This Is Why We Lied

This Is Why We Lied by Karin Slaughter
8/20/24; 464 pages
HarperCollins
Will Trent Thriller #12

This Is Why We Lied by Karin Slaughter is a very highly recommended, exceptional investigative mystery. A character perfectly describes this procedural as “an Agatha Christie locked-room mystery with a VC Andrews twist.” This Is Why We Lied is absolutely one of the best novels of the year! Although it is the twelfth book in the Will Trent series it can be read as a standalone. Don't miss this one!

Georgia Bureau of Investigator Will Trent and medical examiner Sara Linton have (finally) gotten married and are on their honeymoon at the McAlpine Lodge, a mountaintop property in northwest Georgia. The gorgeous setting promises a memorable and relaxing place for them to celebrate. Then they hear a bone-chilling scream during a swim on their first night. The two quickly dress and take off running toward the cry for help. Will finds the manager of the Lodge, Mercy McAlpine, viciously stabbed. She manages to say a few words to Will before she dies.

The murderer must be someone on the mountain after a predicted storm arrives and washes out the one access road to the property. There are eight guests along with the members of the McAlpine family. The family had a major disagreement hours before the murder. At that time Mercy threatened to ruin the lives of all the family members, giving every one of them a motive.  Will partner in the GBI Faith Mitchell arrives with others on the team to investigate.

This is a gripping, heart-stopping, riveting, fast-paced thriller that just happens to also be a locked-room/isolated group mystery. The number of secrets and lies being uncovered is astronomical. There isn't one person who is not guilty or a suspect in some way. Just following the leads during the investigation will have you suspecting everyone. The McAlpine family puts the dys in dysfunctional. Some of the secrets that are revealed are shocking, including those of the guests. The final denouement was a stupefying surprise.

As the investigation unfolds, all the characters are going from cabin to cabin and one place to another. It is easy to follow their actions because to help readers visualize the area, there is a map of the lodge property at the opening so you can see where the action is taking place.

For those following the series, Will, Sara, Faith, and Amanda are well-known, fully-realized characters. The interaction between them is always a welcomed addition to every novel. The approach they all take to any investigation is as individual as they are. This is really a wonderful series with great characters. I can't wait for another installment! Thanks to HarperCollins for providing me with an advance reader's copy via Edelweiss. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.