Before She Lied

by Adriane Leigh

Best friends Morrissey, Lennox, and Kal witness a tragic accident in their teens that shapes each of their futures differently. Years later, with the worst night of their lives forgotten, Lennox and Morrissey are now living the perfect life happily married with a newborn son and a wealthy estate at their fingertips.

Until another horrific night changes everything.

They soon discover that the accident long ago was only the beginning, the troubling circumstances it unravelled too chilling to be ignored. After a series of mysterious events occur, neighbor is suddenly pitted against neighbor, suspicion poisoning each of their friendships and an entire community.

With perfect lies crumbling and the perfect family cracking at the seams, heartbreak, jealousy, and double lives threaten the safety of each involved. Especially when the most precious victims of that night are yet to be revealed and before it's all over at least one of them will be dead.

The gripping new domestic thriller from a USA Today bestselling author about a picture-perfect family and the lies that simmer just beneath the surface. Perfect for fans of Natalie Barelli, Shari Lapena and Lisa Jewell.

"A riveting page-turner with jaw-dropping twists and turns right to the very end. I couldn't put it down." - Nelle L'Amour, New York Times Bestselling Author

Paperback

First published March 15, 2021

About the author

is a USA Today bestselling author of multiple novels and novellas. With appearances in publications such as Vogue Magazine and The Montreal Gazette, the award-winning author, in addition to writing, founded RARE: Romance Author & Reader Events, a community of internationally-renowned book conventions that draw thousands of readers and #1 bestselling authors to events around the world each year. 

She hosts a podcast, The Rebel Artist, and her books are translated into French, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese.

She lives on Lake Michigan with her family.

Reviews

[Heather L Baldoni · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was way too much going on in the end. Felt like a soap opera

[Kate Cappola · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thrilling? No. Absolutely frustrating with a really dumb main character? Yes. The frustrating scenes Morrissey kept piling up and made me want to scream with his stupidity. They also made me question his involvement, was he acting this ridiculous because he is guilty? Multiple scenes kept adding up - finding the yellow hat floating in the water, finding the blue blanket in the bottom of the boat, the questionable security footage on the home security system, finding the journals wrapped in a bloody sheet and the broken wine bottle and grape masher in the barn, ALL things he should've reported to the police immediately, yet just kept wondering around unbothered by calling the police. Aside from Morrissey's complete ignorance, the book drug on for far too long, with too many complex "side stories" to actually make since. All of the complication with Carl's plot, the assault as a teenager, the kidnap and dubbed "water baby" plot from her childhood and the messy relationship with her mother muddled the plot and drug things along. The ending was VERY confusing and uninspired. It felt like a major flop after being drug along for way too long.

[Ted Duke]

I couldn't believe the disparity in the views of previous reviewers so I had to read it on my Kindle. I loved it, the writing was excellent with characters you can love, or hate. FIVE stars.

But the story? I hated it. Minus TWO stars.

Wife and child disappear. Husband does not disclose evidence he finds to the police (on multiple occasions). When he finds wife's journal wrapped in a bloody sheet, he apparently does not read it all because his is tired.

WHAT? YOUR BELOVED WIFE AND CHILD ARE MISSING! Don't take another sleeping pill.

Two insane people scheme along with the mother of the husband to kidnap her daughter-in-law and grandson and one of the people is the mother of the wife. Oh BTW, she, the mother of the wife kidnapped her when she was a baby.

Crazy bad plot, insane ending, especially the EVIL mother-in-law who has hidden millions in overseas banks.

I am trying now to think of ANY character who was NOT a lying cheating scheming bastard (or bitch as appropriate). Maybe the dead college girl?

I do NOT recommend this book. I will likely read another story by the author.

[Ryann Barker · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is quite possibly the worst book I have ever read.

[Books, Booze & Bon Voyage (Krista Webster) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lost To The Lake by Adrian Leigh is a romantic suspense, full of mystery and intrigue. This is a gripping psychological thriller about Morrissey and Lennox. It is actually a revamped version with a new cover of her previously released book Before She Lied.

Does anyone really know the truth behind what happened that night when the teenage best friends witnessed a tragic accident. It turns out that experiencing that horrific event affected them in different ways and more than they would ever realise at the time. Now they are all grown up, we get to see the after effects and find out about what really went on that night.

Morrissey and Lennox have grown up together and are now married. They are living the dream life she wanted and have just had a baby son. One day Morrissey wakes up to a shocking discovery and his nightmare begins. Suddenly all the secrets that have been hidden for years are slowly revealed.

