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The Good Liar
In this provocative mystery from beloved crime writer Denise Mina, new evidence in an old murder case leads a forensic scientist to an impossible
Would you still do the right thing if you knew it would cost everything you loved?
Doctor Claudia O’Sheil is approaching the podium at an elegant fundraiser, where she is expected to give a speech about how her forensic science evidence helped convict the brutal killer in her most famous The Incident at Chester Terrace, a sensational double-murder that ignited the country just one year before.
But the research has moved on, the evidence Claudia gave was junk science, used to put William Stewart away for the murder of his father and his girlfriend. Because of her an innocent man is in prison, and she didn’t act alone—some very powerful people have an agenda she is only beginning to understand. This speech might be her last chance to reveal the truth and catch the real murderer. But admitting her mistake will cost her reputation, her career, her home, security for her two sons, the esteem of her colleagues, and the pride of a nation obsessed with her success. In this breathless upmarket suspense novel, interwoven with the present-day framework is a past narrative that slowly reveals what actually happened the night of a devastating double-murder in a wealthy family.
As Claudia steps toward the microphone, she revisits the murder investigation, desperate to understand what went wrong before her chance is gone. What speech will Claudia give? And what really happened at Chester Terrace that night?
Doctor Claudia O’Sheil is approaching the podium at an elegant fundraiser, where she is expected to give a speech about how her forensic science evidence helped convict the brutal killer in her most famous The Incident at Chester Terrace, a sensational double-murder that ignited the country just one year before.
But the research has moved on, the evidence Claudia gave was junk science, used to put William Stewart away for the murder of his father and his girlfriend. Because of her an innocent man is in prison, and she didn’t act alone—some very powerful people have an agenda she is only beginning to understand. This speech might be her last chance to reveal the truth and catch the real murderer. But admitting her mistake will cost her reputation, her career, her home, security for her two sons, the esteem of her colleagues, and the pride of a nation obsessed with her success. In this breathless upmarket suspense novel, interwoven with the present-day framework is a past narrative that slowly reveals what actually happened the night of a devastating double-murder in a wealthy family.
As Claudia steps toward the microphone, she revisits the murder investigation, desperate to understand what went wrong before her chance is gone. What speech will Claudia give? And what really happened at Chester Terrace that night?
272 pages, Hardcover
First published July 29, 2025
198 people are currently reading
18111 people want to read
About the author
Denise Mina
126 books2,479 followersDenise Mina was born in Glasgow in 1966. Because of her father's job as an Engineer, the family followed the north sea oil boom of the seventies around Europe
She left school at sixteen and did a number of poorly paid jobs, including working in a meat factory, as a bar maid, kitchen porter and cook.
Eventually she settled in auxiliary nursing for geriatric and terminal care patients.
At twenty one she passed exams, got into study Law at Glasgow University and went on to research a PhD thesis at Strathclyde University on the ascription of mental illness to female offenders, teaching criminology and criminal law in the mean time.
Misusing her grant she stayed at home and wrote a novel, 'Garnethill' when she was supposed to be studying instead.
She left school at sixteen and did a number of poorly paid jobs, including working in a meat factory, as a bar maid, kitchen porter and cook.
Eventually she settled in auxiliary nursing for geriatric and terminal care patients.
At twenty one she passed exams, got into study Law at Glasgow University and went on to research a PhD thesis at Strathclyde University on the ascription of mental illness to female offenders, teaching criminology and criminal law in the mean time.
Misusing her grant she stayed at home and wrote a novel, 'Garnethill' when she was supposed to be studying instead.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 158 reviews
July 29, 2025
New evidence in an old murder case will force a forensic scientist to make an impossible choice- If she admits that her research is flawed-old cases may have to be reopened and her own reputation and career will most definitely be ruined.-Will she expose the truth?
Doctor Claudia O’Sheil is approaching the podium at an elegant fundraiser, where she is expected to give a speech about how her forensic science evidence helped convict a killer, one year prior, in her most famous case-“The Incident at Chester Terrace” a brutal double-murder which captured headlines.
She has two speeches in her folder-
Which one will she give?
The prologue tells you, she will come clean.
But is she a reliable narrator?
Does she have the courage to do so?
I requested this, curious to find out.
The present day is interwoven with the past narrative which eventually reveals what actually happened the night of the grisly double murder.
And, in the final chapter, when Claudia steps towards the podium-we will learn what she has decided, and what has motivated that choice.
The book is only 272 pages, so the pace is quick. It seems like Claudia moves from one conversation to another so there are lots of characters that you don’t get to know very well. I prefer more character building, so while I enjoyed the premise-it’s not a book that will leave a lasting impression on me.
TW: Graphic description of a family dog killed, Crass language
NOW AVAILABLE
Thank You to the Novel Suspects program and Mulholland Books for the opportunity to try this “NEW TO ME AUTHOR”.
A gifted ARC was provided through NetGalley and as always-these are my candid thoughts.
Doctor Claudia O’Sheil is approaching the podium at an elegant fundraiser, where she is expected to give a speech about how her forensic science evidence helped convict a killer, one year prior, in her most famous case-“The Incident at Chester Terrace” a brutal double-murder which captured headlines.
She has two speeches in her folder-
Which one will she give?
The prologue tells you, she will come clean.
But is she a reliable narrator?
Does she have the courage to do so?
I requested this, curious to find out.
The present day is interwoven with the past narrative which eventually reveals what actually happened the night of the grisly double murder.
And, in the final chapter, when Claudia steps towards the podium-we will learn what she has decided, and what has motivated that choice.
The book is only 272 pages, so the pace is quick. It seems like Claudia moves from one conversation to another so there are lots of characters that you don’t get to know very well. I prefer more character building, so while I enjoyed the premise-it’s not a book that will leave a lasting impression on me.
TW: Graphic description of a family dog killed, Crass language
NOW AVAILABLE
Thank You to the Novel Suspects program and Mulholland Books for the opportunity to try this “NEW TO ME AUTHOR”.
A gifted ARC was provided through NetGalley and as always-these are my candid thoughts.
May 26, 2025
We do not appreciate Denise Mina enough. She has been writing incredibly consistent crime novels for over 25 years and she's writing some of her best stuff recently. The Good Liar is a great study of an antihero that has a twisty plot and some great character depths to explore.
I want to take a moment to thank this book for writing a perfect Prologue. I am so tired of thrillers with prologues thrown in that do absolutely nothing to pull you into the story. All they do is give you some big thing that is supposed to be thrilling to give you some incentive to stick with the boring beginning of the book. But without character, without context, I find these prologues offputting. I generally find that if you skip them all together you lose absolutely nothing. But in this book, Mina gives us a prologue laying out the stakes of the entire book, telling us where she will be taking us, and doing it all quite clearly. It is a big gamble to show so much of your hand this early, but this is such a smart plot. And even better, we end up returning to the prologue and it turns out it isn't a prologue at all, it is our present plot which will be intertwined with the flashback plot. Again, a common device, but it's so expertly done here. Each visit back to the present raises the stakes even higher and gives us a deeper understanding of the complications.
