Book Review: The Lying Game by Sara Shepard

The Lying Game by Sara Shepard
The Lying Game #1
Release Date: December 7, 2010
Publisher: HarperCollins
Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Amazon US | Amazon UK

The worst part of being dead is that there’s nothing left to live for. No more kisses. No more secrets. No more gossip. It’s enough to kill a girl all over again. But I’m about to get something no one else does—an encore performance, thanks to Emma, the long-lost twin sister I never even got to meet.

Now Emma’s desperate to know what happened to me. And the only way to figure it out is to be me—to slip into my old life and piece it all together. But can she laugh at inside jokes with my best friends? Convince my boyfriend she’s the girl he fell in love with? Pretend to be a happy, carefree daughter when she hugs my parents good night? And can she keep up the charade, even after she realizes my murderer is watching her every move? - Goodreads Page

I was a little hesitant about picking up one of Sara Shepard’s books, as I had heard such mixed things about the Pretty Little Liars series. Some people say it’s amazing, and yet plenty of others say that it’s a long winded series that should have stopped at a few books. Luckily, I have learnt to make up my own mind about books, and thought I’d give her new series a go.

The plot consists of Emma finding out that her long lost twin, Sutton, is dead. Emma is forced to put herself in Sutton’s shoes – quite literally – and live her life whilst trying to find Sutton’s killer, and exactly who has been leaving her creepy messages. The book is packed full of mystery, and everyone is a suspect. I honestly didn’t know which way to look, I suspected everybody. Sara Shepard definitely keeps you guessing – in fact, I’m still guessing, as this is the first book in a series.

The way the story is narrated is pretty unique. It’s told from the point of view of Sutton. Yes, the dead girl. She’s experiencing some sort of spiritual connection to her twin, and she sees what Emma sees, and hears what Emma hears. It does seem like a third person point of view at times, until Sutton suddenly pops up again. Sutton also has no memory of her life before her death, so that deepens the mystery even more, if that’s even possible.

Emma is a main protagonist that is easy to relate to. I enjoyed reading about her stepping into Sutton’s life, and investigating her twin sister’s death. I also loved the relationships she is forging with Sutton’s friends, and Sutton’s enemies. I love how Emma handles things, and she’s a clever character that really thinks on her feet.

Sara Shepard has created a fantastic mystery series, and this book was a great read. I’d definitely recommend it if you enjoy the Pretty Little Liars series, and if you enjoy a good mystery. But if you’re looking for a book that wraps things up nicely, then this isn’t for you. Just when you think you know who the murderer is, Sara Shepard spins the plot into a completely new direction. Enjoy!