The Lying Game by Ruth Ware

 

From the New York Times bestselling author of the “twisty-mystery” (Vulture) novel In a Dark, Dark Wood, The Woman in Cabin 10, and The Turn of the Key comes Ruth Ware’s The Lying Game.Isa Wilde knows something terrible has happened when she receives a text from an old friend. ... Google Books

Originally published: June 15, 2017

Author: Ruth Ware

Genres: Thriller, Novel, Mystery, Suspense, Psychological Fiction

The Lying Game by Ruth Ware, published in 2017, is a psychological thriller that delves into the complexities of friendship, guilt, and the consequences of lies. It is one of Ware’s most popular novels, known for its gripping suspense and atmospheric tension.

The story follows four women—Isa, Kate, Thea, and Fatima—who were close friends during their school days at a prestigious boarding school in a secluded, coastal town. They formed a bond over a game they used to play, called "The Lying Game," where they would tell lies and then try to keep the stories convincing. The game, initially just a playful diversion, becomes far more serious and dangerous, eventually leading to a tragic event that the four women are forced to live with for years.

The novel opens with Isa, the protagonist, receiving a message from one of her former friends, Kate, urging her to come back to the town where they all grew up. Isa and her friends had promised to keep the truth about what happened all those years ago a secret, but the past begins to catch up with them, and the women must confront their shared history. As Isa returns to the town and reconnects with the others, secrets begin to unravel, and the line between truth and lies becomes increasingly blurred.

The Lying Game explores themes of guilt, trust, and the repercussions of keeping secrets. The characters are flawed and complicated, and their relationships are marked by a mixture of loyalty and betrayal. Ruth Ware’s writing is atmospheric, with the isolated setting of the seaside town adding to the eerie tone of the novel. The suspense builds gradually as Isa’s recollections of her time at school become more fraught, and the stakes rise as the women grapple with the consequences of their past actions.

The novel also examines the tension between the innocence of youth and the complexity of adult lives, with the characters’ past decisions continuing to haunt them long after they’ve grown up. It’s a story about the weight of secrets, the difficulty of moving on from the past, and the lengths people will go to protect themselves and those they love.

If you enjoy psychological thrillers that focus on character-driven suspense and the unraveling of dark secrets, The Lying Game is a compelling read. Would you like to dive into any particular aspect of the story or discuss its themes further?