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Saturday, October 10, 2015

The Truth and Other Lies by Sascha Arango

Author: Sascha Arango
Publisher: Atria Books

Date of publication: June 2015

“Evil is a matter of opinion…”

On the surface, Henry Hayden seems like someone you could like, or even admire. A famous bestselling author who appears a modest everyman. A loving, devoted husband even though he could have any woman he desires. A generous friend and coworker. But Henry Hayden is a construction, a mask. His past is a secret, his methods more so. No one besides him and his wife know that she is the actual writer of the novels that made him famous.

For most of Henry’s life, it hasn’t been a problem. But when his hidden-in-plain-sight mistress becomes pregnant and his carefully constructed facade is about to crumble, he tries to find a permanent solution, only to make a terrible mistake.

Now not only are the police after Henry, but his past—which he has painstakingly kept hidden—threatens to catch up with him as well. Henry is an ingenious man and he works out an ingenious plan. He weaves lies, truths, and half-truths into a story that might help him survive. But bit by bit the noose still tightens.

Smart, sardonic, and compulsively readable, here is the story of a man whose cunning allows him to evade the consequences of his every action, even when he’s standing on the edge of the abyss.

The Truth and Other Lies was a random audiobook pick from my library.  It seemed to have received rave reviews, so I was hoping for a great story.  Unfortunately, I am in the minority when I say I really didn't like this book.  It's pretty short, so I did listen to the whole thing.  I just detested all of the characters and it wasn't really that suspenseful.

This really should have been titled "How to Get Away with Murder".  Because that is essentially what the story is about.  Henry is a slimy unlikable person who will always do what he can to try to get what he wants.  He married an author and let the world think that he wrote her books.  He isn't faithful, ever.  When his girlfriend gets pregnant, all he can think about is killing her and the baby.  Killing her I could understand, but the coldness toward his unborn child was hard to read.  The ending was awful and frustrating.  I really didn't care for this book and wouldn't recommend it.

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