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Seven Lies
The mesmerizing and unsettling debut thriller everyone will be talking about this year.
A BBC and Daily Mail 'Books of 2020' pick.
It all started with one little lie . . .
Jane and Marnie have been inseparable since they were eleven years old. They have a lot in common. In their early twenties they both fell in love and married handsome young men.
But Jane never liked Marnie's husband. He was always so loud and obnoxious, so much larger than life. Which is rather ironic now, of course.
Because if Jane had been honest - if she hadn't lied - then perhaps her best friend's husband might still be alive . . .
This is Jane's opportunity to tell the truth, the question is:
Do you believe her?
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 16, 2020
645 people are currently reading
13266 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Kay
3 books134 followersElizabeth Kay started her career as an assistant at Penguin Random House. She is now a senior commissioning editor there and is simultaneously pursuing her passion for writing.
She won first prize - in a short story competition judged by Jacqueline Wilson - aged eight, and has been writing ever since. She lives in London and has a first-class degree in English literature.
She won first prize - in a short story competition judged by Jacqueline Wilson - aged eight, and has been writing ever since. She lives in London and has a first-class degree in English literature.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,557 reviews
July 11, 2020
Another disturbing, gripping, character-driven and impressively well-written debut centered around two close friends’ dysfunctional, overly obsessive and unhealthy relationship! How far you go for sharing your sacred relationship with your friend?
Marnie and Jane grew up together. Jane is dark and intense one who may do anything to protect her friend from the dangerous guys trying to hurt or abuse her! Marnie is the joyful, friendly, easy going person who may be naïve to believe in people’s manipulations.
Jane told seven lies to her friend starting with her thoughts about Marnie’s husband. She never likes him and she thinks she did something terrible to her at the wedding night. But she is not reliable witness, is she? Because she already told too much lies to her best friend to protect her from the beginning but what if she told them to prevent her what kind of person she really is.
This is well-developed, smart and outstandingly nerve bending debut! Jane is the master of manipulation and her narration was original, decisive, cunning and addictive. You know she is batshit crazy from the beginning but you surprisingly connect her easily because the way she tells the story like you’re having a coffee talk and get permission to be in her head to learn more about her inner thoughts were fascinatingly entertaining and thrilling. She reaches our dark sides of personalities and pushes deeper to face with our own inner demons and makes us question what would we do in we were in her shoes! She might be liar, killer, manipulator or delusional. We don’t know it yet. We just have to listen to her story till the end and keep our judgments and opinions to ourselves.
I liked the author’s different and creative writing style and I’m looking forward to read more works of her.
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Marnie and Jane grew up together. Jane is dark and intense one who may do anything to protect her friend from the dangerous guys trying to hurt or abuse her! Marnie is the joyful, friendly, easy going person who may be naïve to believe in people’s manipulations.
Jane told seven lies to her friend starting with her thoughts about Marnie’s husband. She never likes him and she thinks she did something terrible to her at the wedding night. But she is not reliable witness, is she? Because she already told too much lies to her best friend to protect her from the beginning but what if she told them to prevent her what kind of person she really is.
This is well-developed, smart and outstandingly nerve bending debut! Jane is the master of manipulation and her narration was original, decisive, cunning and addictive. You know she is batshit crazy from the beginning but you surprisingly connect her easily because the way she tells the story like you’re having a coffee talk and get permission to be in her head to learn more about her inner thoughts were fascinatingly entertaining and thrilling. She reaches our dark sides of personalities and pushes deeper to face with our own inner demons and makes us question what would we do in we were in her shoes! She might be liar, killer, manipulator or delusional. We don’t know it yet. We just have to listen to her story till the end and keep our judgments and opinions to ourselves.
I liked the author’s different and creative writing style and I’m looking forward to read more works of her.
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July 8, 2024
Wow!!!!!!! This book was no place on my radar..I was completely caught off guard with just how much I loved this..Hands down, all the stars for this baby! Now this my friends is a psychological thriller.
First off this is a debut. It is hard to believe, because Elizabeth Kay knocked this one out of the park. Why was it so fantastic you ask? Not only was it good, unpredictable, it was ORIGINAL. No tired cliche plot here folks. The writing was fast paced, the plot unnerving. There literally came to a point where I was frantically flipping the pages saying...nope, nope, nope don't do it Jane. Did she do it? Guess you will need to grab a copy and find out.
What else made this unique? I loved, loved, loved the fact that the chapters were broke up in the manner they were. Jane is a psychopath. This girl is off the rails, train wreck crazy. This is what makes Jane so damn entertaining to me. What is she going to do next? Jane likes to lie...ALOT....Jane tells 7 big lies...we are talking ...huge ones...so the book is split into sections...Lie One...Lie Two.. you get the idea....it is highly entertaining.
This book is told from Jane's POV...so we have access to Jane's thoughts and feelings. It is never boring in the mind of a psychopath- just saying. Jane is very loyal to those who she loves-but only if they revolve their world around her. See, Jane is all about Jane ..and nobody else. If you cross Jane, well you might have to pay the price.
I like nothing better than "finding" a debut author that knocks my socks off. With so many thrillers out there saturating the market, this one really stand out! I can't wait to read more from this author.
Huge thanks to Pamela Dorman Books for this ARC via Edelweiss
First off this is a debut. It is hard to believe, because Elizabeth Kay knocked this one out of the park. Why was it so fantastic you ask? Not only was it good, unpredictable, it was ORIGINAL. No tired cliche plot here folks. The writing was fast paced, the plot unnerving. There literally came to a point where I was frantically flipping the pages saying...nope, nope, nope don't do it Jane. Did she do it? Guess you will need to grab a copy and find out.
What else made this unique? I loved, loved, loved the fact that the chapters were broke up in the manner they were. Jane is a psychopath. This girl is off the rails, train wreck crazy. This is what makes Jane so damn entertaining to me. What is she going to do next? Jane likes to lie...ALOT....Jane tells 7 big lies...we are talking ...huge ones...so the book is split into sections...Lie One...Lie Two.. you get the idea....it is highly entertaining.
This book is told from Jane's POV...so we have access to Jane's thoughts and feelings. It is never boring in the mind of a psychopath- just saying. Jane is very loyal to those who she loves-but only if they revolve their world around her. See, Jane is all about Jane ..and nobody else. If you cross Jane, well you might have to pay the price.
I like nothing better than "finding" a debut author that knocks my socks off. With so many thrillers out there saturating the market, this one really stand out! I can't wait to read more from this author.
Huge thanks to Pamela Dorman Books for this ARC via Edelweiss
June 16, 2020
Who needs an enemy when you have Jane for a best friend? She narrates this story and she's telling us (or someone) the seven lies that she told her best friend, Marnie. Jane thinks that if she hadn't told the first lie, Marnie's husband, Charlie, might still be alive. But one lie begets another because each lie is told as a way for Jane to keep a stranglehold on her relationship with Marnie, a relationship that has probably outgrown its usefulness, that should have died a natural death, years ago.
Just because you are best friends with someone, it doesn't mean that they should be the everything in a person's life, almost two decades later. But Jane doesn't see things that way, she sees no reason that she and Marnie should grow apart and she sees no one as better deserving of Marnie's friendship and time, than herself. Jane describes herself as dark to Marnie's light, people are drawn to Marnie while they ignore Jane. But Jane doesn't care as long as she has Marnie. When Charles enters Marnie's life and they get married, Jane knows she needs to do something to right the balance that Charlie has upset.
