What do you think?
Every Lie I Told
From bestselling and award-winning author Hilary Davidson,
Every Lie I Told
is a propulsive, twisty thriller about the devastating consequences of the lies we tell to protect others—and ourselves.
How far would you go to protect a killer?
Jackie Swift does whatever it takes to succeed. At work, she spins lies to protect questionable clients at a shady public-relations firm. At home, she helps her younger sister, Madi, evade consequences for dangerous choices she’s made about friends and drugs. But Jackie’s professional and personal worlds collide one night when she gets a call from Madi telling her she overdosed. Rushing to the rescue, Jackie stumbles on an awful scene at an Upper East Side mansion. Madi is nowhere to be found, but she’s left behind a dead body.
Worse for Jackie, she knows the dead man all too it’s her former boss and mentor, and she’s been paid to cover up his crimes in the past.
Jackie is willing to do anything to protect her missing sister, even as the NYPD builds a case against Madi, who may be involved in the deaths of other sexually abusive men. As Jackie searches for her sister—and sets up plausible suspects to take Madi’s place in the eyes of the police—she’s haunted by the terrible things she’s done in service of her career. And she soon discovers there are people who’ve been waiting in the shadows for a chance to take her down.
How far would you go to protect a killer?
Jackie Swift does whatever it takes to succeed. At work, she spins lies to protect questionable clients at a shady public-relations firm. At home, she helps her younger sister, Madi, evade consequences for dangerous choices she’s made about friends and drugs. But Jackie’s professional and personal worlds collide one night when she gets a call from Madi telling her she overdosed. Rushing to the rescue, Jackie stumbles on an awful scene at an Upper East Side mansion. Madi is nowhere to be found, but she’s left behind a dead body.
Worse for Jackie, she knows the dead man all too it’s her former boss and mentor, and she’s been paid to cover up his crimes in the past.
Jackie is willing to do anything to protect her missing sister, even as the NYPD builds a case against Madi, who may be involved in the deaths of other sexually abusive men. As Jackie searches for her sister—and sets up plausible suspects to take Madi’s place in the eyes of the police—she’s haunted by the terrible things she’s done in service of her career. And she soon discovers there are people who’ve been waiting in the shadows for a chance to take her down.
371 pages, Hardcover
Published June 16, 2026
About the author
Hilary Davidson
67 books608 followersHilary Davidson was a journalist before she turned to the dark side and started writing crime fiction. Her novels include the award-winning Lily Moore series—The Damage Done, The Next One to Fall, and Evil in All Its Disguises—the bestselling Shadows of New York series—One Small Sacrifice and Don’t Look Down—and the standalone novels Blood Always Tells and Her Last Breath. She is also the author of some fifty short stories. Her fiction has won two Anthony Awards, a Derringer Award, and a host of other accolades. Toronto born and raised, she moved to New York City in October 2001. She is also the author of 18 nonfiction books. Her next novel, Every Lie I Told, will be published on June 16, 2026, by Blackstone.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
July 3, 2026
This is the first book that I’ve read by Hilary Davidson.
I didn’t want to put this book down.
The story is told through Jackie Swift’s point of view. Jackie is a public relations expert, aka professional liar. She is extremely protective of
her sister, Madi.
The story seemed to drag around the 60% mark, but picked back up by the 70-75% mark. Maybe part of this should have been edited out?
The ending definitely wasn’t what I expected.
It happily surprised me.
Overall, I did enjoy reading this book!
I didn’t want to put this book down.
The story is told through Jackie Swift’s point of view. Jackie is a public relations expert, aka professional liar. She is extremely protective of
her sister, Madi.
The story seemed to drag around the 60% mark, but picked back up by the 70-75% mark. Maybe part of this should have been edited out?
The ending definitely wasn’t what I expected.
It happily surprised me.
Overall, I did enjoy reading this book!
June 27, 2026
BLURB:
Jackie Swift rushes to rescue her sister, Madi, after a desperate overdose call, only to find her former boss dead and Madi missing. As the police close in, Jackie must untangle a web of buried secrets and corruption while trying to protect her sister.
REVIEW:
I went into this book completely blind and hadn’t read the author’s work before, but I knew I’d at the very least love the narration because thriller queen Brittany Pressley does a stellar job with every book. As for the book, it is a slooooow-burn thriller with some intriguing elements—a missing sister mystery, family secrets, workplace corruption, and a large ensemble cast. For the first 30%, it felt like there was a new character being introduced every chapter, and I was a bit overwhelmed. It really helps to jot down names and connections to keep track of who’s who. Every single character, including the FMC Jackie, is morally gray and pretty unlikeable—and that was one of the main reasons this didn’t work for me because I wasn’t really invested in anyone. On the positive side, the story is not at all predictable—there’s a slow unraveling of past events and truths through conversations and shifting loyalties that’s well done.
The story is told via Jackie’s 1st-person POV, beginning when she receives a strange midnight call from her sister, Madi, who sounds disoriented and has apparently overdosed at the home of Jackie’s former boss, Eric. When Jackie arrives, she finds Eric’s dead body, but her sister is nowhere to be found. Sounds like a great setup, right?
Unfortunately, despite this propulsive opening, the majority of the story is driven by Jackie’s interactions with other characters—and there’s a LOT of dialogue. This is one of the reasons I’d highly recommend reading this on audiobook. If I hadn’t been listening to Brittany narrate with all her engaging character voices, I may have put this one down. Jackie becomes an amateur sleuth trying to find her sister and who killed Eric, but instead of action-packed plot points, most of the story unfolds through conversations, and most of the reveals are about things that happened off-page in the past. Having said that, Jackie still has to navigate shady colleagues at her workplace, a man she’s dating whom she wants to keep in the dark about everything, and the relentless Detective Sullivan, who wants answers from her. Madi remains mostly off-page for much of the book, which made it harder for me to feel at all connected to her—and the little we do see of her doesn’t make her particularly likeable. But Jackie’s persistence in finding her did help keep me engaged.
There are darker themes throughout that may be triggering, including references to child abuse and drug abuse/overdose. While there are lots of suspicious characters and red herrings, I did guess the identity of the main villain early on, though it’s impossible to know their true motivations and need for revenge until right before their mask is lifted. The ending did a nice job delivering some karmic consequences for those who deserved it, which was satisfying, and the story wrapped up quickly from there. If you enjoy character-driven slow-burn thrillers and don’t mind a large cast of unlikeable, morally gray characters who drive the story through dialogue rather than thrills or action, then you may really enjoy this one!
Jackie Swift rushes to rescue her sister, Madi, after a desperate overdose call, only to find her former boss dead and Madi missing. As the police close in, Jackie must untangle a web of buried secrets and corruption while trying to protect her sister.
