Not to be mistaken for its unconnected, but similar, and much more popular series by the same author -“Pretty Little Liars” – “The Lying Game” series feels just a tad bit more complex, grown up, and realistic.
I don’t remember what I was expecting when I picked up The Lying Game (Book one of six) but I don’t think I’d expected to love it so much. It’s a YA mystery novel, based in a rich neighborhood in Arizona.
Orphaned since her mother abandoned her at the age of five, Emma is used to blending in anonymously in the world of normal teens. She has bounced around in awful foster care most of her life and her current situation is no better. Then, due to an odd film online, she discovers her long lost twin sister, Sutton, who was adopted by a well off family in another part of Arizona. She contacts her and immediately sets up a meeting… Except this same sister is hovering, ghost-like and unseen, with Emma everywhere she goes – and she definitely didn’t send Emma that response.
Upon arriving at the destination, Emma is thrust into a world where she must pretend to be her long lost sister, who was insanely popular, and seems to be dead. No one will believe she isn’t Sutton, and the supposed killer is threatening her should she break character, forcing her to keep her head down and play Sutton. Her seemingly deceased twin is always hovering near, but she retains little to no memories of what happened to her. They are periodically unlocked by traumatizing moments in Emma’s task at finding her sister’s killer, her own blackmailer. She must secretly investigate everyone in Sutton’s life to eliminate suspects and put the murderer behind bars.
There are six books total in this series, each one named for a game that is played in the previous book, or something of grave significance.
- The Lying Game
- Never Have I Ever
- Two Truths And A Lie
- Hide And Seek
- Cross My Heart, Hope To Die
- Seven Minutes In Heaven
I was watching American Horror Story: Freak Show simultaneously, so my fan-cast is a little strange and not always physically accurate, but I picture:
- Emma/Sutton – Lizzie Brochere
- Ethan Landry – Evan Peters
- Thayer – Wes Bentley
- Laurel – Taissa Farmiga
- Mrs. Mercer – Frances Conroy
- Senior Mrs. Mercer/Medium – Jessica Lange
- Becky – Sara Paulson
- Madeline – Alexandra Breckenridge
- Mr. Mercer: Denis O’hare
- Gabby – Emma Roberts
- Lili – Kate Mara
- Garrett – Fin Wittrock (Though Im second guessing myself. He’d be a fair Ethan)
- Charlotte – Grace Gummer
- Mr. Vega:- Zachary Quinto
- Mrs. Chamberlin – Christine Estabrooke
- Mr. Chamberlin – Dylan Mcdermott
- Officer Quinnlan – Joseph Fiennes
- Celeste – Lily Rabe
- Alex – Ashlynn Ross
- Nisha – Jennifer Lynn Warren
To tell you the truth, I figured out who the killer was in book one, and that was repeatedly confirmed by certain choices the author made in each book. That is not a bad thing, however, as the things I like about this series don’t have anything to do with being shocked. Not to mention, the big reveal at the end was written in a way that, for me, was still suspenseful even knowing who the killer was already.
I like the wake up call the characters get from their perfect little lives. I like that it deals with mortality (impending death) and basic human kindness (How we treat people). I like that each book had it’s own little mystery and side story shockers.
Being perfectly honest, it was touch and go around mid series. It got a little monotonous at times, repetitive. But if you can get past it, I feel it’s worth it
Continuing in perfect honesty, the last couple chapters of the final book had me tearing up. It’s all around a good series.
B+
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