A slasher that will keep you on your toes

Don't Lie focuses on a group of young adults on a camping trip, one of which is a victim to a prank set up by the others. They just wanted to scare her, maybe take her down a peg - but things quickly begin escalating, and they start to wonder if their practical joke is starting to turn real.

The book shares it's DNA with the late 90s slasher renaissance, with the likes of Scream, I Know What You Did Last Summer and Urban Legend feeling like appropriate touchstones throughout. The revelations and moments that reframe what we thought we knew before come as thick and fast as any Harlen Coben thriller, with Jules deftly managing to pull the rug out from under you whenever you start to feel comfortable. I had previously read Don't Lie and experiencing it a second time makes it clear how well each aspect of the finale is set up in advance, making the way it's all tied together even more impressive, before it finally comes crashing down.

I thought the narrator did a very good job, capturing the vibe of the book perfectly. My only concern for someone knew to the story is the cast of five housemates we spend time with - every chapter alternates our POV, and the narrator does not perform each character with a different voice, so if your concentration lapses you could lose track of who's perspective is being followed. However this didn't happen to me reading or listening, so it may well be overthinking on my part - and with such short chapters (none reach the ten minute mark), you would never get lost for long.

If you're a fan of slashers that take you on a fun, twisty ride then I can't recommend Don't Lie enough. With a cast of three-dimensional, fleshed out characters, a few genuinely creepy moments, and of course some gory kills, this book should tick all your boxes and then some.

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I dare you to guess the twists

Another awesome book from Sarah Jules, beautifully read.
Like Sarah’s previous book, Found You, this is full of twists as the characters reveal their deepest and DARKEST secrets. You definitely won’t see the final twist coming.
80s slasher movie in book form, but with some real suspense and a thriller to the very last line.

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Another great book by Sarah Jules

Sarah has a quality of writing that seems like YA horror, is as much as you feel like you're safe and maybe the stakes aren't that high, until she pulls the rug out from under you.

If you're a fan of Grady Hendrix then you'll love this.

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