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Lie Lie Truth: A Psychological Thriller
My father was a serial killer—or so I thought.
My dad, Dennis Kempmen, had his quirks but was respected in our small town. That was until children began disappearing and he became the main suspect.
I started to believe what others were My father was a killer.
Then it happens again. A little girl disappears in a similar way the others were taken.
Everything I thought I knew is revealed to be a lie.
But as I unravel the deception and deceit that the town was hiding, I realize the truth is much worse.
And the truth comes with a deadly price.
My dad, Dennis Kempmen, had his quirks but was respected in our small town. That was until children began disappearing and he became the main suspect.
I started to believe what others were My father was a killer.
Then it happens again. A little girl disappears in a similar way the others were taken.
Everything I thought I knew is revealed to be a lie.
But as I unravel the deception and deceit that the town was hiding, I realize the truth is much worse.
And the truth comes with a deadly price.
270 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 15, 2025
1416 people are currently reading
815 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
May 8, 2025
James Caine once again delivers an unpredictable thriller I could not put down. The plot’s high intensity and unexpected twists kept me engaged from start to finish. I enjoyed how the story unfolded by alternating between past and present timelines. The final shocking twist I never saw coming. “We all wear masks. The real mystery is what lies beneath.” All is not as it seems in this heartwrenching tale. I could definitely see this play out on Netflix as a miniseries, keeping me on the edge of my seat. Thank you to the author for my copy. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
May 12, 2025
I really liked this novel. James Caine keeps getting better and better with every book. I felt such compassion for Ali and her adopted mother, Connie. The perpetrator of the crimes surprised me. I definitely recommend.
May 12, 2025
LIE LIE TRUTH BY JAMES CAINE.
Release date set for the 15th of May 2025.
5 ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨s.
James caine is a legend and I love every single book I've ever read of his.
He has a way of sucking you in from the very first page.
I was so excited to see this book coming out and was delighted to become part of his ARC team.
This story goes from past to present and is so easy to follow along.
I thought this book was so unpredictable and didn't see the final twist coming at all.
James caine is an amazing writer and he's a go to author for me and I will always read every single book he ever writes.
Release date set for the 15th of May 2025.
5 ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨ ✨s.
James caine is a legend and I love every single book I've ever read of his.
He has a way of sucking you in from the very first page.
I was so excited to see this book coming out and was delighted to become part of his ARC team.
This story goes from past to present and is so easy to follow along.
I thought this book was so unpredictable and didn't see the final twist coming at all.
James caine is an amazing writer and he's a go to author for me and I will always read every single book he ever writes.
June 15, 2025
James is one of the writers where I read all of his books! I really enjoy his writing style as well as the plot! This one, as all of his books, had a great pace to it. You wanted to keep on reading!
The only thing that drove me crazy was the grammar! Many subject-verb disagreements and way too many instances of “further” when it should be “farther”!
The only thing that drove me crazy was the grammar! Many subject-verb disagreements and way too many instances of “further” when it should be “farther”!
May 22, 2025
This is definitely going on my favorite books list! Ali is a multi-faceted character, and his family is intriguing. As with other books of his, the storyline opens little by little, pulling you in and keeping you reading. I had no idea where to look or who I should suspect; I suspected every character, including Ali, by the end. Unpredictable, well-written, and thoroughly enjoyable!