Now for all this to work, you will have to occasionally find yourself in moments where you don't quite understand what something means or why something is important. But be patient, Mina is getting to it. All these pieces end up coming together as we slow roll through reveal after reveal.
And in the middle of all this we get a portrait of our protagonist, Claudia. She is an accomplished scientist whose study of blood spatter analysis has created a new industry standard. She is recently widowed and is now trying to parent two teenagers on her own and also keep her addict sister off the streets. So many of these pieces are the makings of a sympathetic protagonist, but the more time that passes the more we see Claudia for who she really is. And it's not a pretty picture. For Claudia has been pulled into the trappings of a comfortable life, she has reached a level of success she never dreamed possible. It's about more than getting away from Scotland to London, or making her way in the professional world. Claudia isn't just a striver, she wants the comforts of the upper crust that she is now able to rub shoulders with. This is the true conflict of the book: can Claudia give up these comforts to tell the truth? It seems like a simple call at first, but the more you know Claudia the more you realize that she is not as noble as she seemed. And it's unclear that she has the will or the strength of character to do the right thing.
I love a book that gets into these kinds of nuances, where you're not just waiting for the hero to do the thing you always knew he would do. Really, this isn't about the mystery. (This is never really much of a mystery at all, you have more than enough evidence pointing you in the right direction early on.) It's about what people will do to cover it up and whether Claudia is willing to be part of it.
Tore through this, one of the best mysteries I've read in a good while.
I want to take a moment to thank this book for writing a perfect Prologue. I am so tired of thrillers with prologues thrown in that do absolutely nothing to pull you into the story. All they do is give you some big thing that is supposed to be thrilling to give you some incentive to stick with the boring beginning of the book. But without character, without context, I find these prologues offputting. I generally find that if you skip them all together you lose absolutely nothing. But in this book, Mina gives us a prologue laying out the stakes of the entire book, telling us where she will be taking us, and doing it all quite clearly. It is a big gamble to show so much of your hand this early, but this is such a smart plot. And even better, we end up returning to the prologue and it turns out it isn't a prologue at all, it is our present plot which will be intertwined with the flashback plot. Again, a common device, but it's so expertly done here. Each visit back to the present raises the stakes even higher and gives us a deeper understanding of the complications.
Now for all this to work, you will have to occasionally find yourself in moments where you don't quite understand what something means or why something is important. But be patient, Mina is getting to it. All these pieces end up coming together as we slow roll through reveal after reveal.
And in the middle of all this we get a portrait of our protagonist, Claudia. She is an accomplished scientist whose study of blood spatter analysis has created a new industry standard. She is recently widowed and is now trying to parent two teenagers on her own and also keep her addict sister off the streets. So many of these pieces are the makings of a sympathetic protagonist, but the more time that passes the more we see Claudia for who she really is. And it's not a pretty picture. For Claudia has been pulled into the trappings of a comfortable life, she has reached a level of success she never dreamed possible. It's about more than getting away from Scotland to London, or making her way in the professional world. Claudia isn't just a striver, she wants the comforts of the upper crust that she is now able to rub shoulders with. This is the true conflict of the book: can Claudia give up these comforts to tell the truth? It seems like a simple call at first, but the more you know Claudia the more you realize that she is not as noble as she seemed. And it's unclear that she has the will or the strength of character to do the right thing.
I love a book that gets into these kinds of nuances, where you're not just waiting for the hero to do the thing you always knew he would do. Really, this isn't about the mystery. (This is never really much of a mystery at all, you have more than enough evidence pointing you in the right direction early on.) It's about what people will do to cover it up and whether Claudia is willing to be part of it.
Tore through this, one of the best mysteries I've read in a good while.
August 1, 2025
This is a crime procedural with a twist that the key protagonist /investigator is a blood splatter expert- Claudia O'Sheil.
Following the murder of an aristocrat and his fiancee , suspicion falls on the son. Claudia is convinced that the son is innocent despite the fact evidence appears to condemn him.
This is. story about corruption, a race against time and the Establishment- the rich , the greedy and the powerful trying to stop the truth being revealed.
As the book progresses, Claudia realises that she is caught in a trap- does she reveal the truth or get pulled into the web of lies.
This is a fascinating read and the science/procedures behind demonstrating/providing criminal evidence is really intriguing.
The 'fly in the ointment' are the characters - the wealthy and the elite are a self absorbed and obnoxious group - seemingly displaying their wealth with ease and entitlement alongside-building up any sympathy towards them is limited and this does impact slightly on the story. Claudia is on the periphery and escapes their clutches- just!
A unique crime novel that may well divide readers....but it's the "will she..won't she " element that keeps you gripped.
Ultimately, this story shines a light on the incestuous nature of the rich maintaining the status quo for themselves by weaselling their way into all areas of the judiciary and politics.
Following the murder of an aristocrat and his fiancee , suspicion falls on the son. Claudia is convinced that the son is innocent despite the fact evidence appears to condemn him.
This is. story about corruption, a race against time and the Establishment- the rich , the greedy and the powerful trying to stop the truth being revealed.
As the book progresses, Claudia realises that she is caught in a trap- does she reveal the truth or get pulled into the web of lies.
This is a fascinating read and the science/procedures behind demonstrating/providing criminal evidence is really intriguing.
The 'fly in the ointment' are the characters - the wealthy and the elite are a self absorbed and obnoxious group - seemingly displaying their wealth with ease and entitlement alongside-building up any sympathy towards them is limited and this does impact slightly on the story. Claudia is on the periphery and escapes their clutches- just!
A unique crime novel that may well divide readers....but it's the "will she..won't she " element that keeps you gripped.
Ultimately, this story shines a light on the incestuous nature of the rich maintaining the status quo for themselves by weaselling their way into all areas of the judiciary and politics.
July 22, 2025
The Good Liar is my second experience reading a book written by Denise Mina and cements my earlier belief that I must read more of her novels. In The Good Liar, we meet Dr. Claudia O’Sheil a forensics expert famous for having developed a formula for assessing blood spatter patterns for useful data to pinpoint perpetrators of crimes. Her assessment tool was used to identify the killer in what has become an infamous murder committed a year ago, the murders at Chester Terrace. Now, 12 months later, she has been asked to give a speech on her well known and much used tool, the business she leads and some thoughts about that murder and its solution. But…and there is a huge but…she knows so much of this story is a lie and she plans to tell the truth, a truth that would destroy her career, as well as many people she knows well, and might endanger her two sons and their futures.
As this story unfolds, it moves back and forth in time from the present, the evening the speech is to be given, back to the night of the murders, to times with Claudia and two sons at home as they try to adjust to the recent loss of their husband and father, and many other events of all types. With a cast of well developed characters, we follow Claudia’s attempts to work through her personal grief, care for her children, do her work, and begin to see the traces of problems in what had been certainties in her life.