Let me warn you, Jane likes to talk, ramble, go on and on and on, making excuses that only she can justify, finding fault in everyone else. As I read this story with my reading buddies, I ranted and raved about wanting Jane to get to the point and stop talking so much but in reality, her monologue is what makes the story, it's what makes Jane who she is, we are seeing the real Jane, not the Jane that she allows the world to see. The Jane the world sees steadfastly does her job, takes care of her mom and sister, jumps to do every little thing that Marnie asks of her. The real Jane is something else, something very dark, very sinister, very dangerous. Jane has a story to tell and she is going to tell it, her way.
This was a fun book to read with a group! Thank you to Pamela Dorman Books/Penguin Publishing Group and Edelweiss for this ARC.
Available as of June 16, 2020
Just because you are best friends with someone, it doesn't mean that they should be the everything in a person's life, almost two decades later. But Jane doesn't see things that way, she sees no reason that she and Marnie should grow apart and she sees no one as better deserving of Marnie's friendship and time, than herself. Jane describes herself as dark to Marnie's light, people are drawn to Marnie while they ignore Jane. But Jane doesn't care as long as she has Marnie. When Charles enters Marnie's life and they get married, Jane knows she needs to do something to right the balance that Charlie has upset.
Let me warn you, Jane likes to talk, ramble, go on and on and on, making excuses that only she can justify, finding fault in everyone else. As I read this story with my reading buddies, I ranted and raved about wanting Jane to get to the point and stop talking so much but in reality, her monologue is what makes the story, it's what makes Jane who she is, we are seeing the real Jane, not the Jane that she allows the world to see. The Jane the world sees steadfastly does her job, takes care of her mom and sister, jumps to do every little thing that Marnie asks of her. The real Jane is something else, something very dark, very sinister, very dangerous. Jane has a story to tell and she is going to tell it, her way.
This was a fun book to read with a group! Thank you to Pamela Dorman Books/Penguin Publishing Group and Edelweiss for this ARC.
Available as of June 16, 2020
May 4, 2020
Well friends get ready for a review from an outlier regarding this book. I’m giving it two stars for actually having a psychopath in the story and it did make me turn the pages. Definition of a psychopath in case you are interested :
“Common signs of psychopathy
socially irresponsible behavior.
disregarding or violating the rights of others.
inability to distinguish between right and wrong.
difficulty with showing remorse or empathy.
tendency to lie often.
manipulating and hurting others.
recurring problems with the law.
www.healthline.com › health › psychopathy”
This is a story of Jane, who is obsessed with her best friend Marnie. They have been friends since childhood, always together, always doing the same things, often wearing the same clothes. Jane is always described as the dark one, seldom happy, twisted thinking, prefers solitude or her best friend. Marnie is the opposite, light hearted, happy, loves to be around people.
The beginning of the novel is told from the first person point of view as Jane recounts her childhood spent with her best friend, Marnie. Soon the story is told in what I would call “stream of consciousness” as it’s Jane telling us the story as she is thinking about what has happened, she is talking to us. She is admitting all of the lies that she has told, her darkest thoughts and imaginings.
The beginning grabbed my attention because I had no idea where this was going. The two are great friends until Charles enters Marnie’s life. Jane totally dislikes Charles, how he looks, how he dresses, how he commands an audience, everything about him. Mostly she hates that Marnie loves him and marries him. She feels left out of the love that she has always counted on from Marnie.
Marnie seems as though she doesn’t have a lot of intuition into what is happening around her. Jane really has given her signs that she isn’t happy with being left out of anything that Marnie does, but Marnie seems oblivious to these signs or chooses to ignore them and hope things will get better.
When the crime in the novel is committed I thought that the story would take off. For me, it didn’t. There were just pages and pages afterwards of Jane’s thoughts. There is one interesting twist with a journalist who works for a small print newspaper. She has followed the story of the two women, their intense friendship, their losses and all that has happened. She isn’t convinced that all of the pieces of the puzzle fit together. She is the only snag in the lies that Jane has told, what does she know, what will she do to find out??
I was hoping for an ending that would bump this book up to at least a 3* but the ending was completely unsatisfying.
I can’t recommend this book, it seemed shallow to me. The only character that we really understand is Jane, the others aren’t well defined. Jane’s sister Emma and her mother make cameo appearances but I don’t think really added to the story but did describe more of Jane’s twisted thoughts and feelings.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss.
This novel is set to publish on June 16, 2020
“Common signs of psychopathy
socially irresponsible behavior.
disregarding or violating the rights of others.
inability to distinguish between right and wrong.
difficulty with showing remorse or empathy.
tendency to lie often.
manipulating and hurting others.
recurring problems with the law.
www.healthline.com › health › psychopathy”
This is a story of Jane, who is obsessed with her best friend Marnie. They have been friends since childhood, always together, always doing the same things, often wearing the same clothes. Jane is always described as the dark one, seldom happy, twisted thinking, prefers solitude or her best friend. Marnie is the opposite, light hearted, happy, loves to be around people.
The beginning of the novel is told from the first person point of view as Jane recounts her childhood spent with her best friend, Marnie. Soon the story is told in what I would call “stream of consciousness” as it’s Jane telling us the story as she is thinking about what has happened, she is talking to us. She is admitting all of the lies that she has told, her darkest thoughts and imaginings.
The beginning grabbed my attention because I had no idea where this was going. The two are great friends until Charles enters Marnie’s life. Jane totally dislikes Charles, how he looks, how he dresses, how he commands an audience, everything about him. Mostly she hates that Marnie loves him and marries him. She feels left out of the love that she has always counted on from Marnie.
Marnie seems as though she doesn’t have a lot of intuition into what is happening around her. Jane really has given her signs that she isn’t happy with being left out of anything that Marnie does, but Marnie seems oblivious to these signs or chooses to ignore them and hope things will get better.
When the crime in the novel is committed I thought that the story would take off. For me, it didn’t. There were just pages and pages afterwards of Jane’s thoughts. There is one interesting twist with a journalist who works for a small print newspaper. She has followed the story of the two women, their intense friendship, their losses and all that has happened. She isn’t convinced that all of the pieces of the puzzle fit together. She is the only snag in the lies that Jane has told, what does she know, what will she do to find out??
I was hoping for an ending that would bump this book up to at least a 3* but the ending was completely unsatisfying.
I can’t recommend this book, it seemed shallow to me. The only character that we really understand is Jane, the others aren’t well defined. Jane’s sister Emma and her mother make cameo appearances but I don’t think really added to the story but did describe more of Jane’s twisted thoughts and feelings.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through Edelweiss.
This novel is set to publish on June 16, 2020
June 6, 2020
Have you ever wanted to sit down at a table with a glass...make that a bottle of wine with one of our infamous “Jane” characters? Have them explain their side of the story? Hear how everything unfolded from their perspective? That’s how I felt reading this book.
Perhaps, I’m sitting in a bar sharing a drink with Jane. Or maybe I’m her therapist, listening as she opens up to me in my office while sitting across the desk. Whatever the scenario, the author did a magnificent job of putting you right alongside Jane. It was as though just the two of us were having a private conversation! But at some point you’re going to ask yourself, wait a minute…who exactly is she talking to?
Jane loves her best friend Marnie so much! They’ve known each other since they were kids and have been through so much together. Best of times and life’s tragedies as well.
Now that Marnie is getting married, that balance and relationship is about to change. And Jane isn’t sure she can handle that! What’s a girl named Jane to do?💁🏻♀️
We all love our unstable female lead characters named Jane! And there have been quite a few over the past few years. But there’s something about each one that you know is going to shock and keeping you flipping furiously through the pages!
Thank you to Edelweiss and Pamela Dorman Books for an ARC to read and review.
Perhaps, I’m sitting in a bar sharing a drink with Jane. Or maybe I’m her therapist, listening as she opens up to me in my office while sitting across the desk. Whatever the scenario, the author did a magnificent job of putting you right alongside Jane. It was as though just the two of us were having a private conversation! But at some point you’re going to ask yourself, wait a minute…who exactly is she talking to?