June 10, 2025
It was an easy read, but a little boring. I guessed the twist from very early on and there was no real other substance to the book but that
May 26, 2025
snorefest 😴 I don't get the hype 🤷🏼♀️
Read
May 18, 2025Lie,Lie, Truth, by James Cain,, when Allison a.k.a. Ali gets adopted by the Kempman family she is happy but due to her childhood is always waiting for the other shoe to drop. On her first day with her new family she learns not to go in the woods behind their home and later that night while her and her new adoptive brother Jason listen on she finds out why. It seems kids have been going missing in their little town of 150 souls But her new stepdad who couldn’t be nicer Dennis tells her he promises she has nothing to worry about. 10 years later she has moved across Canada change her name and is only going back to the little town because her adoptive mom Connie is very ill and on the verge of death. When she arrives back home it doesn’t take long for her brother Jason to show how indignity feels at her presence But soon when the kidnapping starts up again it seems he couldn’t be happier because now instead of accusing his father who is deceased they will find the real culprit. I do believe this book Marks the arrival of Mr.Cain’s new spot in the legitimate thriller category with Freeda McFadden and the like this was such a great OMG blockbuster of a book with twist on top of twist. I really believe a good rider makes the ending something you cannot see coming and that is exactly what happened with this book. They did have a moment I felt was a little much but cannot mention it here due to spoilers but what I will say is if you’re looking for a great thriller this book is an ideal one to start with. I have been reading this author’s books for years and I loved the camping thrillers but I’m so excited to see him Death into the serious suspenseful mystery thrillers that are my favorite to read. #BookSprout, #MyHonestReview, #TheBlindReviewer, #JamesCain, #LieLieTruth,
May 9, 2025
“Lie Lie Truth” is another gripping psychological thriller from James Caine that completely delivers.
From the very first chapter, I was pulled into a fast-paced, suspense-filled story that kept me turning the pages.
I loved the plot which had twists and turns and I particularly enjoyed the dual timelines.
James Caine’s writing is sharp, and he knows how to build tension and keep readers guessing. The characters each have their own secrets that slowly unravel.
If you enjoy thrillers that play with your perception and leave you questioning everything, this one’s for you. Highly recommend for fans of tense, twisty reads!
Thank you so much James for the opportunity of reading an ARC of your brilliant book.
From the very first chapter, I was pulled into a fast-paced, suspense-filled story that kept me turning the pages.
I loved the plot which had twists and turns and I particularly enjoyed the dual timelines.
James Caine’s writing is sharp, and he knows how to build tension and keep readers guessing. The characters each have their own secrets that slowly unravel.
If you enjoy thrillers that play with your perception and leave you questioning everything, this one’s for you. Highly recommend for fans of tense, twisty reads!
Thank you so much James for the opportunity of reading an ARC of your brilliant book.
May 14, 2025
3.5 stars
I truly enjoyed the book. It is, without a doubt, a story that leaves its mark—given the profound psychological and physical toll endured by the protagonists. Imagine believing you’re about to begin a dream life, after a harsh childhood and negligent parents… only to find yourself trapped in what becomes the worst nightmare of your life.
Ali, a young girl blessed to be adopted by loving parents—her biological ones being anything but saintly—and now the adoptive sister of a boy named Jason, believed she had won the lottery. At last, she thought, she would be happy. Loved. She made friends at school, experienced her first crush, and felt the intoxicating thrill of freedom. But she was mistaken.
Dennis Kempman, the devoted father with his typical overprotective quirks, was everything Ali once idolised—until children began to vanish under chillingly mysterious circumstances… and Dennis changed. Utterly. Then the unthinkable happened.
Years later, Ali returns to her hometown. Her adoptive mother, Connie, is gravely ill. And once again, a child disappears. But if Dennis is dead… could that mean he was innocent all along? So many questions left unanswered. So many lies tangled in the past.
I appreciated how the author crafted and developed the characters—the slow build-up of doubt, fear, and despair until, at last, the truth is unveiled… or is it?
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
@bibliotecamil_insta
I truly enjoyed the book. It is, without a doubt, a story that leaves its mark—given the profound psychological and physical toll endured by the protagonists. Imagine believing you’re about to begin a dream life, after a harsh childhood and negligent parents… only to find yourself trapped in what becomes the worst nightmare of your life.
Ali, a young girl blessed to be adopted by loving parents—her biological ones being anything but saintly—and now the adoptive sister of a boy named Jason, believed she had won the lottery. At last, she thought, she would be happy. Loved. She made friends at school, experienced her first crush, and felt the intoxicating thrill of freedom. But she was mistaken.
Dennis Kempman, the devoted father with his typical overprotective quirks, was everything Ali once idolised—until children began to vanish under chillingly mysterious circumstances… and Dennis changed. Utterly. Then the unthinkable happened.
Years later, Ali returns to her hometown. Her adoptive mother, Connie, is gravely ill. And once again, a child disappears. But if Dennis is dead… could that mean he was innocent all along? So many questions left unanswered. So many lies tangled in the past.
