A Lie for a Lie

by Ren DeStefano

A deadly game of cat and mouse unfolds when a housewife with a secret life takes on a tech billionaire with secrets darker than her own . . . from the author of How I'll Kill You.

Margaux leads a double life that would make most people dizzy. By day, she's a seemingly ordinary interior decorator with a picture-perfect marriage. By night, she works for a mysterious employer known only as Mr. X. Her infiltrating the lives of dangerous targets, gaining their trust, and ultimately exposing their crimes. 

Her latest Unraveling the secret life of Bertram Casimir, a billionaire tech CEO whose career is as mysterious as his past. His sister claims he stole her app to build his fortune. Not only that, his girlfriend may or may not have recently gone missing.

He sees through her carefully constructed facade, matching her move for move. As the lines between hunter and prey blur, Margaux finds herself unexpectedly drawn to Bertram. They share more than she'd like to admit—a dangerous intelligence, a taste for high-stakes manipulation. When the evidence begins to shift, threatening to unravel everything she knows, Margaux realizes this is far more than just another job.

Her secrets—and her life—are now on the line. One lie remains, and it might just save her.

Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Contemporary, Mystery Thriller, Adult Fiction

320 pages, Paperback

Expected publication March 10, 2026

About the author

Ren DeStefano lives in Connecticut, where she was born and raised. When she’s not writing thrillers, she’s listening to true crime podcasts and crocheting way too many blankets.

Reviews

[Kelly (and the Book Boar) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’ve lost my zest for reviewing, but somehow I’m still lucky enough to receive some reader copies, this one had a house on the cover and my belly is all full of gyro meat and hummus, so let’s give her a rip!

I snagged a copy of this upcoming release because I REALLY dug How I’ll Kill You. Unfortunately, I thought this one was just okay. The story here is about Margeaux who works as an interior decorator by day, but a sleuth on the side. Her latest job quickly morphs from a pretty meh case of a stolen app and the money that came from it to a potential murder mystery. I knew right away what was going on with the girlfriend and “Mr. X” was no big shocker either, but my biggest problems were (1) I HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATE the hinting of “some super bad thing happened in the past, but I’m going to never talk about it for eternity while constantly reminding you readers it still exists” (and said reveal being so lackluster) and also this one sets itself up as maybe becoming a series and your girl ain’t got no time for more than one – especially when it comes to characters I didn’t like.

2.5 Stars

ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Kay Oliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent thriller with a strong mystery at the forefront surrounding family and familial secrets. This was well written, but what really drove this story was the cast of characters. Each one was so deliciously intriguing. I would love a second book with this family.

[Carrie Shields · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐚 𝐩𝐮𝐳𝐳𝐥𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞. 𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐡, 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐨𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫.

The prologue to this book was absolutely gripping, and I knew right away this was going to be a worthy follow-up to HOW I'LL KILL YOU. Margaux leads a double life with a dizzying array of moving parts. By day, she's an interior decorator, loving wife, and doting mother. But by night, she's a female vigilante working for a mysterious employer known only as Mr. X. Her targets are chosen, and it's her job to infiltrate their lives, gain their trust, and expose their crimes, ensuring that justice is served.

Her latest target is Bertram Casimir, a billionaire tech CEO whose sister claims he stole her app to make his fortune. Even worse, his girlfriend recently went missing and any mention of her has been mysteriously scrubbed from the headlines. Unfortunately, Bertram is not like Margaux's other prey--he's whip-smart, cunning, and sees right through her. For the first time, Margaux finds herself stumbling in her role as predator. Lines begin to blur before they're abruptly removed altogether. Have the roles been reversed, or will one last lie reveal itself?

I loved the pacing and both Margaux's character development and backstory. This was one of those thrillers that has moments of dark humor to balance out some of the more grim elements. If you love the secret lives trope, you will find this to be a fun, action packed thriller that will catch you off guard more than once. Many thanks to Berkley Publishing for the early copy. Look for this one March 10, 2026.

[Zoe Lipman · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

This felt like a unique take on a double life kind of story.

