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The Friend Who Lied
Five entered the escape room. Only four came out alive.
Lisa Ashton receives a last-minute reprieve from death two weeks before her birthday. Regaining consciousness, she is horrified to learn one of her friends has been killed – and saved her life.
As she recovers, she uncovers a trail of carefully guarded reputations, disturbing rumours, and lies. Soon, Lisa begins to wonder if one of her friends is hiding a terrible secret.
Because five of them entered the escape room that day, and only four got out alive.
And someone is determined to cover their tracks before she can find out the truth.
Can Lisa find the killer before someone else dies?
The Friend Who Lied: a twisted psychological thriller from USA Today bestseller Rachel Amphlett - perfect for fans of The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley and Friend Request by Laura Marshall.
Lisa Ashton receives a last-minute reprieve from death two weeks before her birthday. Regaining consciousness, she is horrified to learn one of her friends has been killed – and saved her life.
As she recovers, she uncovers a trail of carefully guarded reputations, disturbing rumours, and lies. Soon, Lisa begins to wonder if one of her friends is hiding a terrible secret.
Because five of them entered the escape room that day, and only four got out alive.
And someone is determined to cover their tracks before she can find out the truth.
Can Lisa find the killer before someone else dies?
The Friend Who Lied: a twisted psychological thriller from USA Today bestseller Rachel Amphlett - perfect for fans of The Hunting Party by Lucy Foley and Friend Request by Laura Marshall.
364 pages, Paperback
First published June 9, 2019
152 people are currently reading
965 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Amphlett
206 books671 followersBefore turning to writing, USA Today bestselling crime author Rachel Amphlett played guitar in bands, worked as a TV and film extra, dabbled in radio, and worked in publishing as an editorial assistant.
She now wields a pen instead of a plectrum and writes crime fiction with over 30 crime novels and short stories featuring spies, detectives, vigilantes, and assassins.
A keen traveller and accidental private investigator, Rachel has both Australian and British citizenship.
You can find out more about Rachel and her books at www.rachelamphlett.com.
Praise for Rachel Amphlett
“Fast paced with vivid characterisation and clever twists, [None the Wiser] is another winner” Adrian McKinty
“[None the Wiser] is a terrific start to a new series” Jo Spain, With Our Blessing and The Confession
“Quirky, creepy and twisted tales” James Oswald, Sunday Times bestselling author
“Thrilling start to a new series. Scared to Death is a stylish, smart and gripping crime thriller” Robert Bryndza
"Scared to Death… moves along at breakneck speed with twists and turns" Angela Marsons
She now wields a pen instead of a plectrum and writes crime fiction with over 30 crime novels and short stories featuring spies, detectives, vigilantes, and assassins.
A keen traveller and accidental private investigator, Rachel has both Australian and British citizenship.
You can find out more about Rachel and her books at www.rachelamphlett.com.
Praise for Rachel Amphlett
“Fast paced with vivid characterisation and clever twists, [None the Wiser] is another winner” Adrian McKinty
“[None the Wiser] is a terrific start to a new series” Jo Spain, With Our Blessing and The Confession
“Quirky, creepy and twisted tales” James Oswald, Sunday Times bestselling author
“Thrilling start to a new series. Scared to Death is a stylish, smart and gripping crime thriller” Robert Bryndza
"Scared to Death… moves along at breakneck speed with twists and turns" Angela Marsons
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 148 reviews
June 10, 2019
I am thrilled to share my first Rachel Amphlett book! This was a super quick thrill ride!
Two weeks before her birthday, Lisa regains consciousness to find out a friend of hers has passed away but also saved her life. This all happened while the five friends were in an escape room.
Lisa slowly recovers and learns of a massive amount of secrets and lies. She thinks a friend of hers is hiding something big.
Lisa wants to figure out what happened to her friend, even though she struggles to remember what happened that fateful night.
There was tons of tension here, and the pacing was addictive. I loved Amphlett’s writing style and hearing from each of the different friends. The characters are complex and dynamic, and I could not wait for the big reveal. It was shocking, too!
I had so much fun with The Friend Who Lied and am grateful to have a new author to love!
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
Two weeks before her birthday, Lisa regains consciousness to find out a friend of hers has passed away but also saved her life. This all happened while the five friends were in an escape room.
Lisa slowly recovers and learns of a massive amount of secrets and lies. She thinks a friend of hers is hiding something big.
Lisa wants to figure out what happened to her friend, even though she struggles to remember what happened that fateful night.
There was tons of tension here, and the pacing was addictive. I loved Amphlett’s writing style and hearing from each of the different friends. The characters are complex and dynamic, and I could not wait for the big reveal. It was shocking, too!
I had so much fun with The Friend Who Lied and am grateful to have a new author to love!
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
May 20, 2019
Lisa Ashton’s health had been deteriorating rapidly – the five friends decided to do the fun activities at the escape room as a last group activity with Lisa. When Lisa woke in the hospital, she couldn’t remember much of what happened that day – what she knew though, was that she was alive and one of her friends was dead.
Bec, David, Hayley, Simon and Lisa had been friends for a long time. Even when a couple of them went their own way, they invariably ended up back together again. But something strange happened in the escape room – why couldn’t Lisa remember what had happened? They were all questioned by the police – it didn’t help, as her memories wouldn’t resurface. As she gradually recovered from the transplant surgery, and was finally able to return home, Lisa was determined to find the answers. But as the truth was uncovered, Lisa suddenly wondered if she really wanted to know…
The Friend Who Lied by Aussie author Rachel Amphlett is a stand-alone psychological thriller which took my breath away! The tension was electric – I was trying to work out the who and the how and thought I knew the why – but it turns out I was way wrong! The Friend Who Lied is one that all fans of thrillers and the like, should thoroughly enjoy. I know I did! Highly recommended.
