The Liar’s Child by Carla Buckley

March 2019
Random House
Fiction, psychological drama

I received a digital copy of this ARC from NetGalley and Random House in exchange for an unbiased review.

This story is told from multiple POV with alternating narrators with questionable reliability. Based near North Carolina’s Outer Banks, several lives are devastated and not just from the impending hurricane. The Liar’s Child is just about anyone’s child given the complicated family histories and differing perspectives of reality. It seems most families have secrets or untold truths which ultimately get retold or misrepresented over the years.

The Nelson family live in an apartment complex called the Paradise which coincidently is anything but a paradise. Life is difficult for 12-year old Cassie and her 5-year old brother, “Boon” primarily due to their ineffective parents. It seems that as much as the parents express their love for their children they lack the mental and physical ability to protect them. It’s no wonder that Cassie is acting out and hanging with high school hooligans and Boon sucks his thumb, wets himself and considers his stuffed animals his friends.

The father, Whit Nelson, seems to spend most of his time compensating for his wife’s mental instability while working as a full time hotel manager to keep CPS from taking his kids. While it seems that he has good intentions, he clearly spreads himself too thin trying to placate his parents who live an hour away and Thompson his demanding boss.

As if this isn’t enough, Paradise becomes the home for Sara Lennox, a con artist forced into Federal protective custody to avoid prison. As much as she tries to remain uninvolved with the tumultuous family living next door, she gets drawn into their lives reminding her of her own childhood. Unfortunately, her story only feels partially explored with an unsatisfactory ending.

As the hurricane approaches, Sara is compelled to do the right thing by rescuing the 2 kids next door when their father doesn’t return from an errand. Trying to escape the elements they eventually end up at a motel where they encounter more people trying to escape their past. Hank is a retired sherif still grieving the loss of his wife and son many years prior. Due to his own denial and feelings of regret he focuses his energy on “all” the missing children in the news. Honestly, I wasn’t sure where his storyline was going as his obsession is rather creepy!

I enjoyed the pace of the story and the twists and turns but didn’t feel like the story was complete at the end. I felt like it “skipped” parts and just put a bow on it leaving many questions unnecessarily up in the air. ( )

I’ve read ‘The Deepest Secret’ by this author and thoroughly enjoyed it. Unfortunately, for me this book did not live up to my expectations. I found the story slow moving until mid way thru when the Hurricane hit. From here, it took off at a much faster pace. It is in no way a cheerful read, it’s a down-on-your-luck sad read. The last chapter and the Epilogue were more hopeful. But, I finished it with too many questions. Story is told in 4 voices, until the Epilogue.

I really did not like most of the characters, except for Boon, an adorable little boy caught in a bad situation along with his sister, Cassie, a teenager with major attitude, rightfully so but needing her parents to step up and parent. Whit, the Dad, who tries to keep everyone happy. Diane, the Mom, who is selfish and self-centered. Sara, trying to save herself in the Witness Protection Program. Hank, an ex-cop with a past that we learn about late.

I do enjoy Ms. Buckley’s story telling and look forward to reading her again. Thanks to NegGalley, the author and Ballantine Books for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone. ( )

The Liar’s Child by Carla Buckley

I received a digital copy of this ARC from NetGalley and Random House in exchange for an unbiased review.

This story is told from multiple POV with alternating narrators with questionable reliability. Based near North Carolina’s Outer Banks, several lives are devastated and not just from the impending hurricane. The Liar’s Child is just about anyone’s child given the complicated family histories and differing perspectives of reality. It seems most families have secrets or untold truths which ultimately get retold or misrepresented over the years.

The Nelson family live in an apartment complex called the Paradise which coincidently is anything but a paradise. Life is difficult for 12-year old Cassie and her 5-year old brother, “Boon” primarily due to their ineffective parents. It seems that as much as the parents express their love for their children they lack the mental and physical ability to protect them. It’s no wonder that Cassie is acting out and hanging with high school hooligans and Boon sucks his thumb, wets himself and considers his stuffed animals his friends.

The father, Whit Nelson, seems to spend most of his time compensating for his wife’s mental instability while working as a full time hotel manager to keep CPS from taking his kids. While it seems that he has good intentions, he clearly spreads himself too thin trying to placate his parents who live an hour away and Thompson his demanding boss.

As if this isn’t enough, Paradise becomes the home for Sara Lennox, a con artist forced into Federal protective custody to avoid prison. As much as she tries to remain uninvolved with the tumultuous family living next door, she gets drawn into their lives reminding her of her own childhood. Unfortunately, her story only feels partially explored with an unsatisfactory ending.

As the hurricane approaches, Sara is compelled to do the right thing by rescuing the 2 kids next door when their father doesn’t return from an errand. Trying to escape the elements they eventually end up at a motel where they encounter more people trying to escape their past. Hank is a retired sherif still grieving the loss of his wife and son many years prior. Due to his own denial and feelings of regret he focuses his energy on “all” the missing children in the news. Honestly, I wasn’t sure where his storyline was going as his obsession is rather creepy!

I enjoyed the pace of the story and the twists and turns but didn’t feel like the story was complete at the end. I felt like it “skipped” parts and just put a bow on it leaving many questions unnecessarily up in the air. ( )

This book completely held my interest. You've got an accountant that has been put into the Witness Protection Plan, dumped into a seedy apartment complex until time for the trial, a twelve year old girl and her little brother who are mostly neglected by their parents and the character of Florida, itself. Oh, and I almost forgot...a tornado coming in! This completely held my interest until the very last word. Enjoyed the ride! ( )

Parents can really mess a kid up, even when they have the best intentions. The lives of a family and a woman on the run intersect and intertwine in this plot that is based on manipulation and humanity.
The beginning was slow, but set up the events to come, and there are some twists that I didn’t see coming. The characters are realistic; messed up people trying not to be. In all, a good read.
*I received an arc from the publisher through NetGalley for an honest review ( )