The Perfect Lie

by Emily Barr

Venice — the perfect getaway...

For Lucy Riddick, Venice has always been the dream destination. A dream inspired by the pretty picture pinned to her mother's kitchen wall. To Lucy, Venice seems the ideal place to lose herself.

And now she needs to do just that. The secret she's been keeping from her boyfriend and her friends has finally caught up with her and Lucy needs to disappear — and fast. There's no better time to pack her bags and head for Italy.

But what if, when she sets foot in Venice, Lucy finds that the one thing she has been running from, the one thing she has been trying to escape, is already there, lying in wait for her?

Time to run away again? Or time to end the chase, once and for all?

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Mystery, Thriller, Italy, Audiobook, Roman

320 pages, Paperback

First published May 13, 2010

About the author

Emily Barr worked as a journalist in London, but always hankered after a quiet room and a book to write. She went travelling for a year, writing a column in the Guardian about it as she went, and it was there that she had an idea for a novel set in the world of backpackers in Asia. This became Backpack, which won the WH Smith New Talent Award. She has since written eleven more adult novels published in the UK and around the world, and a novella, Blackout, for the Quick Reads series. Her twelfth novel, The Sleeper, is a psychological thriller set on the London to Cornwall sleeper train.
In 2013 she went to Svalbard with the idea of setting a thriller in the Arctic. The book that came out of it was The One Memory of Flora Banks, a thriller for young adults, which attracted universal interest from publishers before being bought pre-emptively by Penguin earlier this year. It will be published globally in January 2017.
She lives in Cornwall with her partner and their children.

Reviews

[Belinda · Rating 4 out of 5]

4sterren - Nederlandse paperback - recensie volgt later 🎄🎄🎄

[Hannie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Een meeslepend verhaal. In het begin had ik even moeite om in het verhaal te komen, maar toen ik er eenmaal in zat, had ik moeite om het weg te leggen. Na mate het verhaal vordert kom je steeds meer over Lucy en haar geheim te weten. Ik vind de manier waarop de schrijfster dat gedaan heeft goed gekozen. Het einde vind ik iets tegenvallen. Voor mijn gevoel waren de problemen iets te snel opgelost. Vandaar dat ik het boek vier sterren heb gegeven. Maar het is zeker een aanrader.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucy Riddick has always dreamed of going to Venice particularly since it’s been pinned up on her mum’s wall for as long as she can remember. She doesn’t think she’ll ever get the chance to visit Venice but she’s soon proved to be wrong as the secret she’s been carrying has finally caught up with her. All of a sudden Lucy realises she needs to escape. She immediately decides that Venice is the place for her and sets off, leaving behind a boyfriend and her life in Cornwall, but it’s still not enough and suddenly Lucy finds herself closer to the thing she’s been trying to escape from for most of her life…

Up until 2008 I hadn’t read any of Emily Barr’s books. I had tried to read both Backback and Cuban Heels but I found that I just couldn’t click with either books so had always put them down again before taking them to the book swop. However whilst in the book swop one day The Sisterhood caught my eye by Emily Barr and I thought it sounded incredibly interesting. I debated over whether to buy it and decided not to but next time I was in and it was still there I took the plunge and I actually really really loved it. I then picked up The Life You Want and enjoyed that too so it’s safe to say I was looking forward to her next offering The Perfect Lie and when I received an early copy I was eager to get stuck in.

Emily Barr seems to be the queen of Chick Lit thrillers so it was very interesting to read the blurb of The Perfect Lie and try to figure out what it all meant – the blurb gives nothing away though so it wasn’t too helpful really so I started the book hoping to unravel it all. The book begins on an ordinary day of Lucy’s life – out with her boyfriend, Seth, and best friend, Eliza, but an incident at the beach causes Lucy’s world to collapse in on itself. Lucy tries to carry on her life as normal but as her paranoia grows it becomes more and more apparent that that is not an option and so Lucy decides to take flight, leaving behind everything she’s come to know and love.