This follows a mother, she seems normal. She's an interior decorator and a have hands-on mother and wife. But she is also working for a mysterious person who goes by Mr. X. When she works for Mr. X, she has gets her targets and has to infiltrate their lives, exposing who they are (their crimes).

I was entertained by this, but I did want a bit more. I wanted a bit more oomph to the action and the characters.

There was always this looming feeling of there's something else going on, the other shoe is going to drop and that really kept me engaged, wanting to know what that feeling was and what was goin got be revealed.

The dynamics that rise up with her newest target add so much drama, catching both our FMC and the reader off-guard. I did wish that it went a little harder in that regard as well, I think that would pushed this up to a 4/5 stars, but I think plenty of people will think it's a 4/5 without any more oomph. I really do think that a lot of people will really enjoy this, I had a good and entertaining time. And that's really all that matters, entertainment!

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

[Abigail E · Rating 4 out of 5]

••• ARC REVIEW •••
📖 A Lie for a Lie by Ren DeStefano
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Do I recommend: I do!!
***Available March 10***

Ooh I loved this!! If you’re looking to add a solid thriller to your TBR - look no further than A Lie for a Lie!

Margaux is an interior designer by day and l something of a vigilante by night. Employed by the mysterious Mr. X, Margaux is assigned to expose billionaire Bertram Casimir for stealing his billion-dollar idea. Margaux is inexplicably drawn to Bertram, lines are blurred, and we don’t know who to trust (and neither does Margaux)!

Y’all, this was fun. A little bit Mr. and Mrs. Smith meets a less-obnoxious (and less-outlandish) Finlay Donovan with a hint of Charlie’s Angels? With some Law and Order on the side? Maybe?? Regardless of what it reminded me of - I loved the story, the writing, and the characters and was pulled in from the start. I couldn’t put this one down and it seeeeems like we are getting set up for a sequel (if not a series??) so I am absolutely thrilled (pun intended).

If you’re in the mood for a solid, twisty thriller, make sure you check this one out in March!

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Margaux's double life allows her to be a working mom AND a spy who infiltrates the lives of criminals and exposing the crimes they thought they got away with.
Her newest assignment is to prove reclusive billionaire tech bro Bertram Casimir stole the code for the app that made his fortune and to look into the disappearance of his girlfriend.
Bertram and Margaux connect and as they begin to trust each other, they both reveal information they typically hide.
Secrets from Margaux's past and her clandestine "side hustle" threaten her relationships with her husband and her daughter, and may cost her her life.

I enjoyed this thriller. Margaux is a complex character. Her hidden past affects her relationships with her husband and daughter and truly keep her from making friends. When she's partnered with an acquaintance from the car pool lane, her ability to trust is tested.
While the novel is action-packed, it's never really gory.
Readers who like a fun mystery, action, thriller with a complex female lead should enjoy A Lie For a Lie.

Thank you Berkley Publishing Group for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Amber Boos · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Lie for a Lie was a great movie.....uh, I mean book. Okay, really good book that I think would be an even better movie! We have Margeaux, who by day is an interior designer. At night, she works for the mysterious "Mr. X" as a sort of corporate spy/vigilante. Oh, and Margeaux is also a wife and mom, so when she sleeps, well who the heck knows. But that's not the point. Mr. X sends her on assignments that usually involve her inserting herself into the lives of the very rich and powerful techy types and exposing their criminal activity. She is assigned to Bertram Casimir, a tech billionaire who supposedly stole an app from his own sister which is where his boo-koos of money supposedly come from. Oh, and he has a missing girlfriend. Well Bertram turns out to be way smarter than Margeaux's other targets and the mission turns into a gripping cat and mouse thriller that as I previously said would be a blast of a movie. Sort of in the Mr. and Mrs. Smith vein. I really liked Margeaux and the pacing of the story and I'm sure I will enjoy more from Ren DeStefano.

Thank you to #NetGalley, Ren DeStefano and Berkley Publishing Group for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Megan Magee · Rating 4 out of 5]

"We are all the tip of our own iceberg, with secrets that range from little white lies to crimes that can get us put away for life. And you can never truly be sure."

