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White Lies
You Never Know Where A Lie Might Lead...
While driving to a charming village tucked away deep in the Cascade Mountains of eastern Washington, where she is to begin a new job teaching high school English, Katrina Burton picks up a young hitchhiker who turns out to be a drunken creep. Fearful for her safety, she lies about her destination in order to get him out of the car. But when she later discovers that he is a teacher at the same school, she finds herself feeding that initial lie with more lies.
Then Katrina meets Jack Reeves. Handsome, charismatic and strong, he is exactly what she needs to extricate her from the expanding network of lies. She falls fast and hard for him. But when Jack lands himself in the middle of a grisly murder, she must decide whether to turn him in--or tell yet another lie.
While driving to a charming village tucked away deep in the Cascade Mountains of eastern Washington, where she is to begin a new job teaching high school English, Katrina Burton picks up a young hitchhiker who turns out to be a drunken creep. Fearful for her safety, she lies about her destination in order to get him out of the car. But when she later discovers that he is a teacher at the same school, she finds herself feeding that initial lie with more lies.
Then Katrina meets Jack Reeves. Handsome, charismatic and strong, he is exactly what she needs to extricate her from the expanding network of lies. She falls fast and hard for him. But when Jack lands himself in the middle of a grisly murder, she must decide whether to turn him in--or tell yet another lie.
223 pages, ebook
First published May 7, 2012
1099 people are currently reading
3129 people want to read
About the author
Jeremy Bates
46 books1,839 followersUSA TODAY and #1 Amazon bestselling author Jeremy Bates has written over twenty novels and novellas, selling more than one million copies worldwide. His work has been translated into multiple languages and optioned for film and television by major studios. Midwest Book Review has likened his storytelling to that of Stephen King and Joe Lansdale, calling him a "master of the art." Bates is a KDP Select All-Star and the recipient of the Australian Shadows Award and the Canadian Arthur Ellis Award. He was also a finalist in the Goodreads Choice Awards, the only major book honors chosen by readers.
His latest novel, *The No-End House*, is a standalone horror story set in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter, where a pair of volunteers must navigate nine mysterious rooms in a sinister house. Scheduled for release by Kensington Publishing in July 2025, it’s a chilling tale of survival and escape.
Visit Amazon to get DENISOVANS for a special release-date price now.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0F...
Also, MOUNTAIN OF THE DEAD is currently only $0.99 in a limited-time deal.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079KW3N72
Finally, visit Jeremy’s website to receive a free copy of *Black Canyon*, winner of the Lou Allin Memorial Award.
https://www.jeremybatesbooks.com
His latest novel, *The No-End House*, is a standalone horror story set in Barcelona's Gothic Quarter, where a pair of volunteers must navigate nine mysterious rooms in a sinister house. Scheduled for release by Kensington Publishing in July 2025, it’s a chilling tale of survival and escape.
Visit Amazon to get DENISOVANS for a special release-date price now.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0F...
Also, MOUNTAIN OF THE DEAD is currently only $0.99 in a limited-time deal.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079KW3N72
Finally, visit Jeremy’s website to receive a free copy of *Black Canyon*, winner of the Lou Allin Memorial Award.
https://www.jeremybatesbooks.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 299 reviews
August 25, 2020
When Katrina picks up a hitchhiker she tells a lie to get him out of her car. Later,she finds out that the hitchhiker is a teacher in the same school she's teaching in..and that leads to more lies. When she tries to make amends with him .. he demands an apology for throwing him out of her car during the middle of the night while it was storming...she winds up telling more lies ... most which backfire on her.
Then she meets Jack ... but Jack has secrets.. and even though she falls hard for him, she has a choice ... tell what she knows and lose him.. or tell more lies.
This was just an ok read for me. I know it's fiction, but there is nothing here that is even close to being credible. Most woman would not pick up a stranger in the middle of a stormy night especially in an area she's not familiar with. She has her dog with her .. but her phone is dead and has been since before she left. She "forgot" to recharge it.
Being an animal lover, I was appalled at how she would not hink of her dog ... she worked all day, went to the pub afterwards, and then to a man's home for the night. Who was taking care of the dog ..feeding him, letting him out ... no one.
There's not a lot of mystery or suspense. The plot seems a little haphazard and the characters were not sufficiently developed.
Then she meets Jack ... but Jack has secrets.. and even though she falls hard for him, she has a choice ... tell what she knows and lose him.. or tell more lies.
This was just an ok read for me. I know it's fiction, but there is nothing here that is even close to being credible. Most woman would not pick up a stranger in the middle of a stormy night especially in an area she's not familiar with. She has her dog with her .. but her phone is dead and has been since before she left. She "forgot" to recharge it.
Being an animal lover, I was appalled at how she would not hink of her dog ... she worked all day, went to the pub afterwards, and then to a man's home for the night. Who was taking care of the dog ..feeding him, letting him out ... no one.
There's not a lot of mystery or suspense. The plot seems a little haphazard and the characters were not sufficiently developed.
April 5, 2016
So far, this is one of the worst books I've ever read. Very poorly written ("nip this in the butt" ... was this book run past an editor before publication?) with characters who act in completely unbelievable ways. I'm going to keep reading because other reviews are so good, I feel like maybe I'm missing something? Maybe there is some redemption? There is promise of suspense (1/4 of the way in and no hint of it yet) and twists. The only suspense up to this point is wondering how long before this awful story makes me wince again (SPOILER ALERT: not long).
