If Ridley Jones had slept ten minutes later or had taken the subway instead of waiting for a cab, she would still be living the beautiful lie she used to call her life. She would still be the privileged daughter of a doting father and a loving mother. Her life would still be perfect—with only the tiny cracks of an angry junkie for a brother and a charming drunk with shady underworld connections for an uncle to mar the otherwise flawless whole. But that’s not what happened. Instead, those inconsequential decisions lead her to perform a good deed that puts her in the right place at the right time to unleash a chain of events that brings a mysterious package to her door—a package which informs her that her entire world is a lie. Suddenly forced to question everything she knows about herself and her family, Ridley wanders into dark territory she never knew existed, where everyone in her life seems like a stranger. She has no idea who’s on her side and who has something to hide—even, and maybe especially, her new lover, Jake, who appears to have secrets of his own. Sexy and fast-paced, Beautiful Lies is a true literary thriller with one of the freshest voices and heroines to arrive in years. Lisa Unger takes us on a breathtaking ride in which every choice Ridley makes creates a whirlwind of consequences that are impossible to imagine . . . .
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"There are so many things to like about this book and I did enjoy it immensely. Ridley Jones is the good daughter of a pediatrician living in New York City. She has recently broken up with her "good guy" fiance, and a series of choices on Saturday morning lead her to the saving of a child's life and her picture being splattered everywhere. This has far-reaching implications as the fabric of her life is completely unraveled. She meets a stranger, Jake, who seems to be pulling the strings. This is a very different romantic suspense novel, in that it is written in first person. We see everything through Ridley's eyes and hear her voice. It's an interesting journey. It is pretty clear from the beginning who the bad guys are and who are the good guys. Ridley often takes longer to get there. A recurring theme throughout the book is the choices we make, and I found myself yelling at Ridley for some of her choices. It feels somewhat like yelling at your best friend, who is sometimes really stupid. The author gets a little overindulgent in her prose, but other than that, it is a well written, engaging, suspenseful story."
— Leslie (4 out of 5 stars)
“A stunning, powerful novel! Lisa Unger’s taut prose grabs the reader from word one and never lets go. In this tantalizing tale of family suspense, beware of who you trust and be forewarned about what might happen next.”
— Lisa Gardner, New York Times bestselling author“Her engaging narrative wins us over.”
— Entertainment Weekly“Unger’s plot twists and turns will force you to stay up past your bedtime, just as you do with the books of a more seasoned James Patterson or Michael Connelly.”
— Richmond Times-Dispatch“One of this season’s hottest new thrillers.”
— New York Post“A high-velocity plot that pulls the reader along on Ridley’s dangerous quest, and Unger skillfully keeps her, and us, guessing about whom to trust…A complex and gripping story about the dark side of the best of intentions, Beautiful Lies is a satisfying thriller.”
— St. Petersburg Times“An outstanding suspense/thriller containing that rare combination of fast-paced action coupled with marvelous character development.”
— Roanoke Times“[An] intriguing premise…complemented by a likable, chatty heroine about whom the reader can’t help but care.”
— Sun-Sentinel“A fresh, likable voice.”
— Detroit Free Press“A tense exploration of what lies beneath the white picket fence of ordinary life. Harlan Coben has a new rival for his thriller crown.”
— John Connolly, New York Times bestselling author“A high-wire balance of tension and resolution.”
— Baltimore Sun“Beautiful Lies is a heartfelt thriller full of twists, turns, and truths—truths about the terrible ways families deceive themselves. Lisa Unger writes with precision and insight—she’s a welcome new voice in suspense fiction.”
— Jeff Abbott, New York Times bestselling author“This mystery’s surprising twists will make your jaw drop.”
— Cosmopolitan“Suspenseful, sensitive, sexy, subtle. The best nail-biter I have read in ages.”
— Lee Child, #1 New York Times bestselling author“A tightly written thriller…The action is depicted with satisfying breathlessness.”
— San Francisco Chronicle“Perfect pitch, characters we can recognize as versions of ourselves…Lip-smacking good.”
