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Interviews | July 4, 2009

Jill Owens: IMG Powells.com Interview: Luis Alberto Urrea



luisalbertourreaLuis Alberto Urrea is a poet, novelist, journalist, and essayist who has been writing about the relationship between the United States and Mexico,... Continue »
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Beautiful Lies (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard)

by Lisa Unger

Beautiful Lies (Vintage Crime/Black Lizard) Cover

Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

If Ridley Jones had slept ten minutes later or had taken the subway instead of waiting for a cab, she would still be living the beautiful lie she used to call her life. She would still be the privileged daughter of a doting father and a loving mother. Her life would still be perfect—with only the tiny cracks of an angry junkie for a brother and a charming drunk with shady underworld connections for an uncle to mar the otherwise flawless whole.

But that’s not what happened. Instead, those inconsequential decisions lead her to perform a good deed that puts her in the right place at the right time to unleash a chain of events that brings a mysterious package to her door—a package which informs her that her entire world is a lie.

Suddenly forced to question everything she knows about herself and her family, Ridley wanders into dark territory she never knew existed, where everyone in her life seems like a stranger. She has no idea who’s on her side and who has something to hide—even, and maybe especially, her new lover, Jake, who appears to have secrets of his own.

Sexy and fast-paced, Beautiful Lies is a true literary thriller with one of the freshest voices and heroines to arrive in years. Lisa Unger takes us on a breathtaking ride in which every choice Ridley makes creates a whirlwind of consequences that are impossible to imagine . . . .

AN INTERNATIONAL BOOK-OF-THE-MONTH SELECTION

A featured alternate selection of the Literary Guild, Doubleday Book Club, Book-of-the-Month Club, Mystery Guild, and Rhapsody Book Club.

Also available as a Random House AudioBook, a Large Print edition, and an eBook.

From the Hardcover edition.

From Our Staff:

In her debut novel, Beautiful Lies, Lisa Unger captivates the reader in a web of deceit, using realistic characterizations, a well-crafted plot, and a writing style that puts her in league with writers like Carol O’Connell and John Connolly. She wastes no time drawing the reader into the world of New York freelance writer Ridley Jones, who is leading a seemingly steady, uncomplicated life. However, in one moment, Ridley’s life is turned upside down by several small and simple choices she makes on a morning just like every other morning. Suddenly, her reality begins to unravel, and everything she thought was true begins to look like a lie; every choice she makes casts ripples that become tsunamis. As the lies begin to untangle, Ridley is left with a choice: turn her back on what she's discovered and continue living her "beautiful lie," or risk everything to find the truth. Unger’s writing is incredibly dynamic, with characterizations that are authentic and compelling.


Recommended by our staff at Powells.com

Review:

“A stunning, powerful novel! Lisa Unger’s taut prose grabs the reader from word one and never lets go. In this tantalizing tale of family suspense, beware of who you trust and be forewarned about what might happen next.” —Lisa Gardner, author of Alone

Review:

Beautiful Lies is a heartfelt thriller full of twists, turns, and truths. . . . Lisa Unger writes with precision and insight—she’s a welcome new voice in suspense fiction.” —Jeff Abbott, author of Panic

Review:

“At last, a riveting suspense novel filled with psychological insight and amazing wisdom. Lisa Unger is a literate, savvy writer, and Beautiful Lies is a find! Read it now!” —Margaret coel, author of Eye of the Wolf

Review:

“Perfect pitch, characters we can recognize as versions of ourselves. . . . Lip-smacking good.” —Chicago Tribune

Review:

“A tightly written thriller…. The action is depicted with satisfying breathlessness.” —San Francisco Chronicle

Review:

“Suspenseful, sensitive, sexy, subtle.”

Lee Child

Review:

“A high-wire balance of tension and resolution.” —The Baltimore Sun

Review:

“This mystery's surprising twists will make your jaw drop.” —Cosmopolitan

Synopsis:

Ridley Jones has been living a lie. A mysterious package showed up on her doorstep one morning and the beautiful lie she used to call her life was over. Suddenly, everyone in she knows feels like a stranger. She has no idea who's on her side and who has something to hide—even her new lover, Jake, might have disturbing secrets of his own.

Now she's determined to find out the truth, even if it means risking her life. Ridley embarks on a breathtaking pursuit where every choice she makes sets off a whirlwind of consequences that are as frightening as they are shocking.

About the Author

Lisa Unger lives in Florida with her husband and daughter.

From the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

ISBN:
9780307388995
Author:
Unger, Lisa
Publisher:
Vintage Books USA
Subject:
Mystery & Detective - Women Sleuths
Subject:
Psychological
Subject:
Thrillers
Subject:
Women journalists
Subject:
East Village (New York, N.Y.)
Subject:
Psychological fiction
Subject:
Suspense fiction
Large Print:
Y
Series:
Vintage Crime/Black Lizard
Publication Date:
April 2008
Binding:
Mass Market Paperbound
Language:
English
Pages:
444
Dimensions:
6.95x4.27x1.25 in. .50 lbs.

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