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A Simple Lie
Lying to get a job places a New York woman in the path of a deranged killer in this psychological thriller by the author of The Secrets We Bury.
Forced to give up her career as a dentist, and still unemployed a year later, Valentina Knight has finally run out of options. With foreclosure looming, she acts in desperation, lying to get a position as an assistant to the county medical examiner. Val’s relieved. She won’t be homeless. But she didn’t count on the lie trapping her in a dangerous game with a killer . . .
Val quickly becomes involved in the case of Francine Donohue, who disappeared from her neighborhood and is discovered dead six months later. The bizarre circumstances surrounding the murder are not the first of their kind. With the evidence pointing to a serial killer, and a calling card Val understands, she quickly gets sucked into the case.
As Val is pulled in further, the situation takes a darker turn. Someone is aware of the lie she told. Someone who is prepared to kill . . .
This fast-paced crime thriller will appeal to fans of authors like Fiona Barton, Teresa Driscoll, and Alice Feeney.
Forced to give up her career as a dentist, and still unemployed a year later, Valentina Knight has finally run out of options. With foreclosure looming, she acts in desperation, lying to get a position as an assistant to the county medical examiner. Val’s relieved. She won’t be homeless. But she didn’t count on the lie trapping her in a dangerous game with a killer . . .
Val quickly becomes involved in the case of Francine Donohue, who disappeared from her neighborhood and is discovered dead six months later. The bizarre circumstances surrounding the murder are not the first of their kind. With the evidence pointing to a serial killer, and a calling card Val understands, she quickly gets sucked into the case.
As Val is pulled in further, the situation takes a darker turn. Someone is aware of the lie she told. Someone who is prepared to kill . . .
This fast-paced crime thriller will appeal to fans of authors like Fiona Barton, Teresa Driscoll, and Alice Feeney.
316 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 21, 2019
1578 people are currently reading
1261 people want to read
About the author
Mary Bush
2 books50 followersWhen not writing psychological and crime thrillers, Mary makes her living as a professor of dentistry at the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine. She’s also involved in forensic dentistry. In this capacity, she works on cases in which teeth are the main evidence. Mary has testified in murder trials as an expert witness, focusing on the admissibility of bite mark evidence in the US court system, including testimony on Capitol Hill regarding the need for scientific rigor in the courtroom. Her experiences have shown how truth is without a doubt, stranger than fiction. Her debut novel, A Simple Lie, was a bronze medal winner for crime fiction in the 2020 Reader’s Favorite International Book Awards and a finalist in the 2020 Next Generation Indie Awards, thriller category
As an invited speaker, her talks center on forensic evidence and the cases she’s been involved with. She currently lives in Buffalo, New York with her husband and their exceptionally spoiled cat.
Find out more about Mary or just stop by and say hello at www.facebook.com/marybushauthor/ or www.intagram.com/marybushauthor/ She’d love to hear from you!
As an invited speaker, her talks center on forensic evidence and the cases she’s been involved with. She currently lives in Buffalo, New York with her husband and their exceptionally spoiled cat.
Find out more about Mary or just stop by and say hello at www.facebook.com/marybushauthor/ or www.intagram.com/marybushauthor/ She’d love to hear from you!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 199 reviews
November 28, 2019
A SIMPLE LIE is a psychological thriller by author Mary Bush.
Just one little lie. What harm could that do?
Valentina Knight is forced to give up her career as a dentist, due to an injury. Still unemployed a year later, she now has finally run out of options, with her debts rising and foreclosure looming she lies to get a position as an assistant to the county medical examiner. But this lie could soon trap her in a treacherous game with a killer.
Val is hired and now works in the County Medical Examiner’s office as an assistant death scene investigator. She finds herself quickly having to educate herself in medical knowledge to perform her tasks, but also planning to utilize her dental knowledge.
Val is involved in the case of Francine Donohue, who disappeared from her neighborhood and is discovered dead six months later. The evidence points to a serial killer, and a calling card Val
As Val is pulled in further, the situation takes a darker turn. Someone is aware of the lie she told.
Dr Julia DeHavilland a plastic surgeon now one of the examiners; is a friend and ally to Val. She is dealing with a messy divorce from her husband Colin who with his new girlfriend Lauren, is bringing a lawsuit against her for malpractice. But Julia claims she did nothing wrong.
And then Julia disappears, the only one person who knew about Val’s lie, and was protecting her at her job.
Through her investigation, Val’s determines the identity of the murderer. But the killer realizes that Val has worked out their identity.
Val has now set herself up for danger.
This is well written researched novel with focus in the area of forensics, well- developed characters, and riveting plot.
Many thanks to the author, Bloodhound Books for my digital copy. Highly recommended!
Just one little lie. What harm could that do?
Valentina Knight is forced to give up her career as a dentist, due to an injury. Still unemployed a year later, she now has finally run out of options, with her debts rising and foreclosure looming she lies to get a position as an assistant to the county medical examiner. But this lie could soon trap her in a treacherous game with a killer.
Val is hired and now works in the County Medical Examiner’s office as an assistant death scene investigator. She finds herself quickly having to educate herself in medical knowledge to perform her tasks, but also planning to utilize her dental knowledge.
Val is involved in the case of Francine Donohue, who disappeared from her neighborhood and is discovered dead six months later. The evidence points to a serial killer, and a calling card Val
As Val is pulled in further, the situation takes a darker turn. Someone is aware of the lie she told.
Dr Julia DeHavilland a plastic surgeon now one of the examiners; is a friend and ally to Val. She is dealing with a messy divorce from her husband Colin who with his new girlfriend Lauren, is bringing a lawsuit against her for malpractice. But Julia claims she did nothing wrong.
And then Julia disappears, the only one person who knew about Val’s lie, and was protecting her at her job.
