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The Lying Room: A Novel Paperback – October 1, 2019

by Nicci French (Author)
4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 4,059 ratings
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One little secret between a married woman, her lover, and a killer.

In this thrilling standalone from the internationally bestselling author of the Frieda Klein series, a married woman’s affair with her boss spirals into a dangerous game of chess with the police when she discovers he’s been murdered and she clears the crime scene of all evidence.

It should have been just a mid-life fling. A guilty indiscretion that Neve Connolly could have weathered. An escape from twenty years of routine marriage to her overworked husband, and from her increasingly distant children. But when Neve pays a morning-after visit to her lover, Saul, and finds him brutally murdered, their pied-à-terre still heady with her perfume, all the lies she has so painstakingly stitched together threaten to unravel.

After scrubbing clean every trace of her existence from Saul’s life—and death—Neve believes she can return to normal, shaken but intact. But she can’t get out of her head the one tormenting question: what was she forgetting?

An investigation into the slaying could provide the answer. It’s brought Detective Chief Inspector Alastair Hitching, and Neve’s worst fears, to her door. But with every new lie, every new misdirection to save herself, Neve descends further into the darkness of her betrayal—and into more danger than she ever imagined. Because Hitching isn’t the only one watching Neve. So is a determined killer who’s about to make the next terrifying move in a deadly affair….

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  1. Print length
    432 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    William Morrow Paperbacks
  4. Publication date
    October 1, 2019
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 1.08 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0062676725
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0062676726
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Razor-sharp writing by French expertly amps the tension." — People

“This stand-alone from the team of Nicci Gerrard and Sean French, authors of the Frieda Klein series, delivers engaging characters, a complex story, and steadily increasing suspense. International best-seller French belongs on every thriller fan’s TBR list.” — Booklist

“[If you] are drawn to excellent psychological suspense... this is a book for your 'must list.'” — Popular Culture Association

"Author Nicci French entertains readers with a chilling reminder that a lie is like a snowball rolling down-hill. With each new layer, it gains momentum that we might not be able to stop." — Suspense Magazine

“Fans of domestic thrillers will be rewarded.” — Publishers Weekly

“Having ended the saga of forensic psychologist Frieda Klein on a suitably harrowing note, French produces a stand-alone that’s just as suspenseful... The sorely tried heroine realizes, “I can’t trust anyone.” Neither can the expertly manipulated reader.” — Kirkus Reviews

“This well-written, psychological thriller has a gripping plot that will satisfy fans of Val McDermid and Sharon J. Bolton.” — Library Journal

"An enthralling and addicting novel.... Longtime fans of French will find their high expectations rewarded, while newcomers will be motivated to explore the author’s backlist. I envy their discovery."
— Bookreporter.com

"Such an enjoyable ride." — Culteress

"This tense psychological thriller is full of twists and will keep you guessing who really did murder Saul. This page turner is all about Neve’s choices and their consequences." — eMissourian.com

“Attention, fans of Tana French and Ruth Ware: meet your new obsession... The Lying Room ranks among French’s very best, a thriller as combustible as gunpowder, as propulsive as a jet engine. Psychological suspense at its brightest and most blazing.” — A.J. Finn, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in the Window

About the Author

Nicci French is the pseudonym of English wife-and-husband team Nicci Gerrard and Sean French. Their acclaimed novels of psychological suspense have sold more than sixteen million copies around the world.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ William Morrow Paperbacks (October 1, 2019)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 432 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0062676725
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0062676726
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 1.08 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 4,059 ratings

About the author

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Nicci French

Nicci French

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Nicci French is the pseudonym of English husband-and-wife team Nicci Gerrard and Sean French, who write psychological thrillers together.

Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Photo by Apdency (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons.