With thanks to the author for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Bec, David, Hayley, Simon and Lisa had been friends for a long time. Even when a couple of them went their own way, they invariably ended up back together again. But something strange happened in the escape room – why couldn’t Lisa remember what had happened? They were all questioned by the police – it didn’t help, as her memories wouldn’t resurface. As she gradually recovered from the transplant surgery, and was finally able to return home, Lisa was determined to find the answers. But as the truth was uncovered, Lisa suddenly wondered if she really wanted to know…
The Friend Who Lied by Aussie author Rachel Amphlett is a stand-alone psychological thriller which took my breath away! The tension was electric – I was trying to work out the who and the how and thought I knew the why – but it turns out I was way wrong! The Friend Who Lied is one that all fans of thrillers and the like, should thoroughly enjoy. I know I did! Highly recommended.
With thanks to the author for my digital ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
November 23, 2020
I definitely prefer this author's series to her stand alones. This is probably because she writes her main characters so well that I enjoy getting to know them. In The Friend Who Lied there is no way to get to know anyone as the chapters constantly rotate round the central players who are all reporting their own views and are all unreliable narrators. They are all rather unlikable too!
The story is intriguing, there is plenty of suspense and the book is definitely very readable. The ending is quite sudden and rather unusual. I did like it but would like another Detective Kay Hunter or Dan Taylor even more.
The story is intriguing, there is plenty of suspense and the book is definitely very readable. The ending is quite sudden and rather unusual. I did like it but would like another Detective Kay Hunter or Dan Taylor even more.
June 8, 2019
Imagine needing a kidney transplant or you’ll die. Then imagine you find a donor just in the nick of time but that donor is actually a close friend and they pass away in order for you to live. Intense stuff and that’s exactly what happens to Lisa. Throw in a good old fashioned whodunnit and I’m hooked!
I love a locked room mystery and this had a clever twist as it takes place when a group of friends visits an escape room, which gave the whole thing a really modern vibe. Having a small pool of suspects sometimes makes it kinda easy to guess whodunnit but the author was very clever here and there was nothing easy about this one! This group of friends all have secrets and things they’re desperate to keep hidden so finding out the truth was not simple. It was a constant guessing game and one that really kept me on my toes.
This was a super fast paced and highly addicting read, I was desperate to find out not only who killed Simon but also what each person was hiding and read it very quickly in order to get to the truth. Multiple narrators that you don’t know if you can trust couple with an intriguing plot and sharp pacing make this one not to miss.
The Friend Who Lied in three words: Addictive, Fast and Tangled
I love a locked room mystery and this had a clever twist as it takes place when a group of friends visits an escape room, which gave the whole thing a really modern vibe. Having a small pool of suspects sometimes makes it kinda easy to guess whodunnit but the author was very clever here and there was nothing easy about this one! This group of friends all have secrets and things they’re desperate to keep hidden so finding out the truth was not simple. It was a constant guessing game and one that really kept me on my toes.
This was a super fast paced and highly addicting read, I was desperate to find out not only who killed Simon but also what each person was hiding and read it very quickly in order to get to the truth. Multiple narrators that you don’t know if you can trust couple with an intriguing plot and sharp pacing make this one not to miss.
The Friend Who Lied in three words: Addictive, Fast and Tangled
November 17, 2020
Um thriller psicológico que tem como tema principal o escape room e mentiras entre amigos.
No aniversário de Lisa, os amigos decidem festejar o aniversário num sítio diferente, num escape room. Poderá ser o último aniversário de Lisa. Tudo parece ser uma despedida.
Mas quem escolhe fazer a última festa de aniversário da amiga num escape room? Qual será o verdadeiro motivo da escolha ser um escape room?
Até que Lisa acorda na cama de hospital. Pensava que ia morrer, não sabe porque que está viva. E acima de tudo não se lembra do que se passou no escape room.
O que ela vem a saber é que um dos amigos está morto. Um dos amigos morreu no escape room. Um dos amigos acabou por lhe salvar a vida, a morrer.
Lisa, na verdade, precisava de um transplante mas já tinha perdido a esperança e aceitado o seu destino. A festa de aniversário também seria uma despedida. Mas as coisas não aconteceram bem assim.
Lisa devastada começa a perguntar a todos os amigos o que de facto aconteceu no escape room. Ninguém quer falar nisso. Ninguém quer contar a Lisa. Mas todos sabem. Há um amigo que esconde um segredo perturbador.
E se a festa de aniversário da Lisa tinha outro objetivo que não fosse celebrar o seu aniversário?
Neste livro entramos na perspetiva dos quatro amigos, ouvimos os seus medos. Porque Lisa quer saber o que verdadeiramente aconteceu naquele dia e porque parece que todos escondem um segredo.
Numa escrita que articula o passado e o presente percebemos que realmente aconteceu e como o passado contribuiu para o destino do amigo que morreu.
Para além deste livro tocar no tempo sensível de mentiras que podem destruir amizades, fala sobre obsessões que se podem tornar destrutivas e colocar vidas em risco.
No aniversário de Lisa, os amigos decidem festejar o aniversário num sítio diferente, num escape room. Poderá ser o último aniversário de Lisa. Tudo parece ser uma despedida.
Mas quem escolhe fazer a última festa de aniversário da amiga num escape room? Qual será o verdadeiro motivo da escolha ser um escape room?
Até que Lisa acorda na cama de hospital. Pensava que ia morrer, não sabe porque que está viva. E acima de tudo não se lembra do que se passou no escape room.
O que ela vem a saber é que um dos amigos está morto. Um dos amigos morreu no escape room. Um dos amigos acabou por lhe salvar a vida, a morrer.
Lisa, na verdade, precisava de um transplante mas já tinha perdido a esperança e aceitado o seu destino. A festa de aniversário também seria uma despedida. Mas as coisas não aconteceram bem assim.
Lisa devastada começa a perguntar a todos os amigos o que de facto aconteceu no escape room. Ninguém quer falar nisso. Ninguém quer contar a Lisa. Mas todos sabem. Há um amigo que esconde um segredo perturbador.