Through her investigation, Val’s determines the identity of the murderer. But the killer realizes that Val has worked out their identity.
Val has now set herself up for danger.
This is well written researched novel with focus in the area of forensics, well- developed characters, and riveting plot.
Many thanks to the author, Bloodhound Books for my digital copy. Highly recommended!
November 27, 2019
Valentina Knight is a doctor without a profession. Due to an injury she received from a patient, she is unable to continue as a dental surgeon. Bills are mounting up and she's just A hair breadth away from losing her home.
She tells a small lie to gain the position of assistant to the country medical examiner. Her medical training will hold her in good stead.
She rapidly becomes embroiled in the deaths of three women. One disappeared from her home and was discovered six months later. It seems clear that a serial killer is out there, but what ties his victims together?
As Val investigates further, she finds herself facing personal danger .... all because of a little lie.
This is well written, with great character depth. The story premise is extremely riveting, with loads of attention paid to the world of forensics. The author certainly did research and it shows in the credibility of the story telling.
Many thanks to the author / Bloodhound Books for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
She tells a small lie to gain the position of assistant to the country medical examiner. Her medical training will hold her in good stead.
She rapidly becomes embroiled in the deaths of three women. One disappeared from her home and was discovered six months later. It seems clear that a serial killer is out there, but what ties his victims together?
As Val investigates further, she finds herself facing personal danger .... all because of a little lie.
This is well written, with great character depth. The story premise is extremely riveting, with loads of attention paid to the world of forensics. The author certainly did research and it shows in the credibility of the story telling.
Many thanks to the author / Bloodhound Books for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
January 5, 2020
One simple lie leads Val down a tricky road of covering her back to ensure that no one discovers the truth about how she really came into her new job as a medical examiner. However, with a gruesome case that is intensifying, Val has to ensure she can secure her new job without outsiders guessing her past.
This is a pretty gruesome novel with regards to the murders being committed. If teeth being ripped out of victims is not for you, you probably will find this read quite squirmish! Val witnesses crime scenes and the victims at the morgue and it was refreshing to see these two different elements to a murder investigation. Literally learning on the job despite her dentistry background, Val learns that garden loppers can be used in many ways for her new job. Ouch!
As the case becomes more complex, Val visits the crime scenes in person. I enjoyed reading the questions being asked, particularly about blood spatters, and found the deducing of events rather interesting. The developing relationship between Val and Jack was interesting to watch and I wonder whether there would have been scope for the writer to push this further?
The descriptions of the murder victims had my toes curling! It is not too graphic but the writer gives enough information for the reader’s imagination to take control. Personally, I don’t think I will be able to look at a dentist in the same way again! However, I enjoyed the detail and the fact that we are in the same position as Val and Jack – we do not know who is committing the murders and are also following the trail, trying to find the answer.
The revelation towards the end of the story was unexpected. This added to my enjoyment because I was looking forward to this surprise – especially as Bush had not provided any clues throughout the narrative. Linking the victims was unusual and I could not have foreseen how the crimes would be solved. It would be interesting to see if the writer takes the central characters further in another novel – there is no suggestion either way to show whether this is the end or not.
An enjoyable murder mystery. It was interesting, bloody and with plenty of questions to pique my interest. Wondering how anyone could be motivated to rip out someone’s teeth as part of a murder was enough to keep me interested to the end. I was desperate to know who would go to these lengths in such bloody murders.
With thanks to Bloodhound books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This is a pretty gruesome novel with regards to the murders being committed. If teeth being ripped out of victims is not for you, you probably will find this read quite squirmish! Val witnesses crime scenes and the victims at the morgue and it was refreshing to see these two different elements to a murder investigation. Literally learning on the job despite her dentistry background, Val learns that garden loppers can be used in many ways for her new job. Ouch!
As the case becomes more complex, Val visits the crime scenes in person. I enjoyed reading the questions being asked, particularly about blood spatters, and found the deducing of events rather interesting. The developing relationship between Val and Jack was interesting to watch and I wonder whether there would have been scope for the writer to push this further?
The descriptions of the murder victims had my toes curling! It is not too graphic but the writer gives enough information for the reader’s imagination to take control. Personally, I don’t think I will be able to look at a dentist in the same way again! However, I enjoyed the detail and the fact that we are in the same position as Val and Jack – we do not know who is committing the murders and are also following the trail, trying to find the answer.
The revelation towards the end of the story was unexpected. This added to my enjoyment because I was looking forward to this surprise – especially as Bush had not provided any clues throughout the narrative. Linking the victims was unusual and I could not have foreseen how the crimes would be solved. It would be interesting to see if the writer takes the central characters further in another novel – there is no suggestion either way to show whether this is the end or not.
An enjoyable murder mystery. It was interesting, bloody and with plenty of questions to pique my interest. Wondering how anyone could be motivated to rip out someone’s teeth as part of a murder was enough to keep me interested to the end. I was desperate to know who would go to these lengths in such bloody murders.
With thanks to Bloodhound books for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
August 21, 2020
The TRUTH about A SIMPLE LIE...
SIMPLY not that great.
This book's storyline was too implausible for me. Why would a dentist who was shot by a patient want to become an investigator for a county morgue? (HUH?) If she was no longer able to use her hands, why didn't she just teach at her local dental school?
Also, I was unable to get into the flow of this book. I stopped listening to the book when the author was describing all of the maggots that appeared on the dentist's hands when she was examining a dead body. TMI for me!
Psychological thrillers are always my first choice genre but this book just did not live up to its hype. I listened to the book's audio version and the narrator did not give a 5-star performance and that certainly did not help.
Please note that I did not finish the book so perhaps my 2-star rating was a bit harsh.
SIMPLY not that great.