Jane loves her best friend Marnie so much! They’ve known each other since they were kids and have been through so much together. Best of times and life’s tragedies as well.
Now that Marnie is getting married, that balance and relationship is about to change. And Jane isn’t sure she can handle that! What’s a girl named Jane to do?💁🏻♀️
We all love our unstable female lead characters named Jane! And there have been quite a few over the past few years. But there’s something about each one that you know is going to shock and keeping you flipping furiously through the pages!
Thank you to Edelweiss and Pamela Dorman Books for an ARC to read and review.
September 22, 2024
3 "pissed, really pissed off at the editor(s)" stars !!
The Shoulda Woulda Coulda Award of 2020
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and Penguin Random House Canada for an e-copy in exchange for my honest review. This book was released in June 2020.
This should have and could have and might have been THE DOMESTIC THRILLER LITERARY EVENT of the year.
Truly, madly, deeply !
Instead it was left as an adequate but very sloppy chick-lit psychological thriller.
Let's start off with the great and I mean great :
1. the psychological congruence and believability of Jane Black was absolutely fucking brilliant. Most anybody can write about terrible people but what most of these psychological thriller authors write is not steeped in any type of complexity never mind believability.
Ms. Kay not only paints a brilliant portrait of an insecure female narcissist (with a lower case -n) but couches her in a backstory where her thoughts and actions and behaviors make absolute fucking sense.
Ms. Kay does even more though she creates a misguided villainess that you have empathy for. Underneath most every narcissist is a lost insecure child that due to circumstances has not been able to emotionally mature and be able to see other's foibles and vulnerabilities and be able to not share the affection and love.
In addition, the other characters, are like looking into fun house mirror as we see them not as they truly are but how Jane Black sees and experiences them. Most of the psychological thrillers today get this wrong too but not Ms. Kay. She is bang on with this ! Bang bang bang on !
2. The plot had a complexity and a believability that propels you forward. You are not taking any guesses as you read. You have no idea where Jane Black's twisted but understandable desires will take her.
The editor now needed to do his/her job and have seen the potential for a literary masterwork the way that Leila Slimani's The Perfect Nanny is or The Gloaming by Melanie Finn.
Instead we are left with long-winded and gimmicky prose that was very much a slog to get through.
The writing veered from dull, to overly explanatory (lots of telling and not enough showing) to a fair bit on uninteresting minutiae (believe you me...I love interesting minutiae)
The book should have been pushed pushed pushed into the psychological literary masterwork that this character study deserved.
The Shoulda Woulda Coulda Award of 2020
Thank you to Netgalley, the author and Penguin Random House Canada for an e-copy in exchange for my honest review. This book was released in June 2020.
This should have and could have and might have been THE DOMESTIC THRILLER LITERARY EVENT of the year.
Truly, madly, deeply !
Instead it was left as an adequate but very sloppy chick-lit psychological thriller.
Let's start off with the great and I mean great :
1. the psychological congruence and believability of Jane Black was absolutely fucking brilliant. Most anybody can write about terrible people but what most of these psychological thriller authors write is not steeped in any type of complexity never mind believability.
Ms. Kay not only paints a brilliant portrait of an insecure female narcissist (with a lower case -n) but couches her in a backstory where her thoughts and actions and behaviors make absolute fucking sense.
Ms. Kay does even more though she creates a misguided villainess that you have empathy for. Underneath most every narcissist is a lost insecure child that due to circumstances has not been able to emotionally mature and be able to see other's foibles and vulnerabilities and be able to not share the affection and love.
In addition, the other characters, are like looking into fun house mirror as we see them not as they truly are but how Jane Black sees and experiences them. Most of the psychological thrillers today get this wrong too but not Ms. Kay. She is bang on with this ! Bang bang bang on !
2. The plot had a complexity and a believability that propels you forward. You are not taking any guesses as you read. You have no idea where Jane Black's twisted but understandable desires will take her.
The editor now needed to do his/her job and have seen the potential for a literary masterwork the way that Leila Slimani's The Perfect Nanny is or The Gloaming by Melanie Finn.
Instead we are left with long-winded and gimmicky prose that was very much a slog to get through.
The writing veered from dull, to overly explanatory (lots of telling and not enough showing) to a fair bit on uninteresting minutiae (believe you me...I love interesting minutiae)
The book should have been pushed pushed pushed into the psychological literary masterwork that this character study deserved.
June 16, 2020
What is it with the name, Jane? 🤷🏻♀️
All of our favorite psychopaths seem to share this name..
Jane Doe (Victoria Helen Stone)
Jane Harris (The Favorite Daughter-Kaira Rouda)
And, now Jane Black, our protagonist from this book.
The entire narrative is Jane, sharing her SEVEN LIES, and the TRUTH-
broken down ONE LIE and ONE SECTION at a time.
If you struggled with the style of Ruth Ware’s “The Turn of the Key”,
a long letter written by the protagonist to her lawyer-
or with the style of Roz Nay’s “Our Little Secret”-a suspect telling
her story in the interrogation room of police station...
Chances are that you may NOT enjoy the style of this book, either.
BUT, if you are like me...a person fascinated by psychosis, a fan of
character studies, one who doesn’t mind hearing a CONFESSION,
which may or may not be true...
THEN this book about obsession and toxic friendship IS for you!
Jane and Marnie were inseparable childhood friends.
Until Marnie falls in love.
When Marnie asks Jane if she likes her future husband, Charles,
Jane tells her first lie...
If she had been honest, maybe Charles would still be alive..
After all, Jane feels it is her responsibility to PROTECT Marnie.
Isn’t that what a best friend does?
4.5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (rounded up)
Thank You to Edelweiss, Pamela Dorman Books, and Elizabeth Kay
for the digital ARC, I received in exchange for a candid review!
NOW AVAILABLE!!
All of our favorite psychopaths seem to share this name..
Jane Doe (Victoria Helen Stone)
Jane Harris (The Favorite Daughter-Kaira Rouda)
And, now Jane Black, our protagonist from this book.
The entire narrative is Jane, sharing her SEVEN LIES, and the TRUTH-
broken down ONE LIE and ONE SECTION at a time.
If you struggled with the style of Ruth Ware’s “The Turn of the Key”,
a long letter written by the protagonist to her lawyer-
or with the style of Roz Nay’s “Our Little Secret”-a suspect telling
her story in the interrogation room of police station...
Chances are that you may NOT enjoy the style of this book, either.
BUT, if you are like me...a person fascinated by psychosis, a fan of
character studies, one who doesn’t mind hearing a CONFESSION,
which may or may not be true...
THEN this book about obsession and toxic friendship IS for you!
Jane and Marnie were inseparable childhood friends.
Until Marnie falls in love.
When Marnie asks Jane if she likes her future husband, Charles,
Jane tells her first lie...
If she had been honest, maybe Charles would still be alive..
After all, Jane feels it is her responsibility to PROTECT Marnie.
Isn’t that what a best friend does?
4.5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (rounded up)
Thank You to Edelweiss, Pamela Dorman Books, and Elizabeth Kay
for the digital ARC, I received in exchange for a candid review!
NOW AVAILABLE!!
April 1, 2020
Phew, what a debut! Jane and Marnie have been friends since they met on the first day of Year Seven. They are bound together tightly in a delightful friendship which is strained once Charles enters Marnie’s life. Charles likes to be the centre of attention and he takes Marnie’s attention away from Jane. What unfolds in this gripping, tense novel at times beggars belief as Jane tells her seven lies which become increasingly audacious.
