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Showing posts with label Gilly Macmillan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gilly Macmillan. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 19, 2025
Top Ten Tuesday: The Longest Books I've Read in 2025 (So Far)
Today's TTT prompt—Top Ten Books With a High Page Count—is all about lengthy books. Are you a fan of thick, detailed door stoppers or do you avoid them like the plague? For me, it just depends. If a book is keeping me engaged and entertained, then I'll continue reading it no matter how many pages it has. If a book isn't holding my attention, then it doesn't matter if it's 50 pages or 5000, I'm going to DNF that sucker! I always read a mix of adult and children's books, most of which are mysteries/thrillers, historical fiction novels, or historical mysteries. Depending on which authors you read, these genres don't tend to produce the kind of epic tomes you see in the sci-fi and fantasy genres. I'd guess the page count of the books I read in any given year is around 200-250. Most years, I do take on a few thicker tomes, which for me usually means around 500 pages. This year, I've picked up more of them than I usually do, so for my list today, I'm going to share the ten longest books I've read in 2025 so far.
As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.
Top Ten Longest Books I've Read in 2025 (So Far)
- from longest to shortest (of the longest) -
1. The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
My Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7683524304
Genre: nonfiction/U.S. history/Black history
What it's about: the massive migration of Black people out of the American South to northern, western, and midwestern states, from about 1910 to the 1970s
Page count: 622
Read for: book club
Affect of page count on reading experience: This book is interesting, but it definitely feels overly long and tedious. Other than the woman who recommended it, I'm the only one in my book club who finished it. Everyone else got too bored with it to read to the end.
2. Shift by Hugh Howey (SILO trilogy #2)
My Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7362810129
Genre: Dystopian/sci-fi
What it's about: With the world on the brink of certain destruction, select groups of people are invited underground to live in protected silos. Generations later, it's forbidden to even talk of the outside world, but there are always those whose curiosity and desperation get the better of them. What do they find beyond the silos? No one knows because those who leave never come back...
Page count: 579
Read for: I've been wanting to finish this series, which I started in 2018.
Affect of page count on reading experience: Although I really like the SILO books, there's no doubt that they get REALLY long. Longer than necessary. They don't have much plot to them, really, so the stories do get tedious and dull in places.
3. It Happened On the Lake by Lisa Jackson
My Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7528355859
Genre: mystery/thriller
What it's about: Harper Reed Prescott owns a large Victorian home on a beautiful private island which is also hers. She has no interest in either. After the mysterious deaths and other happenings that have occured there, she just wants to sell the whole property and be done with it. Unfortunately, there is much in her past and that of her family that still needs to be reckoned with...
Page count: 586
Read for: NetGalley review
Affect of page count on reading experience: This book is overwritten in every possible way. It was a huge slog for me and I'm still not sure why I plowed through the whole thing!
4. The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness (Chaos Walking series #2)
My original blog review (2011): http://www.blogginboutbooks.com/2011/01/i-mean-seriously-could-patrick-ness-get.html
My Goodreads review (2025): https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7717949658
Genre: YA dystopian/sci-fi
What it's about: Todd Hewitt has grown up on a planet other than Earth. Viola has come to his planet because Earth is no longer habitable. Todd's world is at war. Can he and Viola stop the violence, save their civilization, and protect the refugees from Viola's spaceship who are hurtling toward them hoping for peace and safety?
Page count: 553
Read for: re-reading the series because I LOVE it
Affect of page count on reading experience: The tension and action in this book are so unrelenting that the pages fly by. You barely notice how long it is.
5. The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness (Chaos Walking series #1)
My original blog review (2011): http://www.blogginboutbooks.com/2011/01/knife-of-never-letting-go-leaves-me.html
My Goodreads review (2025): https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/874857816
Genre: YA dystopian/sci-fi
What it's about: Todd Hewitt's parents came to a new planet to find refuge away from a dying Earth. Now an orphan, Todd has become disillusioned with the rules of his town. He is running away when he encounters Viola, whose scouting ship has just crashed nearby. Together, the parentless teens flee toward a city where they've heard they can find safety. The mayor of Todd's town, who isn't about to let them go, is in hot pursuit, determined to catch them no matter the cost.