This book's storyline was too implausible for me. Why would a dentist who was shot by a patient want to become an investigator for a county morgue? (HUH?) If she was no longer able to use her hands, why didn't she just teach at her local dental school?
Also, I was unable to get into the flow of this book. I stopped listening to the book when the author was describing all of the maggots that appeared on the dentist's hands when she was examining a dead body. TMI for me!
Psychological thrillers are always my first choice genre but this book just did not live up to its hype. I listened to the book's audio version and the narrator did not give a 5-star performance and that certainly did not help.
Please note that I did not finish the book so perhaps my 2-star rating was a bit harsh.
March 23, 2025
hey so this was really bad!
June 23, 2020
Two stars is probably being generous. The story line is really hard to believe. A dentist who can't practice becomes a death investigator for a county morgue. With no experience, she is smarter than than the detective on a serial killer case. And the actual killer - well, that is just a bridge to far for my imagination.
May 13, 2025
It had some great twists
October 29, 2020
Not for the squeamish
A worthy read that draws you into an engaging and twisty story line. The author appears to have a crafty way of encouraging the reader to suspect pretty much every character at some stage; I certainly did. It was compelling and the pages kept turning. Yeah, there might be a few circumstances that could be described as not altogether realistic, how the heroine secured her employment for instance, but it's fiction and it didn't detract from the story. I found the medical and forensic aspects throughout the book to be tremendously interesting, even if the acknowledgements state there was use of dramatic licence. The only slight gripe is I would've liked a more simple plot when it came to the victims. It got quite complex and I did loose the significance of all the connections but understood enough to keep it altogether and it in no way spoilt my enjoyment. I'd recommend the book but suggest you concentrate on which victim is which.
A worthy read that draws you into an engaging and twisty story line. The author appears to have a crafty way of encouraging the reader to suspect pretty much every character at some stage; I certainly did. It was compelling and the pages kept turning. Yeah, there might be a few circumstances that could be described as not altogether realistic, how the heroine secured her employment for instance, but it's fiction and it didn't detract from the story. I found the medical and forensic aspects throughout the book to be tremendously interesting, even if the acknowledgements state there was use of dramatic licence. The only slight gripe is I would've liked a more simple plot when it came to the victims. It got quite complex and I did loose the significance of all the connections but understood enough to keep it altogether and it in no way spoilt my enjoyment. I'd recommend the book but suggest you concentrate on which victim is which.
November 27, 2019
"Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practise to deceive" The opening lines of Sir Walter Scott's 'Marmion' encapsulate this story. We find Valentina Knight unemployed after being jobless for a year through no fault of her own, desperately seeking a job so when one appears that she's not really qualified for, then telling a little white fib on your CV isn't that bad...or is it? She quickly becomes caught up in 3 women's deaths which have the hall mark of a serial killer and one who seems to know about her false record. So will she be next?
Great story line with lots of detail and good strong characters too. Overall I would give it 4.5*.
Thanks to Bloodhound Books for the ARC to review.
Great story line with lots of detail and good strong characters too. Overall I would give it 4.5*.
Thanks to Bloodhound Books for the ARC to review.
February 27, 2020
I actually really liked this book! I wasn’t certain at first, but very few books keep me guessing “who’s the bad guy here?” and also keep my interest. Perhaps it’s because I am a true crime junkie that I loved the interesting forensic science theme that had to have been incredibly well researched! (Not for someone with a weak stomach!) Although a bit of a reach with the actual ending, I still enjoyed this read very much! Truly nice to see a different approach other than the same formula to these “psychological thrillers.”
One thing that was way too much cheese for me were the final few lines of the book. I’ll forgive the author though as it was such a great read. ;)
One thing that was way too much cheese for me were the final few lines of the book. I’ll forgive the author though as it was such a great read. ;)
January 6, 2020
This book was an excellent murder mystery. I honestly didn’t expect who it turned out to be at all. I gave 4 stars because I was kind of confused about additional character details being given with no follow up. It was stated that Val was attracted to Gavin (and vice versa) and then just drops that he has a wife. And then Val states her attraction to Jack. I’m just wondering why these details were ever included? Just to make it more than just a murder mystery but making them have realistic attractions even though it doesn’t pertain to the story at all? Just found it a bit odd.
January 31, 2020
I thought it all got very confusing
It all got very confusing and I began to lose track of who all the characters and their connections were
It all got very confusing and I began to lose track of who all the characters and their connections were
March 31, 2024
Skip it. Outline story was good but the character development was bad.
May 30, 2024
Unfortunately this book lost me in the final third when it became so implausible as to be ridiculous. Hence my 2 star rating.
November 26, 2019
A story to really get your teeth into!
Dr Valentina Knight was a successful doctor in dentistry, until an injury to her hand ruined her career.
Now unable to perform some the more intricate dental surgeries she is unable to practice, and has gone from earning almost six figures to nothing; with debts mounting, Valentina is at risk of losing everything including her home.
Searching on the Internet she sees an opening asking for an assistant death scene investigator at the County Medical Examiners office, and she thinks this could take her into a new career especially as she can bring her dental knowledge with her.
Arriving at the office, she tells a simple lie to blag her way in and get herself a job that she hopes will get her out of the situation she is in.
The lie she is having to tell will get her the job over someone who is not only much more suited and definitely more qualified for the position, but who was actually recommended to the office by Oliver Solaris: but as luck would have it, and due to the nature of the killers modus operendi, she can bring valuable expertise to the current case; and finds herself hired.
But now working in the examiners office as an assistant she must prove her worth to keep her job. And so far she appears to be “nailing it” even if it means reading medical books as she goes to enable her to perform tasks.