REVIEW:
I went into this book completely blind and hadn’t read the author’s work before, but I knew I’d at the very least love the narration because thriller queen Brittany Pressley does a stellar job with every book. As for the book, it is a slooooow-burn thriller with some intriguing elements—a missing sister mystery, family secrets, workplace corruption, and a large ensemble cast. For the first 30%, it felt like there was a new character being introduced every chapter, and I was a bit overwhelmed. It really helps to jot down names and connections to keep track of who’s who. Every single character, including the FMC Jackie, is morally gray and pretty unlikeable—and that was one of the main reasons this didn’t work for me because I wasn’t really invested in anyone. On the positive side, the story is not at all predictable—there’s a slow unraveling of past events and truths through conversations and shifting loyalties that’s well done.
The story is told via Jackie’s 1st-person POV, beginning when she receives a strange midnight call from her sister, Madi, who sounds disoriented and has apparently overdosed at the home of Jackie’s former boss, Eric. When Jackie arrives, she finds Eric’s dead body, but her sister is nowhere to be found. Sounds like a great setup, right?
Unfortunately, despite this propulsive opening, the majority of the story is driven by Jackie’s interactions with other characters—and there’s a LOT of dialogue. This is one of the reasons I’d highly recommend reading this on audiobook. If I hadn’t been listening to Brittany narrate with all her engaging character voices, I may have put this one down. Jackie becomes an amateur sleuth trying to find her sister and who killed Eric, but instead of action-packed plot points, most of the story unfolds through conversations, and most of the reveals are about things that happened off-page in the past. Having said that, Jackie still has to navigate shady colleagues at her workplace, a man she’s dating whom she wants to keep in the dark about everything, and the relentless Detective Sullivan, who wants answers from her. Madi remains mostly off-page for much of the book, which made it harder for me to feel at all connected to her—and the little we do see of her doesn’t make her particularly likeable. But Jackie’s persistence in finding her did help keep me engaged.
There are darker themes throughout that may be triggering, including references to child abuse and drug abuse/overdose. While there are lots of suspicious characters and red herrings, I did guess the identity of the main villain early on, though it’s impossible to know their true motivations and need for revenge until right before their mask is lifted. The ending did a nice job delivering some karmic consequences for those who deserved it, which was satisfying, and the story wrapped up quickly from there. If you enjoy character-driven slow-burn thrillers and don’t mind a large cast of unlikeable, morally gray characters who drive the story through dialogue rather than thrills or action, then you may really enjoy this one!
September 6, 2026
A bit predictable, a few too many characters, but overall an enjoyable popcorn thriller. 🍿 🎭 🦌 📱
June 30, 2026
Every Lie I Told is a slow-burn suspense novel that took me a while to get into, but it had a really nice payoff at the end. (I've seen many people say this is super fast-paced, so YMMV.)
Jackie Swift is a high-powered crisis control expert at one of the top PR firms in NYC. Her primary objective is to spin the narrative when her ultra-wealthy, uber-famous clients behave badly. She is very familiar with the bad things that rich people do, including consuming copious amounts of illegal drugs. So Jackie is prepared when her younger sister, Madi, calls her from one of "those" parties and says she has overdosed and is all alone. Jackie heads straight to the mansion with a dose of Narcan in hand, but when she arrives, Madi is missing. In her place, Jackie finds the body of her former boss, a man whose dark, deviant crimes she had to cover up in the past. Jackie will do anything in her power to help find her sister. She uses her skills from PR to start spinning her own narrative of lies and deception to lead the police away from her and Madi while she tries to find the killer.
This book was a slow burn with a lot of time spent exploring the characters and their motives. There is a lot of domestic drama, and the story of Jackie and Madi unfolds slowly throughout, revealing their own personal motives. Most of the characters are pretty morally gray and unlikable. It is also a very dialogue-heavy book, so I appreciated being able to listen to it on audio. Kudos to narrator Brittany Pressley for an outstanding job.
I did guess the "who" pretty early, but the "why" was held pretty close to the vest until the very end. This is one of those reads where I'm really glad I stuck with it because the good stuff is all in the last third. I ended up being really impressed with the eventual twists and turns. Suspend disbelief and enjoy all of the powerful people behaving badly. 3.5 stars
Jackie Swift is a high-powered crisis control expert at one of the top PR firms in NYC. Her primary objective is to spin the narrative when her ultra-wealthy, uber-famous clients behave badly. She is very familiar with the bad things that rich people do, including consuming copious amounts of illegal drugs. So Jackie is prepared when her younger sister, Madi, calls her from one of "those" parties and says she has overdosed and is all alone. Jackie heads straight to the mansion with a dose of Narcan in hand, but when she arrives, Madi is missing. In her place, Jackie finds the body of her former boss, a man whose dark, deviant crimes she had to cover up in the past. Jackie will do anything in her power to help find her sister. She uses her skills from PR to start spinning her own narrative of lies and deception to lead the police away from her and Madi while she tries to find the killer.
This book was a slow burn with a lot of time spent exploring the characters and their motives. There is a lot of domestic drama, and the story of Jackie and Madi unfolds slowly throughout, revealing their own personal motives. Most of the characters are pretty morally gray and unlikable. It is also a very dialogue-heavy book, so I appreciated being able to listen to it on audio. Kudos to narrator Brittany Pressley for an outstanding job.
I did guess the "who" pretty early, but the "why" was held pretty close to the vest until the very end. This is one of those reads where I'm really glad I stuck with it because the good stuff is all in the last third. I ended up being really impressed with the eventual twists and turns. Suspend disbelief and enjoy all of the powerful people behaving badly. 3.5 stars
June 30, 2026
✨ Rating: 3⭐️
🫧 Vibes: how far will you go to protect someone?
🎶 Song: lie - halsey
📚 Would I recommend? sort of
💬 tldr thoughts: a solid thriller with too many characters to keep track of
In the package:
📦 murder, drugs and lies
📦 unlikeable characters
📦 short chapters
Plot: Jackie Swift is currently working at a PR firm and she's excellent at spinning things to protect shady clients. One night she receives a call from her sister saying she's at her ex-boss' house and she needs a naloxone kit. But when she gets there, her sister isn't there and she finds her ex-boss dead. Jackie is convinced her sister might have something to do with it and she's going to do everything in her power to protect her.
Thoughts: EVERYONE IN THIS BOOK SUFFERS FROM LIE-ABETES!!! I get it, the title is basically a red flag warning but WHEW. There wasn't a single redeemable character in here, just a bunch of lying, selfish people covering up terrible things and breaking every law, which is the whole point. The concept was great but I think there was just too many characters which became confusing at times and more complicated as you kept reading. If there's one book I wouldn't want to live in, it's this one 😅 I did enjoy reading from Jackie's POV because its a fine line between feeling bad for her (she does a great job at making us feel pity) and absolutely despising her for the things she's done. I love when a book does this!
Thank you BookSparks and Blackstone Publishing for the gifted copy!
✩⁺₊✩☽⋆ follow me on tiktok and instagram⋆☾✩⁺₊✩
🫧 Vibes: how far will you go to protect someone?
🎶 Song: lie - halsey
📚 Would I recommend? sort of
💬 tldr thoughts: a solid thriller with too many characters to keep track of
In the package:
📦 murder, drugs and lies
📦 unlikeable characters
📦 short chapters
Plot: Jackie Swift is currently working at a PR firm and she's excellent at spinning things to protect shady clients. One night she receives a call from her sister saying she's at her ex-boss' house and she needs a naloxone kit. But when she gets there, her sister isn't there and she finds her ex-boss dead. Jackie is convinced her sister might have something to do with it and she's going to do everything in her power to protect her.