I love the way the story is written which I think is very original. You feel as if Jane is talking to you, that you are actually having a conversation in which she tell you her truth, which may not necessarily be the truth. I could describe this book as being a bit like a bowl of minestrone as it too has a lot of tasty ingredients. There’s love and grief, friendship and obsession, secrets and lies, jealousy and possession, need and protectiveness, there’s murder and some remorse, chuck in a bit of black humour, a few sinister moments and loads of tension - there’s are several scenes where you could cut the atmosphere with a knife.
The two main characters are intriguing. Marnie is light and Jane is twisted and dark, they are so different but perhaps this is what keeps the embers of their friendship alive for so long. There are some excellent descriptions and conversations as Jane’s story emerges and some of it is jaw dropping and astonishing. I love the way the lies are slowly released and the story builds to its breathtaking conclusion.
Overall, a fantastic and fast paced read which intrigues you from start to finish and an outstanding debut.
Thanks to NetGalley and Little Brown Group for the ARC.
April 13, 2020
WOW! Seven Lies is a twisted psychological thriller and I could not get enough of it! This book will keep you guessing until the very end. I was shocked at what I was reading at times. This was a fantastic and original plot - highly recommend.
How do I even start to explain what it is about? It is a story of love, friendship, obsession, grief and jealously, among other things. Jane and Marnie have been friends forever and Jane wants it stay that way. when Marnie meets Charles the worst comes out in Jane. She does not like him at all and is scared of losing her best friend. This is when the lies begin.. and they escalate from there. She is determined to keep her relationship with Marnie as strong as ever, she has nothing else in her life. and she will do anything for her best friend. It is dark and funny and very entertaining.
This is Elizabeth Kay's debut novel and I believe that the TV rights are being fought over. I cannot wait to see what she has in store for us next.
Thank you Hachette Books Australia for my advanced copy of this book.
How do I even start to explain what it is about? It is a story of love, friendship, obsession, grief and jealously, among other things. Jane and Marnie have been friends forever and Jane wants it stay that way. when Marnie meets Charles the worst comes out in Jane. She does not like him at all and is scared of losing her best friend. This is when the lies begin.. and they escalate from there. She is determined to keep her relationship with Marnie as strong as ever, she has nothing else in her life. and she will do anything for her best friend. It is dark and funny and very entertaining.
This is Elizabeth Kay's debut novel and I believe that the TV rights are being fought over. I cannot wait to see what she has in store for us next.
Thank you Hachette Books Australia for my advanced copy of this book.
June 17, 2020
NOW AVAILABLE!!
this is an o-kay thriller, but a much better character study that takes the reader deep into the mind of a woman who isn’t gonna let her best friend of nearly twenty years slip out of her life and into a domestic bubble that easily, especially not with that man.
jane and marnie have been besties since they were eleven years old, despite being—you guessed it—total opposites. where marnie is warm, open, confident, jane is cautious, watchful, braced for disappointment. as jane recounts to the novel’s ‘you,’
She is light where I am dark. I knew it then.
Now you’ll know it, too.
although congenitally predisposed to this darkness, jane’s life has given her plenty of reasons to be less sunshiny than marnie: her mother is in a home suffering from dementia, her sister has been battling anorexia for years, and, after unexpectedly meeting and marrying the love of her life, jane was widowed young and tragically after only a few months' bliss, sending her into a grief so profound that it derailed her career. and through it all, marnie was there for her.
so now that marnie has found her own true love, the handsome and wealthy charles, jane will be the first one to step up and root for their happiness, right?
oops, nopes.
jane just does not yike charles. in fact, she says, “I had never hated anyone the way I hated him.” and that much vehemence must stem from more than mere jealousy, right? more than a woman platonically obsessed with her best friend, more than a woman who simply cannot afford to lose anyone else? what’s the deal, jane??
jane’s not telling yet—when marnie asks her if she thinks charles is right for her, jane is afraid to share her true feelings about him, assuring her that they are meant to be and of course they have her blessing. and that was the first of the titular seven lies.
AND THAT IS THE END OF CHAPTER ONE.
the rest of the book shows the ripple effects of mendacity; how one lie necessitates the scramble to manufacture additional lies, each one only delaying the inevitable; jane helplessly watching the slow-approaching train of doom her first lie set in motion, uncomfortably aware of the irony that the polite lie she told to avoid any awkwardness between them has been responsible for so much worse. TFW you are your own undoing &etc.
jane is a fascinating character; somewhere 3/4 of the way on the road between ‘sympathetic antihero’ and ‘sociopath,’ but the rest of the characters, even the most-perfect-ever marnie, are a little one-note.
some of my dislikes: the journalist character seemed unrealistically…dogged. i get that her persistence was just another kind of obsession, but her stubborn pursuit of a story; doubling down on finding “something” even after so many of her speculations had been demonstrably incorrect came across more as “obstacle contrived for drama” than “how a professional journalist behaves, even in her side-gig.” i also didn’t get why the mom-stuff was such a BFD. seems to me that a girl like our jane could have deflected any of that without breaking a sweat.
still, an enjoyable debut with a pleasantly soapy aftertaste.
come to my blog!
This is my truth, after all. And that is not the same as the truth.
this is an o-kay thriller, but a much better character study that takes the reader deep into the mind of a woman who isn’t gonna let her best friend of nearly twenty years slip out of her life and into a domestic bubble that easily, especially not with that man.
jane and marnie have been besties since they were eleven years old, despite being—you guessed it—total opposites. where marnie is warm, open, confident, jane is cautious, watchful, braced for disappointment. as jane recounts to the novel’s ‘you,’
She is light where I am dark. I knew it then.
Now you’ll know it, too.
although congenitally predisposed to this darkness, jane’s life has given her plenty of reasons to be less sunshiny than marnie: her mother is in a home suffering from dementia, her sister has been battling anorexia for years, and, after unexpectedly meeting and marrying the love of her life, jane was widowed young and tragically after only a few months' bliss, sending her into a grief so profound that it derailed her career. and through it all, marnie was there for her.
so now that marnie has found her own true love, the handsome and wealthy charles, jane will be the first one to step up and root for their happiness, right?
oops, nopes.
jane just does not yike charles. in fact, she says, “I had never hated anyone the way I hated him.” and that much vehemence must stem from more than mere jealousy, right? more than a woman platonically obsessed with her best friend, more than a woman who simply cannot afford to lose anyone else? what’s the deal, jane??
jane’s not telling yet—when marnie asks her if she thinks charles is right for her, jane is afraid to share her true feelings about him, assuring her that they are meant to be and of course they have her blessing. and that was the first of the titular seven lies.
If I had been honest—if I had sacrificed our love for theirs—then Charles would almost certainly still be alive.
AND THAT IS THE END OF CHAPTER ONE.
the rest of the book shows the ripple effects of mendacity; how one lie necessitates the scramble to manufacture additional lies, each one only delaying the inevitable; jane helplessly watching the slow-approaching train of doom her first lie set in motion, uncomfortably aware of the irony that the polite lie she told to avoid any awkwardness between them has been responsible for so much worse. TFW you are your own undoing &etc.
jane is a fascinating character; somewhere 3/4 of the way on the road between ‘sympathetic antihero’ and ‘sociopath,’ but the rest of the characters, even the most-perfect-ever marnie, are a little one-note.
some of my dislikes: the journalist character seemed unrealistically…dogged. i get that her persistence was just another kind of obsession, but her stubborn pursuit of a story; doubling down on finding “something” even after so many of her speculations had been demonstrably incorrect came across more as “obstacle contrived for drama” than “how a professional journalist behaves, even in her side-gig.” i also didn’t get why the mom-stuff was such a BFD. seems to me that a girl like our jane could have deflected any of that without breaking a sweat.
still, an enjoyable debut with a pleasantly soapy aftertaste.
come to my blog!