Page count: 528
Read for: re-reading the series because I LOVE it
Affect of page count on reading experience: Ditto what I said above about The Ask and the Answer.
6. Wool by Hugh Howey (SILO trilogy #1)
My original blog review: http://www.blogginboutbooks.com/2018/01/subterranean-dystopian-trilogy-starts.html
Genre: Dystopian/sci-fi
What it's about: See summary for Shift above.
Page count: 509
Read for: I want to finish the SILO trilogy, which I started in 2018.
Affect of page count on reading experience: Wool moves at a faster pace than Shift, so it doesn't feel as long, but it does get slow in places.
7. The Burning Library by Gilly Macmillan (available November 25, 2025)
My Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7573787746
Genre: Mystery/thriller
What it's about: When Dr. Anya Brown publishes a translation of an ancient folio, she receives the attention of a secret women's organization that has been hunting for a certain book of power for over a century. A rival group also wants the tome. Caught in the middle of a deadly fight she doesn't understand, Anya has to figure out how to get herself out of it—before she's the next person to be mysteriously murdered.
Page count: 496
Read for: pleasure - Macmillan is one of my go-to mystery/thriller authors
Affect of page count on reading experience: Macmillan usually writes contemporary mysteries and thrillers that are quick-paced and engrossing. This book is a big departure from her norm. Unfortunately, I found The Burning Library overly long, tedious, confusing, and boring.
8. The Truth According to Us by Annie Barrows
My Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7843112501
Genre: historical fiction
What it's about: When her father cuts her off, insisting she become financially independent, Layla Beck is forced to take a job with the Federal Writers' Project. Tasked with writing a history of backwards Macedonia, West Virginia, she is unenthusiastic to say the least. As Layla gets to know the Romeyns, the quirky family with which she's boarding, her attitude slowly changes. She changes their lives as well, bringing unwanted tension, unwelcome questions, and unasked for observations that force the Romeyns to acknowledge some painful truths.
Page count: 486
Read for: pleasure and for the Literary Escapes Reading Challenge
Affect of page count on reading experience: Overall, this novel is quite charming and engaging. It is excessively long, though, and definitely would have benefitted from some serious trimming.
9. The Women by Kristin Hannah
My Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5736912487
Genre: historical fiction
What it's about: The life of a privileged young nurse is changed irrevocably when she volunteers to serve in the Vietnam War. When she returns home to California after two tours expecting a hero's welcome, she's dismayed to find her family dismissive of her experiences and her countrymen critical. Dealing with PTSD and these issues takes her to the very edge of her sanity. Can anything bring her back?
Page count: 471
Read for: pleasure
Affect of page count on reading experience: This is another book that is way longer than it needs to be. There's no real plot, so it feels episodic, repetitious, and dull, especially in the latter half when the main character is back in the U.S.
10. The Boxcar Librarian by Brianna Labuskes
My Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7136265693
Genre: historical fiction
What it's about: After being involved in a political scandal, a young writer is shipped off to Montana to work with a Works Progress Administration team to write a guide for the state. There, she encounters the intriguing mystery of a long-missing boxcar librarian. She's determined to find out what really happened.
Page count: 446
Read for: Goodreads review
Affect of page count on reading experience: This book kept my attention through all of its many pages. I enjoyed it.
I'd like to complete the Chaos Walking and SILO trilogies before the end of the year as well as a few more chunksters, so I've still got some hefty reading in front of me. What about you? What lengthy tomes have you read this year? Which door stoppers are your favorite? What's the longest book you've ever read? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.
Happy TTT!
Tuesday, July 01, 2025
Top Ten Tuesday: A Bookish Books Combo Platter
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Happy Tuesday, book people! Can you believe it's the first of July already? It's hotter than the dickens here in the Arizona desert. It's 110 degrees outside and, after running errands out in the heat (not my idea), my brain is officially fried. Today's Top Ten Tuesday prompt is a freebie and since I do a post for the Bookish Books Reading Challenge on the first day of each month, I'm going to make things easy on myself and combine them.
As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.
