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Crooked Little Lies
On a cool October morning, Lauren Wilder is shaken when she comes close to striking Bo Laughlin with her car as he’s walking along the road’s edge. A young man well known in their small town of Hardys Walk, Texas, Bo seems fine, even if Lauren’s intuition says otherwise. Since the accident two years ago that left her brain in a fragile state, she can’t trust her own instincts—and neither can her family. Then Bo vanishes, and as the search for him ensues, the police question whether she’s responsible. Lauren is terrified, not of what she remembers but of what she doesn’t.
Unable to trust herself and unwilling to trust anyone else, Lauren begins her own investigation into the mystery of Bo’s disappearance. But the truth can prove to be as shocking as any lie, and as Lauren exposes each one, from her family, from her friends, she isn’t the only one who will face heart-stopping repercussions.
Unable to trust herself and unwilling to trust anyone else, Lauren begins her own investigation into the mystery of Bo’s disappearance. But the truth can prove to be as shocking as any lie, and as Lauren exposes each one, from her family, from her friends, she isn’t the only one who will face heart-stopping repercussions.
391 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2015
1845 people are currently reading
5534 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Taylor Sissel
12 books712 followersBarbara Taylor Sissel writes issue oriented, upmarket women’s fiction that is threaded with elements of suspense and defined by its particular emphasis on how crime affects the family. Next to writing books she loves to edit them, and with more than fifteen years in the profession, both as a bestselling author and as a developmental editor, she's got experience. Contact her via her website if you're interested. Please include the details of your fiction project (a brief summary and total word count) for more information and her availability.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 777 reviews
July 31, 2015
A quick easy read that was just barely okay for me. It was a little too close to the cozy side for my taste, and didn't really offer anything particularly original. This was a Kindle First selection for July, so the price was absolutely right.
August 30, 2015
I really liked Crooked Little Lies. It is not the most complex mystery, but the characters are likable and I found it be the perfect book to settle down with after a busy day of work!
August 28, 2017
Crooked Little Lies is the first book I read by this author, and though it is a little removed from what i would usually go for, I found myself quite intrigued and engaged in the story. It does start off a bit slow, and it took me about a third of the book in to really feel absorbed, but the story is really about the characters, and in developing them Barbara Taylor Sissel did a nice job. The mystery was not terribly memorable for me, but it did hold my interest while reading. I will definitely keep an eye on this author when I'm in the mood for an American cozy mystery in the future, which I surely will be:-)
I won Crooked Little Lies in a First Reads Giveaway, and have written what I believe is a fair and fitting review. Thanks!
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
I won Crooked Little Lies in a First Reads Giveaway, and have written what I believe is a fair and fitting review. Thanks!
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
October 19, 2016
This book was so far from what I thought it was going to be.
Why was most of this book about Annie and her life when there's not even a mention of her in the synopsis? Annie pissed me off so much.
The story started off well, with Lauren almost hitting Bo with her car and then having a conversation with this strange boy, who, in a day or so, vanishes into nowhere, but from there it went downhill almost immediately. The story focuses more on Lauren's hard life and the motions she goes thorough with herself, her husband and her kids, rather than being a fast paced whodunit like I believed it was going to be.
The plot sort of went awol in the middle. Cooper disappeared off the face of the Earth half way through, after being involved on every page from the start of Bo's disappearance. The mystery of Bo's disappearance was rounded up in one page and then gently skipped over to make way for something new and TOTALLY off topic...
It wasn't even written particularly well!
This is one of the slowest paced books I've ever read and it doesn't even end in an exciting way. I almost gave up at about 70%, which is something I never do, if I get that far I have to finish, so I wasted my time finishing the last 30%, yawning and moaning the whole way through. I was so angry and frustrated when I finished this book, I couldn't wait to delete it off my Kindle. If you're into deep emotional, dramatic, women's fiction then this will probably be a star in your eyes, but for someone like me who just wants gritty mystery, thriller books, this was way too far out of my comfort zone and you won't enjoy it either.
Representation of me while reading this book:
Why was most of this book about Annie and her life when there's not even a mention of her in the synopsis? Annie pissed me off so much.
The story started off well, with Lauren almost hitting Bo with her car and then having a conversation with this strange boy, who, in a day or so, vanishes into nowhere, but from there it went downhill almost immediately. The story focuses more on Lauren's hard life and the motions she goes thorough with herself, her husband and her kids, rather than being a fast paced whodunit like I believed it was going to be.
The plot sort of went awol in the middle. Cooper disappeared off the face of the Earth half way through, after being involved on every page from the start of Bo's disappearance. The mystery of Bo's disappearance was rounded up in one page and then gently skipped over to make way for something new and TOTALLY off topic...
It wasn't even written particularly well!
