Please Don’t Lie

Newlyweds Hayley and Brandon Stone have recently moved to a house in the Adirondacks that Brandon inherited from his parents. Although, Hayley loved her busy life in New York, she has been through a lot recently with the loss of her wealthy parents in a house fire followed by the death of her younger sister from a drug overdose.

Their deaths have also made her a very wealthy heiress, with the public interest in her family tragedy and the resulting media circus making her life miserable, so she welcomes the idea of a fresh start somewhere quiet. 

Unfortunately, Hayley discovers she is not well equipped to cope with the isolation and loneliness of living in such an isolated location. Especially since Brandon spends his time either working on the property or hunting for game to feed them over winter. Often left alone for long periods, she is delighted when she meets Megan, a friendly young woman in the nearby town and even happier when Megan and her partner Tyler move into a small cottage on Brandon’s property. 

Meanwhile, Brandon is growing more distant and unpredictable, becoming volatile and easily upset with little provocation. Their closest neighbour, who knew his parents, clearly doesn’t trust him and Hayley senses there are things from his past he is not telling her. For a smart woman, Hayley seems very naïve and trusting, ignoring his broodiness while often making poor choices to put herself in a vulnerable situation, where she no longer knows who she can trust. 

With a disturbing web of secrets and lies building, this slow burn of a psychological suspense ramps the eeriness up to maximum. The isolated, characterless house in the Adirondacks surrounded by woods, with winter approaching, is very atmospheric generating an unsettling tension throughout the novel. The slow build up, particularly in the middle of the novel, does mean that Brendon’s secrets and plans take a while to come into focus. The ending is very dramatic with some good twists as all is revealed. However, it did feel a tad predictable and somewhat rushed after the gradual build up, but nevertheless enjoyable. If you’re looking for a dark and creepy atmospheric novel to read while rugged up safe and warm on a cold wintery day, this could very well fit the bill. 

With thanks to Thomas and Mercer for a copy to read.