I received this book for free from the TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Published by Park Row on January 29, 2019
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Crime, Psychological Suspense, Suspense
Pages: 384
Format: eBook
Source: TLC Book Tours
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In this electrifying psychological thriller, a high-powered sociopath meets his reckoning when he’s accused of the brutal murder of his mistress.
Did he kill Charlie Doyle? And if he didn’t…who did?
Peter Caine, a cutthroat Manhattan defense attorney, worked ruthlessly to become the best at his job. On the surface, he is charming and handsome, but inside he is cold and heartless. He fights without remorse to acquit murderers, pedophiles and rapists.
When Charlie Doyle, the daughter of the Manhattan DA—and Peter’s former lover—is murdered, Peter’s world is quickly sent into a tailspin. He becomes the prime suspect as the DA, a professional enemy of Peter’s, embarks on a witch hunt to avenge his daughter’s death, stopping at nothing to ensure Peter is found guilty of the murder.
In the challenge of his career and his life, Peter races against the clock to prove his innocence. As the evidence mounts against him, he’s forced to begin unraveling his own dark web of lies and confront the sins of his past. But the truth of who killed Charlie Doyle is more twisted and sinister than anyone could have imagined…
“A.F. Brady delivers a knockout sophomore effort. Peter Caine has a very Patrick Bateman air about him, and the whole story sizzles with sinister madness and incessant tension right to the last page. Not to be missed.” —J.T. Ellison, NYT Bestselling author of Tear Me Apart
“A smart, nuanced and spine-chilling portrayal of a sociopath walking among us… Brady’s depth of knowledge and skillful hand make us root for him in spite of everything he may—or may not—have done. Once a Liar is a thriller you won’t soon forget.” —Wendy Walker, bestselling author of All Is Not Forgotten
“Brady is a master of intense characters and riveting storylines.” —Kaira Rouda, bestselling author of Best Day Ever and The Favorite Daughter
Usually a character who is utterly despicable and seemingly unredeemable is the villain, not the main character. In A.F. Brady’s suspense novel Once a Liar, cut-throat defense attorney Peter Caine is such a horrible person throughout this book that I couldn’t believe that anyone would put up with him. But I could not put this book down, and I just had to keep reading to see how everything played out. Could Peter change and become a better person or would his cold, calculating ways catch up with him and he’d pay the greatest price? You have to read the fantastic Once a Liar to find out.
Told in two periods of time Then and Now, from Peter’s point of view, you get to see Peter’s life as he’s just starting out as a defense attorney, being scooped up and molded by his defense attorney hero–and dating his daughter. But Peter isn’t fit for family life, and everything quickly falls apart as his father-in-law molds his narcissistic sociopathic tendencies so they will win as many cases as possible. In the present day, Peter is struggling with maintaining the outward appearance of a perfect life, but his ex-wife has just died of cancer and the 16-year-old son that he never wanted is now dropped into his life. But this makes his long-time girlfriend completely happy since he’s refused to have kids with her.
Just add in the murder of the woman who broke up his marriage and took over his ex-wife’s foundation, and it looks like he’s being accused of the crime as time ticks on. Peter’s perfectly controlled world is imploding. But if he didn’t kill her as he’s saying, then who did–and who wants him out of their way?
I give Once a Liar a four out of five. I really enjoyed the slowly building suspense and the little revelations at the end of each timeline within each chapter. The plot was woven so intricately and seamlessly that I was really left guessing what might actually be going on at times. There were many characters that were just not nice people in this book, and a lot more appeared good but had so many hidden layers. I love when you’re kept guessing about who is really the ultimate bad guy. While the repercussions of Peter’s horrible life choices were just about to be revealed at the end of the book, I wished that some of the other equally corrupted and evil characters got some kind of justice in kind. The book just cuts off, leaving you hanging, and I really would have liked to see more after the big reveal.
Find ONCE A LIAR
Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads
About A.F. Brady
A.F. Brady is a New York State Licensed Mental Health Counselor/Psychotherapist. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Brown University and two Masters degrees in Psychological Counseling from Columbia University. She is a life-long New Yorker, and resides in Manhattan with her husband and their family.
Connect with A.F. Brady
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads
A.F. Brady’ TLC Book Tours TOUR STOPS for ONCE A LIAR:
INSTAGRAM TOUR:
Monday, January 28th: @bookishconnoisseur
Tuesday, January 29th: @tbretc
Tuesday, January 29th: @wherethereadergrows
Wednesday, January 30th: @amberafterglowreads
Thursday, January 31st: @bibliotrix.lestrange
Friday, February 1st: @bookclubwithbite
Saturday, February 2nd: @girlwithnoselfie
Sunday, February 3rd: @bookishwinterwitch
Monday, February 4th: @jessicamap
Tuesday, February 5th: @thats_what_she_read
Wednesday, February 6th: @thepagesinbetween
Thursday, February 7th: @novelgossip
REVIEW TOUR:
Monday, January 28th: Moonlight Rendezvous
Tuesday, January 29th: Where the Reader Grows
Wednesday, January 30th: Midwest Ladies Who Lit
Thursday, January 31st: The Romance Dish
Friday, February 1st: Book Reviews and More by Kathy – excerpt
Monday, February 4th: Jessicamap Reviews
Tuesday, February 5th: Rockin’ Book Reviews
Wednesday, February 6th: The Pages In-Between
Thursday, February 7th: Novel Gossip
Monday, February 11th: Patricia’s Wisdom
Tuesday, February 12th: She Reads With Cats and @shereadswithcats
Wednesday, February 13th: @readingbetweenthe_wines
Friday, February 15th: @jennblogsbooks
Monday, February 18th: Helen’s Book Blog
Tuesday, February 19th: Thoughts from a Highly Caffeinated Mind
Wednesday, February 20th: Erica Robyn Reads
Saturday, February 23rd: Books & Bindings
Monday, February 25th: Bewitched Bookworms
Wednesday, February 27th: Cheryl’s Book Nook
Friday, March 1st: @love_my_dane_dolly
Monday, March 4th: Thoughts on This ‘n That
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I always feel like the best psychological thrillers are built on characters who are just really terrible people, right? Thanks for being on this tour!
Sara @ TLC Book Tours
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