Thanks to two outstanding seasons on ABC, millions of new Will Trent fans have been born. I am proud to say that I have been there from the beginning as Karin Slaughter has been dishing out first-class thrillers in this series for quite some time.

In Slaughter's most recent release, THIS IS WHY WE LIED, the quirky but extremely precise GBI investigator is in fine form and dealing with a unique case while on his honeymoon with his bride, Sara Linton, the medical examiner he has worked with for years. They have left Atlanta for an excursion to McAlpine Lodge deep in the woods in an off-the-grid setting that promises activities you would expect from life in the mountains. Slaughter provides a full map of the Lodge and the surrounding area, which comes in very handy. It ends up becoming the Clue board on which a murder mystery game is about to be played.

"Karin Slaughter’s writing is like a house on fire and is so intricately plotted that I just could not turn the pages of this one quickly enough."

Will and Sara’s attempt at a late-night skinny-dipping session at the nearby lake is abruptly thwarted by a bone-chilling scream. After clumsily putting his clothes back on, Will discovers the body of Mercy McAlpine, the manager of the Lodge. She is covered in blood, the result of several stab wounds, but is still alive. Will proceeds with CPR as she whispers to him that she doesn’t want her 16-year-old son to see her and urges him to let someone know that she forgives them. She then succumbs to her wounds, which becomes a homicide for Will and Sara to investigate. So much for their honeymoon.

Sara makes Will aware that his hand has been skewered by the blade that had been sticking out of Mercy’s stomach as he began chest compressions. She skillfully removes it without any nerve damage, and their focus shifts to the residents of the Lodge who are now suspects. They consist of three other couples staying at various cabins, as well as the entire McAlpine family, all of whom are employed there and live on the property. The staff and kitchen workers went home at 8:30pm, so they are in the clear.

The story eventually shifts back to 10 hours before the murder, slowly working its way up in real time to the homicide and the ensuing investigation. There are so many broken and suspicious relationships to tease any mystery fan, and there is a dual meaning to the book’s title. Initially, Will and Sara are there with fake bios so as not to reveal their law enforcement roles, and Sara utters those words to explain their reasoning for the deception. The same quote is also used by one of the residents at the Lodge, which rings true when Will and Sara begin to battle their way through lie after lie to try to find the guilty party.

Will Trent is one of the most interesting crime fighters out there, and I love spending time with him. I can’t get the image of actor Ramon Rodriguez out of my head as I am reading, even though he doesn’t physically resemble the Will Trent of the novels. Karin Slaughter’s writing is like a house on fire and is so intricately plotted that I just could not turn the pages of this one quickly enough.