Beautiful Lies: A Novel 
asked by dignified1 on November 9, 2006 2:03 AM
If Ridley Jones had slept ten minutes later or had taken the subway instead of waiting for a cab, she would still be living the beautiful lie she used to call her life. She would still be the privileged daughter of a doting father and a loving mother. Her life would still be perfect—with only the tiny cracks of an angry junkie for a brother and a charming drunk with shady underworld connections for an uncle to mar the otherwise flawless whole.
But that’s not what happened. Instead, those inconsequential decisions lead her to perform a good deed that puts her in the right place at the right time to unleash a chain of events that brings a mysterious package to her door—a package which informs her that her entire world is a lie.
Suddenly forced to question everything she knows about herself and her family, Ridley wanders into dark territory she never knew existed, where everyone in her life seems like a stranger. She has no idea who’s on her side and who has something to hide—even, and maybe especially, her new lover, Jake, who appears to have secrets of his own.
Sexy and fast-paced, Beautiful Lies is a true literary thriller with one of the freshest voices and heroines to arrive in years. Lisa Unger takes us on a breathtaking ride in which every choice Ridley makes creates a whirlwind of consequences that are impossible to imagine . . . .
AN INTERNATIONAL BOOK-OF-THE-MONTH SELECTION
A featured alternate selection of the Literary Guild, Doubleday Book Club, Book-of-the-Month Club, Mystery Guild, and Rhapsody Book Club.
Also available as a Random House AudioBook, a Large Print edition, and an eBook.
But that’s not what happened. Instead, those inconsequential decisions lead her to perform a good deed that puts her in the right place at the right time to unleash a chain of events that brings a mysterious package to her door—a package which informs her that her entire world is a lie.
Suddenly forced to question everything she knows about herself and her family, Ridley wanders into dark territory she never knew existed, where everyone in her life seems like a stranger. She has no idea who’s on her side and who has something to hide—even, and maybe especially, her new lover, Jake, who appears to have secrets of his own.
Sexy and fast-paced, Beautiful Lies is a true literary thriller with one of the freshest voices and heroines to arrive in years. Lisa Unger takes us on a breathtaking ride in which every choice Ridley makes creates a whirlwind of consequences that are impossible to imagine . . . .
AN INTERNATIONAL BOOK-OF-THE-MONTH SELECTION
A featured alternate selection of the Literary Guild, Doubleday Book Club, Book-of-the-Month Club, Mystery Guild, and Rhapsody Book Club.
Also available as a Random House AudioBook, a Large Print edition, and an eBook.
Reviews
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Let me begin with a caveat: I don't read that many mystery books. But the reason I don't (clunky, over heated prose and stock characters) was not the problem I had with this book. Unger has a nice, witty sense of self-awareness in her writing that had me rooting for the book(and she paints a nice picture of the East Village, NYC). I liked the main character quite a bit. But the problem with the book is that the "horrific" discoveries the main character makes about something in general and something about herself do not warrant all of the intrigue and shock on her part. I'm not going to ruin the plot for those interested in reading this. But suffice to say that any reasonable person would be thankful rather than shocked or hurt upon discovery of the "beautiful lie" that leaves the main character bereft for far too many pages. In addition, it is difficult to understand why such desperate efforts are made by so many respectable people to maintain a cover up of what could well be thought of as an heroic mission undertaken many years in the past. To simply treat some morally complicated act as if is was evil merely for the purpose of creating suspense, particularly given all of the truly evil things there are in the world (or even just the East Village) just seems silly.
reviewed by fusionz on November 11, 2006 4:53 AM
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The life of Ridley Jones is dramatically altered when she performs a random act of heroism. Through a quirk of fate, she saves a small child from certain death, has her photo taken, in the act, by a news photograhper who just happens to be on the scene, has her picture plastered on the front page of the New York Post, and as a result discovers that her entire life is based on a web of lies. (Talk about serendipity!)
Of course, there are the requisite supporting players....the ex-boyfriend, the new stud, the grizzled cop, and those who want the truth kept quiet. Don't want to give away the entire plotline, so suffice to say that it's a good read for a rainy afternoon.
