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Barbara Taylor Sissel
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Crooked Little Lies Kindle Edition

by Barbara Taylor Sissel (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars 11,708 ratings
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On a cool October morning, Lauren Wilder is shaken when she comes close to striking Bo Laughlin with her car as he’s walking along the road’s edge. A young man well known in their small town of Hardys Walk, Texas, Bo seems fine, even if Lauren’s intuition says otherwise. Since the accident two years ago that left her brain in a fragile state, she can’t trust her own instincts—and neither can her family. Then Bo vanishes, and as the search for him ensues, the police question whether she’s responsible. Lauren is terrified, not of what she remembers but of what she doesn’t.

Unable to trust herself and unwilling to trust anyone else, Lauren begins her own investigation into the mystery of Bo’s disappearance. But the truth can prove to be as shocking as any lie, and as Lauren exposes each one, from her family, from her friends, she isn’t the only one who will face heart-stopping repercussions.

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  1. Print length
    391 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    Lake Union Publishing
  5. Publication date
    August 1, 2015
  6. File size
    870 KB
  7. Page Flip
    Enabled
  8. Word Wise
    Enabled
  9. Enhanced typesetting
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Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Combining the astute family observations of an author like Jodi Picoult with a psychologically riveting unreliable narrator like that of The Girl on the Train, Barbara Taylor Sissel has written a book about a traditional suburban wife and mother of two teenagers—who has become highly unpredictable. A serious head injury and a subsequent addiction to painkillers have altered the life of Lauren Wilder in dangerous and agonizing ways. Still struggling on her unfinished road to recovery, Lauren finds herself at the heart of a police investigation when twenty-three-year-old Bo Laughlin goes missing. She remembers being one of the last people to see him, but she can no longer trust her recollection of the mundane and not-so-mundane details of her days, and neither can anyone else.

As Lauren walks a treacherous path to discovering what really happened—and what she’s really done—I couldn’t stop thinking of the line our missing character, Bo, had written down from his favorite book: The path of least resistance leads to crooked rivers and crooked men. —Henry David Thoreau. Like many people, Sissel’s characters are telling little lies, crooked ones—to themselves, to others—and yet they’ve convinced themselves they have good reasons to manipulate the truth. But as their lies build over time and gain momentum, their world will come crashing down around them, and you won’t be able to look away.



- Tara Parsons, Editor

About the Author

Barbara Taylor Sissel was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and raised in various places across the Midwest. She is the author of five additional novels: The Last Innocent Hour, The Ninth Step, The Volunteer, Evidence of Life, and Safe Keeping. An avid gardener, Sissel has two sons and lives on a farm outside Austin, Texas. Crooked Little Lies is her sixth novel.

For more information, visit www.barbarataylorsissel.com.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00TJ4XMJO
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Lake Union Publishing (August 1, 2015)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 1, 2015
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 870 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 391 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.8 3.8 out of 5 stars 11,708 ratings

About the author

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Barbara Taylor Sissel

Barbara Taylor Sissel

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Barbara Taylor Sissel writes issue oriented, upmarket women's fiction that is threaded with elements of suspense and defined by its particular emphasis on how crime affects the family. She is the author of nine novels, WHAT LIES BELOW, THE TRUTH WE BURY, FAULTLINES, CROOKED LITTLE LIES, SAFEKEEPING, EVIDENCE OF LIFE, THE VOLUNTEER, THE NINTH STEP AND THE LAST INNOCENT HOUR.

Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, she was raised in various locations across the US and once lived on the grounds of a first-offender prison facility, where her experience, interacting with the inmates and staff, provided a unique insight into the inmates' lives, the circumstances behind the crimes they committed, and the impact on the families that were affected. Her novels focus on the family at the heart of the crime.

Barbara indulges her other passions, exploring, hiking, gardening, reading and stitching on and around the farm where she lives in the Texas Hill Country.

Customer reviews

3.8 out of 5 stars
3.8 out of 5
11,708 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Cristie
4.0 out of 5 stars A cross between a psychological thriller and a classic whodunnit.
Reviewed in the United States on July 13, 2015
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Actual rating: 3.5 stars

I was offered this book through Kindle First, and I'm really glad I picked this one.

