Seven Lies by Elizabeth Kay

It all started with just one little lie. But we all know that it never ends there. Because, of course, one lie leads to another…

Growing up, Jane and Marnie shared everything. They knew the other’s deep-est secrets. They wouldn’t have had it any other way. But when Marnie falls in love, things begin to change.

Because Jane has a secret: she loathes Marnie’s wealthy, priggish husband. So when Marnie asks if she likes him, Jane tells her first lie. After all, even best friends keep some things to themselves. If she had been honest, then perhaps her best friend’s husband might still be alive today…

For, of course, it’s not the last lie. In fact, it’s only the beginning…

Seven Lies is Jane’s confession of the truth—her truth. Compelling, sophisticated, chilling, it’s a seductive, hypnotic page-turner about the tangled, toxic friendships between women, the dark underbelly of obsession and what we stand to lose in the name of love.

(From the book blurb)

My thoughts:
Elizabeth Kay's debut novel is a compelling tale of a toxic friendship turned into an obsession.
Jane and Marnie have been best friends since the age of eleven. As you can imagine how important they are for each other. When Marnie gets involved with Charles and seeks Jane's approval, Jane doesn't tell her how much she hates her boyfriend. Now Jane is confessing her deepest secrets, the complicated web she has woven with that first lie.
It becomes apparent fairly quickly that Jane is an unreliable narrator or if you prefer mentally unstable psychopathic narrator. The story is dark and twisty and full of tragic circumstances. There is a lot of tension building and seemingly unnecessary 'asides' that in time become vital clues when all the details come together. Despite the slow burn, the story is compelling and whatever your feelings towards the main characters are, you will want to know who Jane is making her confession to.
The ending...well, personally I found it dark and sinister.
Who would I recommend this book to? Fans of dark psychological thriller who enjoyed Gone Girl and love exploring dysfunctional relationship dynamics.

Thank you to Edelweiss and Pamela Dorman Books for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.