Thoughts: EVERYONE IN THIS BOOK SUFFERS FROM LIE-ABETES!!! I get it, the title is basically a red flag warning but WHEW. There wasn't a single redeemable character in here, just a bunch of lying, selfish people covering up terrible things and breaking every law, which is the whole point. The concept was great but I think there was just too many characters which became confusing at times and more complicated as you kept reading. If there's one book I wouldn't want to live in, it's this one 😅 I did enjoy reading from Jackie's POV because its a fine line between feeling bad for her (she does a great job at making us feel pity) and absolutely despising her for the things she's done. I love when a book does this!
Thank you BookSparks and Blackstone Publishing for the gifted copy!
✩⁺₊✩☽⋆ follow me on tiktok and instagram⋆☾✩⁺₊✩
July 9, 2026
Format: Gifted Hardback & Audible Audiobook
Themes & Messages: 3.5/5
Writing & Execution: 3/5
Story Overall: 3.5/5
Narration: 4/5
Enjoyment: 3.25/5
Review to come.
Thanks to BookSparks & Blackstone Publishing for this gifted copy.
Themes & Messages: 3.5/5
Writing & Execution: 3/5
Story Overall: 3.5/5
Narration: 4/5
Enjoyment: 3.25/5
Review to come.
Thanks to BookSparks & Blackstone Publishing for this gifted copy.
June 18, 2026
Thank you to Hilary Davidson and Libro for the gifted copies!
Jackie Swift has built a career cleaning up other people's scandals, but when her sister disappears after a suspected overdose, she finds herself at the center of a murder investigation. As Jackie races to protect Madi and outrun the truth about her own past, she must decide how far she's willing to go to keep the people she loves safe.
This book started off with a bang and didn't let up the whole way through. It was very fast-paced, and the chapters were short, which is always a big plus for me.
I enjoyed the complicated relationship and dynamic between Jackie and Madi, and the way the story played out was very well-done. I've loved everything I've read by Hilary Davidson and this was no exception!
Jackie Swift has built a career cleaning up other people's scandals, but when her sister disappears after a suspected overdose, she finds herself at the center of a murder investigation. As Jackie races to protect Madi and outrun the truth about her own past, she must decide how far she's willing to go to keep the people she loves safe.
This book started off with a bang and didn't let up the whole way through. It was very fast-paced, and the chapters were short, which is always a big plus for me.
I enjoyed the complicated relationship and dynamic between Jackie and Madi, and the way the story played out was very well-done. I've loved everything I've read by Hilary Davidson and this was no exception!
July 17, 2026
Jackie Swift's job is built on spinning lies for her powerful and sometimes shady clients. But when her sister Madi calls in a panic after an apparent overdose, Jackie's carefully controlled world unravels. Racing to an Upper East Side mansion, Jackie finds her sister gone and a dead body waiting instead. The victim is Jackie's former boss, a man whose own dark secrets Jackie once helped bury. As the police suspect Madi as a murder suspect, Jackie does everything she can to protect her, even if that means telling more lies, manipulating evidence, and confronting the damage caused by her own past.
This is one of those thrillers where everyone seems to have a secret, a backup secret and a plan for hiding both. The title is definitely accurate! Nobody here is making solid choices. The premise immediately hooked me and the constant unraveling of lies kept me invested. At first. One thing I struggled with was the size of the cast. There were times when the story felt crowded and I needed to figure out who was connected to who. Another thing I didn't love was some things were just too over the top and unbelievable. Jackie was a highlight in my opinion. It's easy to understand her pain but also easy to recognize how much damage she's caused. That push and pull was written perfectly. Overall, this was an alright thriller with messy relationships, questionable decisions, and plenty of tension. I didn't love every twist but I was invested in seeing how everything unfolded!
Thank you to NetGalley, Hilary Davidson, and Blackstone Publishing for this eARC!
This is one of those thrillers where everyone seems to have a secret, a backup secret and a plan for hiding both. The title is definitely accurate! Nobody here is making solid choices. The premise immediately hooked me and the constant unraveling of lies kept me invested. At first. One thing I struggled with was the size of the cast. There were times when the story felt crowded and I needed to figure out who was connected to who. Another thing I didn't love was some things were just too over the top and unbelievable. Jackie was a highlight in my opinion. It's easy to understand her pain but also easy to recognize how much damage she's caused. That push and pull was written perfectly. Overall, this was an alright thriller with messy relationships, questionable decisions, and plenty of tension. I didn't love every twist but I was invested in seeing how everything unfolded!
Thank you to NetGalley, Hilary Davidson, and Blackstone Publishing for this eARC!
July 12, 2026
Jackie Swift is a master at spinning the truth, a skill she honed while working for PR guru Erick Mortenson. But when a frantic text from her sister, Madi, sends her racing to Erick’s house with Narcan in hand, Jackie arrives to find Erick dead and Madi nowhere to be found. Determined to clear her sister’s name, Jackie dives into a tangled world of secrets, lies, and dangerous half-truths.
✨ Fierce family loyalty ✨ A web of secrets and deception ✨ A savvy professional “fixer” ✨ Twists galore: I guessed the killer, but the motive still caught me off guard!
🎧Narration Notes: Brittany Pressley is terrific. She perfectly captures Jackie’s sharp, calculating voice… a woman keenly aware of the lies she tells to protect herself and her sister. Yet manipulation runs deep, and eventually the cost of keeping secrets becomes impossible to ignore. 😳
Final Verdict: 👍 Fast-paced, twisty, and wonderfully bingeable, this is the perfect thriller to toss in your beach bag this summer.
✨ Fierce family loyalty ✨ A web of secrets and deception ✨ A savvy professional “fixer” ✨ Twists galore: I guessed the killer, but the motive still caught me off guard!
🎧Narration Notes: Brittany Pressley is terrific. She perfectly captures Jackie’s sharp, calculating voice… a woman keenly aware of the lies she tells to protect herself and her sister. Yet manipulation runs deep, and eventually the cost of keeping secrets becomes impossible to ignore. 😳
Final Verdict: 👍 Fast-paced, twisty, and wonderfully bingeable, this is the perfect thriller to toss in your beach bag this summer.
July 10, 2026
Damn that was good! Took me a bit to connect with the main character but the plot and questions about what had happened sucked me right in. Great mystery and thriller, but I really appreciated the thoughtful consideration of the twists our lives take and what we do with them too, especially regarding drug use, addiction, exploitation, and violence.
Even more so that it was written with very little on- page violence or dehumanization of the victims and even most of the perpetrators ! Such a rare skill and one that means I’m sure the deeper questions this story explores will stay with me for some time.
Even more so that it was written with very little on- page violence or dehumanization of the victims and even most of the perpetrators ! Such a rare skill and one that means I’m sure the deeper questions this story explores will stay with me for some time.