E se a festa de aniversário da Lisa tinha outro objetivo que não fosse celebrar o seu aniversário?
Neste livro entramos na perspetiva dos quatro amigos, ouvimos os seus medos. Porque Lisa quer saber o que verdadeiramente aconteceu naquele dia e porque parece que todos escondem um segredo.
Numa escrita que articula o passado e o presente percebemos que realmente aconteceu e como o passado contribuiu para o destino do amigo que morreu.
Para além deste livro tocar no tempo sensível de mentiras que podem destruir amizades, fala sobre obsessões que se podem tornar destrutivas e colocar vidas em risco.
May 31, 2019
Lisa who was nearly at death’s door, wakes up in hospital having miraculously had a life saving transplant but at the cost of one of her friends lives. You can feel the emotional turmoil that she is going through at being grateful that she is alive but the guilt that surrounds it as she would never want for any of her friends to pay such a price.
This is a group of friends that have been together since their school days. There is obviously a bond there but yet all seem to be very guarded when it comes to Lisa which makes her recovery even harder as she is anxious to find out the truth, especially as the police seem keen to get to the bottom of what happened in the escape room, causing one of the friends deaths.
The story alternates between the remaining friends, giving the reader a glance into their minds and to what they are thinking. It soon becomes apparent something must have happened or be going on but what, was what myself and Lisa had to find out.
The story line is one that certainly grabbed my attention and kept me hooked throughout. None of the characters are overly likeable and to a certain extent, all felt slightly unreliable. I wasn’t quite sure what to believe and whether I was reading to much into things and not enough into others. The author certainly knows how to mess with her readers minds, making this an utterly compulsive read.
The Friend Who Lied is an addictive read that I couldn’t put down. I read it in two sittings as I had to know just what secrets or lies were being kept from me. Psychological thrillers are my all time favourite genre and this author certainly has made her mark within it with this book. From the cover alone it promises a dark and tangled web and this was sure that. Great read and highly recommended.
This is a group of friends that have been together since their school days. There is obviously a bond there but yet all seem to be very guarded when it comes to Lisa which makes her recovery even harder as she is anxious to find out the truth, especially as the police seem keen to get to the bottom of what happened in the escape room, causing one of the friends deaths.
The story alternates between the remaining friends, giving the reader a glance into their minds and to what they are thinking. It soon becomes apparent something must have happened or be going on but what, was what myself and Lisa had to find out.
The story line is one that certainly grabbed my attention and kept me hooked throughout. None of the characters are overly likeable and to a certain extent, all felt slightly unreliable. I wasn’t quite sure what to believe and whether I was reading to much into things and not enough into others. The author certainly knows how to mess with her readers minds, making this an utterly compulsive read.
The Friend Who Lied is an addictive read that I couldn’t put down. I read it in two sittings as I had to know just what secrets or lies were being kept from me. Psychological thrillers are my all time favourite genre and this author certainly has made her mark within it with this book. From the cover alone it promises a dark and tangled web and this was sure that. Great read and highly recommended.
August 20, 2019
This is the first book I have read by Rachel Amphlett and is a standalone psychological thriller.
Lisa Ashton wakes up in hospital with the horrific realisation that in order for her to be alive someone has died. Her last memories before waking in hospital is celebrating her birthday with her best friends in an Escape Room and now one of them is dead and the others seem to be avoiding her.
Determined to work out how her friend died and what happened in the Escape Room, Lisa starts to dig deeper into her surviving friends stories and uncovers some frightening truths.
Told through alternating character voices, The Friend Who Lied is a fast paced thriller with snappy chapters and intriguing characters. Full of twists and turns, secrets and lies this story is gripping and keeps the reader guessing throughout.
Lisa Ashton wakes up in hospital with the horrific realisation that in order for her to be alive someone has died. Her last memories before waking in hospital is celebrating her birthday with her best friends in an Escape Room and now one of them is dead and the others seem to be avoiding her.
Determined to work out how her friend died and what happened in the Escape Room, Lisa starts to dig deeper into her surviving friends stories and uncovers some frightening truths.
Told through alternating character voices, The Friend Who Lied is a fast paced thriller with snappy chapters and intriguing characters. Full of twists and turns, secrets and lies this story is gripping and keeps the reader guessing throughout.
November 25, 2020
7 de 10 *
Este é um daqueles thrillers que só a sinopse me deixou agarrada a ele, criando-me expectativas elevadas. Ora vejam: um grupo de jovens adultos, combinam um escape room. Foi a forma que encontraram de celebrar o aniversário de Lisa, que se encontra gravemente doente, a necessitar de um dador de rim. O que acontece nesse escape room? Ninguém sabe ou ninguém quer contar, apenas se sabe que Simon, antigo namorado de Lisa e único dador compatível conhecido até ao momento, morre inesperadamente lá dentro. A sua morte acaba por ser a salvação de Lisa, porque permitiu o transplante. O facto de tudo parecer encaixar tão bem nas suas necessidades, levanta dúvidas e a polícia inicia a sua investigação. O que aconteceu? Haveria um plano? Ou foi um dramático acidente?
Comentário completo em:
https://abibliotecadajoao.blogspot.co...
Este é um daqueles thrillers que só a sinopse me deixou agarrada a ele, criando-me expectativas elevadas. Ora vejam: um grupo de jovens adultos, combinam um escape room. Foi a forma que encontraram de celebrar o aniversário de Lisa, que se encontra gravemente doente, a necessitar de um dador de rim. O que acontece nesse escape room? Ninguém sabe ou ninguém quer contar, apenas se sabe que Simon, antigo namorado de Lisa e único dador compatível conhecido até ao momento, morre inesperadamente lá dentro. A sua morte acaba por ser a salvação de Lisa, porque permitiu o transplante. O facto de tudo parecer encaixar tão bem nas suas necessidades, levanta dúvidas e a polícia inicia a sua investigação. O que aconteceu? Haveria um plano? Ou foi um dramático acidente?