August 10, 2020
Seven Lies by Elizabeth Kay is a chilling story of friendship that I will not soon forget. Jane, as the narrator, talks directly to the reader, sometimes accurately, sometimes not so accurately, hence the title of the book. This leaves the reader feeling, at times, like a helpless observer. Jane and Marnie had been friends since childhood. When adulthood came, their close circle began to include love interests for both of the women. When Marnie fell in love and married, it was important to her that Jane like her new husband. Jane reassured her that she was happy for her and that she liked her spouse. That was lie number one. Six to go and you will need to read this novel to find out about the other lies. With each lie revealed, the tension intensifies and the reader cannot imagine what will come next. Highly recommended. Seven Lies was quite a ride and I look forward to reading more from Elizabeth Kay. Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 16, 2020
*This one is available today!
4 Liar Liar, Pants on Fire stars
This one gives us a peek into the mind of a very unreliable narrator, Jane Black. Although she promises that this time, she is telling the whole truth.
The story rambles on, much the way Jane’s mind works, as she spins her tale and gives us her confession, almost like a conversation. We learn about the seven lies that she has told. Jane is obsessed with her long-time best friend Marnie. The two have dinner together every Friday night and they are very close. As often happens though, when love comes along, friendship takes a backseat. Jane is unhappy that Marnie has fallen in love and is planning to marry.
This psychological thriller builds to a tense confrontation. I enjoyed this debut novel and I am wondering is a sequel is in the works.
Thank you to Edelweiss, Elizabeth Kay, and Pamela Dorman/Penguin for an early copy of this one to read in return for an honest review.
4 Liar Liar, Pants on Fire stars
This one gives us a peek into the mind of a very unreliable narrator, Jane Black. Although she promises that this time, she is telling the whole truth.
The story rambles on, much the way Jane’s mind works, as she spins her tale and gives us her confession, almost like a conversation. We learn about the seven lies that she has told. Jane is obsessed with her long-time best friend Marnie. The two have dinner together every Friday night and they are very close. As often happens though, when love comes along, friendship takes a backseat. Jane is unhappy that Marnie has fallen in love and is planning to marry.
This psychological thriller builds to a tense confrontation. I enjoyed this debut novel and I am wondering is a sequel is in the works.
Thank you to Edelweiss, Elizabeth Kay, and Pamela Dorman/Penguin for an early copy of this one to read in return for an honest review.
June 26, 2025
"كلنا نُضحي بأفضل ما نملك من حُب، بحثاً عن حُب أفضل."
رواية "سبع أكاذيب" للكاتبة الإنجليزية "إليزابيث كاي" ليست رواية غموض وجريمة ننتظر حلها، هي رواية نفسية، تُناقش بُعد نفسي للوحدة والعزلة والفقد وكيفية التعامل معهم.
فـ"جاين" لديها اضطرابات عديدة، تتناول الرواية تلك الاضطرابات وترصدها من خلال عائلتها والتعامل مع والدتها المُهملة ووالدها الذي هرب، وأختها التي تصر على إيذاء نفسها. تلك الاضطرابات لم تكن كافية لـ"جاين"، فعندما شعرت بحلاوة وجود شخصاً ما من أجلها، هُناك شخصاً يهتم بها ويُحبها لنفسها قبل أي شيء، ذهب هذا الشعور بشكل مؤلم، فعادت لتلك الوحدة المقيتة، تلك الوحدة التي تجعل من خيالات عقلك المريضة، حقيقة تُدمر واقعك. أحياناً تذهب بك الوحدة إلى أبشع الطُرق، يائساً، تُحاول بشتى الطُرق أن تُحب، أن توجد، أن تجد من يتحدث معك ولو بكلمات بسيطة.. فـ"جاين" تخاف أن تموت فلا يعرف أحد إلا من خلال رائحة جثتها! يا للبؤس البشري.
فـوجدت ضالتها في صديقتها "مارني"، كما يجد الغريق في القشة أملاً!
تربطها بـ"مارني" علاقة صداقة حقيقية، من تلك العلاقات التي نادراً أن تراها، صديقان يفهمان بعضهما البعض دون حتى أن يتحدثا، فأعطت "جاين" كُل ما في إمكانها وقُدرتها في سبيل أن تكون تلك العلاقة هي حياتها، اهتمت بها إلى حد الجنون، وها قد أكتمل مثلث الدم، الوحدة والفقد والإهمال، وذلك ما أدى بـ"جاين" أن تكذب أولئك الـ"سبع أكاذيب"، فكما نعلم أن أكذوبة واحدة ليست بكافية، لكي تدعمها لا بُد من أخرى وأخرى وأخرى لتتوه في بحر واسع من الأكاذيب حتى تختلط عليك الحقيقة فتشك فيها.. الحقيقة بالنسبة لي كقميص رائع الجمال، والكذب كفتلة قماش، بمُجرد أن تسحبها ستجد نفسك قد حولت القميص بالكامل إلى مجموعة من الفتل الصغيرة قبيحة المنظر، وقد أفسدت القميص الرائع.
ختاماً..
هذه رواية من الطراز الجيد، تتحدث عن المرض النفسي وأبعاده وعندما يختلط بالوحدة والفقد والإهمال.. كُل ذلك في طريقهم لأن يجعلوك غارقاً في الشر.. وتُبرره بكذبك.
June 17, 2020
This book begins with a bang, Jane (MC) speaks in first person and tells the reader right off the bat that she hates her best friend Marnie’s husband Charles. And by the end of the first chapter the reader knows that Charles is dead but not why or how and Jane teases the reader that if she had been honest, Charles would still be alive.
So begins Jane’s confession of the series of lies that she has told.
Unfortunately what promised to be a exciting book after such an excellent beginning, ultimately turned out to be a letdown. This book is very much Jane’s story and no one else’s. We don’t get any real insights into any of the other characters including her best friend Marnie. Other characters include Jane’s mother who has dementia and is living in a nursing home, plus a sister who’s anorexic, but they both seem like little more than filler in this story. After the midway point I began losing interest in Jane’s character. She was just too shallow and far too much of a whiner. I began to wish the author would put Jane (and this reader) out of her misery. The story dragged in too many spots, and overall there wasn’t enough suspense in the story.
My thanks to Pamela Dorman Books & Netgalley for the ARC
So begins Jane’s confession of the series of lies that she has told.
Unfortunately what promised to be a exciting book after such an excellent beginning, ultimately turned out to be a letdown. This book is very much Jane’s story and no one else’s. We don’t get any real insights into any of the other characters including her best friend Marnie. Other characters include Jane’s mother who has dementia and is living in a nursing home, plus a sister who’s anorexic, but they both seem like little more than filler in this story. After the midway point I began losing interest in Jane’s character. She was just too shallow and far too much of a whiner. I began to wish the author would put Jane (and this reader) out of her misery. The story dragged in too many spots, and overall there wasn’t enough suspense in the story.
My thanks to Pamela Dorman Books & Netgalley for the ARC
May 3, 2020
Rambling Prose.
This was the second consecutive book I've experienced featuring verbose narrators compelling readers to discern the story in a sea of words.
Patience and perseverance were my friends as I was tempted to quit. There was an atmospheric element piquing my interest, however I admit to skimming which unfortunately diluted the mood - the strong point of the book in my opinion.
Intriguing story about two best friends from childhood navigating early adulthood and marriages. Both of their husbands died young. Hmmm… Is there anything to this?
I was also invested in discovering the truth behind Jane our first person narrator. Is she sane, unreliable, or certifiably crazy?
Thank you to Edelweiss, Elizabeth Kay, and Pam Dorman Books for my advanced electronic copy in exchange for an honest review.
This was the second consecutive book I've experienced featuring verbose narrators compelling readers to discern the story in a sea of words.
