The Better Liar

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What to expect

Brought to you by Penguin.

'THE BETTER LIAR is the best type of fiction – a fast-paced read that will leave you thinking long after turning the final page' Christina Dalcher, author of Vox

How well do you know your family?

Estranged for a decade, sisters Leslie and Robin must reunite if they are to claim the fortune their father left them. Leslie desperately needs that money, but when she arrives at her sister's apartment, she finds her body instead. Leslie needs another plan. Without Robin, she won't see a penny.

Mary, an aspiring actress, spends her nights slinging beers at a seedy restaurant. She'd do anything to start her life over. When Leslie offers her a huge sum of money and the chance to be someone else – to be Robin – she takes it.

But Robin's life isn't as straightforward as Mary thought it would be. And Leslie seems to have secrets and a past of her own . . .

Told from three perspectives: Leslie, Mary, Robin.
The question is: who is the better liar?

THE BETTER LIAR is clever, dark and addictive - perfect if you loved GONE GIRL and LITTLE DEATHS.

'A cleverly crafted mystery that defies all guesswork, and a compelling thought piece on the complexity of family relationships' Christina Dalcher, author of Vox

'A compulsively page-turning story. [Tanen Jones] cleverly drip-feeds nuggets of information, each more surprising than the last, until the final shocking revelation' Claire Fuller, author of Bitter Orange and Swimming Lessons

'THE BETTER LIAR is a knockout, a stunner of a debut that left me in awe of this new writer’s talent. Smart, fresh, twisty, and compelling, with utterly believable characters, gorgeous prose, and a storyline that kept me guessing until the final pages. You know a book is good when you wish you'd written it!' Karen Dionne, author of Home

© Tanen Jones 2020 (P) Penguin Audio 2020

Critics Review

  • I couldn’t help becoming so drawn in . . . Tanen Jones has written a compulsively page–turning story. She cleverly drip-feeds nuggets of information, each more surprising than the last, until the final shocking revelation

  • Jones’ sensational debut has the bones of a thriller but reads like literary fiction: lean, shrewd, and gratifyingly real.

    Entertainment Weekly

  • Gripping, suspenseful […] The chracters are deep and complex and unpredictable – exactly the kind of characters a thriller should deliver […] the story makes a bold and thought provoking statement on women, sisterhood and motherhood.

    Daily Mail

  • THE BETTER LIAR is a knockout, a stunner of a debut that left me in awe of this new writer’s talent. Smart, fresh, twisty, and compelling, with utterly believable characters, gorgeous prose, and a storyline that kept me guessing until the final pages. You know a book is good when you wish you’d written it!

    Karen Dionne, author of Home

  • An incredibly unique thriller with beautiful relationships and cracking twists.

    C.C. MacDonald, author of HAPPY EVER AFTER

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