July 3, 2026
I really really wanted to like this book as I got an ARC and got to meet Hilary at book con but unfortunately the plot was convoluted with little reason behind characters decisions and too many characters that each had too much lore. I thought the writing was fun and I would be whiling to try another Hilary Davidson book later, but this story fell flat and was unbelievable causing it to be less suspenseful and unrealistic.
June 30, 2026
Initially I enjoyed this and was intrigued… then came the long winded confessionals and sudden maniacal characters with a long game vendetta 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄 this lazy writing is overdone and painful at this point. Please stop publishing books like this. It is a shame because this story had potential.
SUMMARY: 30-something gets a text from her sister that she’s overdosed and needs narcan. MC goes to where her sister said she was and finds her former boss dead instead (sister is missing). The next few days follow MC as she tries to find her sister and if her sister killed her ex boss.
Thanks netgalley
Narrator did a great job and is the only reason I was able to finish this
SUMMARY: 30-something gets a text from her sister that she’s overdosed and needs narcan. MC goes to where her sister said she was and finds her former boss dead instead (sister is missing). The next few days follow MC as she tries to find her sister and if her sister killed her ex boss.
Thanks netgalley
Narrator did a great job and is the only reason I was able to finish this
July 2, 2026
EVERY LIE I TOLD was excellent! If you're looking for a fast paced story to keep you guessing, this is it. There were quite a few characters, which kept me entertained and the twist at the end surprised me. I would definitely recommend getting yourself a copy.
July 22, 2026
I enjoyed this! The ending was good. I wasn't sure how this was going to end and was hooked! I would recommend this! Special Thank You to Hilary Davidson, Blackstone Publishing and Netgalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 16, 2026
There are some books that I like to refer to as "dialogue thrillers," and this was one of them. Unlike some thrillers that rely on action and heart-pumping adrenaline, this book focuses on the connections between characters and the secrets they hide. Our main character spends a lot of time flitting from one suspect to another, interviewing and chatting with her leads, making for a slower-paced (but no less intriguing) read.
In fact, one of the things I found most compelling about this book was the narrator. Jackie is a gritty character who openly admits her penchant for lying and covering up the truth -- it's her job, after all. And when it comes to the murder of her ex-boss, Erick, there is a vast range of potential suspects and motives to sift through. The story being told from Jackie's voice in first-person perspective absolutely sold this book for me.
There are a lot of unlikable characters in this book (all of them?) and I think that's the point. The author has created a dark world in which the lines are gray and sleazy, but at the heart of her own motives is a main character who wants to protect her sister.
While it wasn't the most adventurous story, it was engaging. I had a difficult time putting this one down and was fully invested in uncovering the truth and following this one to the end. Thanks to BookSparks for my gifted copy and for having me on their summer reading challenge, The Book Odyssey.
In fact, one of the things I found most compelling about this book was the narrator. Jackie is a gritty character who openly admits her penchant for lying and covering up the truth -- it's her job, after all. And when it comes to the murder of her ex-boss, Erick, there is a vast range of potential suspects and motives to sift through. The story being told from Jackie's voice in first-person perspective absolutely sold this book for me.
There are a lot of unlikable characters in this book (all of them?) and I think that's the point. The author has created a dark world in which the lines are gray and sleazy, but at the heart of her own motives is a main character who wants to protect her sister.
While it wasn't the most adventurous story, it was engaging. I had a difficult time putting this one down and was fully invested in uncovering the truth and following this one to the end. Thanks to BookSparks for my gifted copy and for having me on their summer reading challenge, The Book Odyssey.
June 19, 2026
Thank you to BookSparks for my copy of Every Lie I Told.
This was my first book by this author, and it definitely won’t be my last. It had two things I always love in a thriller, short chapters and unreliable characters, so I was hooked right away.
The story opens fast: Jackie gets a call that her sister is overdosing, and when she rushes over, she finds a dead man… who also happens to be her former boss. From there, the book never really slows down. The pacing stays tight, the tension stays high, and I was invested the whole way through.
I didn’t find any of the characters particularly likable, but honestly, that worked for this story. The messy dynamics, the secrets, and the questionable motives made the whole thing feel even more unsettling, in a good thriller way.
A solid, quick, twisty read that kept me turning pages.
This was my first book by this author, and it definitely won’t be my last. It had two things I always love in a thriller, short chapters and unreliable characters, so I was hooked right away.
The story opens fast: Jackie gets a call that her sister is overdosing, and when she rushes over, she finds a dead man… who also happens to be her former boss. From there, the book never really slows down. The pacing stays tight, the tension stays high, and I was invested the whole way through.
I didn’t find any of the characters particularly likable, but honestly, that worked for this story. The messy dynamics, the secrets, and the questionable motives made the whole thing feel even more unsettling, in a good thriller way.
A solid, quick, twisty read that kept me turning pages.
June 15, 2026
Jackie had a rough childhood. She watched her father die from a chronic illness caused during one of his military tours. A few years later, her mother was murdered by a school shooter protecting her students. Then her uncle was murdered when she and her sister were in high school. After that, Jackie was determined to make her parents proud and be successful no matter what. She went to college to be a journalist, moved to New York, and now works in PR. Her sister, Madi, is an influencer who does Whisper ASMR tarot readings and has had a history of drug use that Jackie is in denial about. I mean, how many nights have you run out to hand out Narcan? One night, her sister calls her from her ex-boss's apartment, a known partier, requesting Narcan. She shows up, and Madi is nowhere to be seen, but her boss is there and dead. She calls the cop, and the lies begin. She does her best to spin the situation to keep her sister out of trouble and to find her sister. Her sister had been missing for several days before she was found. In the meantime, Jackie is spending most of her time trying to get the police and media to go after other people for the murder, and we see more and more of her past, and all the histories of her former boss. Things just spiral more and more out of control as we continue on, until, of course, they tell us what we want to hear.
I also want to point out there is not a single likeable character in this book, except maybe Liam...and the dog, even though I don't love pugs, but it's still a dog. They portray this PR world as a drug and sex gluttony job where the execs and workers just break every law ever to make the clients and themselves look good. Even the serial killer seems like a better person than any of our main characters. As we deep-dive into this world, the answers seem very obvious, and the story moves along at a quick pace, but it should have ended way before it did. I don't know if we were trying for a word count, but there were several better times to end this book than when it actually ended. Also, in what world are the NYPD Detectives telling a possible victim/suspect the secrets around the case? Yes, we have some sister love and loyalty, but that also seemed kind of one-sided, then it didn't, then it did. My favorite part of the book was the narrator's performance; she did a great job making the character sound vulnerable, conniving, and all the emotions in between. At the end of the day, this is a murder mystery and a story of sisters who would do anything for each other. Not a great tale but still engaging and entertaining.
