Once a Liar
By A. F. Brady
Publisher: Park Row (Harlequin)
Release Date: January 29, 2019
Reviewed by PJ
In this electrifying psychological thriller, a high-powered sociopath meets his reckoning when he’s accused of the brutal murder of his mistress.
Did he kill Charlie Doyle? And if he didn’t…who did?
Peter Caine, a cutthroat Manhattan defense attorney, worked ruthlessly to become the best at his job. On the surface, he is charming and handsome, but inside he is cold and heartless. He fights without remorse to acquit murderers, pedophiles and rapists.
When Charlie Doyle, the daughter of the Manhattan DA—and Peter’s former lover—is murdered, Peter’s world is quickly sent into a tailspin. He becomes the prime suspect as the DA, a professional enemy of Peter’s, embarks on a witch hunt to avenge his daughter’s death, stopping at nothing to ensure Peter is found guilty of the murder.
In the challenge of his career and his life, Peter races against the clock to prove his innocence. As the evidence mounts against him, he’s forced to begin unraveling his own dark web of lies and confront the sins of his past. But the truth of who killed Charlie Doyle is more twisted and sinister than anyone could have imagined…
My thoughts:
At first glance, Once a Liar has everything I typically enjoy in a psychological thriller. It starts out well and doesn't take long to figure out that Peter Caine is one sick puppy. I anticipated a story that would have me eagerly flipping pages to find out what happens next. Unfortunately, that's not what happened. The pace quickly slows to a crawl and I began to lose interest, several times having to force myself to continue. It does pick up toward the end of the book though and includes some twists that may surprise many readers.
The characterization of Peter is very good. It's clear the author knows a lot about sociopaths and has created a character that should produce a visceral reaction in most readers. He certainly did with me. She's also created an interesting cast of secondary characters, many with their own share of psychological issues. These are not happy people. I wasn't able to find a single one I'd like to meet in real life. They are expertly depicted though and their actions generated strong emotional reactions in me. Kudos to the author for accomplishing that.
I like my stories told at a faster pace but if you enjoy a slow-moving character study with some twists and turns along the way, you may want to give this one a try.
Are you a fan of psychological thrillers?
Do you prefer a fast-paced story with lots of action or a slower story with the focus on character evolution?
One person who leaves a comment before 11:00 PM, February 1, 2019 will receive a print copy of Once a Liar. (U.S. only)
My thoughts:
At first glance, Once a Liar has everything I typically enjoy in a psychological thriller. It starts out well and doesn't take long to figure out that Peter Caine is one sick puppy. I anticipated a story that would have me eagerly flipping pages to find out what happens next. Unfortunately, that's not what happened. The pace quickly slows to a crawl and I began to lose interest, several times having to force myself to continue. It does pick up toward the end of the book though and includes some twists that may surprise many readers.
The characterization of Peter is very good. It's clear the author knows a lot about sociopaths and has created a character that should produce a visceral reaction in most readers. He certainly did with me. She's also created an interesting cast of secondary characters, many with their own share of psychological issues. These are not happy people. I wasn't able to find a single one I'd like to meet in real life. They are expertly depicted though and their actions generated strong emotional reactions in me. Kudos to the author for accomplishing that.
I like my stories told at a faster pace but if you enjoy a slow-moving character study with some twists and turns along the way, you may want to give this one a try.
Are you a fan of psychological thrillers?
Do you prefer a fast-paced story with lots of action or a slower story with the focus on character evolution?
One person who leaves a comment before 11:00 PM, February 1, 2019 will receive a print copy of Once a Liar. (U.S. only)
INSTAGRAM TOUR:
Monday, January 28th: @bookishconnoisseur
Tuesday, January 29th: @tbretc
Tuesday, January 29th: @wherethereadergrows
Wednesday, January 30th: @amberafterglowreads
Thursday, January 31st: @bibliotrix.lestrange
Friday, February 1st: @bookclubwithbite
Saturday, February 2nd: @girlwithnoselfie
Sunday, February 3rd: @bookishwinterwitch
Monday, February 4th: @jessicamap
Tuesday, February 5th: @thats_what_she_read
Wednesday, February 6th: @thepagesinbetween
Thursday, February 7th: @novelgossip
REVIEW TOUR:
Monday, January 28th: Moonlight Rendezvous
Tuesday, January 29th: Where the Reader Grows
Wednesday, January 30th: Midwest Ladies Who Lit
Thursday, January 31st: The Romance Dish
Friday, February 1st: Book Reviews and More by Kathy – excerpt
Monday, February 4th: Jessicamap Reviews
Tuesday, February 5th: Rockin’ Book Reviews
Wednesday, February 6th: The Pages In-Between
Thursday, February 7th: Novel Gossip
Monday, February 11th: Patricia’s Wisdom
Tuesday, February 12th: She Reads With Cats and @shereadswithcats
Wednesday, February 13th: @readingbetweenthe_wines
Friday, February 15th: @jennblogsbooks
Monday, February 18th: Helen’s Book Blog
Tuesday, February 19th: Thoughts from a Highly Caffeinated Mind
Wednesday, February 20th: Erica Robyn Reads
Saturday, February 23rd: Books & Bindings
Monday, February 25th: Bewitched Bookworms
Wednesday, February 27th: Cheryl’s Book Nook
Friday, March 1st: @love_my_dane_dolly
Monday, March 4th: Thoughts on This ‘n That![]()
I enjoy psychological thrillers with character development since it makes the story captivating and authentic. To me characters set the tone and are important to the plot.
ReplyDeletePsychological thrillers seem to be the latest trend. Some are well written and keep me reading and others are not to my liking. Characters who are well portrayed make the novel come alive.
ReplyDeleteSorry not my cup of tea.
ReplyDeleteThanks for being on the tour!
ReplyDeleteSara @ TLC Book Tours
I do enjoy mystery/thriller novels. In all books, character development is among my favorite things. I want to be invested in liking (or disliking, if appropriate) the folks I'm spending time with! Thanks for the post.
ReplyDeleteI do enjoy psychological thrillers. I like a combination of fast paced action and character development. You can work on the character development by showing and building it during the action sequences. A little down time to show other parts of their personalities is OK, but too much will take you out of the tension that has been built up to drive the story forward.
ReplyDeletePatricia B.