— Chicago Tribune" This was a great travel read. This novel is a thriller, but has more depth to it than most thrillers--it even has a series of discussion questions at the end, something not typical for thrillers. I'm between 3 and 4 on this one, and I look forward to reading more by Lisa Unger, including a sequel to Beautiful Lies. "
— Susan, 2/19/2014" I borrowed it from my library for my kindle. Liked it. It was a cute read. "
— Tsahai, 2/17/2014" I liked the plotline, even though it was predictable at times, but wasn't a big fan of it being told in the first person narrative, especially when it was written as though she was actually speaking to the reader. Some pieces in the end didn't seem to match up, and there still seem to be a lot of loose ends, but I suppose perhaps that's the point. "
— Christine, 2/14/2014" Ok thriller - doesn't compel me to read any more of Unger's books. "
— Cathy, 2/7/2014" This was an interesting read. I had heard a bit about it and was intrigued by its concept. I think the overall story was good, although I felt that there was no real closure (However, she has another book and I am not sure if it ties in at all). I would recommend this book as a light thriller; I don't think it had the necessary elements to truly be considered a thriller. More like drama with small elements added for effect. "
— Heather, 2/2/2014" Perilous situations arise as Ridely discovers her strange past along side her new love interest who shares an equally curious beginning. I'm glad to know there is more to Ridley's story in Lisa Unger's follow-up novel. "
— Academicsupport, 1/25/2014" I thought this was a interesting and well told story. There were good plot twists and the ending was well done. "
— Ralph, 1/17/2014" Randomly came across this author then went on a binge - this was the best. Suspenseful, was surprised a bit. Mind candy. "
— MaryAnn, 1/12/2014" Excellent book. One of the best I have read lately. "
— Jodie, 1/10/2014" Definitely one of the best thrillers I have ever read (and I've read a lot). An amazing debut for Lisa Unger, but don't bother reading the sequel (Sliver of Truth) as it is quite a letdown. "
— Peter, 1/5/2014" A woman finds out that her life is a bunch of lies and has to investigate how she came to where she is. Very well written book. I think some of my friends would like this book about complicated family lives. "
— Rhodora, 12/30/2013" Woman Finds Out That Her Life Has Been a Lie due to Project Rescue "
— Rebecca, 12/20/2013" Good read. Kept me interested to the end "
— Fran, 12/17/2013" This was a pretty good book, but the vast amounts of introspection at the beginning were a big turnoff for me. I freely admit I only kept reading because I really liked Jake's character, he was wonderfully flawed. "
— Moodyfeline, 12/15/2013" Loved this book... Couldn't put it down!! "
— Adele, 11/23/2013" Slightly predictable, but interesting enough to hold my attention. "
— Heather, 10/16/2013" This was a free ebook. It wasn't bad. A mystery thriller about abducted children. Wouldn't recommend to many, though. More of a mindless read. "
— Allison, 7/30/2013" I found out about this book in the review of another one, so thought I would try it out. So glad I did- I enjoyed it and will be looking for others by Lisa Unger to read. "
— Sarah, 6/12/2013" I didn't like this book. It is not well written. The story line is stupid, the main character is annoying, and the love story silly. Besides that the mystery is obvious from like chapter 3. Dumb book. "
— Lara, 5/19/2013" I loved this book! I'm in love with Lisa Unger's books. The lies and deception that she comes up with. It was scary, though, and I get scared easily so I didn't like that. But it was an amazing book. "
— Chloe, 4/28/2013" I kept waiting for the plot twist to occur and it didn't happen. It was a good story but not entirely believeable. "
— Jan, 1/24/2013" Good story well written ESP the first person but the downside to 1st is when u get off track or wander and the author IMO did this a lot. I'd still read another book by her though :) "
— Amie, 12/21/2012" I enjoyed this novel about a woman who, at the age of 30-something, discovers that much of what she thought she knew about her past and her family was nothing but a beautiful lie. "
— Anastasia, 11/11/2012" Due to timing I audiobooked this one. Let's just say the person reading it is the Nicholas Cage of audiobooks ... I might've given it a higher rating otherwise but at the most 3 stars. A decent mystery at best. "
— Becca, 6/7/2012" This book was typical of Lisa Unger. Good character development and plenty of action. "
— Linda, 4/18/2012" Good choice - this was a lot of fun to read. I have to pick up the sequel. "
— Missyk, 4/3/2012" I am actually surprised i bothered finishing this book --. characters were unbelievable and the writing style wasn't my cup of tea. But I did want to know how the story ended. "
— Amy, 1/27/2012" A young woman receives a mysterious package, thus beginning a dangerous series of events that drastically changes her life. "
— Gina, 7/7/2011" Fast read; likeable main character. reminded me of a movie though...<br/> "
— Jean, 5/18/2011" Good story, but I am not very tolerant of language and other stuff added in. Wouldn't recommend because of some language and TMI in other areas. "
— Jennie, 5/7/2011" Um thriller interessante, intenso, que custa a largar, mas a que falta algum conteúdo, torna-se algo básico. "
— Claudia, 5/3/2011" I liked the book but there was a huge inconsistency that was only acknowledged in the questions for discussion at the end. This annoyed me the whole time! "
— Dara, 5/2/2011" Wow.... I was expecting a regular action thriller thing but got something totally better! "
— Sarah, 4/18/2011" Great read. Ridley is a great charater. this book kept me on my toes the entire read and pulled me right into the sequel. Lots of action. A totally unexpected and great ending! "
— Jenn, 4/16/2011" This is the first book I have read by this author. I enjoyed the story and the characters and look forward to reading more in this series. "
— Nancy, 3/16/2011" Good reading, interesting from the beginning and only got better! "
— Jennifer, 3/14/2011Lisa Unger is the author of more than a dozen novels published in twenty-six languages, with millions of readers worldwide. In 2019, she received two Edgar Award nominations, amd her work has been voted “Best of the Year” or top picks by Today, People, Entertainment Weekly, Amazon.com, and many others. She has written for the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR, and Travel+Leisure magazine.
Ann Marie Lee is a seven-time winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award for narration. She is a Los Angeles–based actress with television credits that include ER, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and Nip/Tuck. Her stage performances for Broadway National Tours and regional theater include Peter Pan, As You Like It, Heartbreak House, and The Cherry Orchard.