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daniela_viana's review
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.25
maggs_books's review against another edition
4.0
Eu estava bastante curiosa para ler este livro e por isso quero desde já agradecer à @almadoslivros.pt pela cedência deste exemplar. A história destes amigos cativou-me assim que a Lisa acorda no hospital, confusa com o que terá acontecido e nos explica, pelas suas palavras “Se estou viva, então outra pessoa está morta.”. Surpreendeu-me desde início pois pela sinopse achava que a vida da Lisa estava em perigo devido a algum acontecimento na escape room mas não, os acontecimentos que levaram ao trágico dia de aniversário da Lisa eram muito mais complexos.
As intrigas dentro do grupo são desvendadas ao longo do livro o que faz com que a história nunca seja aborrecida ou parada, a nossa curiosidade sobre o passado dos amigos é aguçada por passagens como “Porque durante um breve período de tempo (...) éramos seis. Não cinco.”, e o final surpreendeu-me sem dúvida, refutando muitas das minhas hipóteses e teorias pensadas.
Uma das coisas que me cativou bastante logo desde início foram dos diferentes pontos de vista a cada capítulo, ou seja, a história é narrada por cada um dos amigos de modo a conhecermos todos os lados da história, para além disso os capítulos são curtos o que torna esta obra uma leitura bastante leve e agradável. É um thriller que vale, sem dúvida, a pena ler.
As intrigas dentro do grupo são desvendadas ao longo do livro o que faz com que a história nunca seja aborrecida ou parada, a nossa curiosidade sobre o passado dos amigos é aguçada por passagens como “Porque durante um breve período de tempo (...) éramos seis. Não cinco.”, e o final surpreendeu-me sem dúvida, refutando muitas das minhas hipóteses e teorias pensadas.
Uma das coisas que me cativou bastante logo desde início foram dos diferentes pontos de vista a cada capítulo, ou seja, a história é narrada por cada um dos amigos de modo a conhecermos todos os lados da história, para além disso os capítulos são curtos o que torna esta obra uma leitura bastante leve e agradável. É um thriller que vale, sem dúvida, a pena ler.
daughter_of_words's review against another edition
3.0
It was ok. Not good, but ok.
The fact that it has 4 points of view makes it all a bit confusing and each character narrates the same situation almost every time. They are very unreliable narrators. I feel like I didn't get to know them which made it hard to like them.
It is very slow paced. Only towards the last 70 pages did I get engaged in the book as the ending is very sudden.
The fact that it has 4 points of view makes it all a bit confusing and each character narrates the same situation almost every time. They are very unreliable narrators. I feel like I didn't get to know them which made it hard to like them.
It is very slow paced. Only towards the last 70 pages did I get engaged in the book as the ending is very sudden.
noveldeelights's review
4.0
Most of you are probably familiar with Rachel Amphlett and her outstanding crime fiction series featuring Kay Hunter. But now, Rachel Amphlett has come up with something a little different and has crossed over into the physological thriller genre.
Lisa Ashton wakes up in hospital. Soon Lisa realises that if she is alive, that means someone else is dead. As it turns out, that someone was a friend, Simon. Their little group of five was last together enjoying an escape room experience. Five entered but only four made it out. So what happened? And why can’t Lisa remember?
The reader hears from all four remaining friends as they try to come to terms with Simon’s death in their own way. But their individual struggles have an impact on their friendships. It becomes clear quite early on that they all have their own secrets which they are desperately trying to hide from one another. Apart from Lisa, I didn’t find any of the characters particularly likeable and I couldn’t at all figure out who to trust. If any of them.
There’s a tense vibe throughout the story. Like a taut piece of string, which you know will snap if you pull it just that little bit harder. With relatively short chapters, a brilliant pace and the urge to find out the answers, this turned into quite the super addictive and quickie read.
The Friend Who Lied is suspenseful and kept me guessing until the end. I dare say Rachel Amphlett’s foray into this genre worked out really well and I can’t wait to see what she does next!
Lisa Ashton wakes up in hospital. Soon Lisa realises that if she is alive, that means someone else is dead. As it turns out, that someone was a friend, Simon. Their little group of five was last together enjoying an escape room experience. Five entered but only four made it out. So what happened? And why can’t Lisa remember?
The reader hears from all four remaining friends as they try to come to terms with Simon’s death in their own way. But their individual struggles have an impact on their friendships. It becomes clear quite early on that they all have their own secrets which they are desperately trying to hide from one another. Apart from Lisa, I didn’t find any of the characters particularly likeable and I couldn’t at all figure out who to trust. If any of them.
There’s a tense vibe throughout the story. Like a taut piece of string, which you know will snap if you pull it just that little bit harder. With relatively short chapters, a brilliant pace and the urge to find out the answers, this turned into quite the super addictive and quickie read.
