Liar's Creek

By: Matt Goldman

Narrator: Fred Berman

Macmillan Audio

ISBN: 9781250409416

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Pubication Date: 05/05/2026

Format: Other

My Rating: 4 Stars (ARC)

MAY 2026 MUST-READ BOOKS

From New York Times bestselling author and Emmy Award-winner Matt Goldman comes Liar's Creek, which asks how far we'll go to protect the people we love.

The small town of Riverwood, Minnesota is true to its name, brimming with beautiful scenes of nature. Its rural landscape is threaded with scenic trout streams, which carve their way through limestone bluffs. But beneath its picturesque facade, danger runs rampant.

Clay Hawkins isn’t a stranger to the secrets of his hometown. After twenty years away, Clay has recently returned home from abroad with his twelve-year-old son Braedon, and his relationship with his father Judd, the recently replaced sheriff, is as strained as ever.

Trouble immediately brews for Clay when his beloved uncle, Teddy, disappears. Together, the three generations of Hawkinses must overturn every stone in Riverwood and confront deep familial wounds to find the one person who brings them together. As danger looms, Clay worries that it might be too late to save Teddy—and that the rest of the family might be next.

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My Review

"In Liar’s Creek, Matt Goldman delivers a gritty, atmospheric PI mystery that proves small towns have the longest memories. When a private investigator returns to a community defined by its secrets, he’s forced to navigate a web of deception where the truth is as elusive as the shoreline.

A "Picturesque Facade": The setting of Riverwood, Minnesota, feels "picture-perfect" and scenic, but beneath this beauty, there is a pervasive "undercurrent of unease" and the sense that the entire community is "in on a secret".

Vivid and atmospheric, painted with sharp, sensory details of the rural Minnesota landscape, the author skillfully captures the small-town feel that is both beautiful and slightly eerie.

LIAR’S CREEK by Matt Goldman

~Intro:

A gritty but witty private investigator mystery that pulls a detective back into a small-town web of old grudges and fresh lies.

~Setting:

Riverwood, Minnesota. Atmospheric, while visually beautiful, the town is portrayed as having a "picturesque facade" that hides deep secrets and underlying danger.

~The Vibe:

Grit with Heart.

~Themes:

The burden of hometown secrets; the path to redemption; small-town justice.

~Mood:

"Classic Noir with a Modern Pulse."

~Characters:

The three generations of Hawkins men (Judd, Clay, and Braedon) investigate the town's secrets, facing dangers that threaten their family.

~Highlights:

A strong sense of place and a protagonist who feels grounded.

~Standout:

Goldman’s background in TV writing shows in the sharp, fast-paced dialogue.

~Narrative:

The healing of generational trauma and addressing past abandonment.

~Author Writing:

The dialogue is sharp, snappy, and carries a lot of the book’s personality. The pacing is tight, making it a quick, satisfying weekend read.

~Protagonist:

A protagonist who feels "real"—flawed, persistent, and a bit world-weary.

~Takeaway:

You can leave your past, but you can’t make it stay buried.

~Recs:

For readers who enjoy authors John Hart, Greg Isles, CJ Box, Linwood Barclay, and Harlan Coben.

~Audio Note:

Fred Berman brings that perfect "noir-