May 10, 2012
The story starts off with an atmospheric scenario. I was immersed throughout, the pace moved up notches right up to the ending where a highly tense situation takes place. He's created a suspenseful murder tale of what could happen to a young woman when she moves to a closed knitted town to teach and starts a lie. Then another person lies and then another and before you know it, you find yourself in a whole heap of trouble.
"Hell, this was all because of a lie gone wrong."
Review and a book trailer also @ http://more2read.com/review/white-lies-by-jeremy-bates/
"Hell, this was all because of a lie gone wrong."
Review and a book trailer also @ http://more2read.com/review/white-lies-by-jeremy-bates/
August 15, 2021
Another fantastic book by author Jeremy Bates I couldn't put it down the writing was so well done and had so many twists and turns in the story I highly recommend you give this book a go you won't be disappointed
August 12, 2021
This takes place I Leavenworth, Washington. Plot and characters are very shallow and unbelievable. Probably the best part of the whole book was Bandit,nthe dog.
July 5, 2012
I received a copy of White Lies" by Jeremy Bates through the Goodreads Giveaway Contest.
I loved this book . I was gripped right from the get go, and I couldn't put it down.The chapters were short, and I found I was nervously flipping the page to see what was going to happen next.
Katrina Burton was driving from Seattle along the Cascade Mountain Range in Northern Washington in a heavy downpour. She was heading to Leavenworth, where she had been offered a job teaching high school English.Her travelling companion was her dog, a boxer named Bandit. Then she came across a stranger, a man walking along the highway and she decided to stop and give him a lift. His name was Zach, and he said his car had broken down...but she never saw any broken down cars on the route.He had been drinking.It turns out Zach was a teacher at the same school as Katrina.In the car Zach made her nervous and uncomfortable, and she told him a white lie...that she had a house in town and a cabin on the lake.This was the start of many lies to cover up the previous untruths.Katrina lied to fit in. These little white lies lead to some terrible consequences.
I felt that Katrina's character was weak at the beginning, and sometimes I wanted to just shake her and warn her to smarten up,but as the novel progressed her character definately became stronger.
This was a well written and exciting thriller.White Lies by Jeremy Bates is an excellent read.
I loved this book . I was gripped right from the get go, and I couldn't put it down.The chapters were short, and I found I was nervously flipping the page to see what was going to happen next.
Katrina Burton was driving from Seattle along the Cascade Mountain Range in Northern Washington in a heavy downpour. She was heading to Leavenworth, where she had been offered a job teaching high school English.Her travelling companion was her dog, a boxer named Bandit. Then she came across a stranger, a man walking along the highway and she decided to stop and give him a lift. His name was Zach, and he said his car had broken down...but she never saw any broken down cars on the route.He had been drinking.It turns out Zach was a teacher at the same school as Katrina.In the car Zach made her nervous and uncomfortable, and she told him a white lie...that she had a house in town and a cabin on the lake.This was the start of many lies to cover up the previous untruths.Katrina lied to fit in. These little white lies lead to some terrible consequences.
I felt that Katrina's character was weak at the beginning, and sometimes I wanted to just shake her and warn her to smarten up,but as the novel progressed her character definately became stronger.
This was a well written and exciting thriller.White Lies by Jeremy Bates is an excellent read.
February 5, 2024
Rounded up for 2.5 bc wtf was that hahahahah this is like one of those movies where it’s so bad it’s kinda good lol
August 25, 2020
When Katrina picks up a hitchhiker she tells a lie to get him out of her car. Later,she finds out that the hitchhiker is a teacher in the same school she's teaching in..and that leads to more lies. When she tries to make amends with him .. he demands an apology for throwing him out of her car during the middle of the night while it was storming...she winds up telling more lies ... most which backfire on her.
Then she meets Jack ... but Jack has secrets.. and even though she falls hard for him, she has a choice ... tell what she knows and lose him.. or tell more lies.
This was just an ok read for me. I know it's fiction, but there is nothing here that is even close to being credible. Most woman would not pick up a stranger in the middle of a stormy night especially in an area she's not familiar with. She has her dog with her .. but her phone is dead and has been since before she left. She "forgot" to recharge it.
Being an animal lover, I was appalled at how she would not hink of her dog ... she worked all day, went to the pub afterwards, and then to a man's home for the night. Who was taking care of the dog ..feeding him, letting him out ... no one.
There's not a lot of mystery or suspense. The plot seems a little haphazard and the characters were not sufficiently developed.
Then she meets Jack ... but Jack has secrets.. and even though she falls hard for him, she has a choice ... tell what she knows and lose him.. or tell more lies.
This was just an ok read for me. I know it's fiction, but there is nothing here that is even close to being credible. Most woman would not pick up a stranger in the middle of a stormy night especially in an area she's not familiar with. She has her dog with her .. but her phone is dead and has been since before she left. She "forgot" to recharge it.
Being an animal lover, I was appalled at how she would not hink of her dog ... she worked all day, went to the pub afterwards, and then to a man's home for the night. Who was taking care of the dog ..feeding him, letting him out ... no one.