The author keeps you guessing throughout the book and you never knew what was going to happen next. It is a real Whodunnit as you try and figure out who is behind everything and who else is involved. I did find I didn’t like many of the characters and started to questioned some of Morrissey’s actions. Throughout the book there is a lot going on and the author does jump from the past to the present quite a bit. I found I really had to concentrate to track with what was going on and everyone involved. There are lots of twists and turns leading up to the end but I must admit I found the last part when the truth was finally revealed a bit of a disappointment. I have read and enjoyed this author’s more romantic books so it was interesting to see a different side to her work and overall I enjoyed trying to work out the truth behind it all.

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mystery and suspense are some of my favorite genres, and LOST TO THE LAKE by author Adriane Leigh has plenty of both. Twists, turns, and an 'I did not see that one coming' ending made this a book that kept me turning pages until the very end.

Having read some of Adriane's work in the romance world, the opportunity to read this book made for an interesting departure. Adriane continues to prove that her repertoire is wider than just one genre, and I enjoyed see what she did with this story.

There is a lot going on in LOST TO THE LAKE, with frequently switching perspectives, which sometimes made it a challenge to keep track of who was doing what. That being said, Adriane does a good job of bringing all of the pieces together and wrapping things up nicely, which makes LOST TO THE LAKE a solid 4-star read for me. I do feel like there are more stories to be told in this world, so look forward to more books about the different characters.

[Yoneidis · Rating 5 out of 5]

My head is spinning, so many things happen in this book that I’m still a bit dizzy and it’s hard for me to focus.
The book begins showing us a couple in love and their 5-month-old son, living in the house of their dreams and fighting to keep their businesses going. Pretty normal so far, all very beautiful and idyllic until the next morning when Morrisey, the husband, realizes that Lennox, his wife and his son have disappeared.
Throughout the days he will discover clues that sometimes point him as the prime suspect, causing him to doubt himself bc of his habit of taking sleeping pills, but he also begins to discover Lennox secrets.
The book is told in the present and the past, where we see the beginnings of this couple and we meet the rest of the characters who will play their role, some more important than others, in the mysterious disappearance.
It has so many twists and turns that there comes a point where you think anyone can be the culprit.
And the end? It makes your hair stand on end.
I ❤️❤️❤️❤️it.

[Wendy Livingstone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Morrissey, Lennox, and Kai were best friends, until they witness an event while in their teens which shaped them all differently to become the people they now are. Now years later, Morrissey and Lennox are living the perfect life, as they are happily married with a baby son. Until another horrific night, and everyone becomes suspects, who can be trusted, is everything they new a lie? This is a well written story which flits between the past and the present, and with mindblowing twists, mystery, lies, intrigue, secrets, family, emotions, heartbreak, jealousy, and trust, which leads to a thrilling and addictive page turner.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

WTF did I just read? Like seriously, I did not see that ending coming at all. This book will totally mess with your mind. You will think you know the ending, but trust me you don't.

I haven't read mysteries or thrillers since I was a teenager. I normally read romance, but the blurb had me intrigued.

The beginning was a little slow, but then the action picked up and did not stop.

There are so many secrets and lies between Morrissey and Lennox.

Plot: 4/5
Characters: 5/5
Heat: 0/5
Writing style: 5/5
Style: Thriller
Enjoyment: 5/5
Violence: Yes
Overall: 4.5/5

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Maddi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before She Lied by Adriane Leigh is a Domestic Thriller standalone that covers a decent length of storylines and character development. The book revolves around the married couple Lennix and Morrisey and their best friend Kal. The story is a little bit choppy, bouncing from past to present but the story definitely captures all of the elements to these interesting characters stories and lives. It is steamy, unsettling and confusing at times with all of its twists and turns but overall an interesting read that I'm sure others would enjoy.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Wendy Larson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too many flashbacks

The one that constant jumps back in time weren't that necessary to the plot. It made it more confusing to follow the story. Honestly made it hard (boring) to even finish the book. I literally forced my way to the end. Sadly, I had high hopes and was even disappointed with the twists.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has more twists and turns than a backroad in Mississippi. It was a great book that you never knew what was going to happen next.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping and riveting story with great characters. Grabs you from the first page. Intrigue and mystery keep you turning the pages. Entertaining and interesting characters with lots of secrets. Good read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Sheri Bishop · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author can transport you, through her words, to wherever her story is taking place. She makes you feel as if you are there, not reading the story, not watching the movie or tv show, but you are actually there, living right beside the characters. Don't miss this story.

[Lisa]

impossible to put down. read cover to cover. well written with exciting characters. storyline was detailed and fast paced.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Perfect Family

OMG, this story is full of drama, suspense, a wife, and son gone missing. The unknown and the possibilities of what has happened to them. There are so many lies, hidden feelings and things that you are not going to expect.

[Anna Lisa · Rating 1 out of 5]

Unspeakably bad plot, writing, characters’ sketching, boring, far fetched, stupid twists…
I just skipped through it to see what it all amounted to but in the end I simply didn’t care at all
Minus ten stars

[Karie Sortman · Rating 1 out of 5]

I only finished this book because I paid for it- it was sold in a local clothing store- if I could give it less than one star I would- hard to follow the story line. Just not a good book to read….sure don’t want to pass it along to friends…so into the trash it goes.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this one down! I highly recommend it.

[Shelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't normally read thrillers but I loved this one!!!! It left me guessing what was happening and I loved that!!!! What a emotional ride!!!!!

[Sarah Fuhs · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Michigan Thriller. If you are looking for a very quick read with lots of twists this it.

[Maureen Hulme · Rating 5 out of 5]

lots of twist and turns

Really really good so many twists well worth a read can’t wait to read more of her books hopefully soon

[Micheal Christensen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely a lot of twists and turns hard to follow but I finished it I would give it a C.

[JoAnn Cloutier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full of surprises

I enjoyed this book until the end ! It seems like it should have a second book to delve deeper in the story.

[BLOOPY! · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starts off calm. Gets complicated and messy. So much going on. Some of it leaving you scratching your head. Plot twist! Okay...all is explained in a plodding way. Then...plot twist. Book 2?

[Yuuki Nakashima · Rating 2 out of 5]

The first page grabbed me, but unfortunately, it was too slow and I felt tired.
When Len’s secret finally revealed, it got more interesting. But even from that point, the story developed slowly…

[Zoë · Rating 2 out of 5]

Spoilers ahead: My Perfect Family.

I’m glad I read it and I don’t regret it. The story was enjoyable overall, and I would recommend it. I am only giving it 2 stars for a few reasons. A bit too much craziness! Some annoying inconsistencies. This last point isn’t the fault of the author, just the way I prefer thrillers: characters not doing stupid things or being stupid, and a happy ending.

The pace was reasonable, for the first 50%, I read it normally and was able to put it down. After the halfway point, it got a lot more intriguing and I read that half a lot faster! It took me about 5 days to read total.

I thought the story was quite good, a complex intertwining of secrets between the characters. It was sometimes a bit confusing to remember who did what. I think Carl’s obsession and infatuation for Lenn could have been ramped up a bit more naturally, as it felt like it escalated very quickly. Just needed one or two scenes in between to show Lenn trying to push him away, but him doubling down. His motivation and hate for Kel and Morrissey was very real and very good. Gigi’s evil masterplan at the end killed me inside as I like happy endings - but that’s just my preference. It was a good twist!

I think the characters all had a bit much going on. I could list something wrong/a massive fault about most of them, and there was quite a few characters so it felt a bit much. A lot to keep up with and I like being able to root for someone but at one point I wasn’t sure who I could root for, if I disliked all of them. Morrissey being silly enough to fail to hand over evidence and Kel being incompetent drove me slightly nuts. And then suddenly everyone was dying! It was all a bit mad and a bit much.

Annoying errors:
The Tommy’s father timeline “questioning” made no sense. The rape and Lenn subsequently sleeping with Carl happened in the same week, two years before the events of the book. 5 month old Tommy (who was also born 11 weeks premature) would have been born about a year before he was actually born, meaning there was no way it could have been Carl or Frank’s child. If the timeline/flashback was only 1 year ago, not 2, it would have worked. (I did the maths). So their arguments over it were stupid, but clearly none of the characters can do maths, and there was no other explanation eg. Another entry in Lenns journals documenting an actual affair rather than a one night stand.

Lastly, a trivial error at the start. Jenny is said to be 17 years old, and on the next page it says Lenn and the others turned 21 that year. Then later in that chapter, when talking about Jenny again, it says she is one year younger than them, which would make her 20, not 17. Which one is it? It’s not too much of a big deal as it doesn’t affect the plot but this is something that should have been ironed out at the editing stage!

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a crazy story. Friendships tested, relationships gone through the ringer.
Lennox and Morrissey have been together for along time. Since they were kids basically. Growing up and making their adult lives together. Lenn had always wished to live on the point in the most elaborate house in the small town they live in.
Making those dreams come true and creating a family of their own, they lived the dream. Until one day Morrisseu woke up to a nightmare he wouldn't soon forget.
This bone chilling, intense story will keep you turning the pages in one sitting. An incredible book!
5stars

[Crysti Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book… OMGosh, this book. I couldn’t put it down once I started. The plot intrigued me and kept me guessing the whole time of what was really happening. I KNEW what appeared was happening, wasn’t really. It was just all circumstantial. Through the cast of characters, I never once suspected the actual culprit(s) to be the actual culprit(s). The secrets, lies, twists and turns will leave you in shock.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is all kinds of twisted. Absolutely nothing is what it seems. I spent most of the book trying to decide what was true and what was fabricated. I was left unsure until the final chapter who was to blame. So many secrets that peel away like the layers of an onion. I love when a story keeps me guessing and this book delivered in spades.