I appreciated how the author crafted and developed the characters—the slow build-up of doubt, fear, and despair until, at last, the truth is unveiled… or is it?
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
@bibliotecamil_insta
June 4, 2025
This book was so good! I couldn’t put it down – the plot was intense, with unexpected twists that kept me hooked from start to finish. The alternating timelines between past and present added a great layer of suspense. I loved Ali and her adopted mom, Connie. Their stories were gripping, and the final twist? Completely caught me off guard. 😱 The slow reveal of each character’s secrets kept me guessing until the end. If you love twisty thrillers that make you question everything, this is for you. Highly recommend!
May 8, 2025
James Caine is one of my favorite authors and I am so very thankful to be on his ARC team. I love this new book and how deep and disturbing it goes and the plot twist, is phenomenal. Ali has been adopted into a new family, the Kempmans. They seem like the perfect family, Connie and Dennis, her new parents and Jason, her new brother. But then kids start going missing, and everyone is blaming Dennis, her new dad. Years later, another girl goes missing and there is doubt that her father was the killer. As she starts digging into things, she finds more than she bargained for. Can she reveal the truth and also survive this nightmare?
May 7, 2025
James Caine is one of my absolute favourite authors and I’m so honoured to be part of his ARC team. I didn’t feel this book had his usual flare and I wasn’t surprised by the twist as I had worked it out quite early on in the book. Apart from that I did find myself not able to put the book down and read it quite quickly. All the loose ends were tied and even though I’d guessed the main twist, it did not disappoint and the ending was not as predictable as I’d first thought. I really liked the character of Ali though and thought she was really well written.
June 19, 2025
Hmmm where is the twist?!?
May 9, 2025
James Caine has written another page turning thriller that leaves you on the edge of your seat. I read this book quickly and enjoyed every moment of it. I love that even if I try to guess the culprit in James's books that I never can and am always pleasantly shocked where the characters and plot turns and twists. I am not sure if he can write a bad thriller, I loved this one as much as his previous ones. If you're looking for a fast paced read full of suspense and anticipation this is the book for you.
May 5, 2025
Another fantastic book from my favorite author! James decided to go down a darker path for this one, and he did an amazing job. He still kept twists in the book, and they were just as great as his twists always are!
June 6, 2025
Will definitely read some more of his books. Easy to read and good twists.
July 21, 2025
Meh. It was fine. 1.5 ⭐️
May 28, 2025
This was a good read. It has a great storyline and sucks you in quickly. I found it hard to put it down and when I had to I found myself thinking about it and in a hurry to get back to it. I guessed a lot of the twists but it was still a good read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
June 9, 2025
I felt like I was reading a pre-teen novel. No depth and pretty boring for my taste. Didn’t get remotely interesting until the second half and still predictable. I was glad when it ended.
July 21, 2025
Giving it a 3.5⭐️ had some good twists at the end to keep you intrigued and questioning what is about to happen. its not a full 4 stars for me as it wasnt quite a shocking twist to end the book.
May 19, 2025
The truth always comes out in the end!
Ali was adopted into a family after her birth parents gave her up when her dad went to prison and mom couldn’t take care of her. She didn’t know how much of her life was not as it seemed.
She was adopted by the Kempman’s, Dennis and Connie who also had a son Jason. Jason was the same age as Ali and they became good friends as well as siblings. Jason introduced her to his friends and she had a fairly normal life until she didn’t.
Children went missing and red ribbons were found at abduction sites. No one knew for certain who was kidnapping these children who were never found. This forced a town curfew and people were scared. Kids were told not to play in the woods, however, Jason and his friends would play in a clubhouse his friend’s dad built for them in the woods.
Suspicions came to light and Dennis Kempman was suspected of these children abductions and terrible things happened. This goes back and forth with past and present POV. One thing is always certain the truth always will come out in the end.
4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ali was adopted into a family after her birth parents gave her up when her dad went to prison and mom couldn’t take care of her. She didn’t know how much of her life was not as it seemed.
She was adopted by the Kempman’s, Dennis and Connie who also had a son Jason. Jason was the same age as Ali and they became good friends as well as siblings. Jason introduced her to his friends and she had a fairly normal life until she didn’t.
