By: The Book Lit
“Six teens murdered. A suspect behind bars. A desperate father. In a case this shadowy, the truth is easy to hide.
Six teenagers dead. Finally, the killer behind bars. But are the games just beginning?”
This is what the starting of the blurb states. And if that doesn’t intrigue you? I don’t know what will!
The Good Lie by A. R. Torre is a novel that is notoriously psychological and sinister in a way that will keep you wide awake at night. Published on 20 July 2021, it is a book that will exceed your expectations. It will make you aware of every sinister thought running inside your head.
The main character
Dr. Gwen Moore is a well-known psychiatrist. And in the world of criminology, she is known as the Doc Of Death for various reasons. For a decade, she has spent her time treating clients with violent tendencies. Clients who want to keep their predatory behavior in check.
The beginning
John Abbott and Brookes Abbott, a married couple, are found dead in their house. Brookes died due to a heart attack, and John plunged a knife into his stomach. They say it’s an attempted suicide on John’s part. What they didn’t know is that John was Gwen’s violent client. And she might know more about the case than what she is willing to confess.
Dr. Gwen didn’t think that he would act on his rising hostility towards his wife. And now that they are dead, she suspects that John, being a pharmacist, might have killed his wife, making it look like a stroke.
The main premise: The bloody heart killer
Riddled with guilt, Dr. Moore is oblivious to the new development in the bloody heart killer case. The BHS killer, having killed six teen boys, all wealthy, had kidnapped his seventh victim only for the victim to have escaped the killer a few weeks after. Scott Harden, who was held captive by the BHS killer, has escaped. And now, he is recognizing Randall Thompson, a science teacher in Beverly Hills, as the killer.
Convinced that the crime is solved, even the media has moved away from the story. Everyone but a lawyer named Robert Kavin, a defense attorney. Robert Kavin is an expert in his field. Unfortunately, he is also the father of bloody heart killers’ sixth victim, Gabe Kavin, who is now dead. And Robert is dead set on proving Randall innocent.
He knows that someone else is behind the crime. And he will stop at nothing to find out who.
Robert and Dr. Moore
Now, what does Robert do you might ask? He hires Dr. Gwen Moore. The psychiatrist who has helped with such cases before. And she is tasked with forming a psyche profile for the BHS killer.
Buzzing with excitement, she doesn’t hesitate while accepting the offer. Even when she knows that there’s a conflict of interest. But there’s one problem: she is not quite confident with her assessment as she used to be, before her client had died of suicide or murder. But the case is a historic one, and it is a big moment for her career.
So what if the lines between business and pleasure were blurry? Robert and Gwen had spent a night together, and it might go against the code of conduct. Gwen is ready to ignore the temptation and keep it professional. But how can she when there’s a growing tension between them? And how will they handle it when both of them are hiding something from each other? There’s one thing for sure. Things were about to take a sinister turn.
The narrative of The Good Lie by A. R. Torre
As we all know, thrillers are notorious for having unlikeable characters. And they are also notorious for manipulating the narrative to generate. The same happened with this book. We all know that these people tip more towards the bad side, yet we vouch for them. And we silently pray for the truth to not come out.
There is an in-depth discussion on violent people and their thought processes. How their childhood affects human behavior was an interesting add-on. And their urges were intriguing, albeit a little terrifying. It highlights the grey area of human nature and that people can’t be simply put in good or bad areas.
A romance subplot
To start with, Gwen was confident, successful and she had a knack for making bad decisions. She also had controversial opinions. On the contrasting side, we have Robert Kavin, a man who will stop at nothing until he gains justice for his son, Gabe.
Being involved in a possible romance subplot was an interesting addition. It provides angst to the story and builds excitement while reading. Just like any other mystery novel, it wasn’t the healthiest. The characters also make some questionable decisions, but it works in the book’s favor.
The ending
Despite my best efforts to foresee the outcome, I was still perplexed at the reveal! That was a complete surprise to me. Everything comes together nicely, including the numerous points of view. With the exception of a few scenes in the conclusion that felt a little too far-fetched to me, I was left feeling happy and thrilled.
My recommendation
For a mystery-thriller connoisseur, this book might come off as pleasurable and gratifying. With a romance subplot and an unpredictable ending, this is the best book I have come across this year. Anyone looking to read about ghosts in a human mind should pick this book up.
About the reviewer
I am a digital marketer, specializing in SEO and I have an avid interest in reading. Along with studying for Masters In Business Administration, I also run a blog. My website is about giving bookish updates and book reviews. With writing content, I also microblog on Instagram, Facebook and Goodreads. You can read my latest review here.
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Ooh, it sounds twisty and intense!