The Good Lie by A.R. Torre

An award-winning New York Times bestselling author A.R. Torre.

Author

Diego Dunne
March 18, 2025

Hey, it’s Diego.

I finished reading The Good Lie by A.R. Torre this week.

And it’s not without its flaws but it’s my favorite read this year.

Let me give you my spoiler-free unbiased review.

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The Good Lie by A.R. Torre Review

Dr. Gwen Moore, a psychiatrist specializing in violent tendencies, helps Robert Kavin, a defense attorney whose teenage son was one of the serial killer’s victims, defend the man accused of being the serial killer.

Trigger Warnings: kidnapping, murder, torture, and sexual abuse, psychological abuse, psychological trauma and fantasies of murder.

This book falls under the Domestic Thriller genre.

Domestic thrillers: a subset of psychological thrillers that happen in a “domestic” location. This can be a family home or small town but can also be a hospital, prison, etc.

With such a juicy premise, I had high hopes for this book. However, it has two flaws: the beginning of the story is slow and confusing at times. I’ll get to the other flaw later.

Torre’s writing is fast-paced and flows effortlessly. The multiple points of view keep things dynamic. Gwen’s first-person perspective brings psychological depth, while the third-person chapters offer perspectives from the other characters. The short chapters and constant reveals make this one of those “just one more chapter” books that’s perfect for binge-reading.

This isn’t a book that relies on a single shocking twist to carry the story. Instead, the secrets are revealed progressively, each one-upping the stakes. It keeps you engaged wondering where the story is going. The tension builds naturally, and the psychological mind games are the real highlight here.

There’s a subtle romantic angle between Gwen and Robert that adds complexity to their interactions complementing the thriller elements. If you’re not a fan of romance in thrillers, don’t worry—this one stays in the background. There are no sexual scenes and no swearing.

This book does contain graphic descriptions of the aftermath of violence, especially related to the investigation into the serial killings, but it’s not gratuitous. There are thrills throughout the story, although not heart-pounding, the main driver is the quest to find out what’s going to happen next.

So, what about the ending? (No spoilers obviously)

I love my stories to wrap up nicely, with a neat little bow at the end. I like to read a cathartic scene where everything our characters have been through finally pays off physically and emotionally. Then a denouement in another chapter (or chapters) following the characters decompress where things are resolved and I’m left delighted at how well things played out at the end, every plot thread resolved.

The ending ties up the story well leaving some parts open to interpretation. And in the denouement we get a clear sense of what happens to the main characters.

The other flaw this book has is that we get a flurry of twists towards the end that cheapen the otherwise great journey this book is.

The Good Lie is a gripping and cleverly crafted thriller with just the right mix of tension and character development. It’s perfect for fans of twisty stories with a psychological edge and a fast-paced plot. If you love thrillers that keep you guessing, this one’s worth picking up.

Similar Books to The Good Lie

  • Every Last Secret by A.R. Torre

  • Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

  • The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins

That’s all for this week.

See you next time.

— Diego Dunne

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