HER DARK LIES by J.T. Ellison
MIRA; 3/9/21
CBTB Rating: 4/5
The Verdict: an escapist “popcorn thriller” with Gothic influences
If there’s one author I can always count on to deliver a binge-worthy “popcorn read,” it’s J.T. Ellison. The author of some of my personal favorite suspense novels including Good Girls Lie and Lie to Me returns today with her latest outing: HER DARK LIES, a darkly delicious concoction made of equal parts family drama, Gothic elements, and a wanderlust-worthy sense of place. In HER DARK LIES, readers meet Claire and Jack: a golden couple who are preparing for their wedding in the luxurious villa owned by Jack’s fabulously wealthy family. This villa, which sits perched atop a breathtaking island off the coast of Italy, is the perfect venue for what is sure to be the wedding of the year. But as Claire and Jack settle in for their big day, a series of inexplicable and increasingly sinister events begin to take place. And when a storm cuts off power to the island, Claire and Jack quickly realize these events aren’t just inconveniences—they’re a warning sign of greater dangers to come. Laced with elements of Gothic suspense and brimming with all the “popcorn thriller” entertainment value that I’ve come to expect in J.T. Ellison’s novels, HER DARK LIES is a deliciously readable and delightfully sinister suspense read. Pour yourself a glass of something sparkling and travel to Isle Isola for the wedding of the year—but watch your back, because not everyone is getting out of this wedding alive.
Plot Details:
Jutting from sparkling turquoise waters off the Italian coast, Isle Isola is an idyllic setting for a wedding. In the majestic cliff-top villa owned by the wealthy Compton family, up-and-coming artist Claire Hunter will marry handsome, charming Jack Compton, surrounded by close family, intimate friends…and a host of dark secrets.
From the moment Claire sets foot on the island, something seems amiss. Skeletal remains have just been found. There are other, newer disturbances, too. Menacing texts. A ruined wedding dress. And one troubling shadow hanging over Claire’s otherwise blissful relationship—the strange mystery surrounding Jack’s first wife.
Then a raging storm descends, the power goes out—and the real terror begins…
With international travel off the table right now, there has never been a better time to “armchair travel” through a great book—and if this appeals to you as much as it does to me, J.T. Ellison’s HER DARK LIES should be the next book you add to your TBR list. Set against the swoon-worthy backdrop of an island off the coast of Italy, HER DARK LIES contrasts the sumptuous beauty of its setting with a sinister, increasingly chilling suspense plot. Up-and-coming artist Claire Hunter has met the man of her dreams in Jack Compton. Jack is fabulously wealthy, handsome, charming, and the director of his family’s prominent charitable organization. Jack is drawn to Claire for her free spirit, her passionate personality, and her immeasurable talent as an artist. Together, the two seem to have it all… but everyone has secrets, and Jack and Claire’s secrets are about to catch up to them. As Jack and Claire depart Nashville, Tennessee for their wedding in Italy, they are unwittingly placing themselves on a collision course with danger. Isle Isola is, at first glance, the perfect place for what is sure to be the wedding of the year. Surrounded by the crystal-clear waters off the Italian coast, Isle Isola is, in a nutshell, paradise. Perched atop this idyllic island is the Compton’s family villa: a storied estate filled with art, ornate décor… and a secret or two of its own. Claire and Jack should be embarking on the next chapter in their lives in bliss—but not everything is as it seems on Isle Isola, and the wedding of the year is about to turn into a fight for survival. Moving from the halls of the Compton family villa to the early days of Claire and Jack’s relationship in Nashville and beyond, HER DARK LIES spins a beguiling web of secrets, perfect for your next “popcorn read.”
Central to any great suspense novel is a cast of compelling characters, and J.T. Ellison delivers that and then some in HER DARK LIES. At the heart of this story are, of course, the characters of Claire and Jack. Claire is the kind of character I wish I could get to know in real life. She’s a free-spirited artist, a woman who wears Dr. Martens and black nail polish (a woman after my own heart!), whose immense artistic talent has earned her a career as a new artist to watch. When Claire met Jack Compton, it was love at first sight. Jack, a member of the wealthy and powerful Compton family, runs the philanthropic branch of his family’s vast company, spearheading humanitarian efforts around the world. At first glance, Claire and Jack’s life seems perfect. But there are secrets lurking between the two, and those secrets are about to be unearthed. Jack was married before, and the untimely passing of his first wife in a terrible accident hangs like a shadow over him and Claire. Jack seems determined to keep any memories of his first marriage firmly in the past; Claire, on the other hand, can’t help but indulge her curiosity and do a bit of internet sleuthing. What really happened to the woman Jack pledged his life to before he ever met Claire? The more Claire learns about Jack’s first wife, the more fixated she becomes on this mysterious figure from her soon-to-be-husband’s past. Jack’s first wife may have passed away, but her specter is alive and well. HER DARK LIES reads in part like a modern-day homage to Daphne du Maurier’s classic Gothic novel Rebecca; readers will relish J.T. Ellison’s fresh twist on a classic tale of a new relationship haunted by the ghost of a lost love.
J.T. Ellison’s books always deliver the kind of page-turning pacing that makes for a perfect weekend binge-read, and HER DARK LIES is no exception. This “popcorn thriller” moves along at an engaging clip, putting readers in the heart of the action on Isle Isola, and periodically stepping back and giving readers the perspective of an unnamed—and very creepy—third party narrator. Through the biting, sometimes downright nasty perspective of this anonymous narrator, Ellison infuses HER DARK LIES with a dash of truly sinister tension. What does this third voice want with Claire and Jack? And how far will they go to get what they want? I loved this creepy element of HER DARK LIES, and appreciated the darkness and intrigue it contributed to the story. As the tension and action in HER DARK LIES ratchet up, our story morphs from a light family drama to a pulse-pounding fight for survival. Ellison masterfully plays to the strengths of her story’s setting as the book progresses; when a storm cuts off power on Isle Isola, claustrophobia and paranoia set in, and danger isn’t far behind. Bit by bit, Ellison raises the stakes for her characters, pulling readers ever deeper into the dark secrets of the Compton family. HER DARK LIES builds to a shocking finale, one that sheds light on the book’s central questions. What really happened to the first Mrs. Compton? And is Claire truly safe with her fiancé? HER DARK LIES is another engaging “popcorn thriller” from J.T. Ellison, this one with an escapist, wanderlust-worthy twist. Pack your bags and follow Claire and Jack to beautiful Isle Isola—this is one wedding you won’t soon forget.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. All opinions my own.
Book Details:
Publisher : MIRA; Original edition (March 9, 2021)
Language : English
Paperback : 416 pages
ISBN-10 : 0778388301
ISBN-13 : 978-0778388302
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