Top Ten Seven Bookish Books I Read in June and Three I Want to Read in July
I went crazy with bookish books in June. Here are the seven I read in the order I finished them (title links lead to my reviews on Goodreads or here at BBB):
1. The Burning Library by Gilly Macmillan (available November 18, 2025)—Macmillan is one of my go-to mystery/thriller authors because her novels are usually engrossing page turners. Her newest is different than her previous books, more cerebral and less edge-of-your-seat exciting. It concerns an ancient piece of fabric that is said to contain a clue to the whereabouts of a rare manuscript that two warring female secret societies would kill (and have killed) to possess. When a grad student receives international attention for her translation of an important folio, she unwittingly lands herself in the middle of the societies' deadly feud. What exactly is she dealing with and how can she protect herself and those she loves from some very dangerous women?
2. Same Page by Elly Swartz—This middle-grade novel centers around a timely topic: book banning. Bess Stein, who has just been elected 6th grade class president, is dismayed when the book vending machine she installs at her school comes under fire for containing "inappropriate" literature. How can she convince the powers that be that banning books is wrong?
3. Mrs. Christie at the Mystery Guild Library by Amanda Chapman (available August 26, 2025)—Tory Van Dyne is a book conservator who lives and works at her family's private library. When a knowing British woman appears after hours in the Christie Room claiming to be the Queen of Crime's ghost, Tory reluctantly humors the eccentric stranger. "Mrs. Christie" informs the conservator that she's come to help Tory solve a murder that is about to be committed. Tory dismisses the woman's loony talk—until a murder occurs and the "ghost" offers observations so spot on that Tory can't help believing that "Mrs. Christie" may just be telling the truth about her otherworldly identity.
4. A Death At Seascape House by Emma Jameson—The first book in a cozy mystery series set on an idyllic British island, complete with white sand beaches (Yes, they really exist in England. Who knew?), this opener introduces us to Jemima Jago. The librarian is sent to St. Morwenna to catalog a private collection of historical documents about Cornish history. Before she can get started, she discovers the dead body of a crotchety old busybody. Thanks to the reputation Jemima earned as a teenager on St. Morwenna, she quickly becomes the prime suspect in the victim's murder. In order to clear her name, she'll have to find the real killer before she's next.
5. The Queens of Crime by Marie Benedict—In order to prove their worth to their male colleagues, five female crime writers come together to solve the real-life mystery of a young English nurse who was murdered while on a quick holiday in France. As Dorothy L. Sayers, Agatha Christie, Baroness Emma Orczy, Ngaio Marsh, and Margery Allingham put their heads together to track down a killer, they also find friendship, empathy, and support.
6. Emily of New Moon by L.M. Montgomery—Written almost 20 years after Anne of Green Gables, this children's novel is the first in a series starring a newly-orphaned girl who is sent to live with her estranged family in an unfamiliar town. As she tries to get used to her new life, the imaginative child experiences many ups and downs.
7. Murder Past Due by Miranda James—This book is the first installment in a cozy mystery series that revolves around Charlie Harris, a Mississippi librarian, and his Maine coon, Diesel. When an old classmate of Charlie's, now a famous author, is killed, the librarian finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation. Although the detective on the case demands that he leave the sleuthing to the professionals, Charlie can't seem to stop himself from playing Hercules Poirot. Whodunit?
For July, I'm planning to read:
8. Rabbit Rabbit by Dori Hillestad Butler and Sunshine Bacon—I just started this middle-grade book about two 12-year-old cousins who are communicating in secret in order to find out what happened between their mothers to tear their family apart. Bee is a voracious reader, while Alice is such a reluctant one that her parents pay her for each book she reads. Books are one of the things that the girls, who come from very different backgrounds, bond over.
9. The Book of Lost Hours by Hayley Gelfuso (available August 26, 2025)—The time space is a library of books filled with the memories of the dead, one that can be accessed only by special timepieces that were passed down from father-to-son, although they're now mostly possessed by the government. Lisavet Levy is an 11-year-old girl who was hidden in the time space in 1938 by her watchmaker father, who never returned to collect her. When she discovers that government agents are destroying books in the time space, she sets out to save the precious volumes.