But at least she has one ally in Dr Julia DeHavilland one of the examiners; she has her own story to tell as how she went from plastic surgeon to become an examiner. Julia is dealing with a messy divorce from her husband Colin who with his new girlfriend Lauren, is bringing a lawsuit against her for causing what should have been a routine mole removal procedure to something that had caused her a major facial disfigurement.
They want to sue Julia for malpractice but Julia is defiant saying she will not take a settlement out of court as she did nothing wrong. She feels they set her up from the start and instructs her lawyer to dig deeper into it all.
She knows she could lose everything including half her assets and half her house which she signed over to him because she wanted to prove how much she loved him at the time.
Then she disappears.
With Julia missing Val hasn’t only lost her new friend but the one person who knew about the original lie and was happy to support her and help her to keep the lie hidden and keep her job. Now though with Julia gone they hire a new medical examiner: who only happens to be be the woman she stole the job from? Gwen Carmondy.
What will Val do now.?
As Val’s own investigations lead her to the real murderer she puts her own life in jeopardy.
The killer knows who she is and that she has worked out their identity, and Val knows that soon they could be coming after her.
Can Val survive or will the killer get away with another murder?
At Chapter 22 you may, like me realise who is responsible for everything that’s going on; as things for me took a completely different turn; and I realised what was really happening. But even this kept me on the edge of my seat as I was even doubting “was I right? “
It is so Cleverly written that as the “reasoning’s ” for the killers motives become clearer the tension continues to build right up until the very end of the book.
I really enjoyed this and would love to see these characters in another book.
Dr Valentina Knight was a successful doctor in dentistry, until an injury to her hand ruined her career.
Now unable to perform some the more intricate dental surgeries she is unable to practice, and has gone from earning almost six figures to nothing; with debts mounting, Valentina is at risk of losing everything including her home.
Searching on the Internet she sees an opening asking for an assistant death scene investigator at the County Medical Examiners office, and she thinks this could take her into a new career especially as she can bring her dental knowledge with her.
Arriving at the office, she tells a simple lie to blag her way in and get herself a job that she hopes will get her out of the situation she is in.
The lie she is having to tell will get her the job over someone who is not only much more suited and definitely more qualified for the position, but who was actually recommended to the office by Oliver Solaris: but as luck would have it, and due to the nature of the killers modus operendi, she can bring valuable expertise to the current case; and finds herself hired.
But now working in the examiners office as an assistant she must prove her worth to keep her job. And so far she appears to be “nailing it” even if it means reading medical books as she goes to enable her to perform tasks.
But at least she has one ally in Dr Julia DeHavilland one of the examiners; she has her own story to tell as how she went from plastic surgeon to become an examiner. Julia is dealing with a messy divorce from her husband Colin who with his new girlfriend Lauren, is bringing a lawsuit against her for causing what should have been a routine mole removal procedure to something that had caused her a major facial disfigurement.
They want to sue Julia for malpractice but Julia is defiant saying she will not take a settlement out of court as she did nothing wrong. She feels they set her up from the start and instructs her lawyer to dig deeper into it all.
She knows she could lose everything including half her assets and half her house which she signed over to him because she wanted to prove how much she loved him at the time.
Then she disappears.
With Julia missing Val hasn’t only lost her new friend but the one person who knew about the original lie and was happy to support her and help her to keep the lie hidden and keep her job. Now though with Julia gone they hire a new medical examiner: who only happens to be be the woman she stole the job from? Gwen Carmondy.
What will Val do now.?
As Val’s own investigations lead her to the real murderer she puts her own life in jeopardy.
The killer knows who she is and that she has worked out their identity, and Val knows that soon they could be coming after her.
Can Val survive or will the killer get away with another murder?
At Chapter 22 you may, like me realise who is responsible for everything that’s going on; as things for me took a completely different turn; and I realised what was really happening. But even this kept me on the edge of my seat as I was even doubting “was I right? “
It is so Cleverly written that as the “reasoning’s ” for the killers motives become clearer the tension continues to build right up until the very end of the book.
I really enjoyed this and would love to see these characters in another book.
May 19, 2025
On my search for a new audiobook I came across this one and was intrigued. I was sold when I saw it was narrated by Lauren Ezzo, one of my favorites. Despite not having heard anything about this book, I really enjoyed it. I loved the angle of the story being told by an MC who is learning to be a death investigator. This becomes even more interesting when she is pulled into a case involving a possible serial killer. I stopped short of 5⭐️s because I felt the central idea behind the story was a bit silly. The MC told a little lie during her job interview to make her seem like a better candidate and then spends the whole book afraid she’ll be found out. Maybe I’m morally grey 😆 but I didn’t find it to be that big of a deal so I wanted to roll my eyes at how it was treated like an earth shattering secret.
This book is included with Audible, so if you are looking for a fun thriller that reads a bit like an episode of CSI, I suggest you check this one out.
This book is included with Audible, so if you are looking for a fun thriller that reads a bit like an episode of CSI, I suggest you check this one out.
April 18, 2025
3.5 rounded to 4….I was going to do a solid 3 stars because it was ok and I thought heck it was free on audible plus, just kind of middle of the road and I really thought I had it figured out about half way through, then again about 3/4th’s through and what in the heck turn it took in the last few chapters I didn’t see coming.
I don’t give many thrillers 4’s, usually I figure them out, but this was pretty good and narration was not overly annoying like I find on many with audible. Book kept me guessing. Interesting setting and plot, I feel like I learned a lot about death investigation. For sure recommend if you are looking for an extra on audible. I could see it maybe becoming a made for tv movie type story.
I don’t give many thrillers 4’s, usually I figure them out, but this was pretty good and narration was not overly annoying like I find on many with audible. Book kept me guessing. Interesting setting and plot, I feel like I learned a lot about death investigation. For sure recommend if you are looking for an extra on audible. I could see it maybe becoming a made for tv movie type story.