This is one of the slowest paced books I've ever read and it doesn't even end in an exciting way. I almost gave up at about 70%, which is something I never do, if I get that far I have to finish, so I wasted my time finishing the last 30%, yawning and moaning the whole way through. I was so angry and frustrated when I finished this book, I couldn't wait to delete it off my Kindle. If you're into deep emotional, dramatic, women's fiction then this will probably be a star in your eyes, but for someone like me who just wants gritty mystery, thriller books, this was way too far out of my comfort zone and you won't enjoy it either.
Representation of me while reading this book:
June 8, 2015
Lauren Wilder is the first character we meet in "Crooked Little Lies," as she drives on the interstate feeder, having taken a wrong turn. We can immediately feel that something is wrong with her…there is a disorientation, a confusion, so when she describes the man she sees walking along the road, the fact that he is familiar to her is not that unusual.
Bo Laughlin is a familiar character to the residents of the small Texas town, Hardys Walk, and his quirkiness is sometimes more pronounced than at other times. But one thing is true: he is the stepbrother of Annie Beauchamp, a young woman who works in the café in town, and the two of them have something in common: their mothers are dead.
What we will learn about Lauren will change everything about how we view her. Can we believe any of her thoughts and perceptions? The man she sees, and how she watches him get into a strange car, could have been an imagining…but then someone else, Cooper Gant, saw the same thing. Where is Bo now, and is he in danger?
Meanwhile, as more of Lauren’s past comes to light (the horrible accident that left her with a brain injury and memory issues, and her subsequent abuse of pain pills), we can understand some of what she is experiencing. She is clean now, but her husband Jeff is like a hall monitor with her, and sometimes his approach seems insulting. Could he have been manufacturing some of the episodes he tells her about? Was Jeff just stressed out, or were his unlikeable characteristics just the tip of the iceberg? Were Lauren’s two kids, Drew, 14, and Kenzie, 11, at risk?
Then there is Tara, Lauren’s sister, whose involvement with Greg, a known drug addict, could be somehow connected to what happened to Bo.
The more characters I met, the more suspicious I was of everyone, and before everything finally came together, I suspected that the shadow of suspicion cast on Lauren would turn out to be someone’s trick. But whose?
As the events unfolded, the suspense kept me rapidly turning pages, not knowing who to trust or believe. With the final reveal, I felt vindicated. And happily satisfied with how it all turned out. Yes, I had pretty much guessed who was behind it all, but seeing just how it all came together was fun to watch. 4.5 stars.
I received a copy of the e-Arc from NetGalley.
Bo Laughlin is a familiar character to the residents of the small Texas town, Hardys Walk, and his quirkiness is sometimes more pronounced than at other times. But one thing is true: he is the stepbrother of Annie Beauchamp, a young woman who works in the café in town, and the two of them have something in common: their mothers are dead.
What we will learn about Lauren will change everything about how we view her. Can we believe any of her thoughts and perceptions? The man she sees, and how she watches him get into a strange car, could have been an imagining…but then someone else, Cooper Gant, saw the same thing. Where is Bo now, and is he in danger?
Meanwhile, as more of Lauren’s past comes to light (the horrible accident that left her with a brain injury and memory issues, and her subsequent abuse of pain pills), we can understand some of what she is experiencing. She is clean now, but her husband Jeff is like a hall monitor with her, and sometimes his approach seems insulting. Could he have been manufacturing some of the episodes he tells her about? Was Jeff just stressed out, or were his unlikeable characteristics just the tip of the iceberg? Were Lauren’s two kids, Drew, 14, and Kenzie, 11, at risk?
Then there is Tara, Lauren’s sister, whose involvement with Greg, a known drug addict, could be somehow connected to what happened to Bo.
The more characters I met, the more suspicious I was of everyone, and before everything finally came together, I suspected that the shadow of suspicion cast on Lauren would turn out to be someone’s trick. But whose?
As the events unfolded, the suspense kept me rapidly turning pages, not knowing who to trust or believe. With the final reveal, I felt vindicated. And happily satisfied with how it all turned out. Yes, I had pretty much guessed who was behind it all, but seeing just how it all came together was fun to watch. 4.5 stars.
I received a copy of the e-Arc from NetGalley.
July 13, 2015
I would like to start by saying that, generally, I enjoyed this book. I found that there was something to the story, certainly enough intrigue, to keep me interested enough to complete in its entirety. If you enjoy reading romance novels, the writing style of this author will certainly appeal to you! Don't get your hopes up, there's hardly any steam in this novel. What you will find, however, is an exceedingly high (nearly intolerable in my opinion) amount of internal monologue and emotional conjecture. Not to mention the use of one-dimensional characters and a resolution that will leave you unsettled and dissatisfied. It is my personal opinion that with a little more clarity of thought and precision in word and theme this could have been an exceptional novel. However, lacking those things I would not be apt to recommend.
