One Perfect Lie by Lisa Scottoline: A Review

                                                
Nobody really knows who Chris Brennan is.  Sometimes Chris Brennan doesn't really know who Chris Brennan is.  He has just accepted a job as the new AP Government teacher and assistant baseball coach at Central Valley High School, an emerging suburb in Pennsylvania.  His aim is to get close to three local boys on the varsity baseball team, Jordan, Evan and Raz, so that he can gather information on them.  Chris believes it should be easy because Raz is struggling after the death of his father and Jordan never knew his.  Evan is simply struggling with being an overindulged teenager or, as his mother says, afflicted with affluenza.  Who is Chris Brennan and what information is he trying to gain from his interactions with these young men?

I really enjoyed Scottoline's approach to writing.  Even though this is a mystery novel, I find that it is very similar to Liane Moriarty's light approach to writing.  It feels sunny and fresh.  I feel like I am on the baseball field with all of the characters as I am reading it.  It was easy to read and I finished is very quickly because of that.  The characters were also sublime.  They were all very different and well described.  I think I might have a little bit of a crush on Chris Brennan!  Heather and Jordan's relationship as mother and son was very much like that of a real single-mother and son.   

The story was awesome.  I thought that the twist was being revealed when I got through about a third of the book but it was just one of the twists.  I really didn't know what was going to happen until the very end and it was a shock!  It was also refreshing that this was not just a mystery novel.  When I say that, I mean that there is enough family drama (plenty of family drama) and romance to keep readers of other genres interested, as well.  The government jargon and bureaucratic procedures felt very authentic and gave an interesting touch to the novel.  I really enjoyed this book and I think that anyone who likes mysteries or who enjoy books with very strong characters will love this book.

Watch the book trailer for One Perfect Lie here:

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I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher in order to review it but that did not have an effect on my review of the book.  This is my honest opinion of this book.  I am a participant in the Amazon Affiliates program.  By clicking on the Amazon link and purchasing this product, I receive a small fee.  I am not associated with Goodreads or Barnes and Noble in any way and the links provided are available strictly for your convenience and not to imply a relationship of any kind.