Title: The Lying Game
Author: Sara Shepard
First published December 7, 2010
307 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 9780061869709 (ISBN10: 0061869708)
Rating: 3.91
Overview
I had it all, until it was all taken away. Being dead is lonely, but what’s worse is not knowing who did it.
But with the arrival of my twin sister, Emma, I’m about to get a second chance at life. Emma is determined to uncover the truth about my murder by stepping into my shoes and reliving my life.
Can she fool my best friends, my boyfriend, and even my own parents? And what happens when she realizes that my killer is watching her every move?
Author Sara Shepard, known for her bestselling Pretty Little Liars series, brings you a thrilling new read about deceit, betrayal, and the dangerous consequences of playing the lying game. It’s time to begin.
About the Author
Sara Shepard earned her degree from NYU and completed her MFA at Brooklyn College. Over the years, she has called several cities home, including New York City, Brooklyn, Tucson, and Philadelphia.
Currently, she resides in Pittsburgh, PA. Sara’s childhood in Philadelphia’s Main Line served as the inspiration for her well-known Pretty Little Liars book series.
Editoral Review
Sara Shepard’s ‘The Lying Game’ is a bestselling YA mystery novel that was first published on December 7, 2010. She is known for her works in the mystery and young adult genres.
Set in a small town in Arizona, the novel tells the story of Emma, who was recently expelled from her prestigious boarding school. She received an unexpected message from her estranged twin sister, Sutton, who was adopted at birth.
Sutton persuades Emma to come and visit her in Tucson to discuss matters further. However, the stakes are high as Emma finds Sutton dead on her arrival.
The story continues with Emma assuming Sutton’s role to unravel the mysteries behind Sutton’s death with the aid of her friends who are also classmates at Sutton’s old school. Together, they form a bond and a pact—‘the LYING game,’—to protect each other’s secrets and identities from Sutton’s actual murderer.
In ‘The Lying Game’, Shepard offers a tale full of suspense, action, and whodunit twists. Her writing is gripping and full of creativity; it immerses readers in the world she created.
The story had relatable teenage characters, which would attract readers in the target audience of young adults. In terms of literary merit, Shepard effectively weaves suspense throughout, making the readers suspicious of everybody’s intentions.
The author’s style encourages readers to keep turning the pages to discover the culprit, and the narrative keeps the reader guessing until the very end. She touches on issues relevant to modern society, like identity, truth, and peer pressure.
However, while the story is engaging, one difficulty the book faces is the lack of a strong protagonist. Emma lacks character development; she is not relatable and, at times, shows contradictions to the events in the story.
Shepard could have improved the pacing by adding more depth to her character and staking out her identity. Overall, ‘The Lying Game’ is an entertaining and enjoyable read for young adults.
It has a relatable and compelling plot and is full of twists and turns. Shepard’s writing style is well-crafted, making each chapter intriguing enough to keep readers engaged until the very end.
For readers who enjoy mystery, suspense or YA fiction, ‘The Lying Game’ would be a great addition to their reading lists. With it, Shepard proves herself a valuable contributor to the YA mystery genre.
It is recommended with a score of 3.5 out of 5 stars.