I recommend this book and Denise Mina for those who enjoy well written mysteries which emphasize plot and character. This is not an action story so would not satisfy anyone looking for fast paced action.
Thanks to Little Brown and Co. and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.
As this story unfolds, it moves back and forth in time from the present, the evening the speech is to be given, back to the night of the murders, to times with Claudia and two sons at home as they try to adjust to the recent loss of their husband and father, and many other events of all types. With a cast of well developed characters, we follow Claudia’s attempts to work through her personal grief, care for her children, do her work, and begin to see the traces of problems in what had been certainties in her life.
I recommend this book and Denise Mina for those who enjoy well written mysteries which emphasize plot and character. This is not an action story so would not satisfy anyone looking for fast paced action.
Thanks to Little Brown and Co. and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.
June 16, 2025
I received a free copy of, The Good Liar, by Denise Mina, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Is Dr. Claudia O'Sheil a good liar or not? Did she send an innocent man to prison with evidence she provided? I did not care for the language in this book, This book was a little to dark for me, the characters were not nice at all.
July 31, 2025
4.5
Dr Claudia O'Shiel is a respected forensic scientist, whose landmark blood spatter programme is used to condemn the guilty. But is it really as foolproof as everyone believes? And what would you do when you realise that it might be responsible for unsafe convictions? Would you be prepared to lose everything or save yourself?
Claudia finds herself drawn into a conspiracy of lies, unable to trust anyone or anything she believed in. While she tries to find out the truth behind the brutal murders of a lord and his fiancee she is also trying to keep her drug addict sister from falling off the wagon, her sons from becoming any more estranged and the real reason her husband died in a seemingly senseless car crash.
This is one twisty story. My advice is just to keep reading and the confusion soon clears up. It's a really taut, unnerving thriller of a murder mystery. I read it in two sittings. I could hardly put it down.
Great writing, lots of dodgy characters, a lot of twists and a great end. What more could you wish for.
Excellent. I only knocked off half a point because there's a curse word that used that I really don't like. Otherwise highly recommended.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Random House UK for the advance review copy.
Dr Claudia O'Shiel is a respected forensic scientist, whose landmark blood spatter programme is used to condemn the guilty. But is it really as foolproof as everyone believes? And what would you do when you realise that it might be responsible for unsafe convictions? Would you be prepared to lose everything or save yourself?
Claudia finds herself drawn into a conspiracy of lies, unable to trust anyone or anything she believed in. While she tries to find out the truth behind the brutal murders of a lord and his fiancee she is also trying to keep her drug addict sister from falling off the wagon, her sons from becoming any more estranged and the real reason her husband died in a seemingly senseless car crash.
This is one twisty story. My advice is just to keep reading and the confusion soon clears up. It's a really taut, unnerving thriller of a murder mystery. I read it in two sittings. I could hardly put it down.
Great writing, lots of dodgy characters, a lot of twists and a great end. What more could you wish for.
Excellent. I only knocked off half a point because there's a curse word that used that I really don't like. Otherwise highly recommended.
Thankyou to Netgalley and Random House UK for the advance review copy.
July 24, 2025
I'm giving up on this one halfway through. There isn't really a story in here, though it sounds as though there should be. Two people have been murdered, and our extremely unlikeable protagonist, Claudia, seems to have in some way been partly responsible for someone having been wrongfully convicted for the crime. Now Claudia intends to reveal all at a big party for the scientific elite, which will presumably reveal the true murderer. Fine. But the whole book so far is taken up with sneering descriptions of the upper-class characters Claudia seems to be mixing with. I'm all for a bit of inverted snobbery but it can come over as an inferiority complex if not handled carefully. And so far we've been given no information - none - about who, other than the wrongfully convicted person, might have had a reason to murder the victims. There is no suspect pool, no mystery to get us thinking. Just descriptions of unpleasant people interacting unpleasantly, sprinkled with occasional outbursts of foul language which... I don't know, are they meant to shock? I think we're beyond that, aren't we? Anyway, since I dislike Claudia and all the other characters, and haven't been made to care about who committed the murders, I'm not motivated to read on. Mina can be great, but this one simply isn't working for me.
May 22, 2025
The Good Liar is a tense well paced read that captured my attention from beginning to end.
Dr. Claudia O'Sheil is a well renowned blood splatterer that is called to a brutal double murder at Chester Terrace in London.
The case is being handled with kid gloves as the upper echelon of the police do want any mistakes like the Lord Lucan fiasco.
The book is told in two timelines where Claudia is about to blow up not only her world but many others.
The past takes us back to the investigation at Chester Court and all its complexities.
Denise Mina has woven a suspenseful story that shows both good and evil and that keeps you guessing.
I could not put the book down , read it one sitting and am still thinking about The Good Liar.
Hiighly recommmend you grab your copy and settle in for a roller coaster of a read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the privlege of reading and reviewing The Good Liar.
Dr. Claudia O'Sheil is a well renowned blood splatterer that is called to a brutal double murder at Chester Terrace in London.
The case is being handled with kid gloves as the upper echelon of the police do want any mistakes like the Lord Lucan fiasco.
The book is told in two timelines where Claudia is about to blow up not only her world but many others.
The past takes us back to the investigation at Chester Court and all its complexities.
Denise Mina has woven a suspenseful story that shows both good and evil and that keeps you guessing.
I could not put the book down , read it one sitting and am still thinking about The Good Liar.
Hiighly recommmend you grab your copy and settle in for a roller coaster of a read.
Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for the privlege of reading and reviewing The Good Liar.
July 21, 2025
This one is going to give you whiplash. From the timeline to the decisions Doctor Claudia O'Sheil makes, you'll be in a whirlwind of indecision. I can happily see The Good Liar made for the screen. Complex and at times confusing, I felt a gamut of emotions until the ending. Exactly what a good thriller does.
*Thank you to @LittleBrownCompany @MulhollandBooks via Netgalley for sharing this title with me.
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*Thank you to @LittleBrownCompany @MulhollandBooks via Netgalley for sharing this title with me.
Follow me on
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June 4, 2025
Mina’s 2019 crime thriller, Conviction, was one of the first books I remember really liking from this genre. I’ve sought out and read several since, and she has such a unique and compelling approach to story telling. Her female protagonists tend to have this unapologetic, raw tone.
We have Claudia O’Sheil, a recently widowed forensic scientist who is thrust into the middle of a high profile, gruesome double homicide straight from the jump. She is forced to juggle her personal life, her grief, her two teenage boys, her struggling sister and now this case. The pacing shifts, the time jumps from the present to a year ago, yet it all works. The book as a whole was a satisfying and fun read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
We have Claudia O’Sheil, a recently widowed forensic scientist who is thrust into the middle of a high profile, gruesome double homicide straight from the jump. She is forced to juggle her personal life, her grief, her two teenage boys, her struggling sister and now this case. The pacing shifts, the time jumps from the present to a year ago, yet it all works. The book as a whole was a satisfying and fun read.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 22, 2025
One of the best crime/thrillers I have read for some time. I thought that the narrative spine of the book really set the pace and urged me to keep page turning.