10. The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion, Volume 2 by Beth Brower—It seems like everyone I know IRL loves this series. The first book was a quick, fun read, so I'm up for continuing on. In this second installment, Emma continues to get used to her new life living under the thumb of her insufferable uncle, who has squandered away her inheritance. Although she can't afford to buy even one beloved book to keep her company, Emma finds amusement in the eccentric people around her.
There you go, seven bookish books I read in June and three I hope to read in July. Have you read any of them? What did you think? What's your favorite bookish book? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.
Happy TTT!
If you are participating in the 2025 Bookish Books Reading Challenge, please use the widget below to link-up your July reviews. If you're not signed up for the challenge yet, what are you waiting for? Click here to join the party.
Monday, March 28, 2022
The Long Weekend: Even My Least Favorite Gilly Macmillan Thriller Holds Me Spellbound
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
As long-time friends from boarding school, Paul, Mark, Toby, Rob, and Edie have enjoyed getting together over the years along with their spouses. When an available weekend provides the perfect opportunity for another reunion, the group pounces on the chance to reconnect. Dark Fell Barn is ideal for the event. The guesthouse's remote Northumbria location makes it as off-the-grid as the couples are likely to get. With no distractions or cell phone signals, the friends will have plenty of time to bond once again.
Jayne Pavey, Ruth Land, and Emily Ramsay drive to Northumbria together. Their husbands, all of whom have been delayed for various reasons, will be joining them that evening. Already a bit tense without the mens' long friendship to bind them, the trio is disturbed to realize just how isolated Dark Fell Barn really is. When they find a note waiting for them, informing them that one of their husbands is about to be murdered, they fly into a frenzy. Is it some kind of terrible practical joke? Edie, who declined the weekend getaway in the wake of her own husband's death, was known as a prankster in school. Could her grief be causing her to lash out at one of them? As the women frantically attempt to get ahold of their spouses, new surprises add to their growing terror. With a vicious storm breaking over the moors, the woman are trapped with a slew of horrifying questions: What is really going on here? Who would play such a sordid trick on the group? Why would anyone do something so completely cruel? And how are they going to escape with worsening weather and no way to call for help?
I've read all of Gilly Macmillan's spooky thrillers, which never fail to suck me in and hold me spellbound. While The Long Weekend (available March 29, 2022)—the author's newest—is probably my least favorite of hers, it still kept me buzzing through the pages, eager to see what was going to happen next. Its creepy, atmospheric vibe and tense, taut storytelling ensured I wouldn't be able to look away. That being said, the friends at the center of the story are not super likable. While some are more appealing than others, overall, they're just not a very charming bunch. As is quite usual in these kinds of novels, where dark secrets and jealousies are being revealed, the story is depressing and sad. Although there's a twist I expected but didn't actually see coming, I did have the killer pegged before their identity was revealed. All in all, then, I didn't end up loving The Long Weekend, although it did keep me reading pretty intensely. Macmillan has that effect on me, no matter what she writes! Still, I definitely wanted a bit more from her latest.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of other books by Gilly Macmillan as well as those by Ruth Ware, Lucy Foley, and Paula Hawkins)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (a dozen or so F-bombs, plus milder expletives), violence, mild sexual content, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC of The Long Weekend from the generous folks at HarperCollins via those at Edelweiss Plus in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
Tuesday, December 07, 2021
Top Ten Tuesday: End of the Year Reads
It's hard to believe there are only 24 more days left of 2021! There's still plenty I need to do before the year closes out. Among my many to-do items is reading at least ten more books so I can hit my goal of 200. Shouldn't be too hard. Since today's Top Ten Tuesday topic is a freebie and I'm not feeling very creative today, I'm just going to list the titles I'm planning to get to before January 1st rolls around.
If you're in a list-making mood today, definitely hop on the TTT party train. It's always a good time! All you have to do is click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl for all the details.
Top Ten Books I'm Planning to Read Before January 1st
1. The Long Weekend by Gilly Macmillan (available March 29, 2022)—I'm a fan of Macmillan's engrossing thrillers, so I'm excited to read her newest. Although it doesn't come out for awhile still, I've got an e-ARC. Yay! The novel concerns a group of friends who book a stay in a remote English inn. When their husbands are all delayed, the women go on ahead. Upon arrival, they receive a disturbing note saying one of their men will be murdered. Stuck in the isolated countryside, their vacation takes a terrible turn for the worst.