January 7, 2020
Just one lie. How much harm can one little white lie do?
This book is based around one simple little lie which opens doors for Valentina Knight in a brand new career after an accident prevents her from continuing to be a dentist.
The lie she tells allows her to step into a new career but what else is she stepping into?
This book was really good. I enjoyed it a lot. Amazing twists and turns. I guessed the ending by about half way through but I still felt satisfied with the conclusion. Worth a read for sure!
This book is based around one simple little lie which opens doors for Valentina Knight in a brand new career after an accident prevents her from continuing to be a dentist.
The lie she tells allows her to step into a new career but what else is she stepping into?
This book was really good. I enjoyed it a lot. Amazing twists and turns. I guessed the ending by about half way through but I still felt satisfied with the conclusion. Worth a read for sure!
March 1, 2025
For this being Dr. Bush’s first book, it was awesome and thrilling. I truly thought I knew where things might be going but she did such a great job at throwing in some twists! As a dentist (and former student at UB Dental where Dr. Bush works), i thoroughly enjoyed all of the dental and Buffalo references. A good read for anyone who likes thrillers :)
dnf
March 1, 2020I got to 25% and couldn't go on. The characters were boring. The police procedural dialogue was laughable. That's when I threw in the towel. I just couldn't read about the way the cops and the crime scene techs handled the murder scene. It was literally keystone cops in action.
August 9, 2021
Val is desperate to find a job in the medical field after giving up her career as a dentist a year ago. She applies for the position as an assistant for the county medical examiner. She tells a simple lie and is hired. An apparent serial killer is killing women and leaving their teeth on the pillow of their bed. Her dental expertise serves her well in this new position and the evidence doesn’t add up. This novel tells a well planned and twisted story of a narcissistic psychopath who won’t let anyone stand in the way of what they want.
August 19, 2024
An alright read, enjoyed it! I wouldn’t say it was heart stopping but kept me entertained!
October 8, 2025
Mary Bush's A Simple Lie is a gripping psychological thriller that masterfully explores how one desperate falsehood can spiral into catastrophe.
The novel brilliantly demonstrates that lies, no matter how small or well-intentioned they may seem, possess devastating power once unleashed.
The novel brilliantly demonstrates that lies, no matter how small or well-intentioned they may seem, possess devastating power once unleashed.
November 26, 2024
Phenomenal read!!! Very hard to put down once you start reading. It definitely engages you from the beginning, but the ending...oh the ending is so wonderfully concocted it's diabolical!! Mary Bush really pulled out all of the stops on this one!! You will not be disappointed when you finish this book. The ending leaves little to be desired! Leaves no room for left over questions. If you're in the market for a good read that will have you questioning everything you think you know, this is it!!
May 5, 2025
Good ole murder mystery that kept me guessing.
September 21, 2025
I can’t with this nonsense! Had to dnf right around the half-way point. It and enough the storytelling is all over the place and the author is missing even an iota of common sense (as is repeatedly shown through her characters also having zero common sense) but also couldn’t even be bothered to use google for two seconds to write with any kind of believability.
What makes it worse that a book written by a female is there are so many anti-woman elements and they’re really just patriarchal societal expectations that people seem to just accept as perfectly normal mindsets.
I wound up spending more time noting all the issues than actually enjoying the story because there was so little to actually enjoy.
They know her teeth were pulled out but do they know for sure she was dismembered? There’s nothing at the scene itself saying (evidence left) this happened other than the character just assuming it.
If this is the second victim and it’s clearly an extreme death scene why wouldn’t Blythe or the assistant be at the scene.
Anyone who is so easily flustered or gives up so easily isn’t a good candidate for a death scene investigator.
A potential employer cannot ask about a disfigurement, deformity, or disability.
Had Val known all that the job entails she wouldn’t have applied? Ummm she couldn’t be bothered to google it for two seconds?
“I can handle anything you through at me” even though she JUST had an emotional breakdown because she was being questioned about glaringly obvious gaps and awkward answers (but wasn’t even told she didn’t get the job she just assumed and had a pity party for herself). And then immediately vomits and cries (again her pity party) after having the first interaction with a body in the morgue.
Despite being absolutely brand new and zero experience and essentially lying to get in there she immediately questions why she has to wear a certain set of gear and then casts moral judgment on song choices? Lol for someone who has absolutely nothing and is on the verge of living in her car she’s sitting awfully high on her entitlement high horse.
Also, also, how would she not have some kind of settlement from workers comp and the county/city for leaving her unattended with a clearly very violent criminal. She should hardly be poor.
How does the victim supposedly go into hiding and then her sister manages to reach out to her easily enough? Not much good at hiding apparently.
Can’t help notice that the sister is on edge? Why wouldn’t someone be on edge when their sister is kissing, they’re meeting at a official building she likely is hesitant to go to due to her history, and someone with a drug problem would be edgy to begin with.
And no, she doesn’t have to listen to this. Gavin has not put her under arrest and is therefore there strictly as a courtesy unless she’s officially detained/arrested and given her rights. Anyone with three convictions would absolutely know this.
Gavin illegally accessing her record and then demanding that he “cares” for her side of the story is absolutely preposterous and the character has already thought enough that she’s not the right kind of person who could be this killer yet he persists. So this is just needlessly contrived tension for zero reason beyond lazy writing.
NOW every single woman is a potential victim? Does this writer live under a rock? As a female herself this is a weird statement since women are always potential victims. That’s the issue!!!!
Why would howie or anyone else (especially knowing she needs to be trained) send her to the scene without even a liver thermometer so she can do the time of death maths? Moreover, why leave her unattended at all and risk ruining a scene?
