Author: Gabriella Lepore
Publisher: Inkyard Press
Released: September 21^st, 2021
Received: NetGalley

There’s a saying that those with glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. Well, what happens when everyone in a town has a secret? That’s the story that Gabriella Lapore captured in This Is Why We Lie.

Every single person in Gardiners Bay has a secret. That in itself is probably not too uncommon. Lots of people have secrets, after all. However, the secrets of Gardiners Bay are about to get blown into the open once Colleen O’Dell’s body has been found.

Now Jenna Dallas is determined to get to the truth of Colleen’s death, and in doing so, she’s going to accidentally tear through every dark secret the town has been trying to keep. The sheer number of secrets blur the line surrounding the truth until Jenna and the town feels nearly lost.

If you’re looking for a young adult mystery that will hold your attention, try checking out This Is Why We Lie. It’s got a strong ‘whodunnit’ vibe, which makes it all the more intriguing as the dozens of secrets come to the surface.

I enjoyed how complex this thriller/mystery became. I also loved that the narrative was told in two parts. There’s Jenna (obviously) and her best friend, Adam. Both are intrinsically linked to the murder that has occurred, but for very different reasons.

As such, I enjoyed watching the story unravel through their eyes. More than that, their friendship is so strong and amazing. Who wouldn’t love to have a friend that would literally dive into a murder mystery to protect you?

Overall I really enjoyed This Is Why We Lie, though I felt as if the conclusion was not quite as strong as the rest of the book. I think I just let it get built up so much in my head, you know? Either way, I think Gabriella Lapore will be an author worth keeping an eye on.

Thanks to Inkyard Press and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.