Crooked Little Lies is suspenseful and well-written. It's not an edge-of-your-seat, action-packed thriller, but it was intriguing enough that I didn't get bored. I would consider Crooked Little Lies to be a cross between a psychological thriller and a classic whodunnit. I thought the plot line was great, the chapters flowed well, and there were just enough twists to keep it interesting. The unreliable narrator kept this book from being predictable. Although the ending turned out pretty much the way I expected, I was constantly second guessing myself along the way.

The beginning of this book could be considered slow, but I enjoyed the plot and character development. I felt that it was necessary. Pretty Little Lies touches on some pretty heavy themes including drug addiction, mental illness, deception and loss. The two main characters, Lauren and Annie, were well-developed and felt real. I just wish that Annie would have revealed herself more through actions. She spent a lot of time telling the audience how she was feeling while hiding her true self from her peers.

The reason I'm giving this 3.5 instead of 4 stars is because the ending seemed rushed. Also, I thought that some of the characters and plot twists seemed irrelevant to the rest of the book.
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5.0 out of 5 stars "A Powerful, Moving, Well Written Story"
Reviewed in the United States on July 6, 2015
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In the small town of Hardys Walk, Texas, the October morning is cool and comfortable. That is until Lauren Wilder comes close to running into Bo Laughlin with her car as he walks along the edge of the road. Bo, 23 years old, is oblivious to how close she had come to hit him. Bo is a diagnosed schizophrenic and this day will be the last he'll be seen in this small town. Annie Beauchamp knows there is never a clue when life slugs you ... you never see it coming. Bo is her stepbrother and often works at the same cafe as she does. Annie pays Bo's bills, and keeps a bedroom for him in her house, but he prefers living on the street. Lauren and her husband, Jeff, run a salvage business, saving old antique items and building parts. Lauren had been helping deconstruct an old church bell tower when she had a terrible fall -- head injuries, collapsed lungs, and breaking her pelvis. It was a long road to recovery and the pain was often so severe even pain killers couldn't help. She had become addicted to one of her prescribed drugs, but has been off them for over a year. She has worked hard for nearly two years to recover her speech and mobile abilities. Unfortunately, she has ruined the previous respect of her friends and town people as most believe she is still on drugs, even her husband is suspicious. She still suffers periodic after effects from her head injuries -- hallucinations, paranoia, fatigue, emotional outbursts, and possibly the onset of psychosis. This is a very engulfing story as Lauren and Anne come together to try to find Bo. The story is full of emotion, family tension, and business worries for Jeff. An excellently written story you'll not put down until you come to the surprising ending. Highly recommend.
4 people found this helpful
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3.0 out of 5 stars it's that everyone is a dirty, lying secret-keeper and that you can't trust anyone
Reviewed in the United States on August 2, 2016
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If books with an unreliable narrator has taught me anything, it's that everyone is a dirty, lying secret-keeper and that you can't trust anyone. It's a trope that's been overused thanks to the success of Gone Girl and Girl on the Train (speaking of overused tropes, can we stop having titles with "girl" in them for awhile?) and Crooked Little Lies isn't a particularly groundbreaking addition to the genre. But the characters are compelling and the action moves quickly (getting a book read in under a week is a rarity for me with my schedule) making it a relatively light read for a book that centers on a missing person.

The story centers around the disappearance of Bo Laughlin, a generally harmless mentally ill man who wanders the small town of Hardy's Walk. Sissel wisely keeps Bo's exact psychiatric diagnosis vague. Our protagonists are Annie, Bo's step sister and Lauren, our unreliable narrator and one of the last people to see Bo before he goes missing. Lauren is a more sympathetic character than our more famous narrators. Unlike Amy Dunne, who is an unrepentant sociopath or Rachel Watson, who is a falling down drunk, Lauren suffered a fall from a bell tower while working for the architectural salvage business she shares with her husband and suffered a traumatic brain injury. She subsequently suffered an addiction to Oxycontin as a result of the pain she suffered from her head injury. Though she is now sober, her memory is unreliable at best. It's difficult not to sympathize with someone who, despite her best intentions, simply can't remember things she did despite being awake and sober at the time.