August 18, 2018
2-1/2 Stars!
Crooked Little Lies seems to be a cross between mystery and family drama. Our main characters, Lauren and Annie, meet soon after Annie’s brother disappears. Lauren’s chapters were very interesting to read because she struggles with memory issues. She didn’t know what was true and what was not and that part of the book held my interest the most and kept me reading to find out. I enjoyed the storyline but the writing style didn’t really click with me.
Crooked Little Lies seems to be a cross between mystery and family drama. Our main characters, Lauren and Annie, meet soon after Annie’s brother disappears. Lauren’s chapters were very interesting to read because she struggles with memory issues. She didn’t know what was true and what was not and that part of the book held my interest the most and kept me reading to find out. I enjoyed the storyline but the writing style didn’t really click with me.
August 7, 2015
This book started out pretty slow for me, but I think the author was just trying to give you a human quality and a feel for the characters which really kind of left me with an emotional bond with them at the end of the story. You have one character, Lauren, who fell several stories and who had been in a coma for a while and had received some brain damage, but was doing better everyday. Then you have Bo, an early twenty something who has several types of brain diseases who people call the "town retard". Then you have his stepsister, Annie, who isn't really either brain damaged or diseased, just kind of slow and immature.
After you really get to know them and the story takes off, I really began to like it a lot. There were a lot of things going on around these people and a lot of things going on in their heads. The paranoia of ex-drug addiction and lack of self esteem also became a subplot in the story. The author really did a great job of getting what was in their heads onto paper. It was very believable and raw for me. I highly recommend it!
Thanks Lake Union Publishing and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
After you really get to know them and the story takes off, I really began to like it a lot. There were a lot of things going on around these people and a lot of things going on in their heads. The paranoia of ex-drug addiction and lack of self esteem also became a subplot in the story. The author really did a great job of getting what was in their heads onto paper. It was very believable and raw for me. I highly recommend it!
Thanks Lake Union Publishing and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest review.
July 12, 2015
I found this book boring, but finally finished it. How many times can you rehash Lauren's accident and her addiction to drugs after her recovery. Similarly, other character's stories were also repetitive. I also found it strange that instead of relying on the police, Lauren and Annie seem to do their own investigation into the disappearance of Bo.
Overall, this was a waste of my time, another free Kindle book, you get what you pay for.
Overall, this was a waste of my time, another free Kindle book, you get what you pay for.
July 19, 2015
I loved this book - unlike so many being touted as the next 'Gone Girl' this felt fresh. It had me hooked from start to finish.
September 15, 2015
Paranoia, psychological manipulation, and betrayal are the predominant threads in Barbara Taylor Sissel’s masterfully crafted tapestry—CROOKED LITTLE LIES. A difficult to put down page-turner, the suspense builds with incriminating packets of oxycontin, an antique Colt 45, and a dry-cleaning tag found on a precious heirloom rug. It crescendos with a small notebook from a dead man’s pocket. Henry David Thoreau said, “The path of least resistance leads to crooked rivers and crooked men.” He forgot to mention that it also leads to CROOKED LITTLE LIES…
dnf
July 19, 2015DNF too early to really review. Prose felt awkward in the early going, and I just decided life was too short.
July 1, 2015
There are various approaches to a story. While the vast majority of the books that we have in the market are geared towards the entertainment and pleasure of its readers, there are some books which are designed to engage the readers, stimulate one to action and evoke a sense of duty, awareness and self-discovery as a result of its reading. And it is into that latter category that Crooked Little Lies by Barbara Taylor Sissel belongs.
A suspenseful contemporary mystery thriller, Crooked Little Lies by Barbara Taylor Sissel follows the events surrounding the mysterious disappearance of Bo Laughlin, a quirky character familiar to most residents of the small Texas town of Hardys Walk. Bo is also the step-brother of Annie Beauchamp, a young woman who works in the café in town, and they both have lost their mothers. It is also the story of Lauren Wilder, an old-fashioned suburban wife and mother of two adolescents - Drew, 14, and Kenzie, 11 – and how her life unchangeably intertwined with Bo’s disappearance.
Crooked Little Lies by Barbara Taylor Sissel is an absorbing and captivating story that is strung with elements of mystery and suspense. What emphatically sets apart this particular story is how the author sets the stage for the story to fold up and the underlying refrain of how an incident can affect an individual, family or an entire community. Author Barbara Taylor Sissel eclectic cast of characters in the form of Cooper Grant, Lauren’s her husband Jeff, Lauren’s sister Tara and drug-addict boyfriend Greg, and other secondary players make it a riotous read. Though the ending did not come as a surprise, the mastery with which it was build up makes for an exciting read.