Children went missing and red ribbons were found at abduction sites. No one knew for certain who was kidnapping these children who were never found. This forced a town curfew and people were scared. Kids were told not to play in the woods, however, Jason and his friends would play in a clubhouse his friend’s dad built for them in the woods.
Suspicions came to light and Dennis Kempman was suspected of these children abductions and terrible things happened. This goes back and forth with past and present POV. One thing is always certain the truth always will come out in the end.
4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
May 20, 2025
James Caine is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Everything I have read so far by him has been great and this one’s no exception. Fast-paced with interesting characters, I flew through this book and can’t wait to read more by him.
May 18, 2025
I really enjoyed this book! So different from what we have seen from Caine in the past… I would say this is his best yet! ❤️
I was gripped by the prologue, in which a vulnerable woman is being interviewed by an asshole (can I say that?) podcast host about her father. The kicker? Her father was a serial killer.
Ali is adopted and the story flashes back to the day she arrives at her new home with the Kempmen family, then back to the present, eleven years later. Ali’s adoptive mother is sick and visiting brings back the memory of missing children and the red ribbons left in their place. The story goes back and forth between the past and present, illustrating the complex relationships between family members. When a red ribbon shows up and a little girl goes missing in the present, it becomes clear a killer still walks among them.
What I liked:
✅the back and forth between past and present. Sometimes this can be confusing or make the story seem disjointed, but Caine did a really nice job of weaving the past and present together in a way that made sense and added to the plot.
✅the cute relationship between Ali and her brother’s friends.
✅the back story. I love that this book didn’t begin with a happy family, blah, blah, blah. Instead, Ali joins the family and her integration is complex.
✅the full circle. It begins with an interview and ends with an interview. That vulnerable girl? Turns out she’s not so vulnerable. lol.
What I didn’t like:
❌the end was good, but not what I was hoping for. I don’t want to give anything away, but when it is all said and done… this just wasn’t as well developed as it could have been. It is so easy to rush an ending and this one seemed that way to me. Don’t get me wrong: it was still good. It was just unexpected? Needed more lead-in?
❌the questions I was left with. Why is Jason so weird around his sister? It seems like he never warms up to her - both in the past and in the present. In the present it makes sense, but in the past? Why doesn’t he seem to like her? How did all the crimes work? I want details!
I hated to finish this book because it was so interesting. Even with the things I didn’t like, I really enjoyed this story. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for sure!
I was gripped by the prologue, in which a vulnerable woman is being interviewed by an asshole (can I say that?) podcast host about her father. The kicker? Her father was a serial killer.
Ali is adopted and the story flashes back to the day she arrives at her new home with the Kempmen family, then back to the present, eleven years later. Ali’s adoptive mother is sick and visiting brings back the memory of missing children and the red ribbons left in their place. The story goes back and forth between the past and present, illustrating the complex relationships between family members. When a red ribbon shows up and a little girl goes missing in the present, it becomes clear a killer still walks among them.
What I liked:
✅the back and forth between past and present. Sometimes this can be confusing or make the story seem disjointed, but Caine did a really nice job of weaving the past and present together in a way that made sense and added to the plot.
✅the cute relationship between Ali and her brother’s friends.
✅the back story. I love that this book didn’t begin with a happy family, blah, blah, blah. Instead, Ali joins the family and her integration is complex.
✅the full circle. It begins with an interview and ends with an interview. That vulnerable girl? Turns out she’s not so vulnerable. lol.
What I didn’t like:
❌the end was good, but not what I was hoping for. I don’t want to give anything away, but when it is all said and done… this just wasn’t as well developed as it could have been. It is so easy to rush an ending and this one seemed that way to me. Don’t get me wrong: it was still good. It was just unexpected? Needed more lead-in?
❌the questions I was left with. Why is Jason so weird around his sister? It seems like he never warms up to her - both in the past and in the present. In the present it makes sense, but in the past? Why doesn’t he seem to like her? How did all the crimes work? I want details!
I hated to finish this book because it was so interesting. Even with the things I didn’t like, I really enjoyed this story. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for sure!
