Peter Swanson | ALL THE BEAUTIFUL LIES

Plot (via Goodreads):

Harry Ackerson has always considered his step-mother Alice to be sexy and beautiful, in an “other worldly” way. She has always been kind and attentive, if a little aloof in the last few years.

Days before his college graduation, Alice calls with shocking news. His father is dead and the police think it’s suicide. Devastated, he returns to his father’s home in Maine. There, he and Alice will help one another pick up of the pieces of their lives and uncover what happened to his father.

Shortly after he arrives, Harry meets a mysterious young woman named Grace McGowan. Though she claims to be new to the area, Harry begins to suspect that Grace may not be a complete stranger to his family. But she isn’t the only attractive woman taking an interest in Harry. The sensual Alice is also growing closer, coming on to him in an enticing, clearly sexual way.

Mesmerized by these two women, Harry finds himself falling deeper under their spell. Yet the closer he gets to them, the more isolated he feels, disoriented by a growing fear that both women are hiding dangerous—even deadly—secrets . . . and that neither one is telling the truth.

Review:

I want to preface this review in saying that if you have somewhere to be sometime soon, you may want to come back. I finished ALL THE BEAUTIFUL LIES by Peter Swanson this weekend and had some time to sit on my review and I'm finally ready, I think. 

Peter Swanson is a FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH. A force. Years ago, I was immersed in THE GIRL WITH A CLOCK FOR A HEART and each novel he has put out since has been something I was greedy and anxious to get my hands on. His writing is razor sharp, clever, tantalizing, and tightly wound with such literary beauty that it's hard to grasp that you're reading thrillers. I love his writing and I cannot get enough of it. In my world, Peter Swanson is a household name that everyone should recognize and appreciate. Something that I love about his writing, while I search for the words for it is that each novel could represent a different author. The plots, the characters, the world that you enter when reading a novel by him is so beautifully detailed and yet they are all so different that it's a testament to his abilities as a novelist. For some, this may not work as an author as you have to find your audience, but if you're into psychological thrillers and suspense novels that sparkle with talent, Peter Swanson is and should be a no brainer when it comes to picking out something that will completely take you over and suck you in as a reader. It's representative in his previous novels and this one is no exception. THE GIRL WITH A CLOCK FOR A HEART represented a noir novel similar to the movie Basic Instinct, while his other two novels were unworldly and heavily addictive. 

ALL THE BEAUTIFUL LIES is a glimmering look into love, loss, and the psychology of some tightly wound characters wrapped up in a atmospheric and brutal thriller that left me gasping for air, begging for more, and saying a silent prayer to my social life. The plot to this novel is seemingly innocent enough as far as thrillers go. But, in this small town in Maine, something murky is brewing and no one is safe...or innocent for that matter. Alternating between the present time with Harry dealing with the mystery of his fathers untimely death and his stepmother Alice's past growing up, this novel is so mysteriously detailed and laden with shock that it's not easy to step away from. Dealing with some pretty heavy social issues and being a bit steamy at times, I was happily surprised with Swanson's ability to focus on the feelings and thoughts rather than focusing on the explicit details. This is done by introducing some rather taboo subjects, but not being over the top in its detail, which is not only alluring but leaves the reader to allow their imagination to run as wild as they'd like.

The characters in this novel are so well written that I wanted to befriend them, protect them, and frankly run from a couple. There's almost a sadness to each of their tales and in typical Peter Swanson fashion, I was almost afraid to admit to liking some of them as no one (and I mean no one) is fully safe in one of his novels. They are written in such dazzling detail that even at the morose times, they sparkle off the pages, seeping into your imagination. Not only does each character shine in brilliance, but they do a justice in carrying this story along, holding the readers hand as we travel along a slippery and dangerous path that is not for the faint of heart. 

The alternating chapters with these astounding characters left me with my head going back and forth as I couldn't tell which perspective I was looking forward to more. Right when I finished one chapter, I was immediately hungry for more with that storyline, but would have a lightbulb moment and think "Oh yeah! I need to figure out what's next in this portion..." and I would dive right back where it left off. I simply couldn't get enough. And to top it off, Swanson does such an amazing job with his imagery, that this novels atmosphere alone acts as a character and possibly my favorite one. The second half of the novel really speeds up and I was finding myself abandoning all hope of putting it down before I devoured each and every twist and turn until I was left with my jaw hanging and my heart racing. 

Special thanks to William Morrow for providing me with this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 4/5