I have to say, I pretty much pegged who the worst of the lying secret keepers was pretty early on. But it still made for an interesting read and a nice break from some of the heavier subjects I'd been delving into recently. If you've run out of beach reads for the summer, I'd pick this one up.
3 people found this helpful
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HFM
4.0 out of 5 stars More of a drama than a mystery, but still found it to be a good read. No spoilers in the review.
Reviewed in the United States on August 17, 2016
Verified Purchase
Decided to read this one as I am a huge fan of the mystery genre. That said, this was really much more a drama than a mystery. And props to the author because I really had a hard time putting it down. I think if you go into it with the idea that it is a good drama, rather than a mystery, then you'll come out with more appreciation of the story. I kept wanting to know what would happen, how things would unfold. It did start out slow, but that never personally bothers me as long as it is interesting. The only criticism I could give is that it was at times very frustrating to be in the minds of the two main characters--Annie and Lauren. They both had their problems, of course, but at times this felt too played up for me. To a point where I was annoyed with them instead of on their side, particularly in the case of Lauren. Then again, as the story shows, that was for a particular reason. The last thing I'll comment upon is that I really appreciated the author's writing style. And her metaphors are so poetic, very beautiful. I loved every one of them.
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Top reviews from other countries

EV
4.0 out of 5 stars An entertaining read.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 20, 2015
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It took me a little while to get into this book. Not that there is anything wrong with the beginning, just that I had to get to 'know' the main characters and to start with I wasn't sure I wanted to. Quite quickly I found Lauren, who was doubting her recollection of events due to the effects of a past brain injury and drug misuse, an involving and sympathetic personality. Then Annie also became an intriguing character as her increasing concerns for her missing stepbrother distract her from her normal life and an attractive admirer. Sometimes these novels set in small town America can seem very formulaic and foreign but although the usual characters, such as the gruff old waitress with a heart of gold, appear in this story they are believable and endearing. In the end I wasn't totally convinced by the ramifications and coincidences of the plot, but it held my attention well and I enjoyed the experience.
5 people found this helpful
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Glenbrook
4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Read
Reviewed in Australia on August 15, 2015
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This was a book worth reading. The main characters were likeable but tragic figures. I found that the undercurrent of lies, suspicion and paranoia kept me guessing about what was going on till almost the end of the book. I didn't want to put this book down until I had finished it. A great read!
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klh
5.0 out of 5 stars A good read
Reviewed in Australia on March 7, 2021
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A real page turner. Couldn't put it down. Looking forward to reading many more by this author. Definitely a winner
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Jane
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 25, 2015
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This is a compelling and riveting story. Lauren Wilder is still recovering from a serious accident which left her with a brain injury, which causes her problems with her memory. She's recovering, but still sometimes finds herself confused and this seems to be getting worse during the course of this book. However, things aren't as they seem and the twists and turns in the story are unexpected and challenging. The young man she encounters at the beginning, who then goes missing, has a sister that Lauren befriends and joins in the search for Bo. As things progress however, Bo's sister, Annie, begins to wonder if Lauren is ok, as strange things seem to happen that cause Lauren confusion. The final twist is completely unexpected and Lauren's life begins to unravel around her. I can't recommend this book highly enough - it's brilliant.
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Lynda Kelly
3.0 out of 5 stars I Got Bogged Down With It
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 8, 2015
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I didn't get to finish this. I just seemed to be totally bogged down with it and I was getting bored so jacked it in at 46%. It's hard to put my finger on exactly what bothers me with it, however, which I realise is little help to anybody reading this review.
The author makes NO mistakes which is admirable and I loved the cover as well. I can't say it's terribly written, either.
I think I just got wound up by Lauren. She was too insipid for my liking and just drifted about not really doing too much and I thought she needed a good shake !!I did try sticking with it but in the end packed it up before I totally lost patience with her !
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