May 16, 2025
Finished this book in less than 24 hours and I am too happy about it. Small town romances are my favourite and thrillers are more than just favourite. The way this story sped throughout 214 pages I was stumped and hooked that I didn’t realize how fast it was over.
Rules and curfews are important when there is serious crimes going around the town. But what happens if the one person who is supposed to protect through your life is the one accused to not only commit the crimes but also was punished for the same. Perceptions are very cruel and it doesn’t only affect the one person but the whole family.
This is the story of Allison who works in a NGO which helps families that face problems physically and mentally. She was adopted by a family when she was 11 years old and they lived in a small town but there were disappearances in the town of small children and that’s why there was curfew of 7 p.m. her new family adored her and tried to make her as comfortable as possible.
But her father, Dennis Kempman was accused for the disappearances and was punished by the people for the same after which she left the town changed her surname legally and moved to Toronto where she now worked. She is back in town because her adopted mother is sick and on the verge of dying. Her mother doesn’t remember anyone around her and only her brother is the one who can control her mother.
Suddenly, a girl disappears again and her brother is the happiest person alive because now he can prove that his father was innocent all along and everyone punished him without any mistake all those years ago. But is the truth going to make everything okay or entangle it even more when it come out.
The twists in this book are not big but I wasn’t able to guess the ending and it made me more than happy that it kept me hooked till the end. This was a wonderful experience to get in the story and the speed with which it travelled gave me more satisfaction. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Rules and curfews are important when there is serious crimes going around the town. But what happens if the one person who is supposed to protect through your life is the one accused to not only commit the crimes but also was punished for the same. Perceptions are very cruel and it doesn’t only affect the one person but the whole family.
This is the story of Allison who works in a NGO which helps families that face problems physically and mentally. She was adopted by a family when she was 11 years old and they lived in a small town but there were disappearances in the town of small children and that’s why there was curfew of 7 p.m. her new family adored her and tried to make her as comfortable as possible.
But her father, Dennis Kempman was accused for the disappearances and was punished by the people for the same after which she left the town changed her surname legally and moved to Toronto where she now worked. She is back in town because her adopted mother is sick and on the verge of dying. Her mother doesn’t remember anyone around her and only her brother is the one who can control her mother.
Suddenly, a girl disappears again and her brother is the happiest person alive because now he can prove that his father was innocent all along and everyone punished him without any mistake all those years ago. But is the truth going to make everything okay or entangle it even more when it come out.
The twists in this book are not big but I wasn’t able to guess the ending and it made me more than happy that it kept me hooked till the end. This was a wonderful experience to get in the story and the speed with which it travelled gave me more satisfaction. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 21, 2025
Allison (Ali) gets adopted at the age of 10 by Connie and Dennis Kempmen and their son Jason. They live in the small village of Kadestill where everyone knows each other. After a difficult childhood with her birth parents this is a breath of fresh air. Her adoptive parents are sweet and relaxed and treat her like their own child. But this idyllic life comes to an end when children disappear and Dennis is seen as the main suspect. After a terrible evening Alli leaves for Toronto but when things get worse with her adoptive mother she returns to Kadestill. Then another child disappears and now it can't be Dennis who died that terrible evening years ago. Who kidnapped this child? Was Dennis innocent after all, contrary to what the whole village thought? Piece by piece the pieces of the puzzle fall into place but does this bring relief to the uncertainty of Alli and Jason?
The plot is very well constructed and contains a few twists. The final big twist at the end throws you off balance for a moment.
The chapters are divided into the past, in which the story is told about life before the terrible evening and the present.
The tension builds up slowly until it explodes at the end, which makes sure you can't put the book down. Especially in the beginning, the tension is only palpable under the surface, but it expands further, making you somewhat nervously look forward to the course of the story.
With 'Lie lie truth' James Cain has once again written a super exciting thriller that gets under your skin.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.
The plot is very well constructed and contains a few twists. The final big twist at the end throws you off balance for a moment.
The chapters are divided into the past, in which the story is told about life before the terrible evening and the present.
The tension builds up slowly until it explodes at the end, which makes sure you can't put the book down. Especially in the beginning, the tension is only palpable under the surface, but it expands further, making you somewhat nervously look forward to the course of the story.