Comentário completo em:
https://abibliotecadajoao.blogspot.co...
November 10, 2020
Se tivesse de definir o livro Alguém Está a Mentir numa só palavra seria misterioso. Digo isto porque o ambiente ao longo de toda a história está repleto de secretismo, dúvidas e, lá está, mistérios por resolver.
Mal iniciei esta leitura fiquei completamente agarrada a ela. E porquê? Lisa, a personagem principal, acorda no hospital após ter feito uma operação. Apesar de parecer tudo bem até aqui, para que esta operação tivesse acontecido alguém teve de morrer. Como se não fosse suficiente, há uma altura específica do seu passado - antes da operação - da qual Lisa não se recorda. Assim, ao longo de todo o livro vamos acompanhando os pontos de vista de Lisa e de todos os membros do seu grupo de amigos, não só dessa altura específica, como também de outras vivência. Esta diversidade de opiniões foi fundamental para que se possa conhecer o que é que efetivamente aconteceu e como. Devido a serem apresentadas tantas versões diferentes da história, nenhuma das personagens foi explorada muito profundamente. Conhecemos por alto as suas motivações, bem como os seus objetivos e receios, todos tão diferentes e imprevisíveis.
O que é interessante neste livro é o facto de cada capítulo novo ter a capacidade de suscitar ainda mais dúvidas e incertezas no leitor, pois cada uma das personagens tem os seus segredos e interesses. Demora algum tempo até começarmos a aceder a vários pormenores mais importantes sobre os variados pontos de vista, mas vale a pena a espera. O ritmo dos acontecimentos mantém-se lento até bem perto do final, altura em que, aí sim, a intensidade da história aumenta bastante e nos leva numa direção completamente imprevisível.
Gostei muito da forma como a escritora se expressa. Para além de ser um tipo de escrita claro e que flui muito bem, todo o secretismo presente na história manteve-me curiosa do início ao fim e ansiosa para descobrir a verdade.
É um livro que nos faz colocar no lugar de Lisa e pensar se efetivamente conhecemos tão bem como pensamos quem nos rodeia. A célebre frase quem vê caras não vê corações assenta que nem uma luva nesta obra.
Mal iniciei esta leitura fiquei completamente agarrada a ela. E porquê? Lisa, a personagem principal, acorda no hospital após ter feito uma operação. Apesar de parecer tudo bem até aqui, para que esta operação tivesse acontecido alguém teve de morrer. Como se não fosse suficiente, há uma altura específica do seu passado - antes da operação - da qual Lisa não se recorda. Assim, ao longo de todo o livro vamos acompanhando os pontos de vista de Lisa e de todos os membros do seu grupo de amigos, não só dessa altura específica, como também de outras vivência. Esta diversidade de opiniões foi fundamental para que se possa conhecer o que é que efetivamente aconteceu e como. Devido a serem apresentadas tantas versões diferentes da história, nenhuma das personagens foi explorada muito profundamente. Conhecemos por alto as suas motivações, bem como os seus objetivos e receios, todos tão diferentes e imprevisíveis.
O que é interessante neste livro é o facto de cada capítulo novo ter a capacidade de suscitar ainda mais dúvidas e incertezas no leitor, pois cada uma das personagens tem os seus segredos e interesses. Demora algum tempo até começarmos a aceder a vários pormenores mais importantes sobre os variados pontos de vista, mas vale a pena a espera. O ritmo dos acontecimentos mantém-se lento até bem perto do final, altura em que, aí sim, a intensidade da história aumenta bastante e nos leva numa direção completamente imprevisível.
Gostei muito da forma como a escritora se expressa. Para além de ser um tipo de escrita claro e que flui muito bem, todo o secretismo presente na história manteve-me curiosa do início ao fim e ansiosa para descobrir a verdade.
É um livro que nos faz colocar no lugar de Lisa e pensar se efetivamente conhecemos tão bem como pensamos quem nos rodeia. A célebre frase quem vê caras não vê corações assenta que nem uma luva nesta obra.
November 7, 2020
Achei o início do livro bastante intrigante e capaz de deixar o leitor na expectativa, pois temos Lisa a acordar no hospital, após uma operação delicada, e sabe que, para ela estar viva, alguém morreu. Vamos então descobrir que Lisa necessitava de um rim para sobreviver e, quando foi comemorar o seu aniversário numa Escape Room com os seus quatro amigos, um deles morreu e Lisa acabou por ter o rim do seu amigo.
Ao longo da narrativa vamos tendo capítulos sobre cada um dos personagens - Lisa e os três amigos que estão vivos - e logo percebemos que as personagens escondem algo, só não percebemos o quê.
Gostei muito deste ambiente de mentiras e segredos, que os quatro personagens escondem, e termos capítulos sobre cada um deles, ajuda ainda mais a este clima de mistério.
É uma história com mentiras e segredos, e que nos vai mantendo, até ao fim, na expectativa do que será. Os capítulos curtos também ajudam a manter-nos agarrados ao livro, com vontade de querermos saber mais.
Gosto deste tipo de livro, com uma acção mais "fechada" e com um pequeno número de suspeitos. E o que poderia ser simples, afinal não é e manteve-me sempre na expectativa, não só para descobrir quem era o culpado da morte de Simon mas também o que cada um escondia. E, a verdade, é que sentimos até cerca de pouco mais de metade do livro, que nada sabemos.
E é, nas páginas finais, que a narrativa ganha um novo fôlego com uma reviravolta que não esperava e que me apanhou desprevenida, no entanto, senti que terminou bruscamente e que faltou um pouco mais para deixar a história completamente fechada.
Ao longo da narrativa vamos tendo capítulos sobre cada um dos personagens - Lisa e os três amigos que estão vivos - e logo percebemos que as personagens escondem algo, só não percebemos o quê.