A suspenseful contemporary mystery thriller, Crooked Little Lies by Barbara Taylor Sissel follows the events surrounding the mysterious disappearance of Bo Laughlin, a quirky character familiar to most residents of the small Texas town of Hardys Walk. Bo is also the step-brother of Annie Beauchamp, a young woman who works in the café in town, and they both have lost their mothers. It is also the story of Lauren Wilder, an old-fashioned suburban wife and mother of two adolescents - Drew, 14, and Kenzie, 11 – and how her life unchangeably intertwined with Bo’s disappearance.
Crooked Little Lies by Barbara Taylor Sissel is an absorbing and captivating story that is strung with elements of mystery and suspense. What emphatically sets apart this particular story is how the author sets the stage for the story to fold up and the underlying refrain of how an incident can affect an individual, family or an entire community. Author Barbara Taylor Sissel eclectic cast of characters in the form of Cooper Grant, Lauren’s her husband Jeff, Lauren’s sister Tara and drug-addict boyfriend Greg, and other secondary players make it a riotous read. Though the ending did not come as a surprise, the mastery with which it was build up makes for an exciting read.
July 24, 2015
I thought this book was just such a mess. It felt like a weird mash-up of suspense and women's fiction, neither of which was all that successful to me. I think it's possible to blend the two, but this book seemed to switch from veering from one genre to the other, and in the end none of it jibed for me. I think it would have been a lot better off sticking with one or the other. Some spoilers to follow.
The implausibility of so many of the events also left me cold. I can't claim to know much about police procedure, but I flatly disbelieve a lot of what the police officers in this book do.
The characters were so erratic I didn't know what to make of them, particularly Lauren. I did feel sorry for her plight at times, but at others she was so nasty and/or appeared so unhinged that I couldn't blame the other characters for the way they treated her.
Last but not least, Lauren's reaction to the big reveal did not strike me as at all believable. I also saw it coming long before it arrived, so any potential surprise was destroyed for me, and the ending felt far too messy to me. I think the ideas in this book were good, they just never all managed to come together.
The implausibility of so many of the events also left me cold. I can't claim to know much about police procedure, but I flatly disbelieve a lot of what the police officers in this book do.
The characters were so erratic I didn't know what to make of them, particularly Lauren. I did feel sorry for her plight at times, but at others she was so nasty and/or appeared so unhinged that I couldn't blame the other characters for the way they treated her.
Last but not least, Lauren's reaction to the big reveal did not strike me as at all believable. I also saw it coming long before it arrived, so any potential surprise was destroyed for me, and the ending felt far too messy to me. I think the ideas in this book were good, they just never all managed to come together.
July 18, 2015
After I've seen some reviews talking about how the story dragged on because of Lauren's inability to straighten out, I thought I should not expect much out of this book. However, it was exactly Lauren's behavior, not being able to get back on track, that got me so into the story.. The author wrote it in such a way that I felt totally empathic about Lauren's plight. It really must be very confusing for one who's gone through what she had to separate reality from fantasy, or what happened from what did not happen.
It is very unthinkable for a husband to setup his wife the way Jeff did to Lauren, thinking he was doing the family a favor, when all he was really saving was his pride and finances. Really, when the mind gets clouded, the things one will do for money!
I liked this story a lot, so, with not so much a thought, and I know I'm not going to regret it, I have just bought all of the other 5 books of Ms. Sissel.
It is very unthinkable for a husband to setup his wife the way Jeff did to Lauren, thinking he was doing the family a favor, when all he was really saving was his pride and finances. Really, when the mind gets clouded, the things one will do for money!
I liked this story a lot, so, with not so much a thought, and I know I'm not going to regret it, I have just bought all of the other 5 books of Ms. Sissel.
October 5, 2015
I would give this one star except I did actually finish it. Barely, and by the time I got to the last 10% I was skimming because it wasn't worth my full attention.
I was frustrated with the book throughout but kept reading, thinking it would get better, hoping there actually was a thriller in there somewhere. I must have been feeling overly optimistic this weekend. The first half drags its feet. I wasn't sure if the story was about Annie and her issues, Lauren and her issues, or the disappearance of Bo Laughlin. In fact, the character of Bo Laughlin is so secondary to Annie and Lauren, the few times I remembered the story was about his disappearance, I had trouble caring. Halfway through, I realized no, it wasn't going to get better; in fact, it was getting worse. The plot, what little there was of it, was falling apart. The characters were decompensating; I wasn't finding them either believable or likable. I'm having difficulty describing how I felt about how the whodunit/why was wrapped up. To say it was predictable doesn't do it justice; as slow as the story moved, I never would have predicted a resolution as dull and incredible (not in a good way) as this one.