There's not a lot of mystery or suspense. The plot seems a little haphazard and the characters were not sufficiently developed.
April 12, 2021
From one lie to another, Jeremy Bates takes us on the incredible, twisted ride of unexpected and shocking events. White Lies is a gripping page-turner which won’t let you go. Enjoy it while it lasts!
February 9, 2012
A real page turner - one of those fast paced thrillers where you keep thinking "Nooo don't DO that" as the main character makes yet another bad decision you just know is going to impact by making things get worse - and worse.
I chose this from the books available to review at Netgalley and yet again was really pleased with my choice. I read this in just 2 days which is pretty good going for me - it doesn't mean it was a light, inconsequential read - just that I felt the need to keep reading ... just a few more pages .... and ended up reading into the early hours.
OK so about the storyline. It begins with our heroine Katrina driving to a rural village in America to begin a new post as English teacher at the local school. She's ready to begin a new life as she is finally picking up the pieces after a tragedy left her reeling. Her renewed confidence leads her to feel generous enough to stop for a young guy stranded at the rainy roadside but soon begins to regret her decision when she questions his sobriety and his motives. Panicked and keen to get him out of the car she lies about where shes headed for and breathes a sigh of relief as she manages to get him out of her car.
Her horror when she arrives at her new job to find the same guy is one of her new colleagues now bearing a grudge against her and to cover up her little white lie, she tells another and then it becomes almost too difficult to tell the truth and silly white lies become falsehoods that haunt her every move.
Meanwhile she meets another man to whom her reaction and instincts are completely different - she is bowled over by the enigmatic and charismatic Jack and responds to him by falling for him - big time!
But events are beginning to spiral out of control, like ripples in a lake her white lie leads her to become involved in covering up a brutal murder, no longer sure who to trust she must reply on her instincts - instincts we are beginning to realise are no more reliable than her ability to tell the truth.
A cracking good suspense novel, easy and undemanding but a jolly exciting read, to curl up on a cold winters day in front of the fire with.
I chose this from the books available to review at Netgalley and yet again was really pleased with my choice. I read this in just 2 days which is pretty good going for me - it doesn't mean it was a light, inconsequential read - just that I felt the need to keep reading ... just a few more pages .... and ended up reading into the early hours.
OK so about the storyline. It begins with our heroine Katrina driving to a rural village in America to begin a new post as English teacher at the local school. She's ready to begin a new life as she is finally picking up the pieces after a tragedy left her reeling. Her renewed confidence leads her to feel generous enough to stop for a young guy stranded at the rainy roadside but soon begins to regret her decision when she questions his sobriety and his motives. Panicked and keen to get him out of the car she lies about where shes headed for and breathes a sigh of relief as she manages to get him out of her car.
Her horror when she arrives at her new job to find the same guy is one of her new colleagues now bearing a grudge against her and to cover up her little white lie, she tells another and then it becomes almost too difficult to tell the truth and silly white lies become falsehoods that haunt her every move.
Meanwhile she meets another man to whom her reaction and instincts are completely different - she is bowled over by the enigmatic and charismatic Jack and responds to him by falling for him - big time!
But events are beginning to spiral out of control, like ripples in a lake her white lie leads her to become involved in covering up a brutal murder, no longer sure who to trust she must reply on her instincts - instincts we are beginning to realise are no more reliable than her ability to tell the truth.
A cracking good suspense novel, easy and undemanding but a jolly exciting read, to curl up on a cold winters day in front of the fire with.
September 17, 2012
Review of White Lies by Jeremy Bates
“White Lies” is an amazing novel. I literally locked my door and did not stir away from my Kindle Fire until I had finished it-and then wished I could reread it immediately. I can’t rave enough about this book, except to say that it ought to be read by every aficionado of mystery, thriller, suspense-and by every student of writing. How could this novel be improved? I don’t believe it could be-I found it perfect as it is. The tension escalates to unbearable levels, much like a snowball might eventually turn into an avalance; only here there is no “eventually,” the consequences pile upon earlier actions, in a logical progression, worse each time, until-the blazing, blasting, knock-out denouements-and then, a gentle release of tension. Whew! What a ride! Take note of the title, for that says it all-and readers, be careful from now on to speak only the truth, because those “little white lies” come back to haunt your life-irrevocably and irredeemably.
I received a review e-book copy from NetGalley.com, and reviewed it at the author's request, in exchange for my fair and impartial review.
“White Lies” is an amazing novel. I literally locked my door and did not stir away from my Kindle Fire until I had finished it-and then wished I could reread it immediately. I can’t rave enough about this book, except to say that it ought to be read by every aficionado of mystery, thriller, suspense-and by every student of writing. How could this novel be improved? I don’t believe it could be-I found it perfect as it is. The tension escalates to unbearable levels, much like a snowball might eventually turn into an avalance; only here there is no “eventually,” the consequences pile upon earlier actions, in a logical progression, worse each time, until-the blazing, blasting, knock-out denouements-and then, a gentle release of tension. Whew! What a ride! Take note of the title, for that says it all-and readers, be careful from now on to speak only the truth, because those “little white lies” come back to haunt your life-irrevocably and irredeemably.
I received a review e-book copy from NetGalley.com, and reviewed it at the author's request, in exchange for my fair and impartial review.
August 17, 2012
Was worth the $1.99 it cost on Kindle yesterday, but that's about it!
