Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

It's April Fool's Day, and it's just in time to read a book full of secrets, lies, or deception. Deep dark secrets, little white lies, haunting betrayals, surprise parties - so many directions to go in!

Couldn't find any lists for this, sorry!
(view spoiler)[April Fool's! Here you go:
Conspiracy fiction: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...
A book about a secret: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
A book about secrets: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
Best espionage books (nonfic): https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
Cons, deceptions, and fakes: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
Nonfic about fraud etc: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
(hide spoiler)]

ATY Listopia:https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...

I love a good art theft book, so I will be reading The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession by Michael Finkel.

My choices:

The Last Lie Told (Finley O'Sullivan #1) - Debra Webb
Basil - Wilkie Collins
The Peacock and the Sparrow - I.S. Berry

I think 90% of my TBR would qualify for this :) I've decided to go for The Perfect Stranger by Megan Miranda, as the secrets, lies and deception are central to the plot.

✅Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty
The Secrets Between Us

My options:
Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong
The Picture of Dorian Gray
Moloka'i

I will be reading Deception by Lesley Pearse.

I just finished First Lie Wins for this week.

I read Such Charming Liars - a con man, jewel thieves, and it has liars in the title.

I read The Whisper Sister. The MC runs a speakeasy and gets the booze and protection from mobsters. Illegal business, gang members, graft...it has secrets, lies, and deceptions

I highly recommend The God of the Woods for this one. I read it for a different prompt, but it meets every one of the criteria in the prompt (and it's a great story besides.)

I read The House at the End of the World

A dystopian type horror where the powers that be are trying to rid the world of those who know of their secret research facility - which is not all it seems

I read Be Buried in the Rain by Barbara Michaels for this prompt - lots of secrets, lots of lies, and lots of deception. :)

For this prompt, I read:
Greenwood by Michael Christie - 4* - My Review

For this one, I read The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi. This one was a re-read for me, but I wanted to introduce this Newberry Winner to my kids and relive Charlotte's adventure on the seas.

I read The Lady in the Cellar: Murder, Scandal and Insanity in Victorian Bloomsbury.

There are accusations and counter-accusations around murder, theft and adultery.

Oooh, so many great choices here!

I read The Last Thing He Told Me.

I agree--so many good choices. But I was looking for a place to put a book I read in early January, and it fits here: The Locked Door.

NancyJ wrote: "Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty
The Secrets Between Us"

What a FANTASTIC book!

I just finished one that would fit perfectly here, except I used it for the Anniversay "no E in the title."

But if you're looking, there's a new release
Glamorous Notions by Megan Chance

1950's-ish Hollywood and Rome, the CIA, the communists, and the hunt for those who might be "un-American."

It was a good read, not going to be a prize winner or anything, but it was good enough to recommend.

I read James. I loved this. 5 stars

I read The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman

Rora wrote: "I read The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax by Dorothy Gilman"

I love Mrs. Pollifax! They are definitely comfort reads for me. I had read a couple of them a long time ago, and last year I read the rest!

I started reading the series early February, up to book #5 now. Mrs. Pollifax is definitely a cozy, comfortable character : )

The book I chose for this prompt was

Short and sweet review:
Its really crazy that i commented on the author’s facebook page today about some type of squeal about the house of Eve , just to get on my kindle and see the author’s name and read the description and its some like a spin off!! Buttttt whewwww I freaking love this short read. Bubbles story was so real and a lot of teenagers have faced in a Christian AA household. From being groomed by older men. Ray would have gotten snitched on bc the baby needs! The so friend who robbed her and left may you rot on your way to Hollywood.

I just finished Ink Blood Sister Scribe, and it is full of secrets and lies and deception.

I read:
The Arsenic Eater's Wife by Tonya Mitchell

REJECT: A book containing a trial

Finished: 03/09/2025
Rating: 4 stars

This book is a sure fit for this category. It is chock-full of secrets, lies, and deception, right up to the very end. Inspired by true events.

I read Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty by Patrick Radden Keefe and is about the secrets of the Sackler family.

I read Liars by James O'Loghlin for this topic (Read March 21st; 4*)

I read

I read Slow Burn Summer- the new Josie Silver. Such a fun book and the deception is the main plot- but it's all done for the right reason!

I read Bury the Lead by David Rosenfelt, the third book in the Andy Carpenter series.

The Secret Hours, is a stand-alone spy novel by the Slow Horses author. Like the series, it had a number of amusing political references and views of contemporary life. Since it revolved around espionage, there were plenty of secrets and lies.

My '2016 read was Cold Earth, where a murder leads to the uncovering of secrets and lies.

I read Count My Lies, and it was a great fit for this prompt as it was full of secrets, lies and deceptions.

I read The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers by Samuel Burr. It was pleasant enough, but there was to much that was "convenient" for me. Solving puzzles along the way with one of the characters was a bit of fun though. I'm a little disappointed in my choice as this was a prompt I suggested.

The secret/lie has to do with the birth parents of one of the main characters. (not a spoiler)

Replaced my previous choice (which I moved to underworld) with:

The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle

I changed my choice for this after I read The Dead Mountaineer's Inn, which was absolutely packed full of deception, secrets, and lies. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, a mystery in an isolated snowbound inn by a well-known science fiction author.

I'm doing the challenge twice, and haven't yet read my second choice for this prompt, Lady Audley's Secret; I have that slated for December.

I read these two books for this prompt.
The Mechanics of Memory
Who Is Vera Kelly? by Rosalie Knecht

These also fit:
Real Americans by Rachel Chong
Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty