This Is Why We Lied- Will Trent Series #12

Author: Karin Slaughter
Genre: Crime Fiction
464 pages
Publisher: William Morrow, 2024

Synopsis
Everyone here is a liar, but only one of us is a killer…

A secluded cabin retreat

For GBI investigator Will Trent and medical examiner Sara Linton, McAlpine Lodge seems like the ideal getaway to celebrate their honeymoon. Set on a gorgeous, off-the-grid mountaintop property, it’s the perfect place to unplug and reconnect. Until a bone-chilling scream cuts through the night.

A murderer in their midst

Mercy McAlpine, the manager of the Lodge, is dead. With a vicious storm raging and the one access road to the property washed out, the murderer must be someone on the mountain. But as Will and Sara investigate the McAlpine family and the other guests, they realize that everyone here is lying….Lying about their past. Lying to their family. Lying to themselves.

Who killed Mercy McAlpine?

It soon becomes clear that normal rules don’t apply at McAlpine Lodge, and Will and Sara are going to have to watch their step at every turn. Trapped on the resort, they must untangle a decades-old web of secrets to discover what happened to Mercy. And with the killer poised to strike again, the trip of a lifetime becomes a race against the clock…

My review
This Is Why We Lied is the 12th installment in the Will Trent series from Karin Slaughter. Reading it was a bittersweet experience—I was thrilled to immerse myself in another story, yet a bit wistful knowing it’s the latest novel in the series. Give me a story set in a remote woodland location, a small circle of suspects harboring dark secrets, toxic family dynamics, and stormy weather that isolates everyone (save for ATVs and horseback) and I’m immediately hooked! Once again, Slaughter crafts a multi-layered, engrossing tale that kept me turning pages late into the night!

Slaughter is a master of character development, and she has created some of my all-time favorite figures in crime fiction. Will Trent, in particular, stands out with his exceptional investigative prowess, intricate backstory, and emotional complexity, making him a consistently compelling protagonist. While Sara Linton, Trent’s love interest, is an engaging character in her own right, I find their personal relationship less appealing. Their professional relationship is top notch; however, their personal dynamic often feels overly sentimental, primarily due to the dialogue, which comes across as too sappy and unrealistic for my taste.

As the investigation intensifies, so does the tension and danger at the camp. With lies flying in every direction, the question becomes: who among them is the killer? Slaughter masterfully keeps everyone under suspicion, weaving a complex and thoroughly engaging narrative. This book is meticulously crafted, showcasing Slaughter’s talent for portraying deeply unlikeable and morally reprehensible characters. The narrative explores a range of heavy themes, including addiction, domestic violence, toxic relationships, and control, adding depth and complexity to the story.

This Is Why We Lied is a complex, layered crime novel and easily one of my favorite in the Will Trent series. While I’ve read every book in the series, this installment works well as a standalone. I’ll always eagerly anticipate the next chapter in this outstanding series!

My recommendation: read it!