March 16, 2024
How can a woman be that gullible and trusting? How did she think that was ok, even a little?
May 11, 2018
White Lies - those lies you think are OK to tell, but more often than not come back to bite you.
Katrina picks up a male hitch-hiker who she quickly makes excuses to, to get him back out of her car as quickly as possible. When she starts her new job she is surprised to meet him again. He remembers how she treated him, and so begins the telling of white lies.
I like how this story is told. The suspense builds as each lie is told until everything gets out of hand and Katrina and Zach realise they need to look out for each other. I did feel as though some of what Katrina agrees to go along with seemed far fetched, but perhaps that's just because I think I wouldn't react the same in similar circumstances.
A really enjoyable suspense/thriller.
Katrina picks up a male hitch-hiker who she quickly makes excuses to, to get him back out of her car as quickly as possible. When she starts her new job she is surprised to meet him again. He remembers how she treated him, and so begins the telling of white lies.
I like how this story is told. The suspense builds as each lie is told until everything gets out of hand and Katrina and Zach realise they need to look out for each other. I did feel as though some of what Katrina agrees to go along with seemed far fetched, but perhaps that's just because I think I wouldn't react the same in similar circumstances.
A really enjoyable suspense/thriller.
August 30, 2012
Have you ever told a white lie…you know, to your mum when you’ve lied about where you’ve been, or to your husband about how much you spent on that divine pair of shoes, or to your employers about that cold that you—ahem—suddenly developed that Friday you wanted off work? Just a little white lie to get out of a sticky situation? Harmless? Perhaps, but it doesn’t quite work out that way for Katrina Burton…
In this an outstanding novel by Jeremy Bates, in which a seemingly harmless lie has unimaginable repercussions, Katrina Burton picks up a young hitchhiker (completely disregarding the dangers) on her way to a new town and a new school to take up a new teaching post. Somewhat drunk and disorderly, she realises she has to turf this unsavoury young man out of her car as quickly as possible and lies about where she’s headed. That’s it, problem solved. However, when she soon discovers he’s a teacher at the same school, her little lie suddenly takes a life of its own, despite a niggling little voice that tries to tell her to end it once and for all. But a chance encounter with a tall, dark and handsome stranger proves to be disastrous. Attracted and somewhat blinded by the charisma of this mysterious newcomer to the town, she finds herself being persuaded to feed her lie until it snowballs and heads towards even more lies, deceit, and murder with a rising body count.
This was compelling, suspenseful, gripping, and trotted along at a perfect pace. Although it’s easy to question the path and wrong turns Katrina makes, you can’t help but feel compassion for Katrina who is teetering on a wire of indecision when her new smooth-talking companion coaxes her into making choices she knows deep down are wrong, but Jeremy keeps you guessing (and hoping) until the very end.
Well-written, with a well-conceived and powerfully driven plot, this is one of my favourite books this year, so far.
In this an outstanding novel by Jeremy Bates, in which a seemingly harmless lie has unimaginable repercussions, Katrina Burton picks up a young hitchhiker (completely disregarding the dangers) on her way to a new town and a new school to take up a new teaching post. Somewhat drunk and disorderly, she realises she has to turf this unsavoury young man out of her car as quickly as possible and lies about where she’s headed. That’s it, problem solved. However, when she soon discovers he’s a teacher at the same school, her little lie suddenly takes a life of its own, despite a niggling little voice that tries to tell her to end it once and for all. But a chance encounter with a tall, dark and handsome stranger proves to be disastrous. Attracted and somewhat blinded by the charisma of this mysterious newcomer to the town, she finds herself being persuaded to feed her lie until it snowballs and heads towards even more lies, deceit, and murder with a rising body count.
This was compelling, suspenseful, gripping, and trotted along at a perfect pace. Although it’s easy to question the path and wrong turns Katrina makes, you can’t help but feel compassion for Katrina who is teetering on a wire of indecision when her new smooth-talking companion coaxes her into making choices she knows deep down are wrong, but Jeremy keeps you guessing (and hoping) until the very end.
Well-written, with a well-conceived and powerfully driven plot, this is one of my favourite books this year, so far.
August 18, 2012
This book is a "thriller," a genre I usually avoid but here I made an exception because this was the Amazon kindle daily deal and was set in Leavenworth, WA. I can't resist books set in Washington, and was especially curious to see how accurately Leavenworth was portrayed since we spent a summer living there when I was a kid.
What I liked: the plot and pacing grabbed me and I read this book in one day. Points for that! It's about a woman who moves to Leavenworth to start a teaching job, but on her way she picks up a hitchhiker and one white lie snowballs into an increasingly dangerous sequence of events. The author also put a lot of thought into developing the main characters -- their backgrounds, motivations, imperfections, etc.
What I didn't like: I had a hard time buying the actions and decisions of Katrina, the protagonist. There were several crucial points in the plot where she makes a bad decision and despite the author and the character's lengthy attempts to rationalize/explain those decisions as consistent with the information available to her and her own perceptions, they didn't always ring true to me. Basically, my "willing suspension of disbelief" about the story was cracked. Same thing with some of the Washington details that rang false. No way the "dean" at UW would call her out of a massive lecture class to personally deliver some bad news. And there aren't moose along 99 south of Everett! Things like that can really throw someone out of the story. There might have been similar problems with the Leavenworth-area scenes, but thankfully nothing bothered me. It's been a while since I was there -- my vague familiarity with the area was satisfied, and I was glad to see it featured in a novel.