I also want to point out there is not a single likeable character in this book, except maybe Liam...and the dog, even though I don't love pugs, but it's still a dog. They portray this PR world as a drug and sex gluttony job where the execs and workers just break every law ever to make the clients and themselves look good. Even the serial killer seems like a better person than any of our main characters. As we deep-dive into this world, the answers seem very obvious, and the story moves along at a quick pace, but it should have ended way before it did. I don't know if we were trying for a word count, but there were several better times to end this book than when it actually ended. Also, in what world are the NYPD Detectives telling a possible victim/suspect the secrets around the case? Yes, we have some sister love and loyalty, but that also seemed kind of one-sided, then it didn't, then it did. My favorite part of the book was the narrator's performance; she did a great job making the character sound vulnerable, conniving, and all the emotions in between. At the end of the day, this is a murder mystery and a story of sisters who would do anything for each other. Not a great tale but still engaging and entertaining.
June 19, 2026
I'd definitely go in blind with this one. Hilary Davidson took a cast of absolute disasters, tossed them into a blender with money, drugs, power, family trauma, and enough secrets to bankrupt a therapist, and somehow turned the whole beautiful mess into one wildly addictive thriller.
Jackie Swift and her sister Madi never had a chance at a storybook childhood. Tragedy seemed to have these women on speed dial, and survival became their middle name. Jackie built a career as a PR fixer for the rich and reckless, cleaning up scandals for people with more money than morals, while Madi carved out a life as a tarot card reader and ASMR influencer with a dangerous knack for finding trouble. And because big sisters apparently come with a lifetime warranty, Jackie has spent years rescuing Madi from one drug-fueled catastrophe after another.
So when Madi sends a frantic message saying she's at Jackie's former boss's house and thinks she may have overdosed, Jackie rushes over expecting another mess to clean up. Instead, her sister has vanished but a dead body remains.
From there, the lies multiply faster than anyone can contain them.
Over the course of one chaotic week, an investigation peels back layers of corruption, revenge, old wounds, and ugly family truths. NDAs, money, drugs, and power keep secrets buried, but only as long as they serve the right people. Everyone is tangled up in this spectacularly dysfunctional web, and nobody gets to walk away with clean hands.
An unreliable narrator? Absolutely. A parade of deliciously unlikeable characters? Sign me up. Family secrets, past trauma, revenge, lies, manipulation, and enough drama to power a reality show? Oh, we're eating.
Every Lie I Told is the literary equivalent of watching privileged people make terrible decisions while clutching your popcorn and muttering, "Well, this isn't going to end well." I was completely entertained by every jaw-dropping, messy, toxic minute of it. Hilary Davidson understood the assignment and delivered one heck of a twisty, unputdownable ride.
Jackie Swift and her sister Madi never had a chance at a storybook childhood. Tragedy seemed to have these women on speed dial, and survival became their middle name. Jackie built a career as a PR fixer for the rich and reckless, cleaning up scandals for people with more money than morals, while Madi carved out a life as a tarot card reader and ASMR influencer with a dangerous knack for finding trouble. And because big sisters apparently come with a lifetime warranty, Jackie has spent years rescuing Madi from one drug-fueled catastrophe after another.
So when Madi sends a frantic message saying she's at Jackie's former boss's house and thinks she may have overdosed, Jackie rushes over expecting another mess to clean up. Instead, her sister has vanished but a dead body remains.
From there, the lies multiply faster than anyone can contain them.
Over the course of one chaotic week, an investigation peels back layers of corruption, revenge, old wounds, and ugly family truths. NDAs, money, drugs, and power keep secrets buried, but only as long as they serve the right people. Everyone is tangled up in this spectacularly dysfunctional web, and nobody gets to walk away with clean hands.
An unreliable narrator? Absolutely. A parade of deliciously unlikeable characters? Sign me up. Family secrets, past trauma, revenge, lies, manipulation, and enough drama to power a reality show? Oh, we're eating.
Every Lie I Told is the literary equivalent of watching privileged people make terrible decisions while clutching your popcorn and muttering, "Well, this isn't going to end well." I was completely entertained by every jaw-dropping, messy, toxic minute of it. Hilary Davidson understood the assignment and delivered one heck of a twisty, unputdownable ride.
July 4, 2026
Twisty thriller that didn’t pay off.
Public relations fixer Jackie Swift lies for a living, cleaning up scandals for wealthy clients, rehabilitating reputations, and also constantly rescuing her younger sister, Madi, from drug issues. Her personal and professional lives collide when Madi texts and frantically begs Jackie to bring her some naloxone. Madi purportedly is at the mansion of Jackie’s former boss and mentor, Erick Mortenson. When Jackie arrives at the residence, her boss is dead and Madi is missing. Now Jackie must use all of her devious skills to manipulate the police investigation and manufacture suspects while searching for her sister.
Full of completely hideous characters throughout, I struggled through the convoluted narrative with so many of them lying and scheming. High body count, lack of depth in characters other than they all seemed nasty and self-serving, and the plot that I really still don’t get — what was the point of this whole story? All I know is that they wrap up and the inter-relationships between the characters was a twisty mess. I didn’t like any of them; the result of Jackie’s actions and her sister’s outright behavior, didn’t net them the consequences they really deserved. If you like reading about liars, manipulators, and schemers, you’ll enjoy this. It was fast paced. I kept waiting to see if I had predicted something about a particular character and I was right. I’m giving this 2.5 stars but now I’m even rethinking that rating. I really didn’t like this very much.
I listened to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Brittany Pressley. I’ve listened to a lot of books she’s read and she does OK with the female voices though they all sound mostly the same. This would have definitely benefited with a larger cast since there were so many characters, and definitely this should have had a male voice. Usually the audio book makes me enjoy a book more, but this wasn’t enough to redeem this one.
Public relations fixer Jackie Swift lies for a living, cleaning up scandals for wealthy clients, rehabilitating reputations, and also constantly rescuing her younger sister, Madi, from drug issues. Her personal and professional lives collide when Madi texts and frantically begs Jackie to bring her some naloxone. Madi purportedly is at the mansion of Jackie’s former boss and mentor, Erick Mortenson. When Jackie arrives at the residence, her boss is dead and Madi is missing. Now Jackie must use all of her devious skills to manipulate the police investigation and manufacture suspects while searching for her sister.
Full of completely hideous characters throughout, I struggled through the convoluted narrative with so many of them lying and scheming. High body count, lack of depth in characters other than they all seemed nasty and self-serving, and the plot that I really still don’t get — what was the point of this whole story? All I know is that they wrap up and the inter-relationships between the characters was a twisty mess. I didn’t like any of them; the result of Jackie’s actions and her sister’s outright behavior, didn’t net them the consequences they really deserved. If you like reading about liars, manipulators, and schemers, you’ll enjoy this. It was fast paced. I kept waiting to see if I had predicted something about a particular character and I was right. I’m giving this 2.5 stars but now I’m even rethinking that rating. I really didn’t like this very much.
I listened to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, Brittany Pressley. I’ve listened to a lot of books she’s read and she does OK with the female voices though they all sound mostly the same. This would have definitely benefited with a larger cast since there were so many characters, and definitely this should have had a male voice. Usually the audio book makes me enjoy a book more, but this wasn’t enough to redeem this one.