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
4,059 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Silva
5.0 out of 5 stars Obsession
Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2023
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This book was one of my favorites from the author duo. A fast paced nail biter that will keep you turning the pages and cringing. The amount of lies being told is staggering. The twists just keep coming. If you've been thinking of giving this author duo a try I recommend this book as a great choice. 👍
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Kent Smoker
4.0 out of 5 stars A Responsible Author
Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2020
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Nicci French is a responsible author. (I know it's two people under one name, but let's suspend disbelief for the presented pseudonym just like we do for the work itself.) Had the last chapter not been tagged on, I wouldn't have written a review called "an irresponsible author", but I would have left this book feeling somewhat dissatisfied without really knowing why. But French is a responsible author and the last chapter was desperately needed, because the premise of the book is startling in itself and needed elucidation. And what was elucidated was that the startling premise of the book, given a closer look, as close as it deserved, was even more startling than it appeared.
That's good writing. I didn't enjoy this as much as the early novels by French, all of which were standalones and all of which were written as taught as a thread stretched to its limit. It appears that in my few years of not reading French that she became better known for a series of novels featuring a female detective, none of which I've read and have little interest in reading because unlike the readers of genres of today, I have no interest in series. But I'll probably give them a try.
Anyway, the last couple standalones I've read are as compelling as her early novels but just not as tightly written. Too much description of land and plants and local color which slows down the story. The last novel I read by her, "Losing You", was an incredibly suspenseful premise but still mired in the descriptive and the mundane. The early novels had many fascinating details about everyday life in England, but they didn't weigh down the pacing. Now they do. It's almost as if the storyline itself is so thin that she needs to pad it with a bunch of details to make it long enough to be a novel.
As I said, the premise of the novel alone is startling enough to make it worth reading. As far as characterization, the protagonist is as fully developed as you could ask for, but the people around her are sketchy and you don't really get to know them. Even her daughter, a major character in the book, is a cypher – but it just so happens that she is a cypher to everyone around her, so writing her like that can be justified. Still, it leaves a dissatisfying feeling of not getting to know anyone in the novel very well. The police detective is a walking, talking cliché.
This is not Nikki French at her best, but it's readable and suspenseful and the premise/ending will give you pause. Recommended.
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Jason R
3.0 out of 5 stars okay but not great
Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2022
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I really like this author (these authors) but this was not one of my favorites. I spent half the book waiting to find out the big secret about Mabel ~ whether something had happened that had changed or affected the whole family. And when Neve realized who the murderer actually was, it didn’t really tie in or make much sense how she suddenly came to the conclusion. It just felt a bit rushed.
One person found this helpful
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sophiesmom
5.0 out of 5 stars A Good Read
Reviewed in the United States on May 2, 2020
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This is one of those books that keeps your interest throughout -- never a dull moment. It is hard to believe there is a wife, mother, employee, lover, and friend with as much energy as Neve, but she is a very enjoyable character. A lot of action takes place in the span of a week's time and keeps you guessing as to the guilty party. The author's descriptive writing makes you feel you are right there viewing all that is going on. It is wonderful to read of the lengths a mother will go for her children.
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L.M. Keefer
4.0 out of 5 stars Good Plot!
Reviewed in the United States on November 8, 2019
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The plot of this book is what attracted me - woman goes to lover's home, and finds him dead. What does she do?

There's a cat and mouse dynamic in this book which makes it a page-turner. The dynamic is between Neve - the woman who finds her lover dead and has to cover it up - and Detective Chief Inspector Alastair Hitching who comes across very friendly and low-key. But he's always showing up inconveniently. Does he suspect Neve? Or is he just trying to find out what she knows about the victim to help him find the real killer?

It was a lively read - my main issue with the book is there was some unnecessary filler. The protagonist - a mother - is always cooking, making lunches for her kids, and seeing that their teeth is brushed. It felt like this was mentioned every 5-10 pages and you got weary of it. It was like a writing tic.

If we need to fill some pages, let's have her wipe down the counters, cook something and check on her kids getting ready for bed and ensure they brushed their teeth. One mention would be enough, but it got a bit tiring and made you feel the plot was better than the writing.