With 'Lie lie truth' James Cain has once again written a super exciting thriller that gets under your skin.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I'm leaving this review voluntarily.
May 18, 2025
Oh, how I loved to get a hold of a 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ page-turning psychological/domestic thriller by the brilliant Canadian indie author, James Caine! But I have to say upfront that the only problem I have is. . . I wish I can get through my personal goal and read more of his books! 📚 I’ve loved his other books I’ve read, thus far, and was so excited to finish Lie-Lie-Truth!
The story centers around Ali, adopted as a young girl and raised by a loving family. But there’s an air of mystery around previous child abductions that occurred in the minutely populated town that she now calls home. It flips from present to past allowing the reader to follow Ali’s complicated feelings about her career and relationship problems in the present time, as well as the past memories and suffering she’s been running away from stemming from ‘the one terrifying event’ that drastically changed the lives of her family forever.
If you enjoy having the first few sentences grab and hold your attention to the end, reading character-driven stories with dual timelines and unsolved small town abductions in easy-to-read short chapters, this is a MUST READ!
I’d like to thank James Caine and Booksprout for giving this ARC. I have no problem offering anything but my honest review. And I hope more readers get to discover James Caine through Lie-Lie-Truth and his many other amazing books!
The story centers around Ali, adopted as a young girl and raised by a loving family. But there’s an air of mystery around previous child abductions that occurred in the minutely populated town that she now calls home. It flips from present to past allowing the reader to follow Ali’s complicated feelings about her career and relationship problems in the present time, as well as the past memories and suffering she’s been running away from stemming from ‘the one terrifying event’ that drastically changed the lives of her family forever.
If you enjoy having the first few sentences grab and hold your attention to the end, reading character-driven stories with dual timelines and unsolved small town abductions in easy-to-read short chapters, this is a MUST READ!
I’d like to thank James Caine and Booksprout for giving this ARC. I have no problem offering anything but my honest review. And I hope more readers get to discover James Caine through Lie-Lie-Truth and his many other amazing books!
May 27, 2025
Review of eBook
Eleven-year-old Allison, removed from her birth family and adopted by Connie and Dennis Kempmen, is cautious, waiting to see what happens. It’s something she learned from her birth family. Can she find peace and happiness with a family that seems to want nothing but the best for her?
Reserved and watchful, Ali tries to settle in; she makes friends at school, enjoys her freedom. But the small town has a massive problem: children are vanishing, the site where they vanished marked by a red ribbon.
And when Dennis is blamed for the disappearances, what will happen to Ali and her new family?
=========
Strong characters and an inventive plot pull readers into the telling of this tale from the outset. The pace is swift; the story moves back and forth from the present to the past, providing readers with the necessary background. The story is disturbing, but readers will find themselves turning the pages as fast as possible in order to see what happens next.
But the truth is determined to surface and, as the twisty plot slowly reveals its secrets, tension and suspense continue to build and readers are certain to find themselves glued to this unputdownable tale.
Highly recommended.
I received a free advance review copy of this book through BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Eleven-year-old Allison, removed from her birth family and adopted by Connie and Dennis Kempmen, is cautious, waiting to see what happens. It’s something she learned from her birth family. Can she find peace and happiness with a family that seems to want nothing but the best for her?
Reserved and watchful, Ali tries to settle in; she makes friends at school, enjoys her freedom. But the small town has a massive problem: children are vanishing, the site where they vanished marked by a red ribbon.
And when Dennis is blamed for the disappearances, what will happen to Ali and her new family?
=========
Strong characters and an inventive plot pull readers into the telling of this tale from the outset. The pace is swift; the story moves back and forth from the present to the past, providing readers with the necessary background. The story is disturbing, but readers will find themselves turning the pages as fast as possible in order to see what happens next.
But the truth is determined to surface and, as the twisty plot slowly reveals its secrets, tension and suspense continue to build and readers are certain to find themselves glued to this unputdownable tale.
Highly recommended.
I received a free advance review copy of this book through BookSirens, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
June 2, 2025
I have read several James Caine books, and I have never, ever, been disappointed with. This one was no exception. This was one that I could not put down.