That is pretty much the plot, in a nutshell. There is more to that obviously but this is one of those books that you must begin and read without knowing prior to reading exactly what it is you’re reading about. The “more” to the plot comes in the form of alternating chapters. Lucy is our main narrator for the entirety of the novel but we also go back to 1988 where a girl called Marianne becomes our narrator, telling of her life as a 16-year-old with a younger brother and rather secretive mother. Rather than hinder the story or detract in any way from Lucy, Marianne’s chapters actually enhance the book and as Marianne’s story unravels I found myself getting drawn into the novel more and more. It’s fair to say that Marianne’s story isn’t exactly a happy one, she and her brother Finn go through some traumatic times. Again, because of the delicate linking of the plot I’m reluctant to say any more. Once Lucy decides that the only way to save herself is to flee, we also bring Eliza into the picture, giving us both Lucy’s side of her disappearance and also Eliza’s feelings on the entire matter as Eliza is Lucy’s friend and is the sister of Seth, Lucy’s boyfriend. I thought it was a good way to keep everyone Lucy was connected to in Cornwall as part of the main story and again, it really really worked.

As far as characters go I’m still slightly wary of Lucy. Like most of Barr’s characters she does have an edge to her, one that makes you feel as if you don’t really know the real Lucy. Barr makes it so that we don’t truly connect with any of her female leads (at least none I’ve read so far) and it’s a strange way to do things. Sure, I liked Lucy and sure I could easily sympathise with everything that caused her to run away but I never felt fully into the character herself. The same goes for Marianne – it’s going to be hard not to sympathise with such a young girl and everything she goes through is eye opening and totally shocking but I still couldn’t really connect to her. The only character Barr let us really know was Eliza whom I really liked. Eliza recently became a widow and to see how she struggles with trying to date again really made me warm to her. I thought her budding relationship with Patrick was so enjoyable to read.

The book as I mentioned is part-set in Venice and that’s another thing Emily Barr excels at: making her locations as glorious as she possibly can and Emily’s descriptions of Venice were fantastic and I really felt that I was there with Lucy. As the book came towards it’s conclusion, the showdown I was expecting materialised and I wasn’t disappointed. It was a fab conclusion although there were some questions marks for me as to what Lucy did. Or didn’t do. Yes everything that happens on those final few pages is more than justified but it kind of tars Lucy’s character – for me, anyway.

The Perfect Lie is a hugely enjoyable read nevertheless. I loved getting stuck into all of the plots throughout the book and Emily Barr definitely doesn’t hold back when it comes to her novels. It was gritty and dark yet still managed to be a good book. Barr seems to be an excellent storyteller and the fact she’s also great at incorporating exotic destinations makes it all the better. It’s not as good as The Sisterhood but it comes a close close second and I truly recommend you pick this up!

[Jen Webb · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an audio book version borrowed from the library.

You can see my full review at Chocolate Chunky Munkie blog

There were three narrators which really helped the story, it gave each character a more personalised feel. One thing this book has which I love is short chapters. When you're on the go and dipping in and out of books, short chapters really help.

This book is set in two different times. You have the story of Marianne when she was a teenager and then you have Lucy who is the grown up version of Marianne, this is interspersed with the voice of Eliza who is the friend and brother of Lucy's fiance. I love how the story built as you got to learn more about the past and what effects this has had on the main character. I know when I'm on to a five star read as I go above and beyond my normal reading pattern. I couldn't wait to get this one finished and find out the whole story. I was not disappointed. I really felt for this poor hunted woman, how her past was dictating everything around her. I was happy with the ending and there were a few surprises along the way which added to the story.

I've never been to Venice but the decription of the scenery and area really helped me get a feel for it. I don't like overly descriptive or flowery reads and this was just right, just enough to set the scene and take me there.

I have moved straight on to another of Emily Barr's books, I look forward to reading/listening to more books by this author. A well deserved 5 stars.

Overall: Thorouhly enjoyed this book, gripped me from start to finish. Can't wait to read more of this authors books.

[Leanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a long time reader of Emily Barr’s novels I’m always intrigued to see what she will release next, and I’m also eager to find out if she can keep my interest engaged with each new novel. As far as some authors go, this doesn’t happen, but with each new book from Barr, I find myself being more and more impressed. The last book of Barr’s I read was 2008’s, The Sisterhood, a book I totally loved, and I was hoping this latest offering would live up to the high expectations I had after reading that. I’m glad to say it did. The Perfect Lie is a little darker in it’s themes than some of Barr’s previous books, but no less compelling. This one is a definite page turner that will keep you reading late into the night.

As the book opens we are introduced to Lucy Riddick who shares a seemingly perfect and idyllic life in Cornwall with the ruggedly handsome Seth. They are on a day out with Seth’s sister Eliza and her two daughters, when the days events take a dramatic turn and Lucy finds herself featured on the local evening news. Hailed as a heroine, surely this should be a cause for celebration, but not for Lucy who is hiding a deep dark secret. It’s a secret buried deep in the past and which she knew one day would come back to haunt her. Now with the media focus on her, Lucy once again finds herself on the run. But will she be able to escape her past a second time, and is she prepared to leave behind everything she knows and loves again?

