The Lying Game (The Lying Game #1) by Sara Shepard

Title: The Lying Game

Author: Sara Shepard

Series: 1st in The Lying Game

Pages: 307

Published: Available now from HarperTeen

ISBN: 9780061869709

Source: Publisher via NetGalley

 

Description: The worst part of being dead is that there’s nothing left to live for. No more kisses. No more secrets. No more gossip. It’s enough to kill a girl all over again. But I’m about to get something no one else does—an encore performance, thanks to Emma, the long-lost twin sister I never even got to meet.  Now Emma’s desperate to know what happened to me. And the only way to figure it out is to be me—to slip into my old life and piece it all together. But can she laugh at inside jokes with my best friends? Convince my boyfriend she’s the girl he fell in love with? Pretend to be a happy, carefree daughter when she hugs my parents good night? And can she keep up the charade, even after she realizes my murderer is watching her every move? 

I Give This ...

 

Sara Shepard has a knack for writing characters you love to hate.  This one seems to be no exception.

I was immediately pulled into the story.  The idea of a long lost twin was intriguing, especially when we know right from the start that said twin is actually dead.   I felt sorry for Emma, but I also liked her.  She's had a hard life but she doesn't let it get her down.  She moves on to the next thing and tries to make the best of every situation.  I wasn't surprised that she was taken with the idea of the long lost twin and a family that might take her in.

I also really enjoyed the mystery.  As Sutton's story is laid out, you can't help but feel like she was a really awful person.  Not that any of it justifies murder, but you can see how one might be driven to do it.   Poor Emma having to step in and fill her shoes when she doesn't know a thing about her.  Plus, as she learns that her twin was really murdered, it was interesting watching her try to figure out who could have done it.  Plus I really liked the fact that she tried to tell people she wasn't really Sutton and nobody believed her.

Reading this one reminds me how much I need to finish the Pretty Little Liar series.  It has similar tones to that series.  So, bottom line is, if you liked that one, I'm pretty sure you will like this.  I did and can't wait to read the next installment!