Editorial Content for A Lovely Lie
Book
Contributors
Reviewer (text)
If you have ever known a particularly manipulative person who lies so often to get their way that it’s almost impossible to discern the truth from the falsehoods, then A LOVELY LIE will ring especially true for you. Jaime Lynn Hendricks so deftly handles the twisty plot and layers of lies from both the past and the present that your head literally will be spinning.
On the night of their senior picnic in 1999, Scarlett and her best friend, Pepper, are involved in a car accident that leaves two of their classmates dead. After lying to the authorities to protect each other, Pepper leaves town and Scarlett never hears from her again. Pepper had shared with Scarlett that she was pregnant but was planning to relocate to New York to have an abortion and then pursue an acting career.
"A LOVELY LIE tackles the psychological thriller and mystery genres with a vengeance, as well as the very nature of lies and those who use them as weapons."
Following the police investigation, in which she was sworn to secrecy by Pepper about some of the false information they provided, Scarlett doesn’t know what to believe and quietly goes on with her life. This will include getting impregnated by Pepper’s high school boyfriend, Vince, and marrying him to raise their son, Luke.
Scarlett now works at the Gulf Sands Beach Resort in Florida and is about to have her entire life turned upside down by the appearance of a new guest. Zoey Wilson, a young women from New York, claims to be Pepper’s daughter. Scarlett now realizes that Pepper never had that abortion and is shocked to learn that her former BFF was killed by a drunk driver.
Zoey had gone through her mother’s belongings and found a sealed and unmailed letter made out to Scarlett in which she makes reference to their secrets and the accident that occurred all those years ago. More importantly, Zoey wants to know the identity of her father, who she believes is Vince. Scarlett is now forced to reexamine the events of that fateful night and attempt to discern the lies from the truth.
Throughout A LOVELY LIE, we are treated to interview transcripts from the 1999 investigation and are allowed to see the different stories and alibis from all involved. Zoey is an aspiring investigative journalist who does not plan to leave Florida without answers, which will open many old wounds. Readers may not be prepared for the biggest lie of all, which occurs in the present day and will completely change the arc of the story. Hendricks does an expert job revealing bits and pieces along the way, creating a finale that will have an impact on every character.
A LOVELY LIE tackles the psychological thriller and mystery genres with a vengeance, as well as the very nature of lies and those who use them as weapons.
Teaser
The night of their senior picnic in 1999, Scarlett Russo and her best friend, Pepper, were involved in a car accident that left two of their classmates dead. Afterward, they lied to the police, protecting each other from the consequences. Then Pepper left town, and Scarlett never heard from her again. Twenty-two years later, Scarlett has buried that deadly incident deep in her mind and built a comfortable life for herself. However, her peace is disrupted when Pepper’s daughter shows up with news of Pepper’s death. Zoey has a cryptic letter from Pepper addressed to Scarlett that alludes to the events of that fateful night and Pepper’s initial intentions to get an abortion. Now Zoey wants answers about her mother’s past. Who is Zoey’s father? And what really happened after the senior picnic?
Promo
The night of their senior picnic in 1999, Scarlett Russo and her best friend, Pepper, were involved in a car accident that left two of their classmates dead. Afterward, they lied to the police, protecting each other from the consequences. Then Pepper left town, and Scarlett never heard from her again. Twenty-two years later, Scarlett has buried that deadly incident deep in her mind and built a comfortable life for herself. However, her peace is disrupted when Pepper’s daughter shows up with news of Pepper’s death. Zoey has a cryptic letter from Pepper addressed to Scarlett that alludes to the events of that fateful night and Pepper’s initial intentions to get an abortion. Now Zoey wants answers about her mother’s past. Who is Zoey’s father? And what really happened after the senior picnic?
About the Book
Is it better to believe a lovely lie or to know the horrible truth?
1999: The night of their senior picnic, Scarlett Russo and her best friend, Pepper, were involved in a car accident that left two of their classmates dead. Afterward, they lied to the police, protecting each other from the consequences. Then Pepper left town, and Scarlett never heard from her again.
Now: Twenty-two years later, Scarlett has buried that deadly incident deep in her mind and built a comfortable life for herself, working in a hotel on the west coast of Florida and raising her teenage son with her husband, Vince. Her peace is disrupted, however, when Pepper’s daughter shows up with news of Pepper’s death. Zoey is 21 and studying to be an investigative journalist. She has a cryptic letter from Pepper addressed to Scarlett that alludes to the events of that fateful night and Pepper’s initial intentions to get an abortion. Now Zoey wants answers about her mother’s past. Who is Zoey’s father? And what really happened after the senior picnic? As Zoey continues to dig into the past, all of Scarlett’s buried secrets threaten to rise to the surface.
Jaime Lynn Hendricks, “the queen of the page-turner” (Ashley Winstead), will have you questioning who you can trust in this intricately twisted thriller.
Audiobook available, read by Hillary Huber