The opening sets up the story where our protagonist, Claudia, a forensic scientist, top of the game, is about to say something life changing. The reader is then thrown back to a year earlier when the events leading up to this began.
I have read many of Mina's previous books so was surprised to find this one set in London. I have been used to a Glasgow or a very Scottish backdrop. I quite enjoyed how she contrived to show the wealthy, the titled, the entitled in the worst light in this very English context.
Really enjoyed.
With thanks to #NetGalley and #RandomHouseUK for the opportunity to read and review
The opening sets up the story where our protagonist, Claudia, a forensic scientist, top of the game, is about to say something life changing. The reader is then thrown back to a year earlier when the events leading up to this began.
I have read many of Mina's previous books so was surprised to find this one set in London. I have been used to a Glasgow or a very Scottish backdrop. I quite enjoyed how she contrived to show the wealthy, the titled, the entitled in the worst light in this very English context.
Really enjoyed.
With thanks to #NetGalley and #RandomHouseUK for the opportunity to read and review
May 14, 2025
It took me a bit to get into this one, but as the story progressed I began to really appreciate and enjoy it. It's a crime procedural novel highlighting corruption and how progression in how crimes are analyzed can affect individuals who have been wrongly convicted. While this novel is suspenseful it is also moving and thought-provoking. I really couldn't wait to read the ending to find out what Claudia ended up doing.
Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company | Mulholland Books for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Thanks to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company | Mulholland Books for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.
did-not-finish
August 15, 2025There were too many f-bombs for my liking, so I decided to dnf before I got too invested in the mystery.
August 31, 2025
The book starts with a bang as Dr. Claudia O'Sheil, a forensic blood spatter expert, will shortly be giving a speech to a distinguished crowd. But it's not the speech her colleague and friend Lord Philip Ardmore is anticipating. Claudia is going to tell the truth.
And then we go back in time...
Denise Mina is one of the best crime authors in the business. Her books are nuanced examinations of crimes and motives. Her characters are always richly portrayed. You never know what to expect from Mina and I love that.
And then we go back in time...
Denise Mina is one of the best crime authors in the business. Her books are nuanced examinations of crimes and motives. Her characters are always richly portrayed. You never know what to expect from Mina and I love that.
July 21, 2025
I like Denise Mina; I can always count on her for an intriguing plot and interesting characters. The Good Liar has both of these, plus a moral dilemma that challenges moral compasses.
Claudia O'Sheil has developed a blood spatter model that has been relied upon as forensic evidence in trials for years; however, it is now being challenged. If the model proves to have inaccuracies, it will reopen cases dating back years and end her career. As she begins to doubt her work, she is called to a ruthless murder of a wealthy man and his fiancée, only to find the man's son is being framed for the murder based on her forensic model. With her career and her son's future in jeopardy, she must decide whether to speak up or let a murderer go free.
This is a thought-provoking book. Switching back and forth in time, the book follows Claudia on her moral journey from the time of the murder to a speech where she can either keep quiet or commit professional suicide. Mina holds the tension throughout and produces a provocative novel as well as a good murder mystery. 4/5 stars.
Thank you, NetGalley and Mulholland Books, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is July 29, 2025.
Claudia O'Sheil has developed a blood spatter model that has been relied upon as forensic evidence in trials for years; however, it is now being challenged. If the model proves to have inaccuracies, it will reopen cases dating back years and end her career. As she begins to doubt her work, she is called to a ruthless murder of a wealthy man and his fiancée, only to find the man's son is being framed for the murder based on her forensic model. With her career and her son's future in jeopardy, she must decide whether to speak up or let a murderer go free.
This is a thought-provoking book. Switching back and forth in time, the book follows Claudia on her moral journey from the time of the murder to a speech where she can either keep quiet or commit professional suicide. Mina holds the tension throughout and produces a provocative novel as well as a good murder mystery. 4/5 stars.
Thank you, NetGalley and Mulholland Books, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is July 29, 2025.
August 4, 2025
Denise Mina's The Good Liar arrives like a scalpel to the forensic thriller genre, cutting through comfortable assumptions about justice, truth, and the price of professional success. This isn't merely another courtroom drama or police procedural—it's a devastating examination of how institutional corruption can transform even the most well-intentioned experts into unwitting accomplices to injustice.
The novel follows Professor Claudia Atkins O'Sheil, MBE, a blood spatter expert whose revolutionary Blood Spatter Probability Scale (BSPS) has made her reputation and fortune. As she prepares to deliver a career-defining speech about her most famous case—the Chester Terrace murders that saw young William Stewart convicted of killing his father and stepmother—Claudia faces an impossible choice. She has discovered that her groundbreaking forensic technique is fundamentally flawed, and an innocent man sits in prison because of her testimony.
The Architecture of Deception
Mina constructs her narrative with the precision of a forensic scientist, building layers of evidence that slowly reveal a conspiracy far more complex than a simple murder case. The story unfolds over the course of a single evening, using flashbacks and present-moment tension to create a pressure cooker of moral reckoning. This temporal compression serves the story brilliantly, as every tick of the clock toward Claudia's speech heightens the stakes.
The author's mastery lies in how she makes the reader complicit in Claudia's journey from certainty to doubt. We begin firmly believing in the integrity of forensic science and the justice system, only to watch both crumble under the weight of revealed corruption. The Blood Spatter Probability Scale—Claudia's life's work—becomes a metaphor for how convincing lies can be when dressed in the authority of science.
What makes this particularly brilliant is Mina's understanding that the most dangerous lies are those told by people who believe they're doing good. Claudia isn't a villain; she's a victim of her own expertise and the institutional pressures that reward certainty over truth.
Characters Carved from Moral Ambiguity
The protagonist, Claudia O'Sheil, represents a fascinating study in professional guilt and maternal desperation. Mina paints her as simultaneously brilliant and blind, successful yet vulnerable. Her relationship with her drug-addicted sister Gina serves as a parallel narrative about different forms of self-destruction—one through substances, the other through willful ignorance.
Lord Philip Ardmore emerges as the novel's most chilling creation—not a mustache-twirling villain but a sophisticated manipulator who uses institutional power to orchestrate injustice. His relationship with Claudia blurs the lines between mentorship and exploitation, making her gradual awakening to his true nature all the more powerful.
The supporting cast feels authentically lived-in, from the desperate Kirsty Parry to the doomed Charlie Taunton. Even minor characters like the various lawyers and forensic colleagues feel like real people caught in an institutional web rather than plot devices.