Wait, so apparently after being told to assess the scene and tries to bluster through it with saying the room is hot, told to deliver death notice to a senile lady, then comes back to move the body to check for lividity and THEN finally uses the thermometer?!?!? That should have been the first thing she did.
Did that guy really just mansplain how the wife might not know the husband is dead exactly after the nurse JUST said that same thing?
Then howie said after she did so well at the house (lol no she didn’t) she should take the next one solo - ummmm… she was solo on this one too. Howie offered zero help.
Oh please, a newbie calling to confirm if a more experienced person was on scene is hardly a bad move. Finding the most outlandish excuse to avoid making the call is once again poor writing and contrivance. Especially since she was just told it was such a major scene/case. Moreover after then immediately reiterating how major the case is. Even if Blythe can’t be reached there are countless others with superiority and experience she should’ve notified.
Why keep calling what happened to her thumb an accident. It was, in no way, an accident. And why act like her whole life stopped because she got a boo boo on her thumb she can still use? People who were attacked and harmed or in legit accidents with far worse outcomes go about their lives way better than this whiny baby does.
Ahhhh yes, leave it up to a man with zero dentistry experience to know better and stump a female doctor specialized in dentistry. Are we sure this was really written by a woman? Or maybe she’s just brainwashed into believing toxic male behaviors is acceptable?
Lol what? Her long ago eaten lunch “dissipated.” In a physics sense this would be technically correct but really in the context of the statement and the general language of the book “long ago digested” would have been most appropriate.
A pharmacy filling TWO pain killer vials? No way. It would be one bottle with the full amount prescribed. Not multiple bottles within days.
Since the boyfriend is there and it’s not established whose house it is the DSI cannot help herself to drawers and such without a warrant. Typically they’re only allowed “wing spread” search.
How does finding the body parts out the case in a different light? Or indicates escalation? He isn’t killing anyone more rapidly which is what escalation typically means in this context.
Pathology does not mean speculation, which is what that one guy was doing when he mentioned putting the arm in the oven. If he did actual tests and found proof then that’s science, evidence, and pathology.
Gavin calling out a doctor who has a history of making hasty claims is not crossing a line.
It’s amazing how many scientists/doctors/experts (supposedly) in this ME department is utterly incapable of scientific thinking or working. It seems all everyone does is merely speculate and declare opinions as empirical data.
Ahhhh yes, a silly little woman is so ruled by her emotions and hormones she can’t even think straight when around an attractive (married) man. Once again proving how stupid women are, ruled by emotions, and shouldn’t be allowed in positions of authority clearly.
What makes it worse that a book written by a female is there are so many anti-woman elements and they’re really just patriarchal societal expectations that people seem to just accept as perfectly normal mindsets.
I wound up spending more time noting all the issues than actually enjoying the story because there was so little to actually enjoy.
They know her teeth were pulled out but do they know for sure she was dismembered? There’s nothing at the scene itself saying (evidence left) this happened other than the character just assuming it.
If this is the second victim and it’s clearly an extreme death scene why wouldn’t Blythe or the assistant be at the scene.
Anyone who is so easily flustered or gives up so easily isn’t a good candidate for a death scene investigator.
A potential employer cannot ask about a disfigurement, deformity, or disability.
Had Val known all that the job entails she wouldn’t have applied? Ummm she couldn’t be bothered to google it for two seconds?
“I can handle anything you through at me” even though she JUST had an emotional breakdown because she was being questioned about glaringly obvious gaps and awkward answers (but wasn’t even told she didn’t get the job she just assumed and had a pity party for herself). And then immediately vomits and cries (again her pity party) after having the first interaction with a body in the morgue.
Despite being absolutely brand new and zero experience and essentially lying to get in there she immediately questions why she has to wear a certain set of gear and then casts moral judgment on song choices? Lol for someone who has absolutely nothing and is on the verge of living in her car she’s sitting awfully high on her entitlement high horse.
Also, also, how would she not have some kind of settlement from workers comp and the county/city for leaving her unattended with a clearly very violent criminal. She should hardly be poor.
How does the victim supposedly go into hiding and then her sister manages to reach out to her easily enough? Not much good at hiding apparently.
Can’t help notice that the sister is on edge? Why wouldn’t someone be on edge when their sister is kissing, they’re meeting at a official building she likely is hesitant to go to due to her history, and someone with a drug problem would be edgy to begin with.
And no, she doesn’t have to listen to this. Gavin has not put her under arrest and is therefore there strictly as a courtesy unless she’s officially detained/arrested and given her rights. Anyone with three convictions would absolutely know this.
Gavin illegally accessing her record and then demanding that he “cares” for her side of the story is absolutely preposterous and the character has already thought enough that she’s not the right kind of person who could be this killer yet he persists. So this is just needlessly contrived tension for zero reason beyond lazy writing.
NOW every single woman is a potential victim? Does this writer live under a rock? As a female herself this is a weird statement since women are always potential victims. That’s the issue!!!!
Why would howie or anyone else (especially knowing she needs to be trained) send her to the scene without even a liver thermometer so she can do the time of death maths? Moreover, why leave her unattended at all and risk ruining a scene?
Wait, so apparently after being told to assess the scene and tries to bluster through it with saying the room is hot, told to deliver death notice to a senile lady, then comes back to move the body to check for lividity and THEN finally uses the thermometer?!?!? That should have been the first thing she did.
Did that guy really just mansplain how the wife might not know the husband is dead exactly after the nurse JUST said that same thing?
Then howie said after she did so well at the house (lol no she didn’t) she should take the next one solo - ummmm… she was solo on this one too. Howie offered zero help.
Oh please, a newbie calling to confirm if a more experienced person was on scene is hardly a bad move. Finding the most outlandish excuse to avoid making the call is once again poor writing and contrivance. Especially since she was just told it was such a major scene/case. Moreover after then immediately reiterating how major the case is. Even if Blythe can’t be reached there are countless others with superiority and experience she should’ve notified.