For me, completely without suspense or thrill, with a wrap-up ending that's rushed and unbelievable, a total let-down.
I was frustrated with the book throughout but kept reading, thinking it would get better, hoping there actually was a thriller in there somewhere. I must have been feeling overly optimistic this weekend. The first half drags its feet. I wasn't sure if the story was about Annie and her issues, Lauren and her issues, or the disappearance of Bo Laughlin. In fact, the character of Bo Laughlin is so secondary to Annie and Lauren, the few times I remembered the story was about his disappearance, I had trouble caring. Halfway through, I realized no, it wasn't going to get better; in fact, it was getting worse. The plot, what little there was of it, was falling apart. The characters were decompensating; I wasn't finding them either believable or likable. I'm having difficulty describing how I felt about how the whodunit/why was wrapped up. To say it was predictable doesn't do it justice; as slow as the story moved, I never would have predicted a resolution as dull and incredible (not in a good way) as this one.
For me, completely without suspense or thrill, with a wrap-up ending that's rushed and unbelievable, a total let-down.
August 21, 2015
This is another book that I received for free from Amazon.com. And while it was an enjoyable enough book, I found it to be utterly predictable.
One of my biggest literary pet-peeves is when drama and suspense feels forced, and there were moments in this book where I felt like even the characters themselves were bored with what was going on. If they're bored, I'm probably going to be too.
I wouldn't call this book suspenseful, but it's still a decent read. I wanted the best for the characters and the resolution was fulfilling as the reader. However, there was so much buildup that I felt it was over all too quickly.
I would recommend to a friend.
For more reviews, insight, and conversation, check out:
On twitter: @tipsy_writer
http://www.tipsywriter.com
If you would like for me to review your book on my site, please reach out to me and we can discuss options.
One of my biggest literary pet-peeves is when drama and suspense feels forced, and there were moments in this book where I felt like even the characters themselves were bored with what was going on. If they're bored, I'm probably going to be too.
I wouldn't call this book suspenseful, but it's still a decent read. I wanted the best for the characters and the resolution was fulfilling as the reader. However, there was so much buildup that I felt it was over all too quickly.
I would recommend to a friend.
For more reviews, insight, and conversation, check out:
On twitter: @tipsy_writer
http://www.tipsywriter.com
If you would like for me to review your book on my site, please reach out to me and we can discuss options.
July 27, 2015
Received this free through Amazon and am so thankful I didn't pay for it. There is no delicate way to describe the hot mess that this novel is. I'm trying to recall a published novel I've read that was in such serious need of editing. Too many undeveloped characters, too many story lines, too many references to past events, and an unsatisfying conclusion. I won't remember this novel or its characters a week from now and was shocked to see this is not the author's first novel. In all fairness, I read All the Light We Cannot See immediately before this, so perhaps the bar was set higher than usual. Don't waste your time.
July 30, 2015
4.5 stars.
Part psychological thriller and part mystery, Crooked Little Lies is a suspense-laden novel by Barbara Taylor Sissel. A chance encounter with an eccentric young man who later vanishes plunges lead protagonist Lauren Wilder into a perplexing and confusing search for answers about his disappearance.
Lauren's recovery from a horrible accident has been slow and arduous and while mostly healed, she is still troubled by the lingering effects of a brain injury. She is frustrated by the ongoing memory problems that continue to crop up and although she has overcome her addiction to pain killers, her family still finds it difficult to trust her. A wrong turn puts her in the path of Bo Laughlin, a man in his early twenties whose unconventional lifestyle makes him vulnerable to being taken advantage of. When he disappears, Lauren is compelled to search out Bo's sister Annie Beauchamp and the two women track down leads they uncover during their search for the missing man.
While Bo is only briefly mention at the beginning of the story, his presence is keenly felt throughout the investigation. While at first it appears his life is an open book, Annie and Lauren uncover the bits and pieces that he kept hidden. Although nothing nefarious is discovered, these unknown associations and tidbits reveal facets of his personality and day to day life that add to the heartbreak of his disappearance. His intelligence and kindheartedness are often overlooked due to his eccentricities and these unexpected revelations create a well-rounded, three dimensional character that is easy to care about.
Lauren has overcome incredible odds in the nearly two years since her terrible fall and although she still deals with a little pain from her physical injuries, it is her memory issues that continue to be an ongoing problem. Her memories are sometimes confusing and she occasionally experiences difficulty remembering the details of daily life. She is easily distracted and forgetful which leads to some very stressful confrontations with her husband Jeff and their kids, Drew and Kenzie. Her family's trust is fragile and they easily doubt her after her erratic behavior becomes eerily reminiscent of her recent drug addiction. As the situation intensifies, Lauren becomes paranoid and suspicious of her husband and sister and she has great difficulty distinguishing reality from her vivid dreams. Her fear, distress and concern are palpable and Lauren is a somewhat unreliable narrator because she cannot separate fact from fiction but this just makes her more sympathetic and appealing.
