All the Beautiful Lies by Peter Swanson

Author: Peter Swanson

Title: All The Beautiful Lies

Publication: April 3, 2018

Publisher: William Morrow

Source: Publisher

Website | Twitter 

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

Harry receives the news of his father's passing and has to return home to sort with all that's happened. Alice doesn't seem to know much but claims that it may have been a suicide but the police suspect that it could be murder. Harry remembers a kind, warm father and can't wrap his mind around the thought that someone would hate him enough to kill him. Harry meets Grace, a mysterious young woman who shows up and seems to have known his father but he's not quite sure she's being totally honest with him. Then he has Alice, who doesn't seem all that grieved about the death of her husband. As he gets closer to the truth, he learns that the father he knew isn't who he thought. Alice is even more of confusing because he can't stop thinking about her in ways he shouldn't but he feels this pull towards Grace. Then there's another murder and his world becomes chaos. 

Alice comes across as an unfeeling character. She's selfish, jealous and downright crazy. The things she does and how she talks herself into thinking it's okay is unsettling. Her mother is a drunk and spends most of her time inebriated. She has one bright spot, her step-father Jake, who takes her out to dinner when her mom has her moments and they begin to bond during these times.  

Now, this story is much more than a murder mystery. It's dark and twisted in its prey on youth and vulnerability. It's portrays a cycle of unhealthy relationships dynamics that may make some people uncomfortable, so I'm just putting that out there. The killer wasn't who I thought it would be in the first half of the book but I'm still trying to wrap my mind on the why of it all. This person is delusional and sick with no remorse for what they've done. I feel like the ending was an easy out for them but one character does get some well deserved karma that fits in a justifying way. The writing is evenly paced making this a quick read. It's told in dual perspectives in the beginning and then two more characters join in towards the end. I didn't find this at all distracting and it gave plenty information on what influenced these characters choices. This is the first book I've read by this author but I think I'll check out some of his other work. Overall, if you are looking for a darker in tone mystery thriller with unbalanced relationships may enjoy this one.