Why keep calling what happened to her thumb an accident. It was, in no way, an accident. And why act like her whole life stopped because she got a boo boo on her thumb she can still use? People who were attacked and harmed or in legit accidents with far worse outcomes go about their lives way better than this whiny baby does.
Ahhhh yes, leave it up to a man with zero dentistry experience to know better and stump a female doctor specialized in dentistry. Are we sure this was really written by a woman? Or maybe she’s just brainwashed into believing toxic male behaviors is acceptable?
Lol what? Her long ago eaten lunch “dissipated.” In a physics sense this would be technically correct but really in the context of the statement and the general language of the book “long ago digested” would have been most appropriate.
A pharmacy filling TWO pain killer vials? No way. It would be one bottle with the full amount prescribed. Not multiple bottles within days.
Since the boyfriend is there and it’s not established whose house it is the DSI cannot help herself to drawers and such without a warrant. Typically they’re only allowed “wing spread” search.
How does finding the body parts out the case in a different light? Or indicates escalation? He isn’t killing anyone more rapidly which is what escalation typically means in this context.
Pathology does not mean speculation, which is what that one guy was doing when he mentioned putting the arm in the oven. If he did actual tests and found proof then that’s science, evidence, and pathology.
Gavin calling out a doctor who has a history of making hasty claims is not crossing a line.
It’s amazing how many scientists/doctors/experts (supposedly) in this ME department is utterly incapable of scientific thinking or working. It seems all everyone does is merely speculate and declare opinions as empirical data.
Ahhhh yes, a silly little woman is so ruled by her emotions and hormones she can’t even think straight when around an attractive (married) man. Once again proving how stupid women are, ruled by emotions, and shouldn’t be allowed in positions of authority clearly.
June 9, 2024
A few tense moments, but mostly about learning the procedures and some disgusting aspects of being a medical examiner in a crime lab where the boss hates you and his secretary delights in ruining your day. The narrator’s simple lie is claiming during her job interview that she knew the recently deceased co-owner of the lab. Certainly not much of a lie, but it prevents someone else from getting her job and makes her nervously walk around on tiptoes in an already toxic environment.
A few important dropped threads include the early life of the novel’s sociopath, the role the sociopath's accomplice played, the narrator’s blooming romantic interests, and the new work dynamics with a suddenly kind and understanding boss. In other words, the novel needed a bit more background and much more closure. The long-winded speech by the sociopath in the middle of a murder at the end of the novel filled in some of the gaps, but not enough of them.
A few important dropped threads include the early life of the novel’s sociopath, the role the sociopath's accomplice played, the narrator’s blooming romantic interests, and the new work dynamics with a suddenly kind and understanding boss. In other words, the novel needed a bit more background and much more closure. The long-winded speech by the sociopath in the middle of a murder at the end of the novel filled in some of the gaps, but not enough of them.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 29, 2024
This one had such a crazy and unexpected twist at the end. It was a little slow and a bit hard to follow at times, if it weren’t for that then this one would definitely be a 5 star read for me. But overall it was a thrilling story with an insane twist at the end that I definitely was NOT ready for at all!!
November 27, 2019
'A Simple Lie' is the debut novel of Mary Bush and blinking nora what a debut novel it is too. I read the synopsis for 'A Simple Lie' and it certainly sounded like the sort of read I love at the moment - a psychological, serial killer thriller with a twist. Oh my word, 'A Simple Lie' was one hell of a fantastic read but more about that in a bit.
I had mixed feelings about Valentina Knight. Don't get me wrong, I really did feel for her as she suffered an injury which meant that she had to give up her chosen profession of dentistry. From then on and unable to practice her profession, life goes on a downward spiral for her. Val has applied for jobs although for some of them she isn't qualified enough and for others she is over qualified. She secures an interview for the role of assistant to the medical examiner although it soon becomes clear that they have her confused with somebody else. This is where my opinion of Val wobbled a fair bit. She deceives the medical examiner's department by not correcting them when they get her mixed up with somebody who was an almost 100% shoe in for the job. Once Val starts lying then more and more lies come out of her mouth. However once she starts working within the department, she finds the work increasingly interesting and she enjoys working there. Her background in dentistry soon becomes more and more useful. It soon emerges that somebody knows that Val has been telling lies and he or she is gunning for Val. Will Val manage to keep up the pretence? Who is after Val and why? Well for the answers to those questions and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
It took me a little while to get into this book but once I was in, I just couldn't stop reading. I made the mistake of starting to read this book shortly before I went to bed and let's just say I stayed reading until the early hours of the morning and I felt very tired the next morning. For me, this book really was an unputdownable, thrilling and gripping page turner of a read. The book wasn't exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I didn't want to put the book down for fear of missing a vital part of the story. I found the medical side of crime investigation very interesting. I loved learning about the ins and outs of medical procedures and how a body can quite literally be a mine of vital information. I soon got to the end of the book which I was disappointed about . I don't mean that to sound negative but I was enjoying the storylines, the characters and the author's writing style so much that I just didn't want the book to end.
'A Simple Lie' is very well written. The author has a writing style that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. Mary certainly knows how to draw you into the story by grabbing your attention and keeping it for the duration of the story. She uses such powerful and vivid descriptions that I really did feel as though I was part of the story myself. This was one of those gripping reads that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.
Reading 'A Simple Lie' is much like being on a scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with several unexpected twists and turns along the way. Some of the twists I guessed but others crept up and tapped me on the shoulder and made me jump! For me the story hits the ground running and maintained the pace throughout. It was one of those books that certainly kept me guessing.