What I liked: the plot and pacing grabbed me and I read this book in one day. Points for that! It's about a woman who moves to Leavenworth to start a teaching job, but on her way she picks up a hitchhiker and one white lie snowballs into an increasingly dangerous sequence of events. The author also put a lot of thought into developing the main characters -- their backgrounds, motivations, imperfections, etc.
What I didn't like: I had a hard time buying the actions and decisions of Katrina, the protagonist. There were several crucial points in the plot where she makes a bad decision and despite the author and the character's lengthy attempts to rationalize/explain those decisions as consistent with the information available to her and her own perceptions, they didn't always ring true to me. Basically, my "willing suspension of disbelief" about the story was cracked. Same thing with some of the Washington details that rang false. No way the "dean" at UW would call her out of a massive lecture class to personally deliver some bad news. And there aren't moose along 99 south of Everett! Things like that can really throw someone out of the story. There might have been similar problems with the Leavenworth-area scenes, but thankfully nothing bothered me. It's been a while since I was there -- my vague familiarity with the area was satisfied, and I was glad to see it featured in a novel.
September 7, 2012
Awesome book! Review to come...
I'm sure we've all told a lie or two in our lives, but I've never heard of one coming back to bite so hard. White Lies is a fantastic, scary tale full of mystery, action, suspense, and great characters. It's fast moving and had me hooked from the first page. I could not stop reading. When I rate a book, I have to say "yes" to two questions before I give it 5 stars... Will I read it again? and Could I see it playing out in my head like a movie while I was reading it? White Lies got two big yeses.
I will definitely read anything else Mr Bates writes. In fact, for me, this Bates guy is on the same level as that King guy. Highly recommended read!
I'm sure we've all told a lie or two in our lives, but I've never heard of one coming back to bite so hard. White Lies is a fantastic, scary tale full of mystery, action, suspense, and great characters. It's fast moving and had me hooked from the first page. I could not stop reading. When I rate a book, I have to say "yes" to two questions before I give it 5 stars... Will I read it again? and Could I see it playing out in my head like a movie while I was reading it? White Lies got two big yeses.
I will definitely read anything else Mr Bates writes. In fact, for me, this Bates guy is on the same level as that King guy. Highly recommended read!
August 26, 2014
I got this book as a $2.99 special from Amazon. I didn't really like this book. I found myself rushing through just to get it over with. I felt it was poorly written, lazy and predictable.
I didn't like or care about any of the characters. Personalities and emotions were never developed. I found it funny that although the main character was a woman, I could tell that this was written by a male author. He just didn't get it but he sure did make sure we got the exact models of each car. It just wasn't believable and I couldn't enjoy it.
I didn't like or care about any of the characters. Personalities and emotions were never developed. I found it funny that although the main character was a woman, I could tell that this was written by a male author. He just didn't get it but he sure did make sure we got the exact models of each car. It just wasn't believable and I couldn't enjoy it.
February 7, 2017
Good idea poorly executed - White lies by J. Bates is just another blah book. A mediocre story of what happens if you tell one innocent lie. As I was approaching to the end, the book became predictable, un-innovative and rather boring. What strikes me is how the author does not know how to maintain the mood. At the beginning, the whole ambient is complementary to the story - grim, anxious and convincing but as the story develops, it becomes less and less convincing. Even though a plot is rather compelling, everything else that makes one book a great one is missing.
Too bad!
Too bad!
July 15, 2014
this book was OK. some good twist and turns. the main character seemed to me unrealistically dumb. many of her decisions were just unbelievable. I think the author could have done a better job giving explanation for her decisions.
August 19, 2016
Awesome book!
Read
January 26, 2020This one failed my "Life's Too Short" test fairly early.
The start is a little disturbing but in all the wrong ways.
I know I should be being gripped by how the small, self-protective lies a woman tells escalate and place her in danger.
I should be feeling sorry for her and recognising that this kind of thing could happen to anyone. Or I should be shouting at her to wake up, deal with the confrontation and save herself. I'm not doing either of these things because neither she nor the angry, drunk, narcissistic young man threatening her seem real to me. They come across purely as plot devices and the plot isn't attractive. It's shaping up to be another thriller where the "thrill" comes from watching a vulnerable woman being put at risk.
The speed of my decision is mainly down to the writing. When Bates describes places and situations the prose is leaden and as engaging as reading a police report. When Bates takes me inside the head of either the lying young woman or the drunk young man, I don't get to live there, I just get a laboured explanation of what is driving their behaviour that reads more like notes to an actor who will play the characters.
So, I have an unattractive plot, delivered with limping prose and dialogue from characters I don't believe in. Life's too short.
The start is a little disturbing but in all the wrong ways.
I know I should be being gripped by how the small, self-protective lies a woman tells escalate and place her in danger.
I should be feeling sorry for her and recognising that this kind of thing could happen to anyone. Or I should be shouting at her to wake up, deal with the confrontation and save herself. I'm not doing either of these things because neither she nor the angry, drunk, narcissistic young man threatening her seem real to me. They come across purely as plot devices and the plot isn't attractive. It's shaping up to be another thriller where the "thrill" comes from watching a vulnerable woman being put at risk.