June 6, 2026
🎙️ Narration Review
BP hive, rise 😭👑 This is easily one of my favorite Brittany Pressley performances and honestly might crack my personal Top 5 from her.
The scene where Jackie is yelling “Maddy! Maddy!” at Eric’s house?? FIRE. Brittany put so much desperation and emotion into that moment that I was completely locked in. Kevin’s voice was another standout. She gave him this creepy, dry, slightly snobby energy that immediately told me everything I needed to know about him 💀 I also loved the distinction between Jackie and Maddy. Maddy genuinely sounded younger, which made their dynamic feel more believable throughout the story. And toward the end, during Jackie’s conversations with Zora(spelling ?) Brittany handled those emotional realizations beautifully. You could hear Jackie processing years of baggage in real time.
📚 Story Review
This is one of those books where your opinion of the characters is constantly shifting and I LOVE when an author can pull that off. The deeper I got into the story, the more I found myself reevaluating people, questioning motivations, and realizing how loyalty can sometimes blind us to things we don’t want to see. At its core, this is a story about the stories we tell ourselves about the people we love.
You’ve got a missing person mystery, wealthy people making terrible decisions, PR firms cleaning up messes behind the scenes, family secrets, survival, and sister relationships woven throughout. But what kept me reading wasn’t the mystery itself, it was watching these characters slowly confront truths they’d spent years avoiding.
“Work was supposed to transform my life. Work was supposed to let me climb out of the dead-end circumstances I was born into. Work was supposed to save me.”
BP hive, rise 😭👑 This is easily one of my favorite Brittany Pressley performances and honestly might crack my personal Top 5 from her.
The scene where Jackie is yelling “Maddy! Maddy!” at Eric’s house?? FIRE. Brittany put so much desperation and emotion into that moment that I was completely locked in. Kevin’s voice was another standout. She gave him this creepy, dry, slightly snobby energy that immediately told me everything I needed to know about him 💀 I also loved the distinction between Jackie and Maddy. Maddy genuinely sounded younger, which made their dynamic feel more believable throughout the story. And toward the end, during Jackie’s conversations with Zora(spelling ?) Brittany handled those emotional realizations beautifully. You could hear Jackie processing years of baggage in real time.
📚 Story Review
This is one of those books where your opinion of the characters is constantly shifting and I LOVE when an author can pull that off. The deeper I got into the story, the more I found myself reevaluating people, questioning motivations, and realizing how loyalty can sometimes blind us to things we don’t want to see. At its core, this is a story about the stories we tell ourselves about the people we love.
You’ve got a missing person mystery, wealthy people making terrible decisions, PR firms cleaning up messes behind the scenes, family secrets, survival, and sister relationships woven throughout. But what kept me reading wasn’t the mystery itself, it was watching these characters slowly confront truths they’d spent years avoiding.
“Work was supposed to transform my life. Work was supposed to let me climb out of the dead-end circumstances I was born into. Work was supposed to save me.”
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Thanks to BookSparks and Blackstone Publishing for the ARC.
This book has it all – people making awful decision after awful decision, PR firms quietly cleaning up messy situations, an ongoing mystery that becomes more complicated by the page and family drama where there’s more to it than you realise initially. There are a LOT of characters to keep track of and at times I felt I needed a chart to keep track of them all (and honestly some of them feel like deliberate red herrings as not all of them matter as much to the plot as you might think) but the chapters are short (told over the course of a week with a few chapters dedicated to each day) so it’s easy enough to read a day’s worth at a time (or, I mean, binge the whole book in a couple of sittings!).
This kept me on the edge of my seat as every time I thought I had figured out what was happening, more details were introduced to contradict what I thought I knew! The majority of the characters are pretty unlikable but that works with this plot – Jackie is an extremely unreliable narrator and with each chapter, more so. It’s hard to like a character whose job is to tell lies but my attitude softened towards her somewhat over the course of the story – you can tell the family bond between her and Madi is strong and despite everything she does care for her sister. She doesn’t stop asking herself over and over how far she would go to protect/ take care of her.
This was a roller coaster of a read. There were a lot of twists and turns that will keep you up turning the pages – a perfect beach, cozy couch or long-haul flight read!
This book has it all – people making awful decision after awful decision, PR firms quietly cleaning up messy situations, an ongoing mystery that becomes more complicated by the page and family drama where there’s more to it than you realise initially. There are a LOT of characters to keep track of and at times I felt I needed a chart to keep track of them all (and honestly some of them feel like deliberate red herrings as not all of them matter as much to the plot as you might think) but the chapters are short (told over the course of a week with a few chapters dedicated to each day) so it’s easy enough to read a day’s worth at a time (or, I mean, binge the whole book in a couple of sittings!).
This kept me on the edge of my seat as every time I thought I had figured out what was happening, more details were introduced to contradict what I thought I knew! The majority of the characters are pretty unlikable but that works with this plot – Jackie is an extremely unreliable narrator and with each chapter, more so. It’s hard to like a character whose job is to tell lies but my attitude softened towards her somewhat over the course of the story – you can tell the family bond between her and Madi is strong and despite everything she does care for her sister. She doesn’t stop asking herself over and over how far she would go to protect/ take care of her.
This was a roller coaster of a read. There were a lot of twists and turns that will keep you up turning the pages – a perfect beach, cozy couch or long-haul flight read!
July 7, 2026
Jackie will do anything for her sister. The two of them have been through it, and they’re all each other has.
The night before a big presentation at work, Jackie gets texts from her sister saying she needs help. She rushes over, only to find her former boss dead in his own home and her sister missing.
I listened to the audiobook, and Brittany Presley narrates Jackie’s first-person perspective throughout. She was great and a perfect fit for this character. Jackie isn’t all that likable, but I was still rooting for her.
For most of the book, she’s trying to figure out what happened to her sister and whether she actually killed her former boss, Eric. Like most of the characters in this book, Eric was a terrible person, so there are plenty of other suspects.
While I did enjoy the story, there were a few things that bugged me. The opening texts from her sister say she needs Narcan because she’s overdosing. I’m not an expert, but it seemed unlikely that someone actively overdosing would be texting someone and then waiting for help. I could get nitpicky about a few other things, but it is fiction, I guess.
We also get a subtle hint very early on that had me suspecting one character the whole time, and I ended up being right, so I found it a bit predictable. The ending was just okay and not all that satisfying.
That said, I was never bored, and the narration was great, so overall I enjoyed this one.
Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the advanced listening copy.
The night before a big presentation at work, Jackie gets texts from her sister saying she needs help. She rushes over, only to find her former boss dead in his own home and her sister missing.
I listened to the audiobook, and Brittany Presley narrates Jackie’s first-person perspective throughout. She was great and a perfect fit for this character. Jackie isn’t all that likable, but I was still rooting for her.
For most of the book, she’s trying to figure out what happened to her sister and whether she actually killed her former boss, Eric. Like most of the characters in this book, Eric was a terrible person, so there are plenty of other suspects.
While I did enjoy the story, there were a few things that bugged me. The opening texts from her sister say she needs Narcan because she’s overdosing. I’m not an expert, but it seemed unlikely that someone actively overdosing would be texting someone and then waiting for help. I could get nitpicky about a few other things, but it is fiction, I guess.
