Behind Every Lie

by Christina McDonald
narrated by Lisa Flanagan and Fiona Hardingham
set in Seattle, WA and London

Book Review 3.5/5

I absolutely adored The Night Olivia Fell and so I had high hopes for McDonald’s latest novel. It was a fast paced, agreeable read.

Eva has been struck by lightening. She emerges from a coma only to learn her mother has been killed- and that she is the prime suspect. Her memory is gone and so she starts the search to uncover the truth only to find her entire life has been a lie. Kat’s story parallels Eva’s, each telling their personal tale in expressive detail. For me, Behind Every Lie was at times captivating but also drastically unbelievable and predictable. The story felt forced at times; like McDonald was trying to fit in too many surprises. Each chapter held a ‘revelation’ of sorts. I don’t know how many times I cried “what?! Really?!” while listening to the audio. I did enjoy the trip to London; McDonald really took the reader there, hitting all the tourist sites. I also was intrigued by the Japanese art of kintsugi that was threaded throughout. Overall, fast paced, delightfully entertaining but nothing amazing.

Audiobook Review 5/5

I absolutely adore Lisa Flanagan! (Her narration of The Queen of the Night is one of my all time favorites!! If my daughter had been born 6 weeks earlier, I would have named her Liliette). Anyway, back to Behind Every Lie! Flanagan’s narration of Eva’s story was captivating, covering a vast array of characters, accents and emotions all in distinct and fluid transitions.

Fiona Hardingham was just as equally impressive. Her rendition as Kat switches from lilting British woman to hard Chicago man easily and smoothly. A highly emotive listen, these talented ladies manage to accentuate the reading experience. This is a solid 5 star audio performance for me.

Book Food Review 1/5

Food was a passing glimpse in Behind Every Lie. I really had to pull some strings to make this one work! Luckily, my friends over at Kimbee’s Teas sent me some delicious samples just in time for these tea drinking characters….

Recipes

Chocolate Chip Cookes

“She pulled me in for a tight hug, smelling of hairspray and chocolate chip cookies. I winced and she let go.
“Christ, you look horrible! Liam start hittin’ you or somethin’?” She laughed at her own joke.
“I got struck by lightning.”

Hot Cocoa Marshmallow Treats

“The air bubbles in marshmallows mean they are less dense than the cocoa. They will float unless you squeeze them into balls to make them more dense than liquid. Did you do that?”
The waitress scowled and stormed away”

Loaded Baked Potato Bites

“I was suddenly glad I hadn’t told Liam about the man I thought had been following me. Had I imagined it?
The bartender set my baked potato and tea in front of me.”

Kimbees Tea and Berry Scones

The Nerdy Gourmet

Hi friends!! I’m Jenni, The Nerdy Gourmet. I love books and I love food. Combining the two with a splash of travel has become my passion. I am a self taught cook/baker and I believe that everyone can cook from scratch! I’m here with recipes and Nerdy Tips to help along the way.
I review books, mostly ‘read’ via audio, and I create recipes inspired by the story lines. Sometimes if I am deeply moved by a story, I will travel and try my best to experience the book- and bring you along via my blog! I provide all the photographs and content for the Nerdy Gourmet (unless otherwise noted).

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