Of course, there are the requisite supporting players....the ex-boyfriend, the new stud, the grizzled cop, and those who want the truth kept quiet. Don't want to give away the entire plotline, so suffice to say that it's a good read for a rainy afternoon.
reviewed by webster on November 17, 2006 4:58 AM
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This is the first novel published by Lisa Unger, but it is not her first novel. She also writes as Lisa Miscione. She has written 3 or 4 books under that name. The latest was "SMOKE" It was a very sophisticated mystery series about a former "victim" turned crime-novelist. Lots of twists, turns, and vodka martinis.
I haven't had a chance to read "BEAUTIFUL LIES" yet, but I have it on reserve at my local library. I am looking forward to a good read!!!!
I haven't had a chance to read "BEAUTIFUL LIES" yet, but I have it on reserve at my local library. I am looking forward to a good read!!!!
reviewed by macfan on November 26, 2006 5:07 PM
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Wow, I really liked this book. As other reviewers have noted, the exceptional part of this book is less about the plot -- although I liked the twists and turns just fine -- and more about the author's writing style. I particularly liked her characters. So many authors create "paper doll" characters -- flawless, uninteresting, and ultimately one-dimensional people. This author chose to give her characters imperfections, quirks, and subtleties that brought them to life for me, and made the book much more interesting and made it seem as though the author really knew these people. Ridley's mother, in particular, was beautifully drawn. A woman who loves her children immensely, but is overly concerned with appearance, and who withdraws when things do not go well. I can't wait for the author's sophomore effort, and hope it comes out quickly!
reviewed by papi on November 27, 2006 7:40 PM
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If there's anything better than discoving a really great first-time author, I don't know what it is. I LOVED Beautiful Lies. Basically, once I'd picked up the book, I just couldn't put it down until I'd finished it.
The protagonist, Ridley, was so real. She told her story in the first person and addressed the reader directly. I swear, I could be friends with her.
And the story she had to tell... It started so plausably and got so convoluted. But I was with her every step of the way. Unger made me buy a fairly far-fetched plot. But mostly, I just wanted to know what was going to happen. What HAD already happened to this girl.
Here's how it begins: Ridley Jones is a successful freelance journalist in NY. She's a happy person with a loving family and a good life. One day a random act of heroism gets her photo splashed across the news for a week. In the wake of her brief celebrity, she receives a photograph in the mail. It's a photo of man she's never seen, a woman who bares a striking resemblance to her, and a two-year old girl who looks like she did as a baby--though she's never seen a photo of herself that young. The accompanying note says, "I think you're my daughter." Ridley is not adopted.
The story aqccelerates at a break-neck pace from there. But aside from great characters, and a strong plot, this is an exceptionally well-written thriller. It's being billed as a "literary thriller," and I don't know that I'd go that far, but this novel is way above average.
I can't wait to see what Lisa Unger writes next. I hope she writes fast!
The protagonist, Ridley, was so real. She told her story in the first person and addressed the reader directly. I swear, I could be friends with her.
And the story she had to tell... It started so plausably and got so convoluted. But I was with her every step of the way. Unger made me buy a fairly far-fetched plot. But mostly, I just wanted to know what was going to happen. What HAD already happened to this girl.
Here's how it begins: Ridley Jones is a successful freelance journalist in NY. She's a happy person with a loving family and a good life. One day a random act of heroism gets her photo splashed across the news for a week. In the wake of her brief celebrity, she receives a photograph in the mail. It's a photo of man she's never seen, a woman who bares a striking resemblance to her, and a two-year old girl who looks like she did as a baby--though she's never seen a photo of herself that young. The accompanying note says, "I think you're my daughter." Ridley is not adopted.
The story aqccelerates at a break-neck pace from there. But aside from great characters, and a strong plot, this is an exceptionally well-written thriller. It's being billed as a "literary thriller," and I don't know that I'd go that far, but this novel is way above average.
I can't wait to see what Lisa Unger writes next. I hope she writes fast!
reviewed by papi on November 28, 2006 2:50 AM