We also get a subtle hint very early on that had me suspecting one character the whole time, and I ended up being right, so I found it a bit predictable. The ending was just okay and not all that satisfying.
That said, I was never bored, and the narration was great, so overall I enjoyed this one.
Thanks to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for the advanced listening copy.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This book was SO good! It was my 1st by the author, but I will most definitely be reading more!
Jackie Swift works in PR for a shady firm. She's a master at spinning lies to protect her questionable clients. At home, she does whatever it takes to protect her younger sister, Madi, who makes questionable choices in life. One night, she receives a call from Madi to come quickly to her old boss's house. When Jackie arrives, Madi is nowhere to be found, but what she does find is her old boss and mentor dead. Madi is now a missing person, and the cops are starting to suspect her. Apparently, she's got a past with other sexually abusive men who've ended up dead. Jackie thinks it's her job to steer the police away from Madi by giving them other names. But how far will Jackie take it, and will the terrible things she's done for her career come back to haunt her?
This book takes place over the course of a week, and it was riveting! It was gripping, twisty, and suspenseful. There were family secrets, past traumas, revenge, lies, and so much drama that kept me on my toes. There were rich people behaving despicably, but the right PR firm could cover it all up. The mystery was intriguing, and the sisters' bond played a role. Jackie was an unreliable narrator, and I wasn't sure if she was ever telling the truth. There were a lot of characters, and they were all quite interesting but not very likable. This was a totally entertaining, wild, unputdownable thriller that I really enjoyed. I HIGHLY recommend adding this one to your TBR🩷
Jackie Swift works in PR for a shady firm. She's a master at spinning lies to protect her questionable clients. At home, she does whatever it takes to protect her younger sister, Madi, who makes questionable choices in life. One night, she receives a call from Madi to come quickly to her old boss's house. When Jackie arrives, Madi is nowhere to be found, but what she does find is her old boss and mentor dead. Madi is now a missing person, and the cops are starting to suspect her. Apparently, she's got a past with other sexually abusive men who've ended up dead. Jackie thinks it's her job to steer the police away from Madi by giving them other names. But how far will Jackie take it, and will the terrible things she's done for her career come back to haunt her?
This book takes place over the course of a week, and it was riveting! It was gripping, twisty, and suspenseful. There were family secrets, past traumas, revenge, lies, and so much drama that kept me on my toes. There were rich people behaving despicably, but the right PR firm could cover it all up. The mystery was intriguing, and the sisters' bond played a role. Jackie was an unreliable narrator, and I wasn't sure if she was ever telling the truth. There were a lot of characters, and they were all quite interesting but not very likable. This was a totally entertaining, wild, unputdownable thriller that I really enjoyed. I HIGHLY recommend adding this one to your TBR🩷
July 8, 2026
✦ Book Review: Every Lie I Told by Hilary Davidson
✧ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰʀᴇᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ, @BlackstonePublishing #NetGalley
➤ 𝚂𝚈𝙽𝙾𝙿𝚂𝙸𝚂: Jackie Swift lies for a living, using her public relations skills to protect powerful people from the consequences of their worst choices. She’s also spent years protecting her reckless younger sister, Madi. When Madi calls in a panic after an overdose, Jackie rushes to help and finds herself pulled into a murder investigation tied to her former boss. With Madi missing and the police closing in, Jackie starts using every trick she knows to shift suspicion elsewhere, even if it means becoming part of the lie herself.
➤ 𝚃𝙷𝙾𝚄𝙶𝙷𝚃𝚂: This one had enough twists to keep me leaning forward, even though I had the whodunit pegged before the final reveal. Davidson does a solid job building tension around Jackie, who is not exactly clean-handed herself, and that moral gray area gives the book some bite. I liked the way the PR angle turns damage control into survival mode, because watching someone weaponize spin is half the fun here. A couple of turns still caught me off guard, and the pacing kept things moving without getting bloated. Not a perfect thriller, but a sharp enough ride to land as a solid four star read for me.
#book #bookreview #thriller #mystery #hilarydavidson #blackstonepublishing #netgalley #suspense
✧ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰʀᴇᴇ ʙᴏᴏᴋ, @BlackstonePublishing #NetGalley
➤ 𝚂𝚈𝙽𝙾𝙿𝚂𝙸𝚂: Jackie Swift lies for a living, using her public relations skills to protect powerful people from the consequences of their worst choices. She’s also spent years protecting her reckless younger sister, Madi. When Madi calls in a panic after an overdose, Jackie rushes to help and finds herself pulled into a murder investigation tied to her former boss. With Madi missing and the police closing in, Jackie starts using every trick she knows to shift suspicion elsewhere, even if it means becoming part of the lie herself.
➤ 𝚃𝙷𝙾𝚄𝙶𝙷𝚃𝚂: This one had enough twists to keep me leaning forward, even though I had the whodunit pegged before the final reveal. Davidson does a solid job building tension around Jackie, who is not exactly clean-handed herself, and that moral gray area gives the book some bite. I liked the way the PR angle turns damage control into survival mode, because watching someone weaponize spin is half the fun here. A couple of turns still caught me off guard, and the pacing kept things moving without getting bloated. Not a perfect thriller, but a sharp enough ride to land as a solid four star read for me.
#book #bookreview #thriller #mystery #hilarydavidson #blackstonepublishing #netgalley #suspense
July 7, 2026
CW: Grief, drug abuse, sexual assault and child abuse.
Every Lie I Told by Hilary Davidson was a thought provoking thriller that was so enticing and addictive. This novel follows Jackie Swift, who's job it is to spin lies to protect the image of her PR clients, as she tries to figure out what has happened to her sister Madi. Madi calls Jackie asking for help after saying she's overdosed. After rushing to try to find and help Madi, Jackie finds herself at the home of her former boss and mentor, Eric. She finds Eric's body in the freezer and no sign of her sister. Jackie has to figure out what happened and find her sister at all costs.
I thought this story was so thrilling. I was hooked and found myself not realizing how much I was reading. I think I finished in about a day. I didn't see the ending coming. I loved the Jackie's character growth.
I listened to the audiobook and Brittany Pressley was such a fantastic narrator! I had the best time listening and I was so engrossed in to the story.
I would definitely recommend this one to anyone looking for a thriller with an interest in PR and scandal.
Thank you Booksparks and Blackstone Publishing for the review copy! This review reflects my own views.
Every Lie I Told by Hilary Davidson was a thought provoking thriller that was so enticing and addictive. This novel follows Jackie Swift, who's job it is to spin lies to protect the image of her PR clients, as she tries to figure out what has happened to her sister Madi. Madi calls Jackie asking for help after saying she's overdosed. After rushing to try to find and help Madi, Jackie finds herself at the home of her former boss and mentor, Eric. She finds Eric's body in the freezer and no sign of her sister. Jackie has to figure out what happened and find her sister at all costs.