The speed of my decision is mainly down to the writing. When Bates describes places and situations the prose is leaden and as engaging as reading a police report. When Bates takes me inside the head of either the lying young woman or the drunk young man, I don't get to live there, I just get a laboured explanation of what is driving their behaviour that reads more like notes to an actor who will play the characters.
So, I have an unattractive plot, delivered with limping prose and dialogue from characters I don't believe in. Life's too short.
September 28, 2024
Usually I enjoy every single book by, Jeremy Bates but this particular book, I did not. Zach, an oddball but I did come to like him. Jack, I did not because he seemed off rather fast. Katrina...what is wrong with you? You jumped in too quickly with Jack and did anything he said which was sort of needy to please Jack. Bandit, the poor baby. Not cool. 😭 Fast pace, back and forth between characters, and not to great. I'll say again, I like Zach and Bandit. Only two characters I enjoyed. I'll put this on my shelf to collect dust.
July 1, 2018
A quick and easy read, this was perfect for my “book about a villain or anti-hero” category for the Popsugar Reading Challenge. It was definitely suspenseful and exciting. The writing descriptive, the main characters relatable, and the action face-paced, I would recommend this thriller.
June 30, 2012
The Blurb: A single white lie. That’s how it all began. But when that lie snowballs out of control, Katrina Burton, a young school teacher, is forced into telling another and another. Suddenly and tragically, her lies lead to a grisly murder. Now she must decide: come clean and confess, which will not only destroy her career, but also the life of the man she loves. Or cover up the murder and hope for the best. But very quickly, she discovers that she may not have a choice and that her real trials are only just beginning.
The Author: Jeremy Bates has spent the last ten years traveling the world, visiting more than thirty countries. He has lived in Canada, the United States, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines. Bates is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario with a degree in English literature and philosophy and is a teacher in international schools. Visit Mr. Bates at his website www.jeremybatesbooks.com.
My Review: Buckle up, the ride is about to begin and you’re going to find some hairy turns and drops, my friend! I stayed up until after 3 a.m. to finish this book. I could not put it down. Generally, you reach a stopping point in a book. A place where you feel you can set it down and do whatever it is you need to do in real life: go to work, answer a phone call, eat lunch, or go to bed. You can come back to it later, right? Wrong. There is no intermission in “White Lies,” folks.
The characters are flawed and that’s what makes them interesting. It’s also what makes the storyline believable. “White Lies” put me in mind of “A Simple Plan,” by Scott Smith. The story starts out relatively straight-forward, but soon things begin to spiral out of control. One little lie leads to another and another…and another. And just when you’re like “Say, what??” and you’re certain the situation has become as dire possible for the characters, choices are made and the situation spins out even further!
Mr. Bates has some terrific lines in the book, no doubt. He also walks the tight rope all authors of thrillers must in order to make the decision of whether or not to be overly graphic. Mr. Bates stays successfully on the side of strong visuals, without going over.
Speaking of visuals, I can absolutely see this book being made into a film. I don’t know whether or not that was the author’s intent, but I can see it happening. Someone is going to snap it up and make it into a movie. So enjoy it now AND first as a book, people. “White Lies” is an intense, exciting, and absolutely fun read.
The Author: Jeremy Bates has spent the last ten years traveling the world, visiting more than thirty countries. He has lived in Canada, the United States, Australia, Japan, South Korea, and the Philippines. Bates is a graduate of the University of Western Ontario with a degree in English literature and philosophy and is a teacher in international schools. Visit Mr. Bates at his website www.jeremybatesbooks.com.
My Review: Buckle up, the ride is about to begin and you’re going to find some hairy turns and drops, my friend! I stayed up until after 3 a.m. to finish this book. I could not put it down. Generally, you reach a stopping point in a book. A place where you feel you can set it down and do whatever it is you need to do in real life: go to work, answer a phone call, eat lunch, or go to bed. You can come back to it later, right? Wrong. There is no intermission in “White Lies,” folks.
The characters are flawed and that’s what makes them interesting. It’s also what makes the storyline believable. “White Lies” put me in mind of “A Simple Plan,” by Scott Smith. The story starts out relatively straight-forward, but soon things begin to spiral out of control. One little lie leads to another and another…and another. And just when you’re like “Say, what??” and you’re certain the situation has become as dire possible for the characters, choices are made and the situation spins out even further!
Mr. Bates has some terrific lines in the book, no doubt. He also walks the tight rope all authors of thrillers must in order to make the decision of whether or not to be overly graphic. Mr. Bates stays successfully on the side of strong visuals, without going over.
Speaking of visuals, I can absolutely see this book being made into a film. I don’t know whether or not that was the author’s intent, but I can see it happening. Someone is going to snap it up and make it into a movie. So enjoy it now AND first as a book, people. “White Lies” is an intense, exciting, and absolutely fun read.
August 24, 2012
From my blog
A simple innocent lie meets professional lies ending with murder. This was a thrilling novel, fast paced edge of your seat build up, pace is a strong point of Jeremy Bates. For those that enjoy Adult Fiction but want to try a Thriller go for this.