Patience and perseverance were my friends as I was tempted to quit. There was an atmospheric element piquing my interest, however I admit to skimming which unfortunately diluted the mood - the strong point of the book in my opinion.
Intriguing story about two best friends from childhood navigating early adulthood and marriages. Both of their husbands died young. Hmmm… Is there anything to this?
I was also invested in discovering the truth behind Jane our first person narrator. Is she sane, unreliable, or certifiably crazy?
Thank you to Edelweiss, Elizabeth Kay, and Pam Dorman Books for my advanced electronic copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 14, 2020
SEVEN LIES is the debut psychological thriller novel by Elizabeth Kay. It is a compelling thriller about the toxic friendships between women, obsession and what we stand to lose in the name of love.
Marnie and Jane have been best friends for more than eighteen years. Growing up, Jane and Marnie shared everything. They knew the other's deepest secrets.
Marnie is open and invites warmth and love. Self-confident. She is light. Persuasion came naturally to Marnie.
Jane is an introvert who lacks confidence and is always waiting to be ridiculed. She is dark.
They were still two, Marnie and Jane, after University, when they moved into a flat. They were bonded by their intense friendship. Marnie was freelancing alongside her job. She wrote a blog about food, that quickly grew.
Then Marnie meets Charles and soon marry, but Jane is afraid of losing her best friend. Jane does not think that Marnie and Charles have a love greater than theirs. But when Marnie falls in love, things begin to change.
Because Jane has a secret: she does not like Marnie's wealthy, husband. When Marnie asks if she likes him, Jane tells her first lie. After all, even best friends keep some things to themselves. If she had been honest, then perhaps her best friend's husband might still be alive today. . .
Then one lie leads to another…
Jane moves in with Jonathan when they were both twenty-two, as Jonathan filled a gap for Jane, providing the home she always needed but had never really known, as her parents argued al the time and were later divorced. Soon after Jane and Jonathan were married.
They were two people that had shared so much, and over time they had been separated by romantic love.
Favorite Quote:
“Life moves in only one direction. Every decision that you ever make will be written in stone, permanent, never to be undone.”
Seven Lies is Jane's confession of the truth--her truth. It is a story about love, toxic friendships between women, hardships, changes, obsession, jealously, and grief. This novel will have you hooked and keep you guessing until the very end. Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the author, Penguin Random House Canada (Viking) and Netgalley for my digital copy.
Marnie and Jane have been best friends for more than eighteen years. Growing up, Jane and Marnie shared everything. They knew the other's deepest secrets.
Marnie is open and invites warmth and love. Self-confident. She is light. Persuasion came naturally to Marnie.
Jane is an introvert who lacks confidence and is always waiting to be ridiculed. She is dark.
They were still two, Marnie and Jane, after University, when they moved into a flat. They were bonded by their intense friendship. Marnie was freelancing alongside her job. She wrote a blog about food, that quickly grew.
Then Marnie meets Charles and soon marry, but Jane is afraid of losing her best friend. Jane does not think that Marnie and Charles have a love greater than theirs. But when Marnie falls in love, things begin to change.
Because Jane has a secret: she does not like Marnie's wealthy, husband. When Marnie asks if she likes him, Jane tells her first lie. After all, even best friends keep some things to themselves. If she had been honest, then perhaps her best friend's husband might still be alive today. . .
Then one lie leads to another…
Jane moves in with Jonathan when they were both twenty-two, as Jonathan filled a gap for Jane, providing the home she always needed but had never really known, as her parents argued al the time and were later divorced. Soon after Jane and Jonathan were married.
They were two people that had shared so much, and over time they had been separated by romantic love.
Favorite Quote:
“Life moves in only one direction. Every decision that you ever make will be written in stone, permanent, never to be undone.”
Seven Lies is Jane's confession of the truth--her truth. It is a story about love, toxic friendships between women, hardships, changes, obsession, jealously, and grief. This novel will have you hooked and keep you guessing until the very end. Highly recommended!
Many thanks to the author, Penguin Random House Canada (Viking) and Netgalley for my digital copy.
June 15, 2020
Elizabeth Kay's debut novel is a compelling tale of a toxic friendship slash obsession.
Jane and Marnie have been best friends since the age of eleven. As you can imagine how important they are for each other. When Marnie gets involved with Charles and seeks Jane's approval, Jane doesn't tell her how much she hates her boyfriend. Now Jane is confessing her deepest secrets, the complicated web she has woven with that first lie.
It becomes apparent fairly quickly that Jane is an unreliable narrator or if you prefer mentally unstable psychopathic narrator. The story is dark and twisty and full of tragic circumstances. There is a lot of tension building and seemingly unnecessary 'asides' that in time become vital clues when all the details come together. Despite the slow burn, the story is compelling and whatever your feelings towards the main characters are, you will want to know who Jane is making her confession to.
The ending...well, personally I found it dark and sinister.
Who would I recommend this book to? Fans of dark psychological thriller who enjoyed Gone Girl and love exploring dysfunctional relationship dynamics.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Pamela Dorman Books for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.
Jane and Marnie have been best friends since the age of eleven. As you can imagine how important they are for each other. When Marnie gets involved with Charles and seeks Jane's approval, Jane doesn't tell her how much she hates her boyfriend. Now Jane is confessing her deepest secrets, the complicated web she has woven with that first lie.
It becomes apparent fairly quickly that Jane is an unreliable narrator or if you prefer mentally unstable psychopathic narrator. The story is dark and twisty and full of tragic circumstances. There is a lot of tension building and seemingly unnecessary 'asides' that in time become vital clues when all the details come together. Despite the slow burn, the story is compelling and whatever your feelings towards the main characters are, you will want to know who Jane is making her confession to.
The ending...well, personally I found it dark and sinister.
Who would I recommend this book to? Fans of dark psychological thriller who enjoyed Gone Girl and love exploring dysfunctional relationship dynamics.
Thank you to Edelweiss and Pamela Dorman Books for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.
April 28, 2024
Iubirea obsesivă și imposibilitatea de a accepta că oamenii și modul lor de viață se schimbă, poate determina o persoană să recurgă la gesturi extreme doar pentru că realitatea ei să nu se schimbe. Nu mă așteptam la un thriller așa de dur și la un personaj cu atâta sânge rece.
June 27, 2020
For my entire review of "Seven Lies" visit: https://fictionophile.com/2020/06/27/...
I think this is the first time I’ve read a book that reads as a confession. The entire novel was written in the first person and did just that! Our protagonist, Jane, had a lot to confess – as the titles suggests she told seven lies that served to influence her life. Needless to say, she did some unforgivable things, yet somehow I felt real empathy for her. She was lonely her entire life. She just went about remedying her loneliness in ill-advised ways.
It takes real talent to create a fully rounded character and Elizabeth Kay did so in this novel. Although we know just how devious Jane can be, we also know how loyal she is, her strong sense of familial duty. Some readers might think Jane is a psychopath, but I don’t agree. Jane is a girl with obsessive-compulsive tendencies who has had some major emotional trauma in her life. This has affected her psyche – in a detrimental way.
With themes of jealousy, loss, widowhood, female friendship, and obsession this novel kept me riveted throughout. It is one of those books that I loathe to say too much about for fear it will ruin the reading experience for others. Suffice it to say that I enjoyed it to the extent that I will be keeping an eagle eye out for this author’s second novel.
A clever and very compelling psychological thriller which I highly recommended!
I think this is the first time I’ve read a book that reads as a confession. The entire novel was written in the first person and did just that! Our protagonist, Jane, had a lot to confess – as the titles suggests she told seven lies that served to influence her life. Needless to say, she did some unforgivable things, yet somehow I felt real empathy for her. She was lonely her entire life. She just went about remedying her loneliness in ill-advised ways.
