The Good Lie Book Review | My Full Thoughts & Feelings
No Spoilers – The Good Lie Book Review | My Full Thoughts & Feelings [Updated for 2026]
Hello fellow book lovers!
I am so excited to share my thoughts and feelings on a gripping crime thriller that has captivated my imagination!
The Good Lie by A.R. Torre!
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If you’re a fan of edge of your seat thrillers with unexpected twists and turns, then I highly recommend this book.
In this post, I’ll be giving you a full, in-depth review of this fantastic novel and discussing why it was such an enjoyable reading experience.
The Good Lie Book Review
Having the passion for writing a book review again is such an exhilarating feeling!
It’s been a while since I felt so passionately about writing a book review that I almost forgot how.
But, recently I actually got some time to myself to start reading again, and oh boy did I enjoy it.
I binged this book in around 9 hours because I was that hooked; spending a child free day like this was bliss.
The book in question is The Good Lie by A.R. Torre and it’s a gem of a book.
Honestly, I couldn’t put it down and just HAD to know what was going to happen.
When I say this is a gripping read, I mean it!
Anyway, enough blabbering, let’s dive into the review, shall we?
Why I Enjoyed The Good Lie Book
Let’s start with why I found The Good Lie Book so enjoyable shall we?
From the moment I opened the first page, I was instantly hooked!
A.R. Torre has this way of weaving suspense and tension into her stories that keep you glued to the words on the page.
The pacing of the story is also impeccable, I didn’t get board once and just HAD to keep on reading.
Throughout the story there are seamlessly blended moments of high adrenaline with quieter, more introspective scenes that allow you to catch your breath and digest the information.
What I really enjoyed however was the multiple perspectives within the book from prominent characters.
Getting a glimpse into their part of the overall story helped bring it altogether and ramped the tension up tenfold.
Keeping the reader guessing
Another point I also liked about this book was the ability to keep me, the reader, guessing.
I honestly thought I had it figured out only to have it all thrown back in my face, which was brilliant.
Having the twist be unexpected was nice because normally I’ve got it pinned down within the first 10 chapters.
This sort of unpredictability is the hallmark of a great thriller, and The Good Lie Book really does deliver it in spades.
I was invested from start to finish
Another aspect of the book I quite enjoyed was the way A.R. Torre would describe the scenes.
The vivid descriptions and atmospheric setting added another layer of depth to the story for me.
I could feel the tension in the air, my body reacting to what I was reading and a few times I audibly gasped.
There’s a heaviness throughout that you can’t quite shake, but it lends to the overall atmospher and brought the story to life.
Genuinely, I felt like I was in the minds of the characters, feeling what they were, moving through the emotions with them.
When a book makes me feel like this, I know it’s a winner.
It’s a Great Thriller
When it comes to thriller novels, The Good Lie Book ticks all the boxes in my opinion.
It has a compelling plot, a series of intriguing mysteries, and plenty of unexpected twists that kept me on the edge of my seat.
The clever plot structure stands out and the well fleshed out characters also help drive the story, making it a well balanced book.
Psychology plays a big part
The psychological aspect of the book is particularly strong and felt very well fleshed out.
Torre delves into the minds of her characters, exploring their motives and fears with us in a way that feels authentic, yet chilling.
This psychological depth adds another layer to the story, making it more than just a simple whodunit.
Instead, it’s a gripping read that will transport you to another world for a time with fully developed characters and vivid storytelling.
I believed there was something at stake
Often times I find in stories with not a lot at stake, like I don’t believe there’s any real danger nor do I care because I’ve not connected with the story.
But I can assure you, this book isn’t one of them.
The stakes in The Good Lie Book are incredibly high and you can feel that emanating from the pages.
With an ever-present sense of danger on the horizon, I as a reader felt like I had to know what was going to happen, and I needed the information STAT!
Meet the Characters
Characters are the heart and soul of any story, and The Good Lie Book boasts a cast of intriguing and well-developed individuals.
They are well rounded, interesting and complete the story. Torre has written them with such conviction that I believe they could be real.
Here are some of the main characters in the book.
Dr. Gwen Moore
Easily my favourite character in the book and probably the main, main character in my opinion.
Although there are different perspectives, we mostly experience it from Gwen’s point of view, which is intriguing.