My main issue is the hitchhiking, who the hell still picks up hitchhikers this day in age. I am sorry, completely unbelievable which made me have the oh whatever feel while reading. And then it is Katrina's first day on the job and she realises Zach, the man she picked up will be her colleague. I was able to suspend belief and enjoy the circumstances that became thrilling and mysterious. Why the hitchhiker issue is big, seriously, it is a dark and stormy night........ really. Ok I am done with my vent but that took away a whole star rating. I cannot handle complete utter foolishness.
I wanted to like Katrina, but with every lie on top of another it just became this silly game of cat and mouse. I got the feeling Zach and her would end up together because they took to much time being concerned with each other and trying to have one up over the other. I'm not complaining this was entertaining to say the least.
Katrina then meets dark and handsome Jack and she is smitten, never using her head correctly and gets caught up. I then begin to realise they are both compulsive liars, she is remorseful but he totally gets the thrill of living on the edge.
We are compounded with lies and then murder. Instead of getting cops involved there are more lies to cover it up which of course leads to more murders and everyone is at risk and also scared to death of Jack.
You will not like any characters, you will think they are all fools and to think majority are suppose to be professionals, teachers, omg, what a scary thought but seriously you can only laugh at this.
After reading my review it may seem I didn't enjoy it but I did, after suspending my belief of course. The fast pace, thrill sold me, I was engaged. If your in the mood for a smoking hot book full of lies, give it a try. I can see White Lies on the big screen and be enjoyed by many.
A simple innocent lie meets professional lies ending with murder. This was a thrilling novel, fast paced edge of your seat build up, pace is a strong point of Jeremy Bates. For those that enjoy Adult Fiction but want to try a Thriller go for this.
My main issue is the hitchhiking, who the hell still picks up hitchhikers this day in age. I am sorry, completely unbelievable which made me have the oh whatever feel while reading. And then it is Katrina's first day on the job and she realises Zach, the man she picked up will be her colleague. I was able to suspend belief and enjoy the circumstances that became thrilling and mysterious. Why the hitchhiker issue is big, seriously, it is a dark and stormy night........ really. Ok I am done with my vent but that took away a whole star rating. I cannot handle complete utter foolishness.
I wanted to like Katrina, but with every lie on top of another it just became this silly game of cat and mouse. I got the feeling Zach and her would end up together because they took to much time being concerned with each other and trying to have one up over the other. I'm not complaining this was entertaining to say the least.
Katrina then meets dark and handsome Jack and she is smitten, never using her head correctly and gets caught up. I then begin to realise they are both compulsive liars, she is remorseful but he totally gets the thrill of living on the edge.
We are compounded with lies and then murder. Instead of getting cops involved there are more lies to cover it up which of course leads to more murders and everyone is at risk and also scared to death of Jack.
You will not like any characters, you will think they are all fools and to think majority are suppose to be professionals, teachers, omg, what a scary thought but seriously you can only laugh at this.
After reading my review it may seem I didn't enjoy it but I did, after suspending my belief of course. The fast pace, thrill sold me, I was engaged. If your in the mood for a smoking hot book full of lies, give it a try. I can see White Lies on the big screen and be enjoyed by many.
August 8, 2012
Katrina Burton has a new job teaching high school English in a small town. On her way to her new home, she picks up a young hitchhiker and things get a little creepy when she finds he’s not only drunk but he’s looking at her with hungry eyes. Freaked out, Katrina lies about her destination in order to get him out of the car and one lie leads to another when she finds out he’s a teacher at the same school. Not knowing what else to do, she confides in a mysterious, handsome and charismatic man she just met. He comes up with a plan to free her from her web of lies. That plan turns into a nightmare that positions her in the middle of a murder. Now she must decide whether to cover for the man she loves or come clean.
Jeremy Bates has hit the ball out of the park with this thriller! It swerved me and I’m usually pretty good at predicting where a book is going to go. That put a huge smile on my face because I like surprises! The characters really make this harrowing story come to life as the reader even takes sides. There will be characters you love, making crazy decisions you may not love and there will be characters that are just downright creepy. Once you feel like you’re firmly grounded and have everyone cased, you’ll be flipped on your head and then the fun begins. You will not want to put this book down. I was seriously trying to game with my friends and read at the same time. That didn’t go over well and I gave up the game to finish the book and my review. I know this book is priced at a little over ten bucks, but if you pass it up due to the price point, you’re really going to miss out.
Thank you to Oceanview Publishing and Pump Up Your Book for the review copy. It in no way influenced my review.
Jeremy Bates has hit the ball out of the park with this thriller! It swerved me and I’m usually pretty good at predicting where a book is going to go. That put a huge smile on my face because I like surprises! The characters really make this harrowing story come to life as the reader even takes sides. There will be characters you love, making crazy decisions you may not love and there will be characters that are just downright creepy. Once you feel like you’re firmly grounded and have everyone cased, you’ll be flipped on your head and then the fun begins. You will not want to put this book down. I was seriously trying to game with my friends and read at the same time. That didn’t go over well and I gave up the game to finish the book and my review. I know this book is priced at a little over ten bucks, but if you pass it up due to the price point, you’re really going to miss out.
Thank you to Oceanview Publishing and Pump Up Your Book for the review copy. It in no way influenced my review.
August 31, 2012
Oh what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive. This is the moral of this story and it is pounded into your head again and again.
