#VBT Review: He's Lying About Everything - Robin Mahle


Review: He's Lying About Everything - Robin Mahle - June 2025
Robin Mahle's psychological thriller He's Lying about Everything delivers a compelling premise wrapped in marital deception and small-town secrets, though it occasionally stumbles under the weight of its own ambitions.
The story follows Derek, a tenured professor with a notorious reputation for infidelity, whose life unravels when one of his affairs ends in murder. Though cleared as a suspect, the scandal forces Derek, his wife Evie, and their four-year-old son Ben to relocate and start fresh in a new town. Derek secures a position at a local university, and for a moment, it seems the family might finally escape their past.
However, their newfound peace shatters when Evie begins receiving threatening notes about Derek's history. The messages suggest that someone knows exactly who they are and what they're running from. Suspicion falls on various newcomers in their lives—suspicious neighbors and even Ben's teacher—creating an atmosphere of paranoia that permeates every interaction.
When another female professor is discovered murdered in Derek's office, Evie can no longer ignore the mounting evidence that her husband's pattern of lies and betrayal may be more dangerous than she ever imagined. Faced with the possibility that she's been willfully blind to Derek's true nature, Evie must decide whether to continue enabling his behavior or finally break free, with or without him.
Evie's internal struggle feels authentic as she grapples with years of turning a blind eye to her husband's indiscretions. The author effectively captures the claustrophobic feeling of being watched and the paranoia that comes with running from scandal.
However, the novel's strength becomes its weakness as the plot progresses. The introduction of numerous side characters and subplots creates a tangled web that occasionally obscures rather than enhances the central mystery. The story becomes somewhat muddied, making it challenging to track the various deceptions and motivations at play. While the complexity adds layers to the narrative, it sometimes feels unnecessarily convoluted.
Despite these issues, He's Lying about Everything succeeds as an engaging thriller that will keep readers guessing.
For thriller enthusiasts who enjoy psychological complexity and don't mind unraveling intricate plot threads, this novel offers enough suspense and character development to warrant a read, even if it doesn't quite achieve its full potential.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4dxo0EX
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