The story moves between past and present with the horror of Lucy’s past slowly unfolding before us. This book has a definite dark element to it and as we meet Lucy as a teenager called Marianne we have no clue of the horrors that are about to enter her life. What starts off as a underprivileged but ultimately happy existence with her mother and brother Finn turns into something truly disturbing. While Lucy has undoubtedly been through tough times, she is written in such a way that makes her a difficult character to totally sympathise with. This is a technique that Barr employs quite a bit in her books, and for me, it makes for great, believable characters. Lucy is neither truly good or truly bad. She has messed up, done some terrible things and been a victim of circumstance. While I rooted for her most of the time, she is far from perfect, and will definitely leave the reader with food for thought.

One of my favourite aspects of Barr’s novels is the travel writing that she weaves into each of her books. It’s what first brought her to my attention, and I feel it’s something unique to her. Having worked as a travel writer as well as a novelist, this is something that Barr excels at, and it makes her stand out from the pack. In the past Barr's books have taken me on journeys to America, Australia, France and Cuba. Here the action moves first to Paris and then Venice, where Lucy has gone to try and escape her past. Even in this beautiful setting, there is a real sense of impending doom surrounding Lucy, and I really feared for her with each day she spent in her new Italian hideaway.

Overall, this one is a really good read and perfect for holiday reading if you happen to have a getaway on the cards. Barr never disappoints with her offerings and her books will appeal to fans of chick-lit along with those who want something with a little more edge. This book has some great mystery and intrigue, it’s action packed and filled with suspense, tension and more than a few surprises. If you haven’t yet read anything by Emily Barr, I strongly suggest that you check out her books. I can’t wait to see what she has in store next!

[Kruimel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Barr lijkt altijd over één constante te schrijven. Vrouwen die elders onder een nieuwe naam een nieuw leven beginnen. En vreemd genoeg draait elk boek altijd heel anders uit en blijft het boek na boek boeiend.
Ook met dit boek. Je wordt afwisselend van verleden naar heden geslingerd en langzaam pelt ze alle laagjes weg. Fijn en ontspannend leesvoer. Alleen jammer dat het plot iets te snel afgeraffeld wordt.

[Maureen · Rating 5 out of 5]

mooi boek, goed geschreven, heb het in 2 dagen uitgelezen omdat ik niet kon stoppen met lezen. verrassende wending aan het eind, al had je het ook wel een klein beetje kunnen verwachten. ook erg mooi hoe venetie is omschreven, je waant je er echt!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book has a slow start until you reach a point where the story gets very interesting and you cannot put the book down! Will definitely read more from Emily Barr

[~ Cariad ~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

About 3.75 stars for me.
I do quite like this author's audiobooks, this just wasn't her best...

[Jules · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not the first Emily Barr book that I have read and it won’t be the last I choose to read from this author. The novel takes place between London, Falmouth (in Cornwall) and Venice based around the theme of escape. The tone of the book runs like a thriller rather than anything ‘chick-litty’ and Barr’s characterisation allows for the themes of capture, influence, abuse and escape from threat to be explored. Barr is a skilful writer who is adept at travel-writing and exploration of space; she also carries her characters well through differently-timed and multi character narration. From what I recall of other works of Barr, ultimately many of her characters use the time and space conundrum to work ‘themselves’ out and solve problems with their own character flaws as the narrative of the book progresses – this book is typical of this with the crux of the story not being delivered via dialogue. I would recommend this book to anyone who has an appreciation of travel, thrillers and good characterisation. Barr’s books are also occupied by huge sociological and psychological space based around how other people affect us and infringe on our own identities (often with dark undertones) – this one reinforces the theme of making a personal journey spiritually as well as through physical space. Recommended, understandable and satisfying.

[Anthea · Rating 3 out of 5]

My second read from Emily Barr.

I experienced the same issue when I read The Sleeper by the author. The first half was great. The pace was good. The suspense was there and the build-up kept me captivated. However, the ending was a let down.

The Perfect Lie was about this girl, Marianne and her brother Finn who had quite a different childhood from others. Their mother was ill (eating disorder? not sure as the "sickness" was not disclosed). However, the mother refused treatment and gave them specific instructions on what to do after she's dead.