It takes real talent to create a fully rounded character and Elizabeth Kay did so in this novel. Although we know just how devious Jane can be, we also know how loyal she is, her strong sense of familial duty. Some readers might think Jane is a psychopath, but I don’t agree. Jane is a girl with obsessive-compulsive tendencies who has had some major emotional trauma in her life. This has affected her psyche – in a detrimental way.
With themes of jealousy, loss, widowhood, female friendship, and obsession this novel kept me riveted throughout. It is one of those books that I loathe to say too much about for fear it will ruin the reading experience for others. Suffice it to say that I enjoyed it to the extent that I will be keeping an eagle eye out for this author’s second novel.
A clever and very compelling psychological thriller which I highly recommended!
November 12, 2019
Seven Lies started with a bang and the protagonist voice was genuinely compelling- beautiful writing and an excellent, quirkily dark undertone.
I enjoyed it all the way but can't help but feel it didn't pull off the premise- if I was writing a three word review it would be "Almost, not quite"
This is almost a story about toxic friendship but not quite.
This is almost a story about grief but not quite.
This is almost a tense psychological thriller but not quite.
I honestly felt that it fizzled out into nothing after promising so much. That didn't mean it was a bad book - indeed there are elements here that are brilliant and clever. Overall though for this reader it just fell short of the mark.
Almost. Not quite.
On the hugely positive side this is likely an author to Watch. I will definitely read future books.
I enjoyed it all the way but can't help but feel it didn't pull off the premise- if I was writing a three word review it would be "Almost, not quite"
This is almost a story about toxic friendship but not quite.
This is almost a story about grief but not quite.
This is almost a tense psychological thriller but not quite.
I honestly felt that it fizzled out into nothing after promising so much. That didn't mean it was a bad book - indeed there are elements here that are brilliant and clever. Overall though for this reader it just fell short of the mark.
Almost. Not quite.
On the hugely positive side this is likely an author to Watch. I will definitely read future books.
June 20, 2021
سبع أكاذيب
الأمر يبدأ بكذبة واحدة يقال عنها كذبة بيضاء بسيطة ثم تستمر الأكاذيب إلي ما لا نهاية
علاقات الصداقة والحب يجب أن تبني علي الصدق والثقة وإن دخلها الكذب ولو مرة لن يتركها إلا بعد تدميرها وانهيارها
الرواية تركز علي الشخصية الرئيسية جاين شخصية قد تتعاطف معها في البداية كفتاة تحب صديقتها وتسعي للحفاظ علي هذه الصداقة لكن هذا السعي عندما يدخل فيه الكذب والأنانية تتحول العلاقة إلي هوس ومرض يصل بها إلي الكوارث
الكاتبة رسمت الشخصيات جيدا وعامل التشويق كان موجود والحبكة لا بأس بها لكن بالرغم من ذلك شعرت ببعض الملل والحشو الذي جعلني أريد ان اصل للنهاية بأسرع وقت
الأمر يبدأ بكذبة واحدة يقال عنها كذبة بيضاء بسيطة ثم تستمر الأكاذيب إلي ما لا نهاية
علاقات الصداقة والحب يجب أن تبني علي الصدق والثقة وإن دخلها الكذب ولو مرة لن يتركها إلا بعد تدميرها وانهيارها
الرواية تركز علي الشخصية الرئيسية جاين شخصية قد تتعاطف معها في البداية كفتاة تحب صديقتها وتسعي للحفاظ علي هذه الصداقة لكن هذا السعي عندما يدخل فيه الكذب والأنانية تتحول العلاقة إلي هوس ومرض يصل بها إلي الكوارث
الكاتبة رسمت الشخصيات جيدا وعامل التشويق كان موجود والحبكة لا بأس بها لكن بالرغم من ذلك شعرت ببعض الملل والحشو الذي جعلني أريد ان اصل للنهاية بأسرع وقت
July 5, 2020
I wonder now—most days, in fact—if I hadn't told that first lie, would I have told the others? I like to tell myself that the first lie was the least significant of them all. But that, ironically, is a lie. If I had been honest that Friday evening, everything might have been—would have been—different.
4 stars
Review coming soon
August 27, 2021
3.5*
رواية عن الأستحواذ
هل من الممكن أن يتحول حب الصديق إلى مثل هذا الأستحواذ
الرواية تحكي عن صديقتين تجمعهما صداقة قوية ومستمرة منذ الطفولة
تتعرض الصداقة لبعض المواقف التي تكذب فيها جاين ظنا منها أن في هذه الكذبات الصغيرة حماية لصديقتها مارني و سعادة لها
لكن هذه الكذبات تزيد الأمر سوءا على مر الوقت مما يستلزم كذبات جديدة لتتعقد الأمور أكثر و أكثر
رواية عن الأستحواذ
هل من الممكن أن يتحول حب الصديق إلى مثل هذا الأستحواذ
الرواية تحكي عن صديقتين تجمعهما صداقة قوية ومستمرة منذ الطفولة
تتعرض الصداقة لبعض المواقف التي تكذب فيها جاين ظنا منها أن في هذه الكذبات الصغيرة حماية لصديقتها مارني و سعادة لها
لكن هذه الكذبات تزيد الأمر سوءا على مر الوقت مما يستلزم كذبات جديدة لتتعقد الأمور أكثر و أكثر
August 7, 2021
From reading the blurb I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect but I have to say this book went in a completely different direction to the norm and blew my mind.
I felt like I was reading Janes diary or even creepier I was literally in her head hearing all her thoughts. Although I admit it took a while to get used to this style and I can imagine it will divide readers…. I loved it. It was completely different from anything I’ve read recently and I loved it.
I love reading books that completely captivate me with the story but also make me a little scared to keep reading - what will the next lie be 😮😮
I will definitely be on the lookout for more books like this moving forward and so brilliant to find a new author to sink my teeth into! Fully recommend x
I felt like I was reading Janes diary or even creepier I was literally in her head hearing all her thoughts. Although I admit it took a while to get used to this style and I can imagine it will divide readers…. I loved it. It was completely different from anything I’ve read recently and I loved it.
I love reading books that completely captivate me with the story but also make me a little scared to keep reading - what will the next lie be 😮😮
I will definitely be on the lookout for more books like this moving forward and so brilliant to find a new author to sink my teeth into! Fully recommend x
August 1, 2020
3.5 rounded up.. I definitely recommend the audiobook for this 1. It’s written completely in the 1st person (think creepy memoir) & the narrator did a great job. I think it was a fun 1 to listen to when you’re looking for something easy.. For example I’m also reading Pretty Girls (Karin Slaughter) & it’s SO good but it’s heavy & I feel I need to pay attention to every word. This was the perfect distraction when I needed a couple hours “off.” The characters were great.. Especially Jane.. Oh boy! I got a little bored with the rambling at about 37% but I noticed by 50% it had hooked me again. It’s definitely the “psychological” in psychological thriller.. But even though there was a dark undercurrent, I think it read more like a character study than an edge of your seat type thriller. Still the straight up, chronological way it was “told” made for an easy & entertaining, mostly captivating story.
April 5, 2020
This book sadly just wasn't for me. It had so many plotlines and the author clearly wanted to comment on a lot of things (eating disorders, sexual assault, siblings, parental relationships, dementia, early widowhood etc) but they were just random and didn't sit alongside the main story at all. The book was overly ambitious and as a result of wanting to encompass so many things, it failed at being a mystery/suspense at all.
I also thought there was too much done to make our narrator Jane feel like she was the deadly creepy type if she could have showed us rather than telling us that would have been fine. But her progression into this character didn't feel real, her final act would have been ridiculous and no way would she have gotten away with it.