Technical Brilliance Meets Emotional Truth
Mina's background research into forensic science shows throughout the novel, but she never lets technical detail overwhelm the human story. The Blood Spatter Probability Scale feels genuinely revolutionary and scientifically plausible, making its fundamental flaws all the more shocking when revealed. The author demonstrates deep understanding of how forensic evidence is presented in court and how juries respond to scientific authority.
The depiction of London's elite forensic and legal communities feels insider-authentic, capturing the casual cruelty of institutional power and the way personal relationships become entangled with professional obligations. The Royal College of Forensic Scientists, with its elegant architecture masking corrupt foundations, serves as a perfect metaphor for the entire system.
Where the Foundation Cracks
While The Good Liar succeeds magnificently as a moral thriller, it occasionally stumbles under the weight of its own complexity. The revelation of Philip's ultimate conspiracy—involving the Tontine inheritance and his manipulation of both Amelia and the forensic evidence—feels almost too elaborate. Some readers may find the final revelations strain credibility, though the emotional truth of Claudia's journey remains intact.
The novel's treatment of addiction through Gina's character, while compassionate, sometimes feels like a subplot that doesn't fully integrate with the main narrative thrust. Her relationship with Claudia provides crucial emotional grounding, but the resolution of her arc feels somewhat disconnected from the forensic conspiracy.
Additionally, the time-jumping structure, while generally effective, occasionally makes it difficult to track the chronology of events. The reader must work harder than necessary to piece together the timeline of discoveries and revelations.
The Price of Speaking Truth
What elevates The Good Liar beyond a simple conspiracy thriller is its unflinching examination of the personal cost of integrity. Claudia's choice—whether to expose the truth and destroy her career and family's future, or maintain her complicity in the lie—feels genuinely agonizing because Mina makes us understand what she stands to lose.
The novel asks uncomfortable questions about institutional expertise and public trust. In an era of declining faith in scientific authority, Mina's exploration of how forensic "facts" can be manipulated feels particularly urgent. The Blood Spatter Probability Scale becomes a metaphor for how complex systems can be used to obscure rather than reveal truth.
The ending, with Claudia finally choosing to expose the conspiracy during her speech, provides catharsis without easy resolution. Truth-telling comes at a devastating personal cost, but Mina suggests that some lies become too heavy to carry.
Final Verdict: Truth in All Its Uncomfortable Glory
The Good Liar succeeds as both an intricate crime novel and a meditation on the corrupting influence of expertise divorced from accountability. Mina has crafted a story that trusts its readers to navigate moral complexity without offering easy answers or comfortable villains.
The novel's greatest strength lies in its refusal to provide simple catharsis. Claudia's choice to speak truth doesn't magically fix the damage done or restore William Stewart's lost years. Instead, it suggests that integrity sometimes means accepting the full weight of our complicity in systems we cannot fully control.
This is crime fiction for adults—not because of its violence or sexual content, but because it demands we confront uncomfortable truths about how expertise can be weaponized and how good people can become trapped in corrupt systems. In an era when public trust in institutions continues to erode, Mina's exploration of forensic authority and its limitations feels both timely and necessary.
The novel follows Professor Claudia Atkins O'Sheil, MBE, a blood spatter expert whose revolutionary Blood Spatter Probability Scale (BSPS) has made her reputation and fortune. As she prepares to deliver a career-defining speech about her most famous case—the Chester Terrace murders that saw young William Stewart convicted of killing his father and stepmother—Claudia faces an impossible choice. She has discovered that her groundbreaking forensic technique is fundamentally flawed, and an innocent man sits in prison because of her testimony.
The Architecture of Deception
Mina constructs her narrative with the precision of a forensic scientist, building layers of evidence that slowly reveal a conspiracy far more complex than a simple murder case. The story unfolds over the course of a single evening, using flashbacks and present-moment tension to create a pressure cooker of moral reckoning. This temporal compression serves the story brilliantly, as every tick of the clock toward Claudia's speech heightens the stakes.
The author's mastery lies in how she makes the reader complicit in Claudia's journey from certainty to doubt. We begin firmly believing in the integrity of forensic science and the justice system, only to watch both crumble under the weight of revealed corruption. The Blood Spatter Probability Scale—Claudia's life's work—becomes a metaphor for how convincing lies can be when dressed in the authority of science.
What makes this particularly brilliant is Mina's understanding that the most dangerous lies are those told by people who believe they're doing good. Claudia isn't a villain; she's a victim of her own expertise and the institutional pressures that reward certainty over truth.
Characters Carved from Moral Ambiguity
The protagonist, Claudia O'Sheil, represents a fascinating study in professional guilt and maternal desperation. Mina paints her as simultaneously brilliant and blind, successful yet vulnerable. Her relationship with her drug-addicted sister Gina serves as a parallel narrative about different forms of self-destruction—one through substances, the other through willful ignorance.
Lord Philip Ardmore emerges as the novel's most chilling creation—not a mustache-twirling villain but a sophisticated manipulator who uses institutional power to orchestrate injustice. His relationship with Claudia blurs the lines between mentorship and exploitation, making her gradual awakening to his true nature all the more powerful.
The supporting cast feels authentically lived-in, from the desperate Kirsty Parry to the doomed Charlie Taunton. Even minor characters like the various lawyers and forensic colleagues feel like real people caught in an institutional web rather than plot devices.
Technical Brilliance Meets Emotional Truth
Mina's background research into forensic science shows throughout the novel, but she never lets technical detail overwhelm the human story. The Blood Spatter Probability Scale feels genuinely revolutionary and scientifically plausible, making its fundamental flaws all the more shocking when revealed. The author demonstrates deep understanding of how forensic evidence is presented in court and how juries respond to scientific authority.
The depiction of London's elite forensic and legal communities feels insider-authentic, capturing the casual cruelty of institutional power and the way personal relationships become entangled with professional obligations. The Royal College of Forensic Scientists, with its elegant architecture masking corrupt foundations, serves as a perfect metaphor for the entire system.
Where the Foundation Cracks
While The Good Liar succeeds magnificently as a moral thriller, it occasionally stumbles under the weight of its own complexity. The revelation of Philip's ultimate conspiracy—involving the Tontine inheritance and his manipulation of both Amelia and the forensic evidence—feels almost too elaborate. Some readers may find the final revelations strain credibility, though the emotional truth of Claudia's journey remains intact.
The novel's treatment of addiction through Gina's character, while compassionate, sometimes feels like a subplot that doesn't fully integrate with the main narrative thrust. Her relationship with Claudia provides crucial emotional grounding, but the resolution of her arc feels somewhat disconnected from the forensic conspiracy.
Additionally, the time-jumping structure, while generally effective, occasionally makes it difficult to track the chronology of events. The reader must work harder than necessary to piece together the timeline of discoveries and revelations.
The Price of Speaking Truth
What elevates The Good Liar beyond a simple conspiracy thriller is its unflinching examination of the personal cost of integrity. Claudia's choice—whether to expose the truth and destroy her career and family's future, or maintain her complicity in the lie—feels genuinely agonizing because Mina makes us understand what she stands to lose.
