The Lies We Tell

by Fatima Bala

“A piercing collection of intimate reckonings.”

—New York Weekly



The Lies We Tell is a fierce, dazzling, heartbreaking collection of stories set across the motor parks, matrimonial bedrooms, and candlelit hostels of Northern Nigeria. From the dye pits of Zaria to the rooftops of Abuja, Fatima Bala pulls back the curtain on the secret architecture of Hausa women's lives, the bargains made in silence, the truths swallowed whole, the love offered and withheld and weaponised across generations. Spirits move through these pages alongside pharmacists and politicians. Grandmothers whisper to unseen things. Girls become women and women become ghosts, and some, only some, find their way back.

Written in a voice that crackles with wit, grief, and an almost unbearable tenderness, these stories ask the question no proverb has ever answered: when the lie is the only thing holding everything together, is it still wrong to tell it?

Genres: Romance

260 pages, Paperback

Published July 22, 2026

About the author

Fatima Bala is a lecturer, poet, and writer who lives in Canada with her family and a pet fish named Fishy. Her books have received starred reviews from The Los Angeles Tribune, London Post, and New York Weekly. She graduated from Algonquin College, Vancouver Island University, and Stanford, where she studied Tourism, Business Management, and International Women's Rights. She loves traveling, playing board games, and watching movies with unanticipated twists.

Her Instagram account is @aka.fatima.bala

Reviews

[Aisha Jamari · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely and thought provoking read.

When I heard Fatima Bala was releasing a new book, I was so excited… only to find out it was a collection of short stories. 😭 If you know me, you know I’m not a fan. I was expecting a HOT Arewa contemporary romance, a cautionary tale, something that would make us feel. I still bought it because I genuinely wanted to support her.

The synopsis said it was about the lives of women in Northern Nigeria, so I braced myself for a heavy, trauma-filled read.

I went into this book with zero expectations and ended up finishing it in a day.

Fatima’s writing feels so much more refined. The stories are raw, honest, and deeply human. Yes, the familiar struggles of Northern women are there, and no, most of the endings aren’t exactly happy. But somehow, they didn’t leave me feeling emotionally drained. They felt quietly reflective rather than devastating.

I really enjoyed this one and I’d definitely recommend it. ❤️

[Ann Nwuzor · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Lies We Tell is a collection of 12 short stories divided into two parts: Transgressions and Virtues.

These stories navigate womanhood ,the difficulties and struggles women face in their marriages, and the societal expectations women feel the need to fulfill. There are also themes of sexual abuse, how it affects one’s psyche, and how victims of abuse can sometimes turn into predators themselves, causing further harm.

I loved how the characters were interlinked. It was so beautifully done. I enjoyed my brain working to connect the stories together.

I enjoyed every story, but if you ask me on a deeper level, my favorite was In Search of a Bed of Gold. It’s a reminder that you should fear a desperate woman. I didn’t like that Zinaru and Azumi were groomed by Hajiya Bilikisu, but I understood that this was included to shed light on how older women can be complicit in grooming.

I also learned some new words ,like Kannywood, and Auren Dangi, which refers to marriage between first cousins. Apparently, some parts of the north don’t mind marrying within the family this closely.

I’d rate this a solid 4/5. I really enjoyed reading it.

[Rukayya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved it. This book contains short stories that are so relatable and hit home. I went from surprise to shock, got appalled, blushed, and even said one or two profanities in Hausa. Fatima Bala is tagged as a romance writer; she is not just that. She is a storyteller who uses literature to look at culture through critical lenses.

[BinamReads🎀🦢💐 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️This was a very fast read. I’m not really a fan of short story collections, but I would say it was an interesting read🩷

[Adesuwa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the short stories. Some of them had me gasping and clutching my pearls! Fatima Bala is up there as one of my favourite authors