There's nothing more disappointing as a reader than picking up a book you're excited about, and strongly disliking the read. Unfortunately, my experience with BEST DAY EVER was not one I'd wish to repeat. What seemed intended to deliver a twisty domestic thriller with an unreliable narrator turned out to be dissatisfying at best, and at worst a simplistic and forced attempt at the psychological complexity a crime novel can offer. Newcomers to crime fiction might be, through no fault of their own, convinced that this kind of read is exemplary of the genre; I would welcome the opportunity to steer them in another direction. Crime fiction can offer readers true insight into human nature and the capacity for evil we all carry within us—BEST DAY EVER attempts, and fails, to achieve this. 

Cate Holahan’s LIES SHE TOLD has a little bit of everything that I love most in a psychological thriller: a literary protagonist (the story’s main character is herself a thriller writer), a “book within a book” mystery, and red herrings and plot twists a plenty. But LIES SHE TOLD has something else, too—it has an intentionally and thoughtfulness to it, qualities that add a layer of intrigue to an already addictive crime novel. On sale 9/12/17, LIES SHE TOLD is pure, binge-worthy entertainment—the kind of effortlessly engaging read that can only come from the author’s intelligent plotting and careful construction. Holahan’s forthcoming thriller will be an instant-hit for fans of EXQUISITE by Sarah Stovell and THE WEIGHT OF LIES by Emily Carpenter; readers looking for an addictive, layered suspense novel will feel right at home in Holahan's world.