Beautiful Lies

A Novel

By: Lisa Unger

Narrated by: Ann Marie Lee

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • In this breakneck thriller, a young woman is confronted by the ghosts of her past and must race through the chaotic streets of New York City to find the truth—and hope that it doesn’t find her first. . . .

“This mystery’s surprising twists will make your jaw drop.”—Cosmopolitan

“Suspenseful, sensitive, sexy, subtle.”—Lee Child, author of the Jack Reacher series

If Ridley Jones had slept ten minutes later, she would still be living the beautiful lie she used to call her life.

Instead, a series of seemingly inconsequential decisions unleashed a chain of events that brought a mysterious package to her door.

A package that informed her that her entire world was a lie.

Suddenly forced to question everything she knows about herself and her family, Ridley feels as if everyone in her life is a stranger. She has no idea who’s on her side and who has something to hide—even her new lover Jake seems to have secrets of his own.

Sexy and fast-paced, Beautiful Lies is a breathtaking ride where every choice Ridley makes creates a whirlwind of consequences that are impossible to imagine. . . .

Critic reviews

“This mystery’s surprising twists will make your jaw drop.”—Cosmopolitan

“Suspenseful, sensitive, sexy, subtle.”—Lee Child, author of The Hard Way

“A tightly written thriller . . . Maintains a high adrenaline level throughout . . . The book’s characters are fully formed, and the action is depicted with satisfying breathlessness.”—San Francisco Chronicle

“Perfect pitch, characters we can recognize as versions of ourselves, a plot in which a vague sense of suspense almost instantly appears and then grows with the speed of a waterslide. . . . Lip-smacking good.”—Chicago Tribune

“Harlan Coben has a new rival for his thriller crown.”—John Connolly, author of The Black Angel and Bad Men

“A stunning, powerful novel! Lisa Unger’s taut prose grabs the reader from word one and never lets go. In this tantalizing tale of family suspense, beware of who you trust and be forewarned about what might happen next.”—Lisa Gardner, author of Alone and The Perfect Husband

“A high-wire balance of tension and resolution. . . . Unger’s exploration of deeper themes like frayed family ties makes this a memorable effort.”—Baltimore Sun

“[Unger’s] engaging narrative wins us over.”—Entertainment Weekly

“Unger’s plot twists and turns will force you to stay up past your bedtime, just as you do with the books of a more seasoned James Patterson or Michael Connelly.”—Richmond Times-Dispatch

“A high-velocity plot that pulls the reader along on Ridley’s dangerous quest, and Unger skillfully keeps her, and us, guessing about whom to trust. . . . Ridley is a smart, engaging narrator, charming but not cloying, courageous but not foolish about it. . . . Unger also paints a convincing, affectionate portrait of New York City. . . . A complex and gripping story about the dark side of the best intentions, Beautiful Lies is a satisfying thriller.”—St. Petersburg Times

“With breathless speed, Unger is off on an action-packed journey of treachery and intrigue—and sex and romance. . . . Deep as well as clever, and Unger plays it out thrillingly.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“Unger’s ability to generate spine-tingling suspense while evoking the danger and glamour of New York City is matched by her skill in creating memorable, realistic characters. . . . Unger takes readers on a pulse-pounding ride through the Big Apple. . . . Will please both pace-obsessed thriller fans and those who want to savor the more subtle aspects of character development.”—Booklist (starred review)

Give it a chance

I put off buying this book on several occasions because of the readers reviews and finally relented after reading the writer recommendation for the third time. I will admit that if you are an action film type and prefer everyone to state their intention in less than 5 words using no more than two syllables per word, then you will hate this book. If however you actually like reading books, then you will appreciate the authors efforts to paint the scene and express her thoughts and feelings. Although I feel 5 stars is too generous, I wanted to express how strongly I disagree with the other reviews. I am an avid book reader (both normal and audio) and thoroughly enjoyed the book. I strongly recommend it and upon completion immediately bought the follow up book Sliver of Truth.

loved it

I loved this book and did not want it to end. I can't wait for her next one

Surprised and Impressed

I really liked this book. I kept checking the plot summary at the beginning to see if I was listening to the right book. It takes a lot of interesting twists and turns, once in awhile I had to back track 30 sec or a minute just to make sure I was following. I'm glad all the pieces fell into place seamlessly for me as the reader because I ended up really liking the book. Great plot.

Full of Cliches

The plot was okay, but it was written poorly. The author doesnt have much experience of the real world outside New York City...

The narrator was very good.

I enjoyed the characters but the plot line was drawn out unnecessarily. I wasn’t a fan of the main character speaking to the reader at unusual intervals during the story.