It was the only element which kept me from giving this 5 stars as it dragged the pacing down. I enjoyed the book immensely otherwise.
12 people found this helpful
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Sharon
5.0 out of 5 stars Worth the wait
Reviewed in the United States on October 28, 2019
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I have read all Nicci French's books, some of them twice, and have looked forward to this new book for a long time. For some reason I didn't get into the Frieda Klein books, and was waiting for one of the old style one-off books. I pre-ordered it, and have devoured and savoured every page. As is always the case with all Nicci French books, it is difficult to stop turning the pages. There is never a dull patch, and you simply want to see what happens next. This one did not disappoint, and was well worth the wait!
3 people found this helpful
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Jude
4.0 out of 5 stars A Nicci French Fix is Always a Good Thing
Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2019
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I have long been a fan of this dynamic couple writing team and their clever mysteries. Nicci French novels are always very character driven, but the plot twists are amazing, and they have a unique talent for adding multiple twists at the end that you just don't see coming. -- the kind that make you close the finished book with a , "Wow!"

That being said, although I enjoyed this newest creation, I couldn't give it a 5 star rating because I was missing Frieda Klein and her interesting assortment of family and friends (the last 8 novels by this author.) I almost abandoned this one at page 30 because I was having difficulty engaging. I'm glad I didn't. It was worth hanging on. When a woman finds her lover murdered in their getaway apartment and removes all traces of herself in attempt to save her marriage and her family from scandal, she opens herself up to gnawing guilt and then the realization that her own circle of family and friends could include the murderer. Finishes with the usual twist.
2 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Flolec59
3.0 out of 5 stars Confused and confusing
Reviewed in France on March 27, 2024
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This book reads well, although it is definitely too long and could do with some editing. The confusion resides in the personality of the main character who is never clearly defined. It seems everybody loves her, people congregate around her but it's not clear why, what is so special about her. The end is a bit of a letdown : One expected better from the Met, if it is the Met they are dealing with, which isn't clear either.
A good book to read on the plane. Don't take it home.
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Paula Ney
5.0 out of 5 stars Lying Room
Reviewed in Canada on October 4, 2019
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Another great Nicci French book. Could hardly put it down. Fast paced. Intriguing. Suspenseful. Believable and relatable characters. Highly recommend.
One person found this helpful
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Lolly130612
5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely gripped
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 4, 2020
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Was recovering from an earache, well I still am, and I thought what better way than to recuperate with a good book. I hadn't read a Nicci French book in such a long time, that I almost forgot what to expect, however upon reading Nicci French, I wasn't disappointed.

The story starts, as ever, with Neve Connolly. She's married has three children, the oldest of whom is Mabel, she's what the tabloids would call 'troubled ' she's self harmed, taken drugs, smoked weed. She's a tortured soul and very delicate but also amazingly strong, mentally strong.

Neve's company merged with her now boss, Saul Stevenson (in this case Neve should have Called Saul) but she didn't. Neve is smitten with Saul, and Saul her.
Neve wouldn't ever leave Fletcher her depressed and discordant husband but then Fletcher isn't as squeaky clean but then who is?

Didn't really find Neve's workmates' believable characters ,they seemed one dimensional and cardboard cut outs.

Saul wasn't really expanded upon , neither were his wife and son. I don't understand how seemingly quiet family of five had almost, what felt like constant parties, when previously no mention of parties existed.

All in all it was a good read. Not solid, but compelling non the less.
One person found this helpful
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Kindle-Kunde
5.0 out of 5 stars Applaus!!!
Reviewed in Germany on November 4, 2019
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Ich kann es immer kaum erwarten, bis das neueste Buch erschienen ist und bin auch jetzt wieder total begeistert! Dieser Roman ist ein weiteres psychologisches Meisterwerk! Es gibt nur wenige Autoren, die die zwischenmenschlichen Beziehungen so spannend und erfindungsreich erzählen können! Bis zum Ende , weiß man nie wirklich wer für oder böse ist, zumal sie im richtigen Leben jeder so seine kleinen Geheimnisse hat!
5 people found this helpful
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Shazzet
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read.
Reviewed in Australia on January 27, 2020
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I really enjoyed this book as it was different than most. Kept you guessing and believable. Didn’t pick the ending. Very well done. Will read more books by this author.
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