An Honest Lie - Tarryn Fisher

An Honest Lie is Tarryn Fisher's new novel. The title had me taking a second look...I liked the juxtapose of the two words.

Rainy has moved to Washington state be with her boyfriend. She's happy with just her own company, but is making an effort to make friends - for Grant's sake more than hers. She reluctantly agrees to go on a Vegas weekend with 'the girls'. Rainy has her reasons to stay out of Vegas, but ultimately goes with them.

It is here that Fisher splits her story into a then and now narrative. Then takes us back to young Rainy (aka Summer) who was a member of a cult. Fisher provides us with her own take on cults and their leaders. I do think the whole cult angle has been done so many times that it's hard to come up with anything truly fresh. The now thread amps things up when of the group going missing. Could the two past and present intersect? And how?

I did enjoy Rainy as a lead character. She's a survivor, smart and capable. The supporting players in the 'now' are somewhat cliched - it seems there's a mean girl and peer pressure no matter where you go. In this case it's Tara. Again well depicted - you can't help but dislike her. Taured - the leader of the cult - is also written that way. His dialogue, manipulations and actions will infuriate you. As they're meant to do. There are a few 'good' characters, such as Violet.

There is indeed a meeting of past and preset, which I will leave for you to discover, so as not to spoil it for you. There are a few plot devices that require the listener to suspend disbelief, but just go with it. As well, I'm not sure the 'my man' thread worked for me.

I chose to listen to An Honest Lie. The reader was  Lauren Fortgang. She did a great job. She enunciates well and her voice is pleasant to listen to and the pace of speaking was just right. Fortgang has come up with voices that really suit the characters. The voice for Rainy suited her strength. Tara? Oh, the perfect mean girl tone and inflections. And a suitably sinister one for Taured. Fortgang captures the tone of Fisher's book and presents it very well. She captures the action, the emotions and situations of the plot. Her voice has movement, instead of 'just reading'. Hear for yourself - listen to an audio excerpt of An Honest Lie.