The Friend Who Lied is suspenseful and kept me guessing until the end. I dare say Rachel Amphlett’s foray into this genre worked out really well and I can’t wait to see what she does next!
yvo_about_books's review against another edition
4.5
Finished reading: June 11th 2019
"Not one of them thought to ask if what was printed was the truth. They never do."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
I think most will know by now that I'm a huge fan of the Kay Hunter series... I've been so ever since I finally read Scared To Death and first met the character last year. So it's easy to understand that saying I've been excited to see if my love for her first step into the psychological thriller genre would be just as great would be an understatement. Guess what? I discovered Rachel Amphlett definitely has more than one genre under her belt! Be ready for another bout of raving rambles, because I'm not sure if I can write an unbiased review for The Friend Who Lied.
My brain had to cool off a few days before I was able to start writing a somewhat coherent review... What a read! My love for the psychological thriller genre is great and I tend to read a lot of them during the year, but I can already feel that The Friend Who Lied is a serious contender for my 2019 favorites list. What made this story stand out from the rest? It's a combination of different elements actually, but let's see if I can unravel my feelings for this review. The first thing that made this story so successful for me was the writing style. Sharp, well executed and engaging, The Friend Who Lied will manage to grab you from the very first page and doesn't let go until you reach the last. You will forget about your surroundings, you will forget about the time passing, instead concentrating on Lisa's story and what really happened that day in the escape room. And there we have another element that leaded to success: the well known amnesia or memory loss angle. While it's true that this element has been used a lot in psychological thrillers in recent years, when done right it can add a healthy dose of suspense and intrigue to the plot. And guess what? I definitely loved how this element was incorporated into The Friend Who Lied. Having the main character Lisa waking up from surgery not remembering how she got there or what happened before she ended up at the hospital is simply fascinating... And the amnesia is not just an easy way out to adding more suspense either, as it is explained later why Lisa doesn't remember anything in the first place and the reason is key to the overall plot.
Talking about the plot... We have the past and the present and a couple of different POVs to play with. While the main focus of the story is on Lisa, we will hear from her other friends as well as needed, and they will help slowly unravel secrets of both the past and present. The main question is of course what happened in the escape room that day, but trust me, that won't be the only secret at play in this story. Oh no, The Friend Who Lied will uncover a whole web of secrets and lies before you reach that final chapter. The characters are each both well developed and feel realistic. The fact that Lisa just had to go through a kidney transplant is fascinating and plays an important role in the plot as well... It was intriguing reading about how she is trying to cope with the surgery as well as the memory loss and questions about the circumstances around Simon's death. Not all characters are all that likeable, but each has its role to play in the plot and together they take the story to the next level. And that final reveal! I definitely didn't see the full truth train coming before it hit me at full speed. If you are wondering what your next psychological thriller should be, you have just found your recommendation. Trust me, you won't be disappointed when you pick up The Friend Who Lied!
ljwrites85's review
4.0
The Friend Who Lies is psychological thriller centres around Lisa Ashton and her friends Simon, David, Bec and Hayley. As a last hurrah Lisa and her friends go to an escape room but not all of them come out. She wakes up to find she’s had a life saving kidney transplant but the terrible news that one of her friends has died.
Unable to remember what happened, she tries to find out what happened but what will she do once she finds out the truth?
So this is my first Rachel Amphlett book, I’m late to the party as usual, but it certainly won’t be my last!
The Friend Who Lied is an addictive and tension packed read that I just couldn’t get enough of!
This is one of those novels were everyone is a suspect, which is difficult to pull off, especially with so few characters. I usually have the killer pegged down in the first half of the book but the friend who lied really kept me guessing.
There are several POV’s throughout the book from Lisa and her friends, each character really comes alive. They are flawed, realistic, which at times makes them not all that likeable but you can understand why they are way they are.
My only real complaint was that near the end it dragged a little and I got a little impatient waiting for the big reveal but of course that’s just my opinion.
The Friend Who Lied is a taut, tension packed psychological thriller and a must read for anyone who loves this genre.
Unable to remember what happened, she tries to find out what happened but what will she do once she finds out the truth?
So this is my first Rachel Amphlett book, I’m late to the party as usual, but it certainly won’t be my last!
The Friend Who Lied is an addictive and tension packed read that I just couldn’t get enough of!
This is one of those novels were everyone is a suspect, which is difficult to pull off, especially with so few characters. I usually have the killer pegged down in the first half of the book but the friend who lied really kept me guessing.
There are several POV’s throughout the book from Lisa and her friends, each character really comes alive. They are flawed, realistic, which at times makes them not all that likeable but you can understand why they are way they are.
My only real complaint was that near the end it dragged a little and I got a little impatient waiting for the big reveal but of course that’s just my opinion.
The Friend Who Lied is a taut, tension packed psychological thriller and a must read for anyone who loves this genre.
alilianaraquel's review against another edition
3.0
3,5 estrelas
Opinião no blogue: https://a-lilianaraquel.blogspot.com/2020/10/opiniao-literaria-rachel-amphlett.html
Opinião no blogue: https://a-lilianaraquel.blogspot.com/2020/10/opiniao-literaria-rachel-amphlett.html