Annie is an equally likable character but she is a little abrasive as she tries to find out what happened to Bo. There is never any doubt that Annie deeply loves her stepbrother and as she sifts through the days leading up to his disappearance, she experiences guilt and doubt that she did not do enough to help him. Annie is quick to reject offers of help but she feels an instant connection to Lauren. The two pursue leads the police dismiss but disturbing information about Lauren's past and her associations with persons of interest in the case eventually raise Annie's suspicions.
Crooked Little Lies is a complex and riveting novel that has many surprising twists and turns. The storyline is compelling, well written and unique. The characters are brilliantly developed and their doubts and fears are believable and easy to relate to. Barbara Taylor Sissel expertly builds the suspense surrounding Bo's disappearance to a fever pitch and the novel's conclusion is dramatic and rather shocking. An excellent mystery with a strong psychological element that I highly recommend to fans of the genre.
Part psychological thriller and part mystery, Crooked Little Lies is a suspense-laden novel by Barbara Taylor Sissel. A chance encounter with an eccentric young man who later vanishes plunges lead protagonist Lauren Wilder into a perplexing and confusing search for answers about his disappearance.
Lauren's recovery from a horrible accident has been slow and arduous and while mostly healed, she is still troubled by the lingering effects of a brain injury. She is frustrated by the ongoing memory problems that continue to crop up and although she has overcome her addiction to pain killers, her family still finds it difficult to trust her. A wrong turn puts her in the path of Bo Laughlin, a man in his early twenties whose unconventional lifestyle makes him vulnerable to being taken advantage of. When he disappears, Lauren is compelled to search out Bo's sister Annie Beauchamp and the two women track down leads they uncover during their search for the missing man.
While Bo is only briefly mention at the beginning of the story, his presence is keenly felt throughout the investigation. While at first it appears his life is an open book, Annie and Lauren uncover the bits and pieces that he kept hidden. Although nothing nefarious is discovered, these unknown associations and tidbits reveal facets of his personality and day to day life that add to the heartbreak of his disappearance. His intelligence and kindheartedness are often overlooked due to his eccentricities and these unexpected revelations create a well-rounded, three dimensional character that is easy to care about.
Lauren has overcome incredible odds in the nearly two years since her terrible fall and although she still deals with a little pain from her physical injuries, it is her memory issues that continue to be an ongoing problem. Her memories are sometimes confusing and she occasionally experiences difficulty remembering the details of daily life. She is easily distracted and forgetful which leads to some very stressful confrontations with her husband Jeff and their kids, Drew and Kenzie. Her family's trust is fragile and they easily doubt her after her erratic behavior becomes eerily reminiscent of her recent drug addiction. As the situation intensifies, Lauren becomes paranoid and suspicious of her husband and sister and she has great difficulty distinguishing reality from her vivid dreams. Her fear, distress and concern are palpable and Lauren is a somewhat unreliable narrator because she cannot separate fact from fiction but this just makes her more sympathetic and appealing.
Annie is an equally likable character but she is a little abrasive as she tries to find out what happened to Bo. There is never any doubt that Annie deeply loves her stepbrother and as she sifts through the days leading up to his disappearance, she experiences guilt and doubt that she did not do enough to help him. Annie is quick to reject offers of help but she feels an instant connection to Lauren. The two pursue leads the police dismiss but disturbing information about Lauren's past and her associations with persons of interest in the case eventually raise Annie's suspicions.
Crooked Little Lies is a complex and riveting novel that has many surprising twists and turns. The storyline is compelling, well written and unique. The characters are brilliantly developed and their doubts and fears are believable and easy to relate to. Barbara Taylor Sissel expertly builds the suspense surrounding Bo's disappearance to a fever pitch and the novel's conclusion is dramatic and rather shocking. An excellent mystery with a strong psychological element that I highly recommend to fans of the genre.
September 24, 2017
4.5 Stars Because it just didn't quite hit the awesomeness of a 5 but a little better than a 4.
First I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher Lake Union Publishing for graciously allowing me a digital copy of this book in return for my review. I read this back over Thanksgiving and I'm just getting around to my review. This book had so many things in it it's been a little hard to do a good review. It started off a little slow for me but picked right up quickly. There's suspense, some romance, family drama and a crime. But then we have Lauren, one of the main characters who has memory problems caused from an accident and things just keeping piling up. This was a great read and I would highly recommend it to anyone who likes a little of all those things I mentioned before. This was my first novel by this author and I think I'll be checking out some of her other work.