2. The Murder Rule by Dervla McTiernan (available May 10, 2022)—This Irish author is one of my favorite crime writers. There's not a lot of info on her newest, for which I have an e-ARC, but it appears to be a standalone mystery/thriller. Color me intrigued!
3. Yusuf Azeem is Not a Hero by Saadia Faruqi—I need to read a book by a Muslim-American author for a reading challenge and I've heard good things about this one. Faruqi co-wrote another middle-grade novel I enjoyed, so I'm excited for her newest. It concerns a boy who lives in small-town Texas. With the 20th anniversary of 9/11 coming up, his Muslim community is on edge, especially considering all the protests against a new mosque that's opening up nearby. What will happen as the anniversary approaches in a town that's already simmering with unease?
4. Lies That Comfort and Betray by Rosemary Simpson—I enjoyed the first installment in this Gilded Age mystery series and am anxious to see what happens in this second book. Prudence MacKenzie, a wealthy heiress, has just formed a detective agency with her friend, Geoffrey Hunter. When one of Prudence's young maids is murdered, the duo have their first case. The victim died in a disturbingly similar way to the women Jack the Ripper killed. Has a vicious killer crossed the pond? Or is someone copying his notorious crimes?
5. Truly Devious by Maureen Johnson—A dark academia book prompt is propelling me to finally re-read this YA murder mystery that takes place at a remote East Coast boarding school. I enjoyed it the first time around and am looking forward to moving on with the series once I remind myself of who's who and what's what in the series.
6. Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan—This one is getting a lot of positive buzz. It's about a woman whose dying younger brother is a big fan of a newly-published book called The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. When he asks her a burning question that only the author can answer, she reluctantly seeks out C.S. Lewis. The famous author offers her no quick answers, but what he does give her is far more valuable: hope.
7. Cece Rios and the Desert of Souls by Kaela Rivera—I need to read a fantasy book for a reading challenge prompt and this one sounds interesting. Based on Mexican folklore, it's about a girl who must go on a dangerous, magical journey in order to save her sister.
8. Daughter of Venice by Donna Jo Napoli—Two of the reading challenges I'm trying to finish are asking me to read books set before the 17th Century. That's not my usual era, but I like Napoli and this book—set in 1592—sounds intriguing. It's about a young noblewoman in Venice whose future will be spent inside a convent. Unless she changes it. Which she does, to her peril.
9. I'll Be Seeing You by Mary Higgins Clark—As a teenager, I spent many hours reading MHC by flashlight after I was supposed to be asleep because I literally could not put her books down. I'm supposed to read a 1990s bestseller for a reading challenge so I'll be revisiting this oldie but goodie. It features a news reporter who's mourning her father, who's presumed dead after his car plunged over a New York City bridge. When a young woman is murdered, a woman who could be the reporter's double, her father's secrets—and the truth about his suspected death—begin coming to light.
10. Mr. Dickens and His Carol by Samantha Silva—This Christmas novel is one I hoped to read last year. Since I've already completed my annual re-reading of A Christmas Carol, I think it's a good time to enjoy this festive tale about the writing of my favorite holiday story.
There you go, ten books I'm hoping to read before 2022 begins. What's on your reading list for the rest of the year? Have you read any of my picks? What did you think? What did you choose for your freebie topic today? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I'll gladly return the favor on your blog.
Happy TTT!
Tuesday, October 26, 2021
Top Ten Tuesday: Happy Haunting!
If you can't tell, I'm a bit of a party pooper/stick-in-the-mud (I rock at Never Have I Ever). And I've always been that way! Case in point: I really don't like Halloween. It's not for any religious or moral reasons—I've just never been much for dressing up. Even as a little kid. As a mom, I've dreaded the expense and stress of Halloween costumes, the over-consumption of candy (rest assured, though, that I've always been stoic about doing my mom duty by picking the Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Twix bars out of my kids' buckets after they go to sleep), and the whole tromping through the neighborhood to take kids trick-or-treating thing. It's just not me, you know?