The novel asks uncomfortable questions about institutional expertise and public trust. In an era of declining faith in scientific authority, Mina's exploration of how forensic "facts" can be manipulated feels particularly urgent. The Blood Spatter Probability Scale becomes a metaphor for how complex systems can be used to obscure rather than reveal truth.
The ending, with Claudia finally choosing to expose the conspiracy during her speech, provides catharsis without easy resolution. Truth-telling comes at a devastating personal cost, but Mina suggests that some lies become too heavy to carry.
Final Verdict: Truth in All Its Uncomfortable Glory
The Good Liar succeeds as both an intricate crime novel and a meditation on the corrupting influence of expertise divorced from accountability. Mina has crafted a story that trusts its readers to navigate moral complexity without offering easy answers or comfortable villains.
The novel's greatest strength lies in its refusal to provide simple catharsis. Claudia's choice to speak truth doesn't magically fix the damage done or restore William Stewart's lost years. Instead, it suggests that integrity sometimes means accepting the full weight of our complicity in systems we cannot fully control.
This is crime fiction for adults—not because of its violence or sexual content, but because it demands we confront uncomfortable truths about how expertise can be weaponized and how good people can become trapped in corrupt systems. In an era when public trust in institutions continues to erode, Mina's exploration of forensic authority and its limitations feels both timely and necessary.
June 3, 2025
We have to trust that the judicial system is based on truth. They want us to believe that it’s never about wealth, power and prestige. It makes us wonder how many people are wrongfully convicted of murders and sent to prison for years. I suspect it may be a shocking number.
Professor Claudia O’Sheil was about to present her findings of a highly publicized murder case based on forensic analysis to an audience of influential scientists and leaders in London. However, before this happened, readers were given the back story that led up to this point.
The author described the characters and scenes as if you were watching it on a screen. Claudia had a complex life with financial issues. Her husband recently died from a car accident working on legal case and he left her with bills and grief. It affected her two boys and sister as well.
I read this on the edge of my seat with a trail of deep deception from the high courts. It’s graphic with the description of dead bodies and realistic with a dialogue that includes strong emotions.
I always wonder how much truth there is in a story about a criminal case. It certainly seemed believable. Did the title give the plot away? You’ll see. I really didn’t want the book to end.
My thanks to Mulholland Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of July 29, 2025.
Professor Claudia O’Sheil was about to present her findings of a highly publicized murder case based on forensic analysis to an audience of influential scientists and leaders in London. However, before this happened, readers were given the back story that led up to this point.
The author described the characters and scenes as if you were watching it on a screen. Claudia had a complex life with financial issues. Her husband recently died from a car accident working on legal case and he left her with bills and grief. It affected her two boys and sister as well.
I read this on the edge of my seat with a trail of deep deception from the high courts. It’s graphic with the description of dead bodies and realistic with a dialogue that includes strong emotions.
I always wonder how much truth there is in a story about a criminal case. It certainly seemed believable. Did the title give the plot away? You’ll see. I really didn’t want the book to end.
My thanks to Mulholland Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of July 29, 2025.
May 20, 2025
The Good Liar is an intelligent crime thriller filled with tension.
The main character is Dr Claudia O’Sheil. She’s a forensic scientist noted for creating a blood spatter analysis scale, which is used in murder investigations. As the novel begins, Claudia is about to give a speech at an important conference. However, if she says what she is thinking, if she tells the truth, she knows her career will be in ruins.
The story is told in dual timelines. I found that a bit confusing at first, but when the penny dropped, I was captivated by the backstory. Claudia is mourning the death of her husband in a car accident. Her sister is out of rehab and helping Claudia with the two sons. An aristocratic couple is murdered. What does the investigation uncover? How could her dead husband have been involved? What does the blood spatter illustrate, and is it correct? Claudia is about to find out, and she has a choice.
This was the first book I read by Denise Mina and I really enjoyed it. In fact, I couldn’t put it down.
My thanks to Random House UK, Vintage, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 11, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book.
I was looking forward to it as I like Denise Mina’s writing, but I was disappointed. It may be because I read an ARC, but there were no chapter headings to indicate the backwards/forwards in time of the story telling, and this was really confusing. The passage of time was not clear; at one point there was mention of 4 months passing, and this surprised me. People get sent to prison on the basis of one piece of evidence, ignoring the evidence that said they couldn’t have done it, or that was obviously planted. Claudia does nothing. She knows crimes have been committed that the police are not taking seriously, and she does nothing. She sees huge amounts of evidence pointing to the actual killer…..and does nothing.
It’s pretty obvious from early on who the baddies are.
I didn’t really get any ramping up of tension, the scenarios which should have been menacing or dangerous didn’t work for me. The story jumped about a lot, which gave it a lack of flow.
I was looking forward to it as I like Denise Mina’s writing, but I was disappointed. It may be because I read an ARC, but there were no chapter headings to indicate the backwards/forwards in time of the story telling, and this was really confusing. The passage of time was not clear; at one point there was mention of 4 months passing, and this surprised me. People get sent to prison on the basis of one piece of evidence, ignoring the evidence that said they couldn’t have done it, or that was obviously planted. Claudia does nothing. She knows crimes have been committed that the police are not taking seriously, and she does nothing. She sees huge amounts of evidence pointing to the actual killer…..and does nothing.
It’s pretty obvious from early on who the baddies are.
I didn’t really get any ramping up of tension, the scenarios which should have been menacing or dangerous didn’t work for me. The story jumped about a lot, which gave it a lack of flow.
September 2, 2025
Denise Mina’s The Good Liar is a clever psychological thriller that dives into the messy aftermath of a tragic event and the hidden lives of those who survive it. The story revolves around three women each with secrets, guilt, and lies that slowly unravel as the truth behind a deadly explosion comes to light.
What makes the book stand out is Mina’s ability to weave multiple perspectives together. Each character’s voice feels distinct, and as the narrative shifts, the tension builds in unexpected ways. It’s not just about uncovering what happened, but about exploring why people lie, what they hide, and how trauma shapes their choices.
The pacing is sharp, with layers of mystery revealed at just the right moments. At times, the number of shifting viewpoints can feel a little overwhelming, but Mina manages to pull the threads together in a satisfying way.
What makes the book stand out is Mina’s ability to weave multiple perspectives together. Each character’s voice feels distinct, and as the narrative shifts, the tension builds in unexpected ways. It’s not just about uncovering what happened, but about exploring why people lie, what they hide, and how trauma shapes their choices.
The pacing is sharp, with layers of mystery revealed at just the right moments. At times, the number of shifting viewpoints can feel a little overwhelming, but Mina manages to pull the threads together in a satisfying way.
July 6, 2025
What a rollercoaster! This dual timeline crime novel had me on the edge of my seat. I honestly didn’t know how it was going to end. I had mixed feelings about the FMC, Dr. Claudia Atkins O’Sheil! One moment I was pissed at her and the next I was rooting for her. This was my first read from Denise Mina, I’ll definitely be picking up more of her books. Shoutout to NetGalley and Denise Mina for sending this eARC over! Loved it!