After their mother died, Marianne met the landlord and fell in love with him.

It is hard to review without giving too much away but I can tell you that the book gets pretty dark as the story progresses. Really really liked the book, but like I said, the ending was a letdown. Too anti-climatic I supposed.

[Marissa Farrar · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd give this one a 3.5 stars if Goodreads allowed such a thing! (hint hint, Goodreads!). The end was a four star, but the slow beginning was definitely a three. The jump between points of view and different tenses threw me and I found I struggled to really get into any of the character's heads properly. The most interesting part of the book was as the main character as a child, though I felt the mother's reasons for making the children do what they did were pretty slim - especially considering she knew some of what the landlord was! Despite this, I do like Emily Barr's books and there was enough going on to keep me reading.

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It had a good amount of mystery and confusion to start of with leaving you wanting more - which it delivered.
It was however an incredibly intense book which covered some themes I had NOT been expecting, which I think is risky for some people who are touchy they may have felt offended and not expected that, so becareful if you are thinking of reading this, and don't enjoy sensitive topics being covered by fiction
If you're open to things however and not easily shocked or offended, then I definately recommend this book. Emily Barr has done a great job, and its left me wanting to read more of her work :)

[Katrina Saunders · Rating 4 out of 5]

I live near Falmouth and had just returned from a holiday in Venice when I read this book so I loved it. I could picture the actual places in my head and the author had done justice to them so they are easily recognized. The plot had twists and turns and I just wanted to keep reading this book. I would recommend this book.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

i loved this book,i couldnt put it down,im sad ive finished reading it

[Cassandra Lopez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant! Great story line and ending was good!

[Liesbeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just love Emily Barrs books.
Warm, believable and oh so very readable.
This book draws you in, gets you involved and keeps you guessing. Fab.

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Easy reading- a book that I couldn't put down and read in one evening.

I'm not sure the art storyline in Venice needed to be there; was there a need to show her (continuing) gullibility?

[Emi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh!

[Fiona · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good, not great.
*very minor spoiler(s)*
Trying to escape a dark figure, Lucy builds a life as far away from her past as possible. After rescuing a child, filmed and shown on tv, he comes to haunt her, causing her to flee her beloved home.

I think this is very readable. The short chapters make it easy to open the book especially on the go. I like how the short chapters gave the opportunity to switch the past and the recent time, allowing us to find out about her past piece by piece, giving it a mysterious touch. But I do think that those short chapters obstruct the story from getting real depth.

I find her Childhood interestingly written. It shows the fear parents have for dying when their children are young, especially when there is no other family around to take care of them. It gives some perspection of situations some people have to go through when they have no money. Or the love both parents and children have towards one another and what they will do to help.

The present is okay, untill Venice. Although I like the setting and the vibe it gives Lucy, I do not understand why her being scammed was in this story. I found it quite irrelevent. I would probably like it in a different storyline. But now I felt like she was still as naively presented as she was as a child, while her character before Venice did not give me the impression she was still as naive anymore. I just did not find it very fitting.

I was a little disappointed with the denouement to be honest. It was very quick, not very well explained and very sudden.

All in all it is a nice book to read. There were some very interesting subjects, some just poorly executed.

[Joy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was good, bordering on very good at times, just not quite as amazing as the other two books by Emily Barr that I have read ('The Sleeper' and 'Stranded').
In a sense it was similar to other books I have read involving somebody who had changed their identity to escape the past but then the past caught up with them. In fact the start of the story was VERY similar to another book where the reason the person got 'discovered' was through inadvertently becoming famous in the news for something that happened to them. (I have just remembered the title of this other book - it is 'Beautiful Lies' by Lisa Unger)

So there are elements of this book that are almost chick-lit in feel, reminding me of Dorothy Koomson, or maybe a 'romance with a twist' feel like something by Diane Chamberlain. But other elements are bizarre and disturbing, more reminiscent of Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vine.

And a large part of the book is set in Venice which has got to make it appealing in my opinion as that is my favourite place on earth.

So it had a lot going for it - reminding me of lots of my favourite authors and set in a good location. Its a bit far fetched, but nevertheless very gripping. I enjoyed it!

