The Good Liar

A Novel

By: Nicholas Searle

Narrated by: Matthew Brenher

Length: 10 hrs and 48 mins

Publisher's summary

Spinning a pause-resisting story of literary suspense that begins in the present and unwinds back more than half a century, this unforgettable debut channels the haunting allure of Atonement as its masterfully woven web of lies, secrets, and betrayals unravels to a shocking conclusion.

Veteran con artist Roy spots an obvious easy mark when he meets Betty, a wealthy widow, online. In no time at all, he's moved into Betty's lovely cottage and is preparing to accompany her on a romantic trip to Europe. Betty's grandson disapproves of their blossoming relationship, but Roy is sure this scheme will be a success. He knows what he's doing.

As this remarkable feat of storytelling weaves together Roy's and Betty's futures, it also unwinds their pasts. Dancing across almost a century, decades that encompass unthinkable cruelty, extraordinary resilience, and remarkable kindness, The Good Liar is an epic narrative of sin, salvation, and survival - and for Roy and Betty, there is a reckoning to be made when the endgame of Roy's crooked plot plays out.

©2016 Nicholas Searle (P)2016 HarperCollins Publishers

Loved it.

Loved the story, characters, and twists. The irony was great. I will listen to this again.

I saw the movie first.

With the great imagery of the movie, the book was more interesting to me. I tried to start it a couple of times before I saw the movie and was not drawn in. once I knew the basics of the story, the audible version came alive for me.

A Great Read

A very enjoyable novel, and a very good movie. Personally, I like the movie's ending better than that in the book, but that is just me. The writing is superb and very stimulating. While the plot is somewhat easy to decipher, the story continues to develop in unusual ways.

Dark and twisted

Many twists and turns. Kept me listening to the end. Much darker than the movie.

So hard to follow

There was only a small portion of this book that I was able to follow. The majority was very disjointed and rambling. I find it hard to believe that an editor and publisher read this and thought it was worth producing. However the very small bit that made any sense was an enjoyable and interesting story. Could have been cut down to roughly 2 hours.

Fell Asleep at the Wheel

I selected this book at random. I honestly don't ever remember putting it in my library, but I figured, if it was there, I was obviously interested at some point. I started listening to this book on my way home from work, and I was not immediately grabbed but I was willing to give it a shot since some books are slow to start and gain momentum. Second go around I felt myself falling asleep at the wheel. I had to turn it off and turn on some hype music. I was willing to give it a third try as maybe work had just drained me that terrible that second day. That was not the case. I found myself questioning the plot, the dialog, and just everything about this book. The narrator tried his best, but I doubt anything could make this book better. I do not recommend this book, especially to those who listen to audio books while on their work/home commute.

Hope the movie is better than the book?

Couldn't get through the first couple of chapters! I would like my credits back.

So boring

I wanted to try this book after seeing the movie, which I quite enjoyed, but it's impossible to listen through. The story jumps from side bit to side bit without really explaining what's happening, straying constantly from the main storyline. And these sidelines are not engaging, so you find yourself drifting off. The narrator tried to make it entertaining, but I think even he was lost occasionally.

It's not worth it, guys. Watch the movie, it cuts through the endless clutter.

Pompous

Just could not finish this stuffy, pompous and boring book. I got nearly half way in and still could not relate to any character or get much of a feel for the direction of the story other than a sting was going to happen.

Might be a good liar but not a good story

There were several things I didn't like about this story. First, I don't like historical fiction. Second, the story needs to be believable, this wasn't. Finally, it was so predictable. I don't like predictable.