Allison is adopted by what seems like a normal family after her bio family falls apart. The Kempman family takes her in, and she keeps thinking that its all just too perfect. Her first day is very busy with her new mom, Connie, throwing a surprise party. Her new brother, Jason, is outside playing with his friends and she really wants to go out and play too. Finally, she is able to, and she is immediately told not to go into the woods. When she asks why, she's told that her tiny town of only 150 people, is hiding a dark secret, kids have been going missing.
The book is told from two different perspectives, past and present. In the present, Ali is living across Canada, has changed her name and has tried her best to forget about the town she came from where her adoptive father, Dennis, was accused and then murdered because the town believed he was the one taking the children. Her adoptive mother is now sick and dying and she is back to help her brother Jason take care of her. Jason isn't very happy to see her, and he holds a lot of resentment towards Ali for leaving. Almost as soon as she arrives, a little girl goes missing. Jason insists that this proves their father wasn't involved in the original kids going missing. Was Dennis Kempman responsible all those years ago or was he actually innocent and the real killer is still out there?
This book was soooo good. Twist on top of twist! If I could change one thing, I would have added chapters with the killers past and present perspectives too. However, overall, this is such a great read. The pacing is fast; the drama is on point, and I guarantee you will not want to stop reading.
Allison is adopted by what seems like a normal family after her bio family falls apart. The Kempman family takes her in, and she keeps thinking that its all just too perfect. Her first day is very busy with her new mom, Connie, throwing a surprise party. Her new brother, Jason, is outside playing with his friends and she really wants to go out and play too. Finally, she is able to, and she is immediately told not to go into the woods. When she asks why, she's told that her tiny town of only 150 people, is hiding a dark secret, kids have been going missing.
The book is told from two different perspectives, past and present. In the present, Ali is living across Canada, has changed her name and has tried her best to forget about the town she came from where her adoptive father, Dennis, was accused and then murdered because the town believed he was the one taking the children. Her adoptive mother is now sick and dying and she is back to help her brother Jason take care of her. Jason isn't very happy to see her, and he holds a lot of resentment towards Ali for leaving. Almost as soon as she arrives, a little girl goes missing. Jason insists that this proves their father wasn't involved in the original kids going missing. Was Dennis Kempman responsible all those years ago or was he actually innocent and the real killer is still out there?
This book was soooo good. Twist on top of twist! If I could change one thing, I would have added chapters with the killers past and present perspectives too. However, overall, this is such a great read. The pacing is fast; the drama is on point, and I guarantee you will not want to stop reading.
May 29, 2025
James Caine’s books are usually just the right amount of thrilling. They keep me engaged and entertained and make me want to continue turning pages. This book was no different. It was just good enough that I was able to keep up a steady reading pace wanting to know what happens next.
After Ali is adopted by Dennis and Connie her life seems perfect. She has a loving brother, loving parents and friends for the first time in her life. But then kids start disappearing in her small town and the locals are blaming Ali’s dad. Are they jumping to conclusions or is there something darker going on?
The character development wasn’t that great. As Ali and her brother go from 11 year olds to high schoolers, their character growth isn’t fluid. There is definitely some repetition towards the middle of the story. It seemed like Caine was throwing a red herring, but it wasn’t necessary for the plot? The title of the book also threw me off. It reminds me of that game we used to play “2 truths and a lie”, but kind of missed the mark. I did enjoy this book overall and I will continue to read Caine’s books, but this one wasn’t my favorite.
Thank you to BookSirens and James Caine. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
After Ali is adopted by Dennis and Connie her life seems perfect. She has a loving brother, loving parents and friends for the first time in her life. But then kids start disappearing in her small town and the locals are blaming Ali’s dad. Are they jumping to conclusions or is there something darker going on?
The character development wasn’t that great. As Ali and her brother go from 11 year olds to high schoolers, their character growth isn’t fluid. There is definitely some repetition towards the middle of the story. It seemed like Caine was throwing a red herring, but it wasn’t necessary for the plot? The title of the book also threw me off. It reminds me of that game we used to play “2 truths and a lie”, but kind of missed the mark. I did enjoy this book overall and I will continue to read Caine’s books, but this one wasn’t my favorite.
Thank you to BookSirens and James Caine. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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