I debated between 2 and 3 stars, 2 1/2 being my actual choice, but since I couldn't do that I rounded up. The story was interesting enough to keep me reading but I found the characters to be two-dimensional at best.
The book opens with a young woman driving alone through the Cascades. It was a dark and stormy night. Really. She comes across a hitchhiker slogging through the downpour and, against her better judgement, she stops and picks him up. Things go down hill fast and soon she just wants him out of her car. So she tells a lie. A little white lie.
So far, I could see it. While I never pick up hitchhikers I know that, faced with the circumstances that she had, I would have been tempted to stop too. But after that, she loses me entirely. The hitcher turns out to be a fellow teacher at her new job and rather than come out and tell him that she lied because he was acting like a jerk and scaring her, she feels that she needs to elaborate upon her initial lie.
And so it goes, down, down, down the rabbit hole while all along the author beats it into your head that lying is BAD. Bad things come from telling lies.
I get it, I get it. I'll try to never lie again. Promise!
I debated between 2 and 3 stars, 2 1/2 being my actual choice, but since I couldn't do that I rounded up. The story was interesting enough to keep me reading but I found the characters to be two-dimensional at best.
The book opens with a young woman driving alone through the Cascades. It was a dark and stormy night. Really. She comes across a hitchhiker slogging through the downpour and, against her better judgement, she stops and picks him up. Things go down hill fast and soon she just wants him out of her car. So she tells a lie. A little white lie.
So far, I could see it. While I never pick up hitchhikers I know that, faced with the circumstances that she had, I would have been tempted to stop too. But after that, she loses me entirely. The hitcher turns out to be a fellow teacher at her new job and rather than come out and tell him that she lied because he was acting like a jerk and scaring her, she feels that she needs to elaborate upon her initial lie.
And so it goes, down, down, down the rabbit hole while all along the author beats it into your head that lying is BAD. Bad things come from telling lies.
I get it, I get it. I'll try to never lie again. Promise!
September 20, 2012
While I'm not normally a fan of Suspense/Thriller novels, White Lies by Jeremy Bates was an exceptional read. Not sure how to avoid a cliche here, because I literally could not put it down.
A dark stormy night, alone on a mountain highway, Katrina Burton does something that she normally never does. She picks up a hitchhiker. Filled with regret the minute the passenger door slams shut, Katrina goes on to do something totally against her character, she tells a 'little white lie' to get rid of her troublesome passenger. From that moment on, buckle your seat belt, because the author takes you on a wild ride that is enough to scare anyone honest.
Mr. Bates creates characters as believable as they are creepy. Only a few pages in you're not sure who are the bad guys and who you can trust. Katrina finds that it's almost impossible to tell only little white lie and coming clean with the truth is even harder.
If you enjoy a wild ride from start to finish 'White Lies' won't fail to please. If your more character driven, there is something here for you also. A well crafted story with a killer plot, 'White Lies' took me up the mountain and off the cliff.
A dark stormy night, alone on a mountain highway, Katrina Burton does something that she normally never does. She picks up a hitchhiker. Filled with regret the minute the passenger door slams shut, Katrina goes on to do something totally against her character, she tells a 'little white lie' to get rid of her troublesome passenger. From that moment on, buckle your seat belt, because the author takes you on a wild ride that is enough to scare anyone honest.
Mr. Bates creates characters as believable as they are creepy. Only a few pages in you're not sure who are the bad guys and who you can trust. Katrina finds that it's almost impossible to tell only little white lie and coming clean with the truth is even harder.
If you enjoy a wild ride from start to finish 'White Lies' won't fail to please. If your more character driven, there is something here for you also. A well crafted story with a killer plot, 'White Lies' took me up the mountain and off the cliff.
July 25, 2012
OMG!!!
You tell one lie...you can always correct yourself if you want, but if you keep telling lies well....
This story grabs you from the get go. You have to keep reading, the characters that Mr. Bates has created just scream "Guess what I'm going to do next!".
Katrina is a bit of a push over and it's understandable being that she hasn't really lived life for the past two years, but man oh man (LOL)!
Zach, even though he is brash, an BUTT, I really wanted to smack him ( a lot of the time), he does grow on you.
Then you have Jack the token HOTTIE, BAD BOY, the one Katrina falls hard for. To be honest I'd probably take him home like a lost little puppy myself! He is a very interesting piece of work....makes the lies keep coming to say the least....
When you get them all together well...yeah...LOL
Teachers can party pretty well when not at school and Lies (even "white Lies") only take you so far.
You tell one lie...you can always correct yourself if you want, but if you keep telling lies well....
This story grabs you from the get go. You have to keep reading, the characters that Mr. Bates has created just scream "Guess what I'm going to do next!".
Katrina is a bit of a push over and it's understandable being that she hasn't really lived life for the past two years, but man oh man (LOL)!
Zach, even though he is brash, an BUTT, I really wanted to smack him ( a lot of the time), he does grow on you.
Then you have Jack the token HOTTIE, BAD BOY, the one Katrina falls hard for. To be honest I'd probably take him home like a lost little puppy myself! He is a very interesting piece of work....makes the lies keep coming to say the least....
When you get them all together well...yeah...LOL
Teachers can party pretty well when not at school and Lies (even "white Lies") only take you so far.
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