Gostei muito deste ambiente de mentiras e segredos, que os quatro personagens escondem, e termos capítulos sobre cada um deles, ajuda ainda mais a este clima de mistério.
É uma história com mentiras e segredos, e que nos vai mantendo, até ao fim, na expectativa do que será. Os capítulos curtos também ajudam a manter-nos agarrados ao livro, com vontade de querermos saber mais.
Gosto deste tipo de livro, com uma acção mais "fechada" e com um pequeno número de suspeitos. E o que poderia ser simples, afinal não é e manteve-me sempre na expectativa, não só para descobrir quem era o culpado da morte de Simon mas também o que cada um escondia. E, a verdade, é que sentimos até cerca de pouco mais de metade do livro, que nada sabemos.
E é, nas páginas finais, que a narrativa ganha um novo fôlego com uma reviravolta que não esperava e que me apanhou desprevenida, no entanto, senti que terminou bruscamente e que faltou um pouco mais para deixar a história completamente fechada.
June 8, 2019
If you love amazing crime fiction or spy novels, you probably know Rachel Amphlett. If you don’t… Where have you been????
Now, Rachel Amphlett steps into another genre, the psychological thriller. Some think a writer can master one genre, be good at a second, but that the chances of succeeding at a third are slim. Let me laugh and offer them a copy of The Friend Who Lied!
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer… But how close is too close?
Lisa wakes up in a hospital room. Her last memories are from her birthday, with her four friends, in an escape room. Now she is alone in a sterile room, and in pain. The opening chapter had my heart racing and my mind panicking as the chirurgical description of confusion of the patient had me stuck in an unknown place with a woman I didn’t know! This is when I knew that I would not be able to put the book down. If the pace gets steadier as Lisa finds her way out of the fog and we meet the other protagonists, the tension only increases as point of views shifts and snippets of the fateful day are revealed among old memories and clever twists.
None of the characters are really likeable. I did feel sorry for Lisa at times, but it slowly faded away as I turned the pages, discovering that in the end, it was a million tiny (or not so tiny) things said and done by each of the group members that had led everyone to get stuck in this sticky cobweb with the death of a man hanging above their head.
The silence around Simon’s death made me suspicious very fast. How come five friends get into an escape room only to see four of them get out alive? You should feel safe when surrounded by your friends, shouldn’t you? But Lisa finds herself alone. Except she’s not the only one in this position. The more I read, the clearer their group appeared. Long-time friends have never looked more alone! I soon suspected love was not the glue that kept them together, and the unwillingness of Lisa’s friends to tell her what happened during their game was the perfect proof that something was off. I was faced with a scab and I was itching to tear it off!!! Rachel Amphlett plays with appearances, tugs at bonds, and scatters hints throughout the novel thanks to unique voices, personal motives, and her special knack to create cracked pictures you just HAVE to dissect until the hidden truth appears.
Lisa’s recovery perfectly contrasted with life going downside for everyone. Being the receiver of her friend’s kidney just in time to avoid death, Lisa is a natural suspect in Simon’s death. What are the odds that a healthy guy falls dead at your feet just when you need saving? But Lisa doesn’t remember much, and she can’t rely on anyone’s words as no one seems to want her to discover what exactly happened. Why? Easy. Everyone has something to hide, and their common denominator is Simon himself.
I never trusted Hayley, Bec, and David, the remaining members of that peculiar group of friends. I could only see them through clouds of mystery and questions. Every time I jumped from a character’s point of view to another, I could feel my train of thoughts becoming shakier. I could not for the sake of it understand those people, let alone find out what they were hiding! I was only able to witness a friendship fall, get damaged, and finally break. If you can't trust your friend, who can you trust??? The magic in Rachel Amphlett’s ways is that despite the fact I couldn’t connect to the characters, the waves of authenticity with which each of them talked and acted, and their own issues, made me care. It made me wonder. It made me shiver and ask myself if anything could be saved or if nothing was sacred enough to find salvation.
I adored this novel and I can only applaud Rachel Amphlett for another stunning novel!
The Friend Who Lied is an amazing taut and addictive psychological thriller in which physical pain matches emotional pain, the toxicity of friendships staining the pages to allow the past to choke the present.
Now, Rachel Amphlett steps into another genre, the psychological thriller. Some think a writer can master one genre, be good at a second, but that the chances of succeeding at a third are slim. Let me laugh and offer them a copy of The Friend Who Lied!
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer… But how close is too close?
Lisa wakes up in a hospital room. Her last memories are from her birthday, with her four friends, in an escape room. Now she is alone in a sterile room, and in pain. The opening chapter had my heart racing and my mind panicking as the chirurgical description of confusion of the patient had me stuck in an unknown place with a woman I didn’t know! This is when I knew that I would not be able to put the book down. If the pace gets steadier as Lisa finds her way out of the fog and we meet the other protagonists, the tension only increases as point of views shifts and snippets of the fateful day are revealed among old memories and clever twists.
None of the characters are really likeable. I did feel sorry for Lisa at times, but it slowly faded away as I turned the pages, discovering that in the end, it was a million tiny (or not so tiny) things said and done by each of the group members that had led everyone to get stuck in this sticky cobweb with the death of a man hanging above their head.
The silence around Simon’s death made me suspicious very fast. How come five friends get into an escape room only to see four of them get out alive? You should feel safe when surrounded by your friends, shouldn’t you? But Lisa finds herself alone. Except she’s not the only one in this position. The more I read, the clearer their group appeared. Long-time friends have never looked more alone! I soon suspected love was not the glue that kept them together, and the unwillingness of Lisa’s friends to tell her what happened during their game was the perfect proof that something was off. I was faced with a scab and I was itching to tear it off!!! Rachel Amphlett plays with appearances, tugs at bonds, and scatters hints throughout the novel thanks to unique voices, personal motives, and her special knack to create cracked pictures you just HAVE to dissect until the hidden truth appears.
