The Woman Who Lied

You can usually rely on Claire to provide an interesting and engaging story with realistic characters. This one was perhaps a little over-ambitious, so carefully and intricately plotted that it could seem fantastical at times.

It’s the story of an author of police procedurals interlaced with an interior novel that she is writing and that we hear extracts from.

Events from that, and her previous books, start happening to her in real-life and the author does a good job of describing the increasing paranoia as the events multiply and become more serious.

At one time or another she suspects almost every other character in the book, all with apparent good reason but that was the least satisfactory part as it just seemed to pile one convenient coincidence on to another convenient coincidence.

The overall structure was undoubtedly clever as we come to realise who is manipulating things and the “fictional” crime investigation nearly morphs into a real one.

I’m not clear who the title is referring to – there are at least three female characters who have lied in a fairly big way (perhaps the title should just have been plural!)

But I did listen all the way to the end and I did like the portrayal of the characters and everyday lives and interactions but the manipulations and misdirections were just too numerous and unconvincing for this to be truly great. I’m glad I read it though, and will carry on with more of her books that are on my ever-growing “to be read” pile!