners. Her novel The Diary of a Serial Killer's Daughter was awarded the bronze medal for thrillers by Readers' Favorite and also translated into Polish. Her novels are noted for their dark, emotional depth and realistic portrayals of haunting topics.

During her final year at Mount Aloysius College, she started writing her first fiction novel, Voice of Innocence, which was published in 2015. She has numerous sweet romances published under Lindsay Detwiler. She has also written articles that have appeared in several women’s publications and websites.

L.A. Detwiler is a high school business teacher and writer in her hometown of Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. She taught high school English for ten years and also was an adjunct professor. She lives in her hometown with her husband, Chad. They have six cats and a Great Dane named Edmund (He appears in all of her current works; her late mastiff, Henry, is in the earlier novels). When she isn't training Edmund or writing, she is usually rewatching Outlander, drinking coffee, or buying makeup.


Connect with L.A. Detwiler on Facebook, Instagram, and Tiktok @ladetwiler

Reviews

[Kat (Katlovesbooks) Dietrich · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tell Me All Your Lies by L.A. Detwiler is a psychological thriller about a boy who becomes a killer with the help of his mother.

First, let me thank NetGalley, and the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


My Synopsis:    (No major reveals, but if concerned, skip to My Opinions)
Elliott Clairmont loved his mother, as any child should.  She taught him everything, from math to art appreciation.  Her lessons also included reading tarot cards, and serial killing.  He learned the dark side of his mother, and found that it may also be within him.

Lucy Clairmont murdered the first man in their small Paris flat when Elliott was only three. From time to time, there were others that never left the apartment under their own steam.  Elliott helped to dispose of those bodies.

When Elliott is twelve, his beloved mother is murdered, and Elliott is left to find out his true history on his own.  He travels to the US, where his mother was born,  only to find more lies and deception. He is determined to create his own legacy....something to leave behind.


My Opinions:
This was a complex, dark tale, told by Elliott, and through his journal entries. There are a few chapters told by one of the victims, and by the detective who chased Elliott.  

I actually felt sorry for Elliott throughout the book, as his up-bringing and life left a lot to be desired.  His mother was a nightmare that he loved whole-heartedly.  But choices were made.

The book looks at nature vs nurture, family morals, and the legacy each person leaves behind, and how they want to be remembered. 

There was an interesting twist near the end that was quite good.  The writing was also good.

Overall, it is a somewhat depressing book, with an ending that did nothing for me.  Although this was not one of my favorites by this author, it had it's moments.  

 

For a more complete review of this book and others (including the reason I chose to read/review this book, author information and a favorite quotation or two from the book), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/

[Heather Flaherty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to #NetGalley and #LADetwiler for the book #TellMeAllYourLies. It was Elliot and his mother against the world. That is until his tarot reading, serial killer mother gets murdered in front of him at the age of 12. Since then he has tried to find out about his mother’s family in America. While there he has carried on his mother’s legacy and started killing. This is a dark and suspenseful book that will really enjoyed.

[Carol Werner Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tell Me All Your Lies
by L.A. Detwiler
Pub Date: Jun 04 2024

Tell Me All Your Lies is a dark, gory and suspenseful thriller with many twists and turns which made the book an excellent read from the first page until the last page!

I've read several of author L. A. Detwiler's books and haven't been disappointed yet. If you are a fan of psychological thrillers, this is the book for you!

Synopsis: Elliott Clairmont’s mother murdered a man when he was three. Ever since then, their lives in Paris have been filled with deceit, murder, lies…but also a strong mother-son bond. As Elliott gets older, Lucy Clairmont teaches her son two important skills: tarot reading and serial killing.

Many thanks to #TellMeAllYourLies, #NetGalley & Author #L.A.Detwiler for providing me with an E-ARC of this book.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elliott Clairmont’s mother was a tarot card reader, and a prostitute.
She used the cards to decide which of her customers to kill, and Elliott assisted her with the body disposal and clean up when he was old enough.
Then came the day when a customer physically abused Lucy, and 12 year old Elliott got his first taste of blood. He liked it.

This book takes place in the recent past, yet it has a historical feel to it.
It is dark and gory, and either Elliott is a product of his upbringing, or he is a psychopath.
There are surprising twists, which make the mind boggle.
I enjoyed the book, but was a little disappointed with the ending.

Thanks to Netgalley and L A Detwiler for the opportunity to read this book.

[sora (sorasbookland) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow this book was actually really dark and I loved it.

There were so many twists and turns and I enjoyed every single one, the ending was slightly underwhelming and I lowkey excepted more but overall a very good book and well written, the storyline actually made me care about the bad guy in the story which was shocking.

3.5 stars.*

Thanks to NetGalley and L.A Detwiler for a digital ARC copy.

#TellMeAllYourLies #NetGalley

[Tam · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a compelling read, that I found I did not want to put down! Great, multi-faceted characters. Very interesting plot. Vivid descriptions. Suspenseful and thrilling. Kept me captivated from the first page to the last. Simply a GREAT read!

*I received a complimentary ARC of this book in order to read and provide a voluntary, unbiased and honest review, should I choose to do so.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed that the author actually gets you to care about the villain in this book. You get a great backstory to understand “why” they are they way they are. Well written. I would read more by this author.

[Darren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book. It had a good story to it. I liked the variety of characters in it. It was a well written book. It took me a while to read this book because I was only reading a bit per day.

[Dana Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!
Serial killer mom and serial killer son, go along having some serial killer fun!
Also that twist at the end-didn’t see that coming!