Lisa’s recovery perfectly contrasted with life going downside for everyone. Being the receiver of her friend’s kidney just in time to avoid death, Lisa is a natural suspect in Simon’s death. What are the odds that a healthy guy falls dead at your feet just when you need saving? But Lisa doesn’t remember much, and she can’t rely on anyone’s words as no one seems to want her to discover what exactly happened. Why? Easy. Everyone has something to hide, and their common denominator is Simon himself.
I never trusted Hayley, Bec, and David, the remaining members of that peculiar group of friends. I could only see them through clouds of mystery and questions. Every time I jumped from a character’s point of view to another, I could feel my train of thoughts becoming shakier. I could not for the sake of it understand those people, let alone find out what they were hiding! I was only able to witness a friendship fall, get damaged, and finally break. If you can't trust your friend, who can you trust??? The magic in Rachel Amphlett’s ways is that despite the fact I couldn’t connect to the characters, the waves of authenticity with which each of them talked and acted, and their own issues, made me care. It made me wonder. It made me shiver and ask myself if anything could be saved or if nothing was sacred enough to find salvation.
I adored this novel and I can only applaud Rachel Amphlett for another stunning novel!
The Friend Who Lied is an amazing taut and addictive psychological thriller in which physical pain matches emotional pain, the toxicity of friendships staining the pages to allow the past to choke the present.
November 3, 2020
Eu estava bastante curiosa para ler este livro e por isso quero desde já agradecer à @almadoslivros.pt pela cedência deste exemplar. A história destes amigos cativou-me assim que a Lisa acorda no hospital, confusa com o que terá acontecido e nos explica, pelas suas palavras “Se estou viva, então outra pessoa está morta.”. Surpreendeu-me desde início pois pela sinopse achava que a vida da Lisa estava em perigo devido a algum acontecimento na escape room mas não, os acontecimentos que levaram ao trágico dia de aniversário da Lisa eram muito mais complexos.
As intrigas dentro do grupo são desvendadas ao longo do livro o que faz com que a história nunca seja aborrecida ou parada, a nossa curiosidade sobre o passado dos amigos é aguçada por passagens como “Porque durante um breve período de tempo (...) éramos seis. Não cinco.”, e o final surpreendeu-me sem dúvida, refutando muitas das minhas hipóteses e teorias pensadas.
Uma das coisas que me cativou bastante logo desde início foram dos diferentes pontos de vista a cada capítulo, ou seja, a história é narrada por cada um dos amigos de modo a conhecermos todos os lados da história, para além disso os capítulos são curtos o que torna esta obra uma leitura bastante leve e agradável. É um thriller que vale, sem dúvida, a pena ler.
As intrigas dentro do grupo são desvendadas ao longo do livro o que faz com que a história nunca seja aborrecida ou parada, a nossa curiosidade sobre o passado dos amigos é aguçada por passagens como “Porque durante um breve período de tempo (...) éramos seis. Não cinco.”, e o final surpreendeu-me sem dúvida, refutando muitas das minhas hipóteses e teorias pensadas.
Uma das coisas que me cativou bastante logo desde início foram dos diferentes pontos de vista a cada capítulo, ou seja, a história é narrada por cada um dos amigos de modo a conhecermos todos os lados da história, para além disso os capítulos são curtos o que torna esta obra uma leitura bastante leve e agradável. É um thriller que vale, sem dúvida, a pena ler.
October 9, 2020
3,5.... Thriller que ficou bastante longe das minhas expectativas.. Apenas mais na parte final do livro é que se desenrola algo que se possa assemelhar a um thriller..o resto do livro senti que era uma história corrida, curiosa, mas nada ao qual me agarrasse com entusiasmo.
Acredito que para quem não leia muitos livros deste género poderá parecer melhor...no meu caso não me acrescentou nada e não me conseguiu agarrar e surpreender...
Acredito que para quem não leia muitos livros deste género poderá parecer melhor...no meu caso não me acrescentou nada e não me conseguiu agarrar e surpreender...
November 10, 2020
2,5 / 3 *
Achei o livro muito raso. A história poderia ter sido melhor desenvolvida e as personagens ficam muito aquém. Vejo tanta gente a dar 4/5 estrelas ao livro e eu ainda não entendi porquê. Eu gostava de ter gostado deste livro mas as minhas expetativas foram todas por água abaixo. Só as ultimas 60 pags. é que se assemelham algo a um thriller, de resto não passa de mistério.
Lê-se rápido porque os capitulos são curtinhos mas só mesmo por isso é que talvez prenda o leitor.
Achei o livro muito raso. A história poderia ter sido melhor desenvolvida e as personagens ficam muito aquém. Vejo tanta gente a dar 4/5 estrelas ao livro e eu ainda não entendi porquê. Eu gostava de ter gostado deste livro mas as minhas expetativas foram todas por água abaixo. Só as ultimas 60 pags. é que se assemelham algo a um thriller, de resto não passa de mistério.
Lê-se rápido porque os capitulos são curtinhos mas só mesmo por isso é que talvez prenda o leitor.
March 8, 2025
Uma leitura fácil e rápida que nos deixa curiosa com o que pode acontecer
Mas não é um livro que cativa e que ficamos rendidas a história
Não é nada de extraordinário
Mas não é um livro que cativa e que ficamos rendidas a história
Não é nada de extraordinário
June 16, 2019
Take a group of very close friends, add a dramatic incident and suddenly you don’t know who to trust anymore because everybody seems to hide something. Nobody is to be trusted anymore and trying to find out the truth is turning into a true nightmare.
The author really has the ability to nail you to your chair and the book comes with a very strong glue so it’s impossible to put it down.
I loved the atmosphere she created and she kept you guessing who did what and why.