You can also find this review and others on my blog:
https://mcdawnreviews.wordpress.com/2...
First I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher Lake Union Publishing for graciously allowing me a digital copy of this book in return for my review. I read this back over Thanksgiving and I'm just getting around to my review. This book had so many things in it it's been a little hard to do a good review. It started off a little slow for me but picked right up quickly. There's suspense, some romance, family drama and a crime. But then we have Lauren, one of the main characters who has memory problems caused from an accident and things just keeping piling up. This was a great read and I would highly recommend it to anyone who likes a little of all those things I mentioned before. This was my first novel by this author and I think I'll be checking out some of her other work.
You can also find this review and others on my blog:
https://mcdawnreviews.wordpress.com/2...
February 20, 2016
This book could have been so good. I quite liked the 2 main female characters - which always helps me to feel involved in a book. I also liked the narrative and the language that the characters used with other. It was believable. However, I felt the novel only skimmed the very top off what could have been a really meaty tense psychological page turner. Instead it felt a bit light and flimsy and a little bit of chick lit (not that there is anything wrong with chick lit). The two storylines that were interwoven between the 2 main characters was not a little clumsily and certainly felt a bit rushed and amateur at the end. Really don't want to spoil it for anyone- so I won't give anymore details about the end, but suffice to say I was left feeling a bit incredulous. And there seemed to be a few loose ends that never got sorted out
All in all, an easy read which probably won't leave a lasting mark, but wasn't hard work to get through.
All in all, an easy read which probably won't leave a lasting mark, but wasn't hard work to get through.
September 17, 2015
Sometimes you see a book a few times here and there and you can wait to read it. When the #FRC2015 and blog tour come along for CROOKED LITTLE LIES I wanted in! This book did not disappoint! It was one of those books that kept me guessing. Life is busy and sometimes books do not keep our interest, but CROOKED LITTLE LIES was NOT one of those books. I was kept interested, entertained and engaged. I had the book with me (At all times) so I could sneak in reading any chance I had. I was kept guessing the whole way. This is a fabulous Fall read, a great book for book club and just a flat out great story! 4.5 stars!
July 18, 2015
2.5 stars.
A book that wishes it were more literary or suspenseful than it is. Quite well written but very slowly paced, to the point where it's easy to put down and give up on. The mystery is not hard to work out or particularly twisty. Nevertheless I kept turning the pages anyway.
The main characters are prone to serious introspection but miss the obvious things to wonder about. The book would be a lot pacier if much of this was cut out.
Not bad as such, but not sure I'd pay for more (I got this for free as part of an Amazon Prime deal).
A book that wishes it were more literary or suspenseful than it is. Quite well written but very slowly paced, to the point where it's easy to put down and give up on. The mystery is not hard to work out or particularly twisty. Nevertheless I kept turning the pages anyway.
The main characters are prone to serious introspection but miss the obvious things to wonder about. The book would be a lot pacier if much of this was cut out.
Not bad as such, but not sure I'd pay for more (I got this for free as part of an Amazon Prime deal).
October 30, 2022
I enjoyed this tense suspenseful book. When the mother is in a freak accident suffering brain damage she gets addicted to Oxycontin. She overcomes this and is recovering with just some memory loss. But her family seems to think everything she does should be judged by the brain damage she suffered. This plot is amazing, involves many good (and bad) characters.
I highly recommend this book!
I highly recommend this book!
February 5, 2018
This was a good read. The author kept me interested in each chapter. Annie's stepbrother Bo is missing and Annie is looking for him. Lauren almost hit him with her car and becomes consumed with finding him. Annie is wary of her as she finds out Lauren is having mental issues. She had a terrible accident and almost died. She is a recovering drug addict. But is she recovered? The book twists and turns between Laurens life and Annie's but Bo is always in the middle. The author did a great job of keeping the story going with a surprise ending.
May 4, 2018
lovely book
May 29, 2017
Scroll down to Zuky's review.. says it all! This book really had potential but 30% in I was talking myself out of deleting it from my kindle.
March 31, 2021
This is one of those books that I think is difficult to review. I read it, I liked it, but it is difficult to rehash what exactly it was about Crooked Little Lies that caught my attention, or what made me enjoy it so much. This book seemed to blur genres but it made for interesting reading.
Annie was the product of a blended family. Her brother goes missing and it causes so much stress for her. Her brother is eccentric and perhaps mentally ill so there is a great sense of responsibility and embarrassment on her part. Annie has just become an adult but heartache has been haunting her her whole life.
Lauren is recovering from a traumatic accident that left her with a mild brain injury. After the accident she developed a dependency on the medication she was prescribed to help her with the pain. Now in recovery, her family isn’t entirely trusting of her. Her children don’t trust her and her husband is quick to remind her that her thinking is not always correct.
