The Lie Maker

Linwood Barclay is a Canadian bestselling author and former newspaper columnist who is an auto-buy author for me. Known for his twisty suspense, relatable characters, and bits of dry humour thrown in for good measure, The Lie Maker is the newest addition to his tension-filled repertoire of thrillers which include 2022's Take Your Breath Away and his popular Promise Falls series. 

This latest book focuses on Jack Givins, a man who is struggling to make it as an author who is suddenly approached by the US Marshall's Office to write fictional backstories for people in their Witness Protection Program. It seems to be true - a lucrative new job and a chance to find his dad who Jack hasn't seen since he was a child. His dad was a hitman who turned state's evidence and had to leave his young family to go into the Witness Protection Program where he received a new, secret identity. 

"Your dad's not a good person. Your dad killed people, son"

Not knowing the details of his father's past, Jack tries to piece together what happened to make his dad leave and why he has suddenly dropped off the US Marshall's radar. Jack's girlfriend, reporter Lana is a great addition to the cast as she also gets pulled into this twisted plot of secrets, nefarious baddies and a plot that introduces interesting morally gray areas for readers to ponder.

I enjoyed recognizing many Boston locations in this story and I found Jack and Lana to be compelling characters. My only wee beef is that there are quite a few secondary characters and, a few times, it took me a bit to remember who was who. 

The plot is a bit far-fetched but completely engaging and oh-so-twisty with lots of red herrings to keep readers guessing and a few deliciously tense, white-knuckle moments that will have thriller lovers eagerly turning the pages until the shocking end. 

Disclaimer: Thanks to William Morrow for my advanced copy which was provided in exchange for my honest review.

My Rating: 4 stars

Author: Linwood Barclay

Genre: Suspense, Canadian

Type and Source: eBook from publisher via NetGalley

Publisher: William Morrow (HarperCollins)

First Published: June 16, 2023

Book Description from GoodReads: In this twisty, fast-paced thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of Find You First and Take Your Breath Away, a man desperately tries to track down his father—who was taken into witness protection years ago—before his enemies can get to him.

Your dad’s not a good person. Your dad killed people, son.

These are some of the last words Jack Givins’ father spoke to him before he was whisked away by witness protection, leaving Jack and his mother to pick up the shattered pieces of their lives as best they could.

Years later, Jack is a grown man with problems of his own. He’s a talented but struggling author, barely scraping by on the royalties from his moderately successful first book. So when the U.S. Marshals approach him with a lucrative opportunity, he’s in no position to turn them down. They’re recruiting writers like Jack to create false histories for people in witness protection—people like Jack’s father.

The coincidence is astonishing to Jack at first, but he soon realizes this may be a chance to find his dad. Only there’s one problem—Jack’s father hasn’t made contact with his handlers recently, and they have no idea where he is. He could be in serious danger, and Jack may be the only one who can find him.

But how will he find a man he’s never truly known? A man who has done terrible things in his lifetime and made some deadly enemies in the process—enemies who wouldn’t think twice about using his own son against him.