Honestly if I have to read every book from my favourite authors, I will have to live for ever and a day, but you won’t hear me complain. 😉
I think it’s rather clear that my list of writers I HAVE to follow has become a bit longer because this author just HAS to be added to it.
I have a bag filled with stars and I am happy to hand it over to this wonderful author. 5 stars.
Thank you, Rachel Amphlett and Book On The Bright Side Publicity & Promo
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
The author really has the ability to nail you to your chair and the book comes with a very strong glue so it’s impossible to put it down.
I loved the atmosphere she created and she kept you guessing who did what and why.
Honestly if I have to read every book from my favourite authors, I will have to live for ever and a day, but you won’t hear me complain. 😉
I think it’s rather clear that my list of writers I HAVE to follow has become a bit longer because this author just HAS to be added to it.
I have a bag filled with stars and I am happy to hand it over to this wonderful author. 5 stars.
Thank you, Rachel Amphlett and Book On The Bright Side Publicity & Promo
https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com
June 14, 2019
The panic room was supposed to be a exciting final get together,a early birthday present arranged for Lisa by her long time friends David,Bec,Hayley and Simon.
But something went terribly wrong,five people entered the panic room and only four came out.
Lisa has no recollection of what happened that night and once she leaves hospital is determined to uncover the truth. But the more questions she asks,the more confused she becomes. And as time passes,she begins to wonder if one of her friends is hiding a deadly secret.
Meanwhile hiding in plan sight is a deadly enemy who is prepared to go to any lengths to prevent Lisa from uncovering the truth.
Can she uncover who the killer is before someone else dies.
This utterly compelling thriller is written in short snappy chapters which alternate between the perspectives of the four remaining friends. The main characters were a realistic group,each one had hidden secrets,psychological health issues. Their narratives were unreliable,each one of them was untrustworthy and to be completely honest not very likeable. The book opens with a intense first chapter that draws the reader into the enthralling story that is mainly set in the present day although the reader is occasionally taken back in time and given insights into the groups past lives when they were at university.
The Friend Who Lied is a extremely well written,tightly plotted thriller that is packed full of twists and turns. Most of the chapters end on a cliff hanger,giving the reader a very bad case of Just one more chapter syndrome. Once I started reading this book,I honestly didn't want to put it down. This is the first book that I have read by Rachel Amphlett and it most definitely will not be my last. Worth far more than five stars and very very highly recommended.
Many thanks to Sarah Hardy of Book The Bright Side and Saxon Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book and take part in the Blog tour
But something went terribly wrong,five people entered the panic room and only four came out.
Lisa has no recollection of what happened that night and once she leaves hospital is determined to uncover the truth. But the more questions she asks,the more confused she becomes. And as time passes,she begins to wonder if one of her friends is hiding a deadly secret.
Meanwhile hiding in plan sight is a deadly enemy who is prepared to go to any lengths to prevent Lisa from uncovering the truth.
Can she uncover who the killer is before someone else dies.
This utterly compelling thriller is written in short snappy chapters which alternate between the perspectives of the four remaining friends. The main characters were a realistic group,each one had hidden secrets,psychological health issues. Their narratives were unreliable,each one of them was untrustworthy and to be completely honest not very likeable. The book opens with a intense first chapter that draws the reader into the enthralling story that is mainly set in the present day although the reader is occasionally taken back in time and given insights into the groups past lives when they were at university.
The Friend Who Lied is a extremely well written,tightly plotted thriller that is packed full of twists and turns. Most of the chapters end on a cliff hanger,giving the reader a very bad case of Just one more chapter syndrome. Once I started reading this book,I honestly didn't want to put it down. This is the first book that I have read by Rachel Amphlett and it most definitely will not be my last. Worth far more than five stars and very very highly recommended.
Many thanks to Sarah Hardy of Book The Bright Side and Saxon Publishing for the opportunity to read and review this book and take part in the Blog tour
July 2, 2019
Most of you are probably familiar with Rachel Amphlett and her outstanding crime fiction series featuring Kay Hunter. But now, Rachel Amphlett has come up with something a little different and has crossed over into the physological thriller genre.
Lisa Ashton wakes up in hospital. Soon Lisa realises that if she is alive, that means someone else is dead. As it turns out, that someone was a friend, Simon. Their little group of five was last together enjoying an escape room experience. Five entered but only four made it out. So what happened? And why can’t Lisa remember?
The reader hears from all four remaining friends as they try to come to terms with Simon’s death in their own way. But their individual struggles have an impact on their friendships. It becomes clear quite early on that they all have their own secrets which they are desperately trying to hide from one another. Apart from Lisa, I didn’t find any of the characters particularly likeable and I couldn’t at all figure out who to trust. If any of them.
There’s a tense vibe throughout the story. Like a taut piece of string, which you know will snap if you pull it just that little bit harder. With relatively short chapters, a brilliant pace and the urge to find out the answers, this turned into quite the super addictive and quickie read.
The Friend Who Lied is suspenseful and kept me guessing until the end. I dare say Rachel Amphlett’s foray into this genre worked out really well and I can’t wait to see what she does next!
Lisa Ashton wakes up in hospital. Soon Lisa realises that if she is alive, that means someone else is dead. As it turns out, that someone was a friend, Simon. Their little group of five was last together enjoying an escape room experience. Five entered but only four made it out. So what happened? And why can’t Lisa remember?
The reader hears from all four remaining friends as they try to come to terms with Simon’s death in their own way. But their individual struggles have an impact on their friendships. It becomes clear quite early on that they all have their own secrets which they are desperately trying to hide from one another. Apart from Lisa, I didn’t find any of the characters particularly likeable and I couldn’t at all figure out who to trust. If any of them.
There’s a tense vibe throughout the story. Like a taut piece of string, which you know will snap if you pull it just that little bit harder. With relatively short chapters, a brilliant pace and the urge to find out the answers, this turned into quite the super addictive and quickie read.