August 7, 2025
he structure of ‘The Good Liar’ was a little disconcerting to begin with, but quickly settled into compulsive and intense depictions of unlikeable characters, a loveable and brilliant barrow-boy barrister, sisters with chasms to cross, sons who become pawns in the face of a scientist struggling to find the courage the right thing despite the loss of reputation, status, sponsors, friends, home and family.
Denise Mina’s book is original, sinister and a great read.
Denise Mina’s book is original, sinister and a great read.
July 12, 2025
Thank you to the author, publishers Harvill Secker and NetGalley UK for access to this as an advance reader’s ebook. This is an honest and voluntary review.
Blood spatter expert Claudia is grieving the death of her husband and ready to blow up her professional life in order to reveal the truth about a case she was involved in.
A relatively short novel, but the pacing made it feel much longer. Too long.
The story switches back and forth in time periods. The switches themselves are relatively easy to follow, but the timing and pacing of these switches often left me feeling disconnected from the story. Which at the end of the day left me ambivalent about the plot, and the characters, most of whom were too self-absorbed for me to feel invested in what happened to them. Overall, I’m left disappointed.
Blood spatter expert Claudia is grieving the death of her husband and ready to blow up her professional life in order to reveal the truth about a case she was involved in.
A relatively short novel, but the pacing made it feel much longer. Too long.
The story switches back and forth in time periods. The switches themselves are relatively easy to follow, but the timing and pacing of these switches often left me feeling disconnected from the story. Which at the end of the day left me ambivalent about the plot, and the characters, most of whom were too self-absorbed for me to feel invested in what happened to them. Overall, I’m left disappointed.
July 9, 2025
This is a fascinating story of a murder that may impact the political career of Claudia as she battles her opponents but realizes there may be a set up in the works. It's a great convoluted story that had me overthinking each wrench thrown in the story! It may have you re-thinking a political career!
Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC!
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July 12, 2025Big Denise Mina fan and I really enjoyed this book. The narrative alternates between a speech that a forensic scientist is going to give that will blow the lid off a big, high-profile case and then chapters that look back at the case, its investigation and the possible cover up.
I liked that it alternated between "will she give the speech" and "why is she giving the speech." Quietly yet relentlessly suspenseful, it was a little different than the Denise Mina books I've read in the past, but I really enjoyed it.
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
Subscribe to my amazing newsletter HERE at JenRyland.com Let's be friends on Bookstagram!
I liked that it alternated between "will she give the speech" and "why is she giving the speech." Quietly yet relentlessly suspenseful, it was a little different than the Denise Mina books I've read in the past, but I really enjoyed it.
Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!
Subscribe to my amazing newsletter HERE at JenRyland.com Let's be friends on Bookstagram!
July 1, 2025
While the premise was intriguing, I decided to give this 3 stars.
I was interested in the choices Claudia would make and how she ended up in this predicament to chose between right and wrong in the first place. However, I ended up skimming parts and finding myself not excited to continue reading at certain parts where the murder wasn't the focus.
The murder itself was captivating -- two wealthy, well-connected members of society murdered and the science used to put the killer behind bars was recently revealed to be junk science. Everyone seemed so happy to quickly wrap it up with a bow that there wasn't much push to dig in further.
However, I found the society standards and connections hard to follow and since I'm not as familiar with them they felt a bit far-fetched. I also didn't find some of the character connections to be strong or believable as the story went on.
I have had Conviction, another one of Denise Mina's titles, on my to-read list and I do still plan to read it because while this story didn't blow me away, there is definitely potential for me to fall in love with her writing style!
Thanks again to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.
I was interested in the choices Claudia would make and how she ended up in this predicament to chose between right and wrong in the first place. However, I ended up skimming parts and finding myself not excited to continue reading at certain parts where the murder wasn't the focus.
The murder itself was captivating -- two wealthy, well-connected members of society murdered and the science used to put the killer behind bars was recently revealed to be junk science. Everyone seemed so happy to quickly wrap it up with a bow that there wasn't much push to dig in further.
However, I found the society standards and connections hard to follow and since I'm not as familiar with them they felt a bit far-fetched. I also didn't find some of the character connections to be strong or believable as the story went on.
I have had Conviction, another one of Denise Mina's titles, on my to-read list and I do still plan to read it because while this story didn't blow me away, there is definitely potential for me to fall in love with her writing style!
Thanks again to NetGalley and Little, Brown and Company for providing me with a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 6, 2025
I found this book very hard to stay with. The writing is acceptable, but the story just doesn’t flow well. The present to past flashbacks were not sufficiently correlated and early on in the book, I was a bit confused as to what was happening or did happen, in relation to what I had just read.
Claudia, the protagonist and her boss, Philip were the only characters that had any depth. Claudia's addict sister, Gina doesn’t add to the story in any meaningful way. The only character who was relatable, fun, and lighthearted was Sir Evan Evans.
I'm not a fan of foul language in my books, yet can tolerate a little. This book was replete with f-words, distracting from the overall reading experience.
Unfortunately, the ending was a cliffhanger that simply didn’t work. I didn’t find myself pining for the next installment, as any good cliffhanger ending would do.
I did give a second star for a marginally good plot, even though it did not come together as well as I hoped.
Thanks to #netgalley and #LittleBrown for the advance reader copy, in exchange for my unbiased review of TheGoodLiar
Claudia, the protagonist and her boss, Philip were the only characters that had any depth. Claudia's addict sister, Gina doesn’t add to the story in any meaningful way. The only character who was relatable, fun, and lighthearted was Sir Evan Evans.
I'm not a fan of foul language in my books, yet can tolerate a little. This book was replete with f-words, distracting from the overall reading experience.
Unfortunately, the ending was a cliffhanger that simply didn’t work. I didn’t find myself pining for the next installment, as any good cliffhanger ending would do.
I did give a second star for a marginally good plot, even though it did not come together as well as I hoped.
Thanks to #netgalley and #LittleBrown for the advance reader copy, in exchange for my unbiased review of TheGoodLiar
May 28, 2025
Professor Claudia O’Sheil, recently widowed with two children, is an accomplished forensic scientist who is due to give a career-defining speech. Her evidence of blood spatter analysis has put numerous killers behind bars.
So when she realises her calculations were wrong in the case of a father and his fiancée who were brutally murdered and that someone will kill to keep it hidden she is faced with an impossible choice.
It’s an intriguing book particularly because right from the opening chapter it’s clear Claudia intends to blow the lid on corruption even though she will be risking everything to do so and gradually throughout the novel we find out why it’s so personal for her and why she’s not sure if she can go through with it.
The science behind the forensic calculations of blood spatter analysis was fascinating. The Good Liar is a tightly plotted enthralling read about family, corruption, privilege and taking on the establishment.