All that being said, I do still enjoy a spooky story now and again. The older I get, the wimpier I get, so I've set aside the Stephen King books I consumed as a teen in favor of tales that are more Gothic and subtly scary—the kind that send a delicious tingle down my spine but don't give me nightmares. I much prefer ghosts haunting creepy old houses to brain-slurping zombies, blood-sucking vampires, soul-stealing demons, and other freak-me-out ghouls. Haunting is the vibe I usually veer toward instead of scary. So, which authors are my go-to for shivery stories? I thought you'd never ask! I've listed ten of my favorites below for today's Halloween Freebie Top Ten Tuesday list.
Do you want to join the spooky TTT party? Of course you do! Flit on over to That Artsy Reader Girl for all the details. Bonus: Jana's list today is super fun.
My Top Ten Favorite Go-To Authors for Haunting Halloween-ish Reads
-in no particular order-
1. Kate Morton
Favorite of hers: The Secret Keeper
2. Riley Sager
Favorite of his: Lock Every Door
Favorite of hers: The Sun-Down Motel
Favorite of hers: The Widow's House
Favorite of hers: The Invited
Favorite of hers: What She Knew
Favorite of hers: Until the Day I Die
8. Blake Crouch
Favorite of his: Dark Matter
9. Eve Chase
Favorite of hers: The Daughters of Fox Cote Manor
10. Maureen Johnson
Favorite of hers: The Shades of London series
There you have it, ten of of my favorite writers of haunting stories. What about you? Are you into scary stories? Who are your go-to authors for haunting/creepy books? Are you a Halloween lover, hater, or something in between? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.
Happy TTT!
Monday, October 26, 2020
Creepy Psychological Thriller Another Riveting Read from Macmillan
(Image from Barnes & Noble)
Shy, awkward Lucy Harper has always relied on her imaginary friend, Eliza Grey, to comfort her in times of distress. When her 3-year-old brother disappeared decades ago after sneaking out of the house to follow Lucy on a midnight adventure, Eliza was there to calm her troubled mind. Instead of fading away as her creator aged, Eliza grew larger than life until Lucy hardly knew where Eliza ended and she began. When Lucy sold her first mystery novel featuring Eliza as a tough-talking police detective, Eliza became a beloved star. Four books later, the author is only just beginning to realize how thoroughly Eliza has taken over her life, both professionally and personally.
When Lucy decides to take a break from her pretend friend, penning a new book that does not feature the popular character, it does not go over well—not with her publisher and not with Dan, her unpublished husband who's always been jealous of his wife's success. When Dan vanishes one night under strange circumstances, the police question Lucy, clearly suspicious. Lucy's sure—pretty sure—she had nothing to do with his disappearance, but lately, with Eliza taking up all her head space and her memories straying more and more often to her brother, who has never been found, Lucy's not really sure of anything. Did she hurt her husband? What really happened when her younger sibling went missing all those years ago? Lucy's mind has always been a place where fact and fantasy collide. What is truth and what is not? What did Lucy do?
Gilly Macmillan is one of my favorite writers of psychological suspense and her newest, To Tell You the Truth, does not disappoint. Its premise seems a bit far-fetched, but it offers a unique and intriguing setup to a story that's full of didn't-see-that-coming twists. A creepy, atmospheric vibe runs through the novel, adding another unsettling layer to the narrative. Lucy is an undeniably odd duck but she still makes for a sympathetic and compelling heroine. All of these elements in addition to a fast-paced, surprising plot combine to create a riveting, edge-of-your-seat read. I ripped through this one while sitting at the DMV with my 15-year-old son for three hours and it definitely made the wait more tolerable. I don't know if To Tell You the Truth is my favorite Macmillan yarn, but it's a thrilling read that I very much enjoyed.
(Readalikes: Reminds me of other Macmillan novels as well as those by Mindy Mejia, Megan Miranda, and Lisa Jewell)
Grade:
If this were a movie, it would be rated:
for language (a half dozen or so F-bombs, plus milder expletives), violence, and disturbing subject matter
To the FTC, with love: I received an e-ARC of To Tell You the Truth from the generous folks at HarperCollins via those at Edelweiss+. Thank you!
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2026 Goodreads Reading Challenge
2024 - Elementary/Middle Grade Nonfiction
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