The Friend Who Lied is suspenseful and kept me guessing until the end. I dare say Rachel Amphlett’s foray into this genre worked out really well and I can’t wait to see what she does next!
November 10, 2020
Esta história é sobre um grupo de amigos e uma aventura numa escape room, que deveria ter sido um bom momento, mas onde algo trágico acontece. Ao longo do livro vamos descobrindo os segredos e pontos de vista dos vários amigos, em capítulos alternados, e tudo o que levou aquele acontecimento.
O livro entretém e lê-se bastante rápido. No entanto é uma história mediana, e o final é muito apressado e demasiado previsível. Para além disto não consegui gostar de nenhuma personagem.
Talvez seja interessante para quem leia poucos thrillers.
O livro entretém e lê-se bastante rápido. No entanto é uma história mediana, e o final é muito apressado e demasiado previsível. Para além disto não consegui gostar de nenhuma personagem.
Talvez seja interessante para quem leia poucos thrillers.
October 23, 2020
3,5 estrelas
Opinião no blogue: https://a-lilianaraquel.blogspot.com/...
Opinião no blogue: https://a-lilianaraquel.blogspot.com/...
September 1, 2019
I really enjoyed The Friend Who Lied, my first Rachel Amphlett book. This story revolved around a fascinating premise and galloped along at breakneck speed. With a cast of complex characters, you don't know who to believe. A belting thriller that I could not put down.
June 11, 2019
This is a new to me author and after reading this I’m excited to,read more of her books as I really enjoyed this story.
Lisa wakens up in hospital and finds out her life has changed forever. She goes from the joy of finding out she’s got a new lease of life after a transplant to the sorrow that one of her friends has died.
As her last memory was enjoying her birthday with her friends in an escape room so she needs answers to what’s happened.
Really great read. From start to finish I felt I was in the edge of my seat reading this. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.
Lisa wakens up in hospital and finds out her life has changed forever. She goes from the joy of finding out she’s got a new lease of life after a transplant to the sorrow that one of her friends has died.
As her last memory was enjoying her birthday with her friends in an escape room so she needs answers to what’s happened.
Really great read. From start to finish I felt I was in the edge of my seat reading this. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.
December 10, 2020
I love Rachel’s books, but not this one. And I seem to be in the minority as far as ratings go.
The premise is clever and I enjoyed how the story is told through each character. It’s well written insofar as writing goes. However, I had issues with the story:
- none of the characters are likable; they are completely shallow.
- The characters do a lot of whining about their lives and none seem to take much responsibility. They were all pretty irresponsible.
- I don’t understand why they were even friends as they really didn’t like each other much.
- I just didn’t buy much of the storyline and I just found the book annoying.
If you’re an avid fan of Rachel and the you can take the book on a surface level it might appeal to you. For heavy duty crime readers, I don’t recommend it.
The premise is clever and I enjoyed how the story is told through each character. It’s well written insofar as writing goes. However, I had issues with the story:
- none of the characters are likable; they are completely shallow.
- The characters do a lot of whining about their lives and none seem to take much responsibility. They were all pretty irresponsible.
- I don’t understand why they were even friends as they really didn’t like each other much.
- I just didn’t buy much of the storyline and I just found the book annoying.
If you’re an avid fan of Rachel and the you can take the book on a surface level it might appeal to you. For heavy duty crime readers, I don’t recommend it.
January 4, 2021
Um livro surpreendente em que temos de chegar praticamente à última página para desvendar todos os mistérios.
October 4, 2020
Um livro de 4 estrelas que merece ser lido por todos os leitores fãs de histórias intensas e de tirar o fôlego.
Opinião completa instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CF7JgZRDyO8/
Opinião completa blog: https://oaromadoslivros.blogs.sapo.pt...
Opinião completa instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CF7JgZRDyO8/
Opinião completa blog: https://oaromadoslivros.blogs.sapo.pt...
March 1, 2021
Toxic friendship af. Didn’t like the writing. The story is way predictable. It was not enjoyable for me
June 5, 2019
The Friend Who Lies is psychological thriller centres around Lisa Ashton and her friends Simon, David, Bec and Hayley. As a last hurrah Lisa and her friends go to an escape room but not all of them come out. She wakes up to find she’s had a life saving kidney transplant but the terrible news that one of her friends has died.
Unable to remember what happened, she tries to find out what happened but what will she do once she finds out the truth?
So this is my first Rachel Amphlett book, I’m late to the party as usual, but it certainly won’t be my last!
The Friend Who Lied is an addictive and tension packed read that I just couldn’t get enough of!
This is one of those novels were everyone is a suspect, which is difficult to pull off, especially with so few characters. I usually have the killer pegged down in the first half of the book but the friend who lied really kept me guessing.
There are several POV’s throughout the book from Lisa and her friends, each character really comes alive. They are flawed, realistic, which at times makes them not all that likeable but you can understand why they are way they are.
My only real complaint was that near the end it dragged a little and I got a little impatient waiting for the big reveal but of course that’s just my opinion.
The Friend Who Lied is a taut, tension packed psychological thriller and a must read for anyone who loves this genre.
Unable to remember what happened, she tries to find out what happened but what will she do once she finds out the truth?
So this is my first Rachel Amphlett book, I’m late to the party as usual, but it certainly won’t be my last!
The Friend Who Lied is an addictive and tension packed read that I just couldn’t get enough of!
This is one of those novels were everyone is a suspect, which is difficult to pull off, especially with so few characters. I usually have the killer pegged down in the first half of the book but the friend who lied really kept me guessing.
There are several POV’s throughout the book from Lisa and her friends, each character really comes alive. They are flawed, realistic, which at times makes them not all that likeable but you can understand why they are way they are.
My only real complaint was that near the end it dragged a little and I got a little impatient waiting for the big reveal but of course that’s just my opinion.
The Friend Who Lied is a taut, tension packed psychological thriller and a must read for anyone who loves this genre.
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