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This started off really well , Lucy is a brave character . You meet her as are climbs up
A cliff to rescue a friend's daughter who had been dared by her older sister. Unknown to her she's photographed and filmed by onlookers on the beach and it's sent in to the local news . Her life turns upside down and she disappears to Paris then Venice . But the person she was originally running from that led her to Cornwall is in Venice when she gets there.. As she tries to run , he chases after her and she ends up fighting for her life .
I won't say the ending as it's a spoiler.
This is a good read , Lucy is a good character . It needed a little more suspense with Benjamin .
Cornwall was a wonderful setting for Lucy escaping and living a new life . It was lovely as I knew the areas that Emily Barr wrote about as life visited them so many times . Cornwall is my home county and I always love when a book set there , as much as I love it being set in Paris. I was lucky to have both settings in this story and with Venice being one of the penultimate ones you felt well travelled as you followed Lucy path of escape .

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

I usually am not too much into mysteries however, this book seemed to draw me in for some reason or other. I was intrigued by the two main characters of 'Lucy' and 'Marianne', both of whom were spellbinding, convincing, and very intriguing in their daily dealings with others. It took me a while to connect the two, and when it was written-out in plain sight, it made sense. Also, the other two characters that I was confused about were 'Finn' and 'Patrick', which also had a strong connection that I couldn't see until the very end. I wasn't too keen on the author talking about Eliza's point-of-view as I felt that it wasn't necessary for the story to go on. I was happy with how things ended-up in the end however, I felt sorry for what Lucy had to go through in order to reach her happily-ever-after. It definitely was a story of how certain situations, when approached in the wrong way, can be detrimental for years to come.

[Rebecca gubbels · Rating 4 out of 5]

voor Lucy is Venetië altijd een droombestemming geweest. het lijkt de ideale plek om jezelf te verliezen. en dat is pressies wat Lucy nodig heeft als haar grote geheim dreigt uit te komen. het geheim dat ze al jaren verbergt en geheim hoed voor haar vrienden. ze moet snel verdwijnen.

ze pakt haar spullen en vertrekt naar Italië zonder een spoor achter te laten. haar vrienden blijven verbijsterd achter. maar stel dat de gene voor wie ze vlucht haar overal weet te vinden? moet ze verder vluchten? of haar verleden onder ogen zien?

een goed geschreven luchtig verhaal een fijne schrijfstijl. ik heb genoten van het lezen en had dit einde niet verwacht had een heel ander einde in mijn hoofd zitten maar dat terzijde is het een goed boek en zal het ook zeker aanraden.

[Hannah · Rating 1 out of 5]

The really annoying thing about this book is that the mother refused to let the kids get any help when she's dying. That alone ruins many years of the kids' lives and sets of this whole crazy plot. Foster care can be rough but those kids clearly weren't prepared for life alone. Their mom knew the landlord was a creep but she didn't bother to tell them that. The author didn't provide solid enough reasons for the mom to insist so strongly for them to keep such a huge secret and that ruins the whole book for me.

It also didn't ring true that Lucy/Marianne would be so trusting for someone who had the kind of trauma she experienced. It seemed odd she'd get scammed the way she did in Venice.

[Sherry Mackay · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m being a bit generous. 3.5 really. She writes well and keeps a good hold of her plot. Characters are not bad. Yes you want to keep reading and find out what happens so that’s clever writing. I was slightly disappointed with the denouement as I hoped for something more dramatic but not bad. The story seemed to end very abruptly tho. Wow all of a sudden it was all over red rover. Happy ending at least.

[Prathima Deepak · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my second book of the same author after The One Memory of Flora Banks.

I did not feel much difference in the narration as they both are quite descriptive about the protagonist's feelings and of the places that has been highlighted, though the story plots are completely different. I personally, liked the first book that I read when compared to this.

[Tim Bull · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another brilliant story from Emily B.

This is my 4th consecutive compulsive reading book by the excellent EB. Her travel writing background enables her to convincingly transport us to every location and her plotting skills mean I can't stop until the end is reached. Now to choose another😊.

[Ashley Wieferink · Rating 3 out of 5]

While reading, I didn't want to put the book down. I kept wondering who is this person she's running from? Yet I was disappointed with the ending. It's as if it was written just to be done with it already. It raised a lot of questions for me. Why this? Why now? Why would this character suddenly choose so?

[Emily B · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Perfect Read

Emily Barr never disappoints! I love the backdrop of Venice, and England, and the gentle way the story unfolds into a dramatic climax. Lucy is a character you want to feel for, and look after when other people haven’t. There are some dark themes in this book, when told from the viewpoint of the victim, are heart wrenching.