The Lies I Told

4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars | 8,377 ratings

Price: 25

Last update: 01-30-2025


About this item

For a woman obsessed and a killer in her shadow, remembering the past becomes a mind game in a novel of psychological suspense by New York Times bestselling author Mary Burton.

Twin sisters Marisa and Clare Stockton were sixteen when Clare’s body was found in Virginia’s James River. No arrests were made. Fourteen years later, Marisa’s friends and dedicated career as a photographer help her to cope with the open wound of the past. But Marisa still feels the hurt—and the unsolved murder isn’t the only thing haunting her.

A recent car crash has erased ten days of Marisa’s memories—a black hole leading up to the accident that’s left her disoriented. Every text and phone call from that crucial missing time has vanished, along with her phone. A photograph she took of the river has disappeared. A new neighbor Marisa believes she knows introduces himself as if he were a stranger. And there’s the growing fear that her near-fatal accident was no accident at all. As dreams of Clare and nightmares of the crash begin to converge, so do two disturbing puzzles fourteen years apart.

Putting the pieces together could be fatal. As she struggles to remember everything, Marisa closes in on a killer—without realizing that he’s already closed in on her.


Top reviews from the United States

  • maryanne bauder
    5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific novel
    Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2024
    This book kept your interest. It was hard to put down. Every time you thought you had it figured out another curve was thrown at you. Would highly record this book
  • A Lady
    4.0 out of 5 stars THE LIES I TOLD: A Novel of Suspense by Mary Burton
    Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2024
    Well, as someone who has read every one of Burton's stories of suspense (except for her newest) I have to say this one definitely had a different feel to It. It's told in real time which is her style but from a first person POV which is not. There are also multiple perspectives and it's more a novel of mystery/suspense and not a romance although Marisa does appear to get a happily ever after.

    As for the story itself it did seem to start out a little slow but kept getting better as it went along. It was more character driven than I expected and there honestly wasn't a whole lot of action or thrills and chills. There were lots of flashbacks to a teenage Marisa and Clare though which I liked. I'm a fan of cold cases however and I didn't find those scenes confusing or hard to follow.

    I also liked most of the characters in this story. Yes, they were all flawed but I found them more relatable because of it. Nothing was ever too obvious either but I also can't say anything was ever truly shocking. Still, the story was well paced and was able to hold my interest from beginning to end. Unfortunately I was left with a few questions and think MB should have given more closure.

    That being said I really enjoyed the story which was very compelling. It was definitely difficult at times since it deals with the death of a teenage girl which as a mom and aunt is never easy for me to read about. Overall I have to admit it was a unique as well as different kind of story than I've come to expect of Burton though and one I would read again as well as recommend... =)
  • limni
    5.0 out of 5 stars very twisty
    Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2024
    The killer was not who I thought at all, there were many parts it could have been the obvious person I thought but it wasn’t! Very good listen.
  • RM Williams
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read
    Reviewed in the United States on May 23, 2024
    Found the writing and character exploration very engaging and even though I didnt love or agree with the ending, (I found it rushed, especially relative to the impressively expansive plot that was weaved for a good 75% to 80% of the book), for daysss after I finished this book, I kept going back to parts of it, the story really sat with me and I enjoy books / authors that have effect. personally. Also the characters - loved how they were portrayed, found myself deeply invested. Cant wait to read more of her books!
  • Melanie Valente
    4.0 out of 5 stars A great suspense read
    Reviewed in the United States on February 9, 2023
    The Lies I Told was a fantastic read with an intriguing plot following a woman who begins looking into her twin sister's unsolved murder.

    Thirteen years ago, Marisa Stockton's twin sister Clare was found murdered on the shores of the James River. Marisa has never gotten over the fact Clare's killer was never found and she throws herself into her work as a photographer to cope with the loss. After a car accident that has erased ten days of Marisa's memories, Marisa begins to believe the crash was no accident. As she digs into Clare's death, she struggles to piece together those missing days, feeling like she's lost a vital clue. But as Marisa closes in on a killer, she doesn't realize they've been watching her every move.

    The plot in The Lies I Told pulled me in right away and I found myself caught up in Marisa's search for answers, both about her sister's death and the car crash that nearly killed her. Marisa remembers next to nothing about the days leading up to the crash but what she does remember is feeling afraid. She turns to the detective that investigated her sister's death to get information about the case as well as to get the report on her accident. I liked that Marisa had no formal training as an investigator and that she was just someone searching for the truth. A lot of her investigation is going over old ground in the hopes someone will change their story and I enjoyed this aspect as it filled us in on what happened when Clare died. Marisa's investigation went in several directions I wasn't expecting and I thought the ending was very well done with just the right amount of suspense to keep you guessing on how everything would turn out.

    Marisa was an interesting character to follow and I found myself really enjoying her perspective. Marisa is a recovering addict and alcoholic, having been sober for one year. Her struggles with wanting to drink were hard to read about and it's clear she hasn't had an easy life. Her need to find Clare's killer was understandable and I actually found it to be a bit strange that she was seemingly the only one who cared about finding the killer. There is a romance subplot in the book between Marisa and her neighbor but it's incredibly minor and not at all the focus of the book. In addition to following Marisa's character, we get chapters from the points of view of several other characters including the killer. The killer's chapters were disturbing as it's clear the person has an unhealthy obsession with Marisa/Clare.

    Overall The Lies I Told was a great read and I would highly recommend it if you're looking for an intriguing mystery to read.
  • Kindle Customer
    3.0 out of 5 stars Finding Truth
    Reviewed in the United States on February 13, 2023
    This was quite an intense plot really involving only a few people. I know alcohol played a big role in the truth being hidden for so many years, but for me the unbelievable part was the mother's unusual poisoning death going unquestioned, and the continued "illnesses" of the twins. As the twins aged and given the thoroughness of physicians, them being giving drugs to make them ill would simply not be pushed off to tension/depression over losing their mom. Even the twins should have begun to question this. I am glad Marissa ended up with a kind man, but besides him, she is sadly alone in a town she has always called home.
  • njmezzoni
    5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn,t put it down
    Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2025
    This book kept me wondering what was going to happen next! Each character's part was well intertwined with the other. Love Mary Burton!
  • Tracy
    5.0 out of 5 stars Such a page turner!
    Reviewed in the United States on September 8, 2024
    I could not put this book down and was continuously guessing with all the twists in this book! Highly recommended

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