In short, 'A Simple Lie' was a fantastic book by an author who is destined to go far. I, for one, will be reading more of Mary's work in the future. I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
I had mixed feelings about Valentina Knight. Don't get me wrong, I really did feel for her as she suffered an injury which meant that she had to give up her chosen profession of dentistry. From then on and unable to practice her profession, life goes on a downward spiral for her. Val has applied for jobs although for some of them she isn't qualified enough and for others she is over qualified. She secures an interview for the role of assistant to the medical examiner although it soon becomes clear that they have her confused with somebody else. This is where my opinion of Val wobbled a fair bit. She deceives the medical examiner's department by not correcting them when they get her mixed up with somebody who was an almost 100% shoe in for the job. Once Val starts lying then more and more lies come out of her mouth. However once she starts working within the department, she finds the work increasingly interesting and she enjoys working there. Her background in dentistry soon becomes more and more useful. It soon emerges that somebody knows that Val has been telling lies and he or she is gunning for Val. Will Val manage to keep up the pretence? Who is after Val and why? Well for the answers to those questions and more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
It took me a little while to get into this book but once I was in, I just couldn't stop reading. I made the mistake of starting to read this book shortly before I went to bed and let's just say I stayed reading until the early hours of the morning and I felt very tired the next morning. For me, this book really was an unputdownable, thrilling and gripping page turner of a read. The book wasn't exactly glued to my hand but it might as well have been because it travelled everywhere with me. I didn't want to put the book down for fear of missing a vital part of the story. I found the medical side of crime investigation very interesting. I loved learning about the ins and outs of medical procedures and how a body can quite literally be a mine of vital information. I soon got to the end of the book which I was disappointed about . I don't mean that to sound negative but I was enjoying the storylines, the characters and the author's writing style so much that I just didn't want the book to end.
'A Simple Lie' is very well written. The author has a writing style that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. Mary certainly knows how to draw you into the story by grabbing your attention and keeping it for the duration of the story. She uses such powerful and vivid descriptions that I really did feel as though I was part of the story myself. This was one of those gripping reads that kept me on the edge of my seat throughout.
Reading 'A Simple Lie' is much like being on a scary and unpredictable rollercoaster ride with several unexpected twists and turns along the way. Some of the twists I guessed but others crept up and tapped me on the shoulder and made me jump! For me the story hits the ground running and maintained the pace throughout. It was one of those books that certainly kept me guessing.
In short, 'A Simple Lie' was a fantastic book by an author who is destined to go far. I, for one, will be reading more of Mary's work in the future. I would definitely recommend this book to other readers. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
February 14, 2020
In 'A Simple Lie', Val is down on her luck and desperate to land a job. She has been jobless ever since a traumatizing attack left her incapable of practicing dentistry. Her interview for a death investigator position at the county medical examiner's office is her last hope, hence she lies to get it. Little does she expect to become embroiled in a cat and mouse game with a murderer.
Wonderfully written and fleshed out, Val was a likeable lead character that was relatable, smart, interesting and ambitious rolled into one. Her worries about having no experience and being exposed as a liar, coupled with her eagerness to learn and prove her worth were conveyed brilliantly. She knew when to take a step back and when to take risks.
Her day-to-day routine that delved into her responsibilities as a death investigator was enlightening, with some light-heartedness that balanced out the morbid subject of death. The gathering of crucial information and details on the procedures were well-thought-out and intricate, giving the story a feeling of authenticity and realism.
Finding out the identity and motive of the serial killer was yet another thing that kept me reading. His / her intelligence, thoroughness, signature and M.O. were fascinating and question-inducing. Although the motive was believable and the twist well-executed, there were a couple of things that fell short for me:
- The denouement was disappointing because the killer's behaviour and movements were incongruent to everything that was said or established about him / her. Val .
- I got the impression that Detective Gavin was initially meant to play a bigger role. He was smart, confident and had a strong presence until Jack was introduced. From that point onwards, he appeared to lose his personality as well as many brain cells just so Jack could shine. There was a scene involving his wife that wasn't followed up on and had no bearing on the plot. Why was it included?
- The ending was alright except for the last scene that felt like a last-minute addition. Val . On a side note, I would've liked to know more about Oliver, that mysterious, influential recommender!
Overall, 'A Simple Lie' was a gripping, suspenseful read that worked in extensive technical medical details without compromising the plot development.
Wonderfully written and fleshed out, Val was a likeable lead character that was relatable, smart, interesting and ambitious rolled into one. Her worries about having no experience and being exposed as a liar, coupled with her eagerness to learn and prove her worth were conveyed brilliantly. She knew when to take a step back and when to take risks.
Her day-to-day routine that delved into her responsibilities as a death investigator was enlightening, with some light-heartedness that balanced out the morbid subject of death. The gathering of crucial information and details on the procedures were well-thought-out and intricate, giving the story a feeling of authenticity and realism.
Finding out the identity and motive of the serial killer was yet another thing that kept me reading. His / her intelligence, thoroughness, signature and M.O. were fascinating and question-inducing. Although the motive was believable and the twist well-executed, there were a couple of things that fell short for me:
- The denouement was disappointing because the killer's behaviour and movements were incongruent to everything that was said or established about him / her. Val .
- I got the impression that Detective Gavin was initially meant to play a bigger role. He was smart, confident and had a strong presence until Jack was introduced. From that point onwards, he appeared to lose his personality as well as many brain cells just so Jack could shine. There was a scene involving his wife that wasn't followed up on and had no bearing on the plot. Why was it included?
- The ending was alright except for the last scene that felt like a last-minute addition. Val . On a side note, I would've liked to know more about Oliver, that mysterious, influential recommender!
Overall, 'A Simple Lie' was a gripping, suspenseful read that worked in extensive technical medical details without compromising the plot development.
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