Liars, Inc. by Paula Stokes (Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads)Also by this author: Girl Against the Universe, This Is How It Happened, The Key To Everything
Published by Harper Collins on March 24th 2015
Genres: Family, Love & Romance, Mysteries & Detective Stories, Orphans & Foster Homes, Young Adult
Pages: 368
Format: ARC
A dark and twisted psychological tale that will keep readers guessing, perfect for fans of I Hunt Killers and Gone Girl.Max Cantrell has never been a big fan of the truth, so when the opportunity arises to sell forged permission slips and cover stories to his classmates, it sounds like a good way to make a little money. So with the help of his friend Preston and his girlfriend, Parvati, Max starts Liars, Inc. Suddenly everybody needs something, and the cash starts pouring in. Who knew lying could be so lucrative?When Preston wants his own cover story to go visit a girl he met online, Max doesn't think twice about it. But then Preston never comes home. And the evidence starts to pile up—terrifying clues that lead to Preston's body.Terrifying clues that point to Max as the killer….
WED MARCH 18. MAX CANTRELL PROFILE
Paula: It’s Day 3 of the #CatchAKiller Blog Tour—time to find out a little about main character Max! Follow along to win fun swag and test your detective skills. Nothing in the content is directly spoilery for the book, but the info presented here might get you thinking about who’s lying and who’s telling the truth. Can you follow the clues and sniff out a killer? Make your guess and then read LIARS, INC. to see if you’re right!
CASE CA4153-228
INFORMATION PROFILE
LEAD INVESTIGATOR: McGhee, James, Special Agent
SECONDARY INVESTIGATOR:Gonzalez, Alex, Special Agent
INFORMATION PROVIDED BY: Cantrell, Max
SUBJECT:Cantrell, Max
AGE:17
GENDER:Male
NATIONALITY:American
ETHNICITY:Caucasian
HEIGHT:6’1”
WEIGHT:165
HAIR:Light brown
EYES:Brown
Max Cantrell is a seventeen-year-old male. He was born in Los Angeles, CA. His current legal address is 670 SW Barnes Ave. in Vista Palisades, CA. Max is currently a senior at Vista Palisades High School and is being questioned in conjunction with the disappearance of Preston DeWitt.
CRIMINAL HISTORY:Juvenile record. Request for information sent.
MEDICAL HISTORY:Tonsillectomy. Ear tubes. Subject says he was diagnosed with PTSD at age ten after spending approximately a year living on the streets and underwent a few months of therapy. Currently does not suffer from any symptoms. Subject denies drug and tobacco use. Admits to occasional drinking.
ACADEMIC HISTORY:Attended elementary school in Los Angeles and Vista Palisades Middle and High School. Missed fifth grade while living on the streets, but placed in sixth grade after being adopted. Currently a senior at Vista Palisades High School.
WORK HISTORY:Has worked as a clerk/cashier at the Triple S surf shop since he was 15 and given surfing lessons seasonally since he was 16.
SOCIAL HISTORY:Subject says he’s not very good at making friends, but also that he doesn’t have any enemies. States he dates occasionally but has no current girlfriend. Names Preston DeWitt and Parvati Amos as his two closest friends. Has known Preston for a little over a year and Parvati for about eight months. He and Parvati used to date, but broke up amicably a few weeks earlier.
Jaime’s Thoughts
I love a good mystery and Paula Stokes certainly delivers with Liars, Inc.
Max Cantrell is being set up.
For the murder of his best friend.
Preston and Parvati are the only people Max has really let into his life. Preston is his best friend and Parvati is the girl of his dreams, and when the three realize that they could put their talents and skills to good use by providing fake excuses, permission slips and cover stories for their classmates for a fee, and hopefully liven up a boring senior year of school, they create Liars, Inc.
When Preston gets Max to cover for him… one little lie, that’s all it is… Max never questions it. But when Preston disappears and then turns up dead and all kinds of evidence points the finger Max’s way he’s in a race against time to find the real killer before he ends up in jail.
I seriously can’t say much about this story without spilling certain details so this review may seem vague, but what I can tell you is that Stokes will have you suspecting EVERYONE! I didn’t trust a single person Max encountered and I even had wild theories spinning around in my head while reading.
Max is such a likable character, you’ll find it incredibly hard not to cheer him on as the pages turn. He comes across as a bit gullible at times, but not in an annoying way, his past really had me as a reader sympathizing with him and really shapes who he is now. I absolutely loved being in his head for the duration of this story.
While this isn’t an action filled read, the story moves at a pretty quick pace. Stokes does an amazing job of weaving an amazing story filled with mystery and drama. As a reader I didn’t even notice it while I was reading, but it finally hit me, the genius of it, when I turned the last page. The story seems almost effortless, the way the story twists and turns, but looking back it is so much more complex than I initially gave it credit for.
I can’t finish this review without mentioning the ending – it was perfection. I mentioned above that I love thrillers and mysteries, but I can usually figure out what’s going on as I’m reading. I have to say that I didn’t even see this ending coming and that made it all the better.
Excellent thrillers are rare in YA and Stokes is at the top of her game with this book. If you’re looking for a mystery that will keep you guessing until the last page you definitely will need to grab Liars, Inc. as soon as you can.
About Paula Stokes
Paula Stokes is half writer, half RN, and totally thrilled to be part of the world of YA literature. She started out writing historical fiction under a pen name and is now branching out into other YA genres.
When she's not working (rare), she's kayaking, hiking, reading, or seeking out new adventures in faraway lands. She's petted tigers, snuggled snakes, snorkeled with stingrays, and once enjoyed the suction-cuppy feel of a baby elephant's trunk as it ate peanuts from her palm. Her future goals include diving with Great White sharks, learning Krav Maga, and writing a whole slew of novels, not necessarily in that order.
—Giveaway is open to International. | Must be 13+ to Enter
1 Deluxe Swag Pack. Includes (1 Black or White T-shirt, 1 Notebook, 1 Signed Postcard, 1 Magnet, 2 Signed Bookmarks, 1 Signed Bookplate, and a Mini Shark’s Tooth Pendant) all wrapped in crime scene tape and packaged in an official evidence bag.
2 Mini Swag Packs. Includes (2 Signed Bookmarks, 1 Magnet, 1 Signed Bookplate).
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