This is such a solid twisting tale of secrets, family, and overcoming. I love that we got to know Margeaux, Waylen, Elodie, and co. I would truly love if this were a series and I could read even MORE about their family. The middle got a touch stagnant, but honestly the plot movement was stellar: I could NOT look away, and DeStefano did a beautiful job painting a full picture of a thriller novel in my opinion. Even Mr. X was given a shot at humanity in this one, and I was here for that. Thanks so much to the author and Berkley Publishing Group for providing me with this eARC! All opinions are my own, and all quotes are not determined yet until publication date.

[Stephenee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first book by author Ren DeStefano, but it won't be my last!! The character's were well developed, the plot was fast moving, the reader zoomed through the pages. This is one of those books that the reader can't help but want to read through as fast as possible while at the same time wanting it to never end because you just aren't ready.

There is such a complex web of things happening in this one and the reader has a hard time predicting what is going to happen next. The reader continues to guess and guess only to be fooled by the story time and time again. This one has the reader on the edge of their seat and they love it.

Don't hesitate to add this one to your TBR list and move it to the top! It's a must read for 2026!

[Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pros :: 4.5 rounded up. Enjoyed the story of Margaux Blue, her brother, Mr X and especially the character of Eloide Belvins. After a devastating fire when Margaux was 12 and her brother was 14, they turn their lives into one of convicting criminals from the shadows. They are hired to find the guilt of techno wealthy entrepreneur Bertram Casimir. They have to face a foe like Annie Clarke. Well paced action, dialogue and plot.

Cons :: Too repetitive with the back story and the reason for the chosen career of Margaux her relationship with her husband Waylen and the fire.

Cover art :: 5 out of 5

[Madeline Church · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked up A Lie for a Lie when I knew that I needed a quick thriller. It did its job for that criteria, but it was not the most enjoyable for me.

I found the writing style to be similar to Freida McFadden. Therefore, if you typically like Freida McFadden books, I think you would be bound to enjoy this thriller as well. It is very straightforward in that way.

I didn't love the characters. I didn't love the story. So, there was not much for me to enjoy. The plot seemed up my alley, but I think the writing style was too dull for me.

Thank you NetGalley, Berkley, & Ren DeStefano for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[M · Rating 2 out of 5]

I recently read Stefano’s How I’ll Kill You and decided to give her work one more try. While A Lie for a Lie offers a few likeable characters who add some much‑needed spark, Stefano’s writing style still feels a bit flat for my taste.

The novel is straightforward and easy to read, which many readers will likely appreciate. However, for me, it’s a very slow‑burn suspense story that never quite builds enough momentum to keep me fully engaged. Unfortunately, I found that the issues I had with her previous book persist here as well—her prose simply doesn’t deliver the depth or tension I’m looking for.
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for this ARC.

[Shannen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this author’s debut, so I was beyond excited to dive into her upcoming release — and wow, did it deliver. This book completely BLEW ME AWAY. I was hooked from page one and could not put it down. It’s packed with lies, questionable characters, and twist after twist that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The storyline was a roller coaster ride I couldn’t get off. I am obsessed. This author has officially become an auto-read for me!

Thank you NetGalley for an early copy!!!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you, Berkley Publishing Group, for providing the copy of A Lie for a Lie by Ren DeStefano. I liked how this book started out, but it was uneven, and some of the middle bogged down. I never really got a feel for the characters, so it was hard to get invested in the story. I loved many parts of the story, though, and the reveals were good surprises. I would love to read other books by DeStefano! 4 stars

[Louisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this story, loved the characters and the mystery, the premise was so good and I loved seeing how it played out!

[jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Lie for a Lie is a serviceable thriller, but I found myself scratching my head at some of the protagonist’s choices, which kept me from enjoying the book more. What I appreciated most about this book was the internal struggle of the narrator between moving on from her past and staying in it out of guilt. She resisted typical social norms of defining her life by her motherhood. I found her life, although extraordinary, a realistic depiction of the complexities of modern women. Unfortunately, she also made some baffling choices that were necessary for plot movement. For a decent chunk of the book, she trusts a man that she has met a week ago more than her husband, who knows (most of) her most intimate secrets. I think this author shows promise in blending a high-stakes plot with character development, though I think she has room to improve in her future work.

I received an ARC from Berkley and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.