Jane Hughes' cozy existence --- with her wonderful boyfriend, delightful job at a local animal shelter, and perfect little house in Wales --- is jeopardized when she receives a note that reads: "I know your name's not really Jane Hughes." Jane Hughes is actually Emma Wolfe, who has been trying to distance herself from the past. But what happened five years earlier still haunts her.

"C.L. Taylor explores female friendships, envy, mistrust, jealousy and communes, among other subjects, in a psychological thriller that is dark, gripping and quite disturbing."

That was when Emma and three of her best friends --- Ali, Daisy and Leanne --- traveled to Nepal. It was supposed to be the trip of a lifetime, and that’s what it turned out to be, but it also was much more than any of them had bargained for. They went to a commune that, to all outward appearances, was a wonderful, peaceful place to visit. But while the scenery was breathtaking, there were bad vibes everywhere. What had once seemed to be the perfect getaway began to feel like a prison, especially for Emma. Why did everyone appear to turn against her? She felt a desperate urge to leave, but her attempts to do so kept getting disrupted. Would she make it out in time before disaster struck?

What really happened at that commune? Why is someone contacting Emma after all these years? Who is the person responsible for sending the note, and what does he or she want with her now?

I found THE LIE to be a well-written and engrossing novel, though I would be remiss if I didn’t point something out. At one point in the story, a character's hand is badly burned, and the narrative describes the severity of the injury immediately after it happens. Within just a few minutes of this unfortunate incident, the character jumps up and tries to grab onto a windowsill. There’s no mention of the pain that must’ve resulted from such an action, which I thought was a curious omission.

But I’m nitpicking here. Author C.L. Taylor explores female friendships, envy, mistrust, jealousy and communes, among other subjects, in a psychological thriller that is dark, gripping and quite disturbing.