Many thanks to NetGalley & Random House UK for an ARC
So when she realises her calculations were wrong in the case of a father and his fiancée who were brutally murdered and that someone will kill to keep it hidden she is faced with an impossible choice.
It’s an intriguing book particularly because right from the opening chapter it’s clear Claudia intends to blow the lid on corruption even though she will be risking everything to do so and gradually throughout the novel we find out why it’s so personal for her and why she’s not sure if she can go through with it.
The science behind the forensic calculations of blood spatter analysis was fascinating. The Good Liar is a tightly plotted enthralling read about family, corruption, privilege and taking on the establishment.
Many thanks to NetGalley & Random House UK for an ARC
May 27, 2025
‘The Good Liar’, by Denise Mina, is a different kind of crime thriller wherein Doctor Claudia O’Sheil,forensic scientist is faced with the moral dilemma of facing up to her responsibilities while unraveling a complicated case of a brutal double murder involving a wealthy family.The complex nature of events leads to the prosecution of an innocent man,along with serious threats to her family,friends, and her professional reputation, as the truth starts to come to light.
This is a far from straightforward,twisting tale of the stressful background story of an individual’s choices when faced with the burden of providing reliable evidence that is without doubt in its integrity, and the possible consequences of failing the innocent.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK,Vintage, for an Advance Readers Copy.
This is a far from straightforward,twisting tale of the stressful background story of an individual’s choices when faced with the burden of providing reliable evidence that is without doubt in its integrity, and the possible consequences of failing the innocent.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK,Vintage, for an Advance Readers Copy.
August 3, 2025
Denise Mina is nothing if not versatile. She has penned a slew of bestselling crime series and stand-alone titles, as well as graphic novels, plays and historical fiction. Her latest, THE GOOD LIAR, is a return to the genre for which she is perhaps best known --- sophisticated crime fiction with strong ties to Scotland.
In this case, the Scottish tie is via protagonist Claudia O'Sheil, who grew up in a lower-middle-class household in Glasgow. But thanks to an advantageous marriage and her training as a forensic scientist, she has made her way to the upper echelons of criminal justice in London. Claudia has developed a blood-spatter analysis computer model --- the Blood Spatter Probability Scale --- that has revolutionized crime scene analysis. She is frequently called in as an expert witness for difficult and violent crimes. As a result, she has built numerous key relationships with powerful people. However, she's still figuring it out: "She sometimes felt like an anthropologist among the Masai, deciphering gestures and measuring heads, comprehending only a fraction of what was said."
Clearly, though, Claudia has been at least modestly successful in this pursuit as she accompanies her longtime friend and mentor, Lord Philip Ardmore, to the opening of the opulent headquarters of the Royal College of Forensic Scientists, a project in which Philip was instrumental. Minutes after their arrival, he receives an urgent call. There's been a double homicide at an address he knows all too well.
Philip and Claudia depart the festivities and arrive at the home of Philip's close friend, Jonathan (Jonty) Stewart, and his fiancée, Francesca. Both have been killed, along with the family dog, within the past few hours. Philip identifies the bodies while Claudia introduces herself to Maura Langston, the newly appointed head of the Metropolitan Police, and performs her own analysis of the scene.
In the weeks that follow, Claudia's own blood-spatter tool, along with CCTV footage and other clues, are used to apprehend and detain a prime suspect. But as time passes, Claudia herself becomes more skeptical that the correct perpetrator has been identified, and she must contend with the growing realization that her claim to fame might be fundamentally flawed.
In Mina's suspenseful telling, Claudia's investigation into the murders --- which begins to gain uneasy connections to the recent "accidental" death of her husband --- is interspersed with scenes from a single evening a year later. Claudia prepares to take the stage at the Royal College of Forensic Scientists and, unbeknownst to anyone, will admit publicly that mistakes were made in the case. This impending decision comes at no small cost to Claudia, whose own sense of belonging has been hard-won and, as some members of the elite are more than happy to tell her, is suspended by a single thread.
THE GOOD LIAR is a taut and twisty crime novel that effectively interrogates notions of principles, power, privilege and protection as much as it does the crime itself. Although Mina has suggested that this is a stand-alone title, she also has conveyed openness to revisiting these characters in future books. Readers are likely to clamor for such a sequel, so they can see for themselves the consequences for Claudia and spend more time in the company of this smart, morally complicated protagonist.
Reviewed by Norah Piehl
In this case, the Scottish tie is via protagonist Claudia O'Sheil, who grew up in a lower-middle-class household in Glasgow. But thanks to an advantageous marriage and her training as a forensic scientist, she has made her way to the upper echelons of criminal justice in London. Claudia has developed a blood-spatter analysis computer model --- the Blood Spatter Probability Scale --- that has revolutionized crime scene analysis. She is frequently called in as an expert witness for difficult and violent crimes. As a result, she has built numerous key relationships with powerful people. However, she's still figuring it out: "She sometimes felt like an anthropologist among the Masai, deciphering gestures and measuring heads, comprehending only a fraction of what was said."
Clearly, though, Claudia has been at least modestly successful in this pursuit as she accompanies her longtime friend and mentor, Lord Philip Ardmore, to the opening of the opulent headquarters of the Royal College of Forensic Scientists, a project in which Philip was instrumental. Minutes after their arrival, he receives an urgent call. There's been a double homicide at an address he knows all too well.
Philip and Claudia depart the festivities and arrive at the home of Philip's close friend, Jonathan (Jonty) Stewart, and his fiancée, Francesca. Both have been killed, along with the family dog, within the past few hours. Philip identifies the bodies while Claudia introduces herself to Maura Langston, the newly appointed head of the Metropolitan Police, and performs her own analysis of the scene.
In the weeks that follow, Claudia's own blood-spatter tool, along with CCTV footage and other clues, are used to apprehend and detain a prime suspect. But as time passes, Claudia herself becomes more skeptical that the correct perpetrator has been identified, and she must contend with the growing realization that her claim to fame might be fundamentally flawed.
In Mina's suspenseful telling, Claudia's investigation into the murders --- which begins to gain uneasy connections to the recent "accidental" death of her husband --- is interspersed with scenes from a single evening a year later. Claudia prepares to take the stage at the Royal College of Forensic Scientists and, unbeknownst to anyone, will admit publicly that mistakes were made in the case. This impending decision comes at no small cost to Claudia, whose own sense of belonging has been hard-won and, as some members of the elite are more than happy to tell her, is suspended by a single thread.
THE GOOD LIAR is a taut and twisty crime novel that effectively interrogates notions of principles, power, privilege and protection as much as it does the crime itself. Although Mina has suggested that this is a stand-alone title, she also has conveyed openness to revisiting these characters in future books. Readers are likely to clamor for such a sequel, so they can see for themselves the consequences for Claudia and spend more time in the company of this smart, morally complicated protagonist.
Reviewed by Norah Piehl
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