These two fragile characters find each other and try to solve the mystery of what happened to Bo.
The good stuff: It is definitely a mystery, but it is also a character driven women’s fiction at the same time. I felt like I could wholly understand the characters because the author carefully shelled out where the main two women characters were and how they got there. I could easily identify with both women in their situations. As the story progressed, I wondered if these two women’s lives would ever intersect. When it did they fit together in such an easy way. It was not hard to understand their immediate like of one another.
I found myself unable to stop thinking about this after I put it down. Crooked Little Lies is like a mash up of mystery and women’s fiction. To me it felt like a mystery/thriller with enough action to keep the story moving.
The not so good stuff: It took quite a while for these two characters to meet. I think it was around the half way mark, or maybe even a little after. It felt a bit random to be getting to know these characters before their lives intersected. The ending left me feeling nothing. Also, I wish we would have spent more time exploring Bo’s character. The author described him well, and there were enough flash back scenes to get a sense of who he was. He seemed like the most interesting character being well read and full of quirks. I am still wondering what his real issue was.
In conclusion: I think it is more of a good thing that I am still wondering about the characters of this story a while after I put the book down. I am glad I got a chance to read this. This was a true character driven story and I find those sorts the best to read. If you enjoy women’s fiction and a good mystery you will probably enjoy this book. I did.
April 16, 2017
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I definitely thought this book was going to be better than it was. The main character, Lauren, was completely unlikeable and scatterbrained. The chapters are from a third party view and the story shifts from Lauren’s story to Annie’s (Bo’s sister) story. In my opinion, Lauren is just a crazy person who gets caught up with Bo’s story and the fact that she almost ran him over one time. The story dwells on this fact over and over again and it is also repeated by several characters that Bo was last seen getting into a car with another woman. Let’s just say I’m glad I’m a fast reader because I kept thinking to myself, ok, ok, get on with the good stuff, we already know this piece of information. I really liked Bo’s sister, Annie, as far as the characters went. Everyone else seemed to have their head screwed on backwards with Annie picking up the pieces for whoever she was with. I also liked Cooper, the tow truck driver. I felt like he (and his adorable dog Rufus) was the only sane person in Annie’s life. Overall, this story was good but the book could have been half the size. I’m one for quick tosses and turns and that big Shazam ending. Don’t expect that from this book.
I definitely thought this book was going to be better than it was. The main character, Lauren, was completely unlikeable and scatterbrained. The chapters are from a third party view and the story shifts from Lauren’s story to Annie’s (Bo’s sister) story. In my opinion, Lauren is just a crazy person who gets caught up with Bo’s story and the fact that she almost ran him over one time. The story dwells on this fact over and over again and it is also repeated by several characters that Bo was last seen getting into a car with another woman. Let’s just say I’m glad I’m a fast reader because I kept thinking to myself, ok, ok, get on with the good stuff, we already know this piece of information. I really liked Bo’s sister, Annie, as far as the characters went. Everyone else seemed to have their head screwed on backwards with Annie picking up the pieces for whoever she was with. I also liked Cooper, the tow truck driver. I felt like he (and his adorable dog Rufus) was the only sane person in Annie’s life. Overall, this story was good but the book could have been half the size. I’m one for quick tosses and turns and that big Shazam ending. Don’t expect that from this book.
September 5, 2015
Lauren Wilder nearly hits Bo Laughlin with her car and stops to make sure he is okay. The special needs adult says he is fine, then shows her a roll of money he has in his pocket. As she drives away, she is concerned for Bo’s safety, and calls the police for a welfare check on the young man. A few days later, Bo is missing. Because of Lauren’s shaky memory from a head injury, she begins to wonder if she is wrong about seeing Bo. Or maybe something happened that she doesn’t remember. Unfortunately, the police are wondering the same thing. As Lauren tries to unravel what happened to Bo, the truth begins to show itself, and facing it is the hardest thing she has ever done.
Crooked Little Lies by Barbara Taylor Sissel is a drama/suspense novel that will keep you wondering until the very end. We meet an interesting cast of characters between Bo’s family and Lauren’s family, and get to know them intimately. As each chapter unfolds, you become more drawn into the story so that by the time you are half-way through, you don’t want to put it down. And the ending will surprise you. I highly recommend Crooked Little Lies.
Crooked Little Lies by Barbara Taylor Sissel is a drama/suspense novel that will keep you wondering until the very end. We meet an interesting cast of characters between Bo’s family and Lauren’s family, and get to know them intimately. As each chapter unfolds, you become more drawn into the story so that by the time you are half-way through, you don’t want to put it down. And the ending will surprise you. I highly recommend Crooked Little Lies.
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