I thought this story was so thrilling. I was hooked and found myself not realizing how much I was reading. I think I finished in about a day. I didn't see the ending coming. I loved the Jackie's character growth.
I listened to the audiobook and Brittany Pressley was such a fantastic narrator! I had the best time listening and I was so engrossed in to the story.
I would definitely recommend this one to anyone looking for a thriller with an interest in PR and scandal.
Thank you Booksparks and Blackstone Publishing for the review copy! This review reflects my own views.
July 10, 2026
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and LibroFM for the advance listening copy!
If you’re looking for a thriller packed with lies, family secrets, morally gray characters, and twist after twist, this one should definitely be on your radar.
Jackie Swift isn’t exactly the most reliable narrator, and she makes some truly questionable decisions. But when her younger sister disappears after leaving behind a dead body, it’s easy to see why Jackie becomes determined to do whatever it takes to protect her. The deeper she digs, the messier everything becomes, and each new discovery completely changed the direction I thought the story was heading.
I loved how layered this story was. Every time I thought I had things figured out, another secret surfaced or someone’s motives shifted. Between the murder investigation, family drama, buried secrets, and the moral dilemma of protecting someone you love, the tension never let up.
Brittany Pressley is one of my favorite narrators and as usual, she delivered an outstanding performance. She captured Jackie’s desperation, fear, and unraveling perfectly. Her narration kept me completely immersed.
If you’re looking for a thriller packed with lies, family secrets, morally gray characters, and twist after twist, this one should definitely be on your radar.
Jackie Swift isn’t exactly the most reliable narrator, and she makes some truly questionable decisions. But when her younger sister disappears after leaving behind a dead body, it’s easy to see why Jackie becomes determined to do whatever it takes to protect her. The deeper she digs, the messier everything becomes, and each new discovery completely changed the direction I thought the story was heading.
I loved how layered this story was. Every time I thought I had things figured out, another secret surfaced or someone’s motives shifted. Between the murder investigation, family drama, buried secrets, and the moral dilemma of protecting someone you love, the tension never let up.
Brittany Pressley is one of my favorite narrators and as usual, she delivered an outstanding performance. She captured Jackie’s desperation, fear, and unraveling perfectly. Her narration kept me completely immersed.
July 8, 2026
This was a captivating and engaging read with a strong and determined main character. Highly skilled and dedicated to her work, she finds herself facing a deeply personal challenge when her younger sister becomes involved in something troubling. Determined to uncover the truth, she must navigate a difficult situation while doing everything she can to protect her sister.
What stood out most to me was the portrayal of resilience, loyalty, and the powerful bond between sisters. The main character's determination and strength reminded me of the many ways women step up to protect and support those they love, even in the face of uncertainty and difficult choices.
The story was exciting from start to finish, with plenty of suspense and twists that kept me invested in the outcome. Just when I thought I knew where the plot was headed, the ending delivered a surprising and unexpected reveal. Overall, this is a great read for anyone who enjoys compelling characters, family-centered drama, and wildly unpredictable endings.
What stood out most to me was the portrayal of resilience, loyalty, and the powerful bond between sisters. The main character's determination and strength reminded me of the many ways women step up to protect and support those they love, even in the face of uncertainty and difficult choices.
The story was exciting from start to finish, with plenty of suspense and twists that kept me invested in the outcome. Just when I thought I knew where the plot was headed, the ending delivered a surprising and unexpected reveal. Overall, this is a great read for anyone who enjoys compelling characters, family-centered drama, and wildly unpredictable endings.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Jackie Swift works for a ruthless PR firm, and she’ll say and do whatever is necessary to protect her clients. One evening, she receives a call from her sister Madi, telling her she’s overdosed and needs help. But when Jackie arrives at the scene, her sister is nowhere to be found, and she finds her ex-boss dead in a freezer. How far will Jackie go to protect her sister? Every Lie I Told is more soap opera than thriller, with enough villains to fill a bus. While the plot is enticing, the story just drags on far too long, with Jackie frantically trying to find her sister while trying to misdirect the police to focus on other suspects, but putting herself squarely in their sights as she tries to unravel the mystery, as well as battling her own demons. It’s hard to root for anyone in this book, as they’re all miserable people, but it’s an entertaining read, if a bit drawn out. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
February 12, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley, Hillary Davidson and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
This story blends elements of police procedural with family drama, creating an investigation that unfolds alongside complex personal dynamics. While the premise was intriguing and there were a few well executed twists that added interest, the pacing felt slower than expected, particularly in the first half.
At times, the narrative became weighed down by an abundance of secondary characters, some of whom did not significantly impact the overall plot. Streamlining the cast may have strengthened the story and allowed the central threads to shine more clearly.
Overall, this was a solid read with some compelling moments, particularly in its twists and investigative elements, though the pacing and character density impacted my overall enjoyment.
3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publishes Aug 2026
This story blends elements of police procedural with family drama, creating an investigation that unfolds alongside complex personal dynamics. While the premise was intriguing and there were a few well executed twists that added interest, the pacing felt slower than expected, particularly in the first half.
At times, the narrative became weighed down by an abundance of secondary characters, some of whom did not significantly impact the overall plot. Streamlining the cast may have strengthened the story and allowed the central threads to shine more clearly.
Overall, this was a solid read with some compelling moments, particularly in its twists and investigative elements, though the pacing and character density impacted my overall enjoyment.
3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publishes Aug 2026
Review of advance copy
Thank you to BookSparks, Blackstone Publishing and Libro.fm for the gifted physical and audiobook copies! All opinions are my own.
Working for shady clients at her PR firm, Jackie Swift is a master at telling lies and spinning the truth. Now, her sister is missing and her former boss is dead. What lies will she tell now? How far will she go to protect the truth?
I had so much fun with this one! There are endless twists and turns that kept me guessing throughout. Did I figure out some of the twists? Sure, but that didn’t impede on my enjoyment of this story! I know some people have mentioned that they didn’t find these character likable, but I feel like maybe that was the point? I love how nuanced these characters are and how even those these characters do bad things, the author was able to make you question if they are all truly bad or if they had some good inside too. It was very bingeable and had me turning the pages to see how it all ended!
🎧Brittany Pressley narrates this one, and she is phenomenal as always. She brings emotions to the characters so well and has a way of fully immersing you in the story. If you have the option, highly recommend the audio!
Working for shady clients at her PR firm, Jackie Swift is a master at telling lies and spinning the truth. Now, her sister is missing and her former boss is dead. What lies will she tell now? How far will she go to protect the truth?
I had so much fun with this one! There are endless twists and turns that kept me guessing throughout. Did I figure out some of the twists? Sure, but that didn’t impede on my enjoyment of this story! I know some people have mentioned that they didn’t find these character likable, but I feel like maybe that was the point? I love how nuanced these characters are and how even those these characters do bad things, the author was able to make you question if they are all truly bad or if they had some good inside too. It was very bingeable and had me turning the pages to see how it all ended!
🎧Brittany Pressley narrates this one, and she is phenomenal as always. She brings emotions to the characters so well and has a way of fully immersing you in the story. If you have the option, highly recommend the audio!
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