The Lie She Wears by Elle Marr ~ a Review

by MK French

Museum curator Pearl Davis was never close to her mother, Sally, and is surprised by the letter she gets when her mother suddenly dies. In the letter, Sally confesses to murder. At first, it seems like a story, but there are human remains in the garden. Other notes seem to be a warning, and there are more remains that Sally had hidden. Pearl has inherited her mother’s secrets, and they could be the death of her.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site.  A free book was provided for an honest review.

November 2025; Thomas & Mercer; 978-1662528330
audio, ebook, print (331 pages); psychological thriller

The letter starting the macabre scavenger hunt is intriguing, as are the various flashes we get of a woman in the 1990s going by various names who is part of a network of professionals that track people down and get their backgrounds for a price. Pearl never knew much about her mother, as most children don't know the details of their parents' lives, but it takes on a sinister cast when the first body is found. There are complications in Pearl's life as she clumsily starts to dig into her mother's life before her death, and the fear she's being followed. It's a very claustrophobic sense to her life, with few people she can rely on. 

The pacing appears deceptively slow at first as Pearl discovers more about her mother and the bodies in the backyard. We know more than her at first, giving us tension as Pearl stumbles in the dark. As things shift in part 2, we're just as floundering as she is, and the escalating problems have us just as tense and paranoid as she is. It continues to twist, and the final quarter is fantastic. This thriller is well done and kept me glued to the pages from the start. 

Buy The Lie She Wears at Amazon

Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and a golden retriever.

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