Murder for Liar

Author Verlin Darrow weaves a suspenseful tale in Liar for Murder as his protagonist, psychotherapist Tom Dashiel finds himself falling down the rabbit hole after meeting new client George Arundel. George comes into Tom’s office, located in Santa Cruz, California, and the two banter back and forth without Arundel giving any real information as to why he needs Tom’s help. As Tom says to George on his first visit, “…talking with you feels like pulling teeth. You’ve systematically refused to cooperate with me, and frankly, I’m feeling very frustrated.” George leaves the visit telling Tom that he believes a friend of his is an angel.

What I enjoyed about Murder for Liar was the way Darrow laid the story out. From the very beginning, the reader is sucked into the story wondering what would happen next. Needless to say, Tom finds his interest piqued by George’s obscurity and allows George to come back for further visits, each one stranger than the next.

The attention to detail that Darrow uses in his book allows the reader to see clearly what each character looks like down to what he or she is wearing, their expressions, and their actions. The philosophical conversations between Tom and the other characters in the book give the reader something to ponder over as well. From Zig Zag, the possible angel, to an adorable dog who may or may not have led Tom to the book he was looking for, the characters are all interesting and have colorful personalities.

As the story unfolds, a serial killer in town becomes a main focus. Tom’s new friend, Dizzy, believes the killer is after her and hires Tom as her bodyguard since he is a rather large and scary-looking, scar-faced man. But how does this all connect to Tom and his new client?

The climax of the book is delightfully horrific and readers will find that they just can’t put the book down. What Tom experiences is both surreal and terrifying. Darrow does an amazing job of creating a suspenseful storyline that will twist and turn in the mind of the reader. This book’s psychological manipulation feels like riding a rollercoaster in the dark—a bit scary, yet thrilling at the same time. If you are in the market for an intellectual, yet dark, psychological thriller with some fantasy thrown in, Murder for Liar is the book for you. Perfect for fans of Gillian Flynn and Peter Swanson.