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Tuesday, February 2, 2016

The Good Liar by Nicholas Searle

Author: Nicholas Searle
Publisher: Harper
Date of publication: February 2016

A stunning and suspenseful feat of storytelling, The Good Liar unravels the past of a man who lives to deceive.

Like Patricia Highsmith’s Tom Ripley, veteran con artist Roy is a born liar—and when he meets wealthy widow Betty online, he knows she’s an easy mark. In no time at all, he’s spinning his web of duplicity and betrayal around her, even moving into her lovely cottage. He’s sure his scheme will be a success: She seems ready to build a life with him, and he is ready to reel her in. He’s done this before.

But who is Roy, really? While this masterful narrative of literary suspense entwines Roy’s and Betty’s futures, it also delves deeply into their pasts. As the clock turns back and the years fall away, truth will out. Before Roy can close the deal, there is a reckoning to be made.
How many lies will it take to make him finally tell the truth?

The Good Liar is a debut novel that involves lies, lies and more lies.  The story goes back and forth between the past and the present. In the present, 80 something Roy is looking for his last big con. He hopes to find it with Betty.  She seems to have her own motives as well.  The rest of the book takes you back through Roy's past in reverse order in which you find out more about him and his life as a con man.  

I'm not sure this book really worked for me. I wanted to like it more than I did. For me, the writing was a bit flat and not engaging enough to hold my interest for long periods of time. I found myself skimming parts of the book.   I had a hard time connecting with the characters, because none of them were very likable. The ending did have an interesting twist, but it just took too long to get there.  The story itself was kind of depressing.  I'm just going to have to chalk it up to not being for me. 





About Nicholas Searle


Nicholas Searle grew up in the southwest of England and studied languages at the University of Bath and the University of Göttingen, Germany. He spent more years than he cares to remember in public service, in the UK  and New Zealand, before deciding in  2011 to leave and begin writing fiction. 

 The Good Liar is his first novel. Nicholas lives in Yorkshire, in the north of England.

Follow Nicholas on Twitter.

Nicholas’ Tour Stops
Tuesday, February 2nd: From the TBR Pile
Wednesday, February 3rd: Priscilla and Her Books
Thursday, February 4th: I’m Shelf-ish
Monday, February 8th: Ageless Pages Reviews
Monday, February 8th: Worth Getting in Bed For
Tuesday, February 9th: Vox Libris
Wednesday, February 10th: Curling Up by the Fire
Tuesday, February 16th: Book Journey
Wednesday, February 17th: Book by Book
Thursday, February 18th: Kritters Ramblings
Monday, February 22nd: Jenn’s Bookshelves
Tuesday, February 23rd: Books and Bindings
Wednesday, February 24th: she treads softly
Thursday, February 25th: FictionZeal
Thursday, February 25th: A Bookworm’s World
Friday, March 4th: For the Love of Words


2 comments:

Gina said...

Alas not every book is for every reader. Sounds like you gave it a fair chance though. Better luck next read!

Heather J @ TLC Book Tours said...

Thanks for being a part of the tour.