The biggest gap in this book was the journalist, are we expected to believe a woman who dug so much into this just walks away like that? Why on earth wouldn't Marnie go to her after once she knew the real story? This part was so incredibly far-fetched that it was amusing, then frustrating. The journalist character she constructed had more grit in her to just walk away and it is a "oh I'm jealous you've kept long-term friends" thing.
I'll be doing a review on my YouTube channel for the month of November talking more about this book and where it fell for me as I do feel bad writing this review here. Review video can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LwjD...
Overall it just wasn't for me, the character development was lacking, too much wanted to be done and the plot was uninteresting and weaved in with more uninteresting characters.
I also thought there was too much done to make our narrator Jane feel like she was the deadly creepy type if she could have showed us rather than telling us that would have been fine. But her progression into this character didn't feel real, her final act would have been ridiculous and no way would she have gotten away with it.
The biggest gap in this book was the journalist, are we expected to believe a woman who dug so much into this just walks away like that? Why on earth wouldn't Marnie go to her after once she knew the real story? This part was so incredibly far-fetched that it was amusing, then frustrating. The journalist character she constructed had more grit in her to just walk away and it is a "oh I'm jealous you've kept long-term friends" thing.
I'll be doing a review on my YouTube channel for the month of November talking more about this book and where it fell for me as I do feel bad writing this review here. Review video can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LwjD...
Overall it just wasn't for me, the character development was lacking, too much wanted to be done and the plot was uninteresting and weaved in with more uninteresting characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 14, 2020
Jane and Marnie have been friends for a long time but Jane does not like Marine’s husband and this situation leads to lies and deception.
Unfortunately I could not relate to the characters in this book and the story didn’t hold my interest.
Thanks you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
Unfortunately I could not relate to the characters in this book and the story didn’t hold my interest.
Thanks you to NetGalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 21, 2020
Me ha atraído des del principio, Jane nos cuenta siete mentiras que ha contado a su mejor amiga y las consecuencias que estas han tenido. Marnie y Jane son mejores amigas des de los once años, han estado siempre muy unidas. Pero cuando Marnie le presenta el hombre del que se ha enamorado, Jane miente a su amiga por primera vez en la vida. Porque Charles no le gusta pero prefiere no decírselo a su amiga.
Los años van pasando y después de esa primera mentira habrá más y que cambiarán su vida para siempre. Porque si Jane hubiera sido sincera, tal vez Charles seguiría vivo.
Había momentos en que no sabía por dónde quería ir la autora con tanta información, pero vale realmente la pena. Conocemos a Jane en profundidad, lo que siente y cómo es su vida y sus relaciones. El final me ha parecido fantástico, no me lo esperaba.
Mientras lees vas sintiendo varias cosas hacia Jane y Marnie, pero el final casi hace que se me salga el corazón del pecho 🤣.
Los años van pasando y después de esa primera mentira habrá más y que cambiarán su vida para siempre. Porque si Jane hubiera sido sincera, tal vez Charles seguiría vivo.
Había momentos en que no sabía por dónde quería ir la autora con tanta información, pero vale realmente la pena. Conocemos a Jane en profundidad, lo que siente y cómo es su vida y sus relaciones. El final me ha parecido fantástico, no me lo esperaba.
Mientras lees vas sintiendo varias cosas hacia Jane y Marnie, pero el final casi hace que se me salga el corazón del pecho 🤣.
October 4, 2020
Me gustó leer este libro. La historia no está nada mal,sobre todo el inicio. Después se va desmadejando un poco.
Tal vez en otro momento le hubiera dado otra valoración más positiva,pero hace poco leí otro libro con protagonista malvada ,pero tan cercana que se me hacía justificable su comportamiento.
En este caso la historia de la protagonista es bastante conmovedora,sin embargo su obsesión se le va de las manos rayando en ocasiones en tontería.
Igual lo leí muy intrigada y creo que la idea está muy bien y buena parte del desarrollo de la historia también.
Tal vez en otro momento le hubiera dado otra valoración más positiva,pero hace poco leí otro libro con protagonista malvada ,pero tan cercana que se me hacía justificable su comportamiento.
En este caso la historia de la protagonista es bastante conmovedora,sin embargo su obsesión se le va de las manos rayando en ocasiones en tontería.
Igual lo leí muy intrigada y creo que la idea está muy bien y buena parte del desarrollo de la historia también.
May 31, 2020
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: June 16, 2020
Elizabeth May’s debut novel, “Seven Lies” is an obsession-driven, powerful novel about the intensity of female relationships, and how one little lie changes everything.
Jane and Marnie have been friends since childhood, and they have shared everything, from clothing to secrets. Even as they grow up, the two remain inseparable. Until the inevitable day when Marnie meets Charles, and she becomes enveloped in talk of living together, marriage and babies, leaving Jane on the sidelines. Desperate to once again be the most important person in Marnie’s life, Jane develops a plan to re-immerse herself into the life of her best friend. So she begins with a little lie, and soon the lies spiral out of control until Jane is trying desperately not to be caught out by the only person she has ever needed, Marnie.
“Seven Lies” is one heck of a story. Jane is quite clearly in a spiral of twisted, psychotic jealousy, desperate for the complete love and attention of her oldest and dearest friend, as Marnie goes on living life completely unaware of the level of Jane’s obsession. A story of childhood friendship turned into dangerous obsession, it is definitely entertaining, full of disturbing and gripping twists and turns.
The story is told through Jane’s perspective, as she dictates it to someone else (until the very end, it is not revealed who Jane is telling her story to). I enjoyed the story being told this way, as it allowed for a more personal, one-sided view of Jane’s background and standpoint.
The novel also touches on both dementia and bulimia, as members of Jane’s family struggle with these disastrous and life-altering illnesses, providing heartbreaking honesty and somehow encouraging a little bit of empathy for Jane.
For a debut novel, I was very impressed with Kay’s creativity and talent. Well-developed characters and a strong story, “Seven Lies” was able to pull me in from page one. The story itself is a little bit “Single White Female”, and the theme is definitely not a unique idea. But Kay writes very well, and I am very excited to see what she comes up with next.
Expected publication date: June 16, 2020
Elizabeth May’s debut novel, “Seven Lies” is an obsession-driven, powerful novel about the intensity of female relationships, and how one little lie changes everything.
Jane and Marnie have been friends since childhood, and they have shared everything, from clothing to secrets. Even as they grow up, the two remain inseparable. Until the inevitable day when Marnie meets Charles, and she becomes enveloped in talk of living together, marriage and babies, leaving Jane on the sidelines. Desperate to once again be the most important person in Marnie’s life, Jane develops a plan to re-immerse herself into the life of her best friend. So she begins with a little lie, and soon the lies spiral out of control until Jane is trying desperately not to be caught out by the only person she has ever needed, Marnie.
“Seven Lies” is one heck of a story. Jane is quite clearly in a spiral of twisted, psychotic jealousy, desperate for the complete love and attention of her oldest and dearest friend, as Marnie goes on living life completely unaware of the level of Jane’s obsession. A story of childhood friendship turned into dangerous obsession, it is definitely entertaining, full of disturbing and gripping twists and turns.
The story is told through Jane’s perspective, as she dictates it to someone else (until the very end, it is not revealed who Jane is telling her story to). I enjoyed the story being told this way, as it allowed for a more personal, one-sided view of Jane’s background and standpoint.
The novel also touches on both dementia and bulimia, as members of Jane’s family struggle with these disastrous and life-altering illnesses, providing heartbreaking honesty and somehow encouraging a little bit of empathy for Jane.
For a debut novel, I was very impressed with Kay’s creativity and talent. Well-developed characters and a strong story, “Seven Lies” was able to pull me in from page one. The story itself is a little bit “Single White Female”, and the theme is definitely not a unique idea. But Kay writes very well, and I am very excited to see what she comes up with next.
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