"The Lying Game"

"The Lying Game" is Ruth Ware's third novel and the second one I've read.  "The Woman In Cabin 10" received so much press that I had to read it and that is where I discovered Ware.  In that one I was unable to stop myself from looking ahead in the book to see what happened.  However, in this one I resisted that urge and I'm certainly glad that I did!

This is the story of four girls who were friends at Salten, a boarding school in the boonies, and they had a game they played, "The Lying Game."  All four girls were at Salten for various reasons and it wasn't where they really wanted to be.  Kate was able to attend Salten because her father taught art there and they lived near by.  Fatima was sent to Salten because her parents were living abroad.  Thea was sent to Salten because she'd been kicked out of yet another boarding school.  Isa came because her mother was dying and her father needed to focus his attention on her mother.  They were an unlikely group to become a clique of friends but lifetime friends they became.  When Kate sent them each a message saying, "I Need You!," they all came even though it was inconvenient for Fatima to leave her medical practice and Isa to come with her infant daughter in tow.

This is a thick tome - 368 pages - and the story unravels bit  by bit and what we think we know changes as the story unfolds until the surprising end.  It's a story of friendship and of betrayal and the lengths someone will go to to keep a secret.  It's a great read so now it's time for me to look for Ware's first book, "In A Dark, Dark Wood."  pazt