Dr. Gwen Moore is a skilled psychiatrist who works with violent individuals and has a penchant for killers and true crime.
Although she’s intelligent, hard working, a bit of a boss babe, she does have her own demons to contend with throughout.
With a determination to get to the truth, she will even put herself in the path of danger to search for it.
Going on a journey to profile a high-stake killer of young boys, Gwen begins to question her judgement and decisions.
A well rounded character
For me what I enjoyed about Gwen’s character was that although she gives off confident, got it all together vibes, she’s got her flaws.
She’s not a character who has been written as some perfect, hard working woman that never makes mistakes.
I like when characters are flawed because that’s human nature, we’re all flawed and none of us are perfect.
There’s so much more I could say about her, but I don’t want to add any spoilers, so I’ll leave it here for Gwen.
Attorney Robert Kavin
Another perspective we get in the book is from Attorney Robert Kavin, a defence attorney with a damaged past.
Showing up in Gwen’s life, Kavin changes it forever and gives her a shot at working on a real life Serial Killer case.
The BH (Bloody Heart) Killer who took his son from him.
His character, much like Gwen’s, is very well fleshed out. I believed he was a real person and could feel the emotions emenate from him.
That probably sounds strange, but as I was reading, the parts featuring anything about his son really got to me.
Maybe it’s because I have two boys myself, but my heart ached for every inch of Robert, and could feel the anger, rage, sadness and utter desperation in his character.
His character is very confident, probably more edging into arrogance territory, but while the story unfolded, I could understand why.
It was also nice to have the juxtaposition of him coming across as confident, says what he means man, to then experience the little moments of his mask slipping where we see his anguish and despair over losing his family.
Again, It was a nice touch of realism because in life we all wear masks in certain situations. It’s great when there are layers to characters, and layers there are!
Personally I found his interactions with Gwen made for some of the most compelling moments in the book.
Nita Harden and Scott Harding
Two other very prominent characters within the book are Nina and Scott Harding, a mother and son.
We get the story from both of their perspectives at different times throughout the book which is a great addition.
I liked seeing things from the other side so to speak.
Scott Harding is a boy who was apparently another victim of the BH killer, but he escaped.
As much as the story follows the path Gwen and Robert are taking trying to solve the whole thing, it also shows us the other side of a boy who was a victim.
I don’t want to give too much away, but Scott seems to be adjusting well, a little too well, and his mother notices.
He’s her perfect boy and she’s so happy he’s home, so much so she smothers him with “love”.
But there are cracks starting to show, and Nina isn’t too convinced of her perfect boys “act”.
Scott on the other hand can’t understand what the big fuss is, with anything, and that puts a microscope on him.
Being able to get things from both these characters perspectives brought the whole story together perfectly, and wrapped it in a bow.
Final Thoughts
When I say The Good Lie is a thrilling read, I mean it!
For me, the book is a 4 out of 5 stars.
It’s a must-read for fans of crime thrillers who enjoy a well paced read, rich world building and fleshed out characters.
The engaging narrative, unpredictable plot twists, and compelling characters made it an exhilarating journey from start to finish.
Torre’s ability to blend psychological depth with high-stakes suspense sets The Good Lie apart as a standout thriller.
What I loved most about this book is how it kept me on my toes, constantly questioning what I thought I knew.
A.R. Torre’s masterful storytelling ensures that each chapter leaves you craving more, making it nearly impossible to put the book down.
I know, I just experienced it!
I genuinely mean it when I say I loved it, because I did. It helped reignite my passion for reading and allowed me to make the time for it.
Because I loved The Good Lie book so much, I’ve been reading some other A.R Torre books, and omg I’m in heaven.
If you haven’t read any of her works yet, I highly suggest you do!
Start with The Good Lie Book because it’s fantastic.
How to Read The Good Lie Book for FREE
Have I sold you on The Good Lie book? Would you like to experience the magic of this story for yourself, for FREE?
Well, check out The Good Lie Book on Kindle.
If you have Amazon Prime, then you can access The Good Lie Kindle version and other great titles for free.
Don’t have Amazon Prime? Well, you can get a 30 day free trial today!
There are lots of benefits such as access to the free kindle books, unlimited one day and same day delivery, watch Prime video, Prime gaming and much more.
You can also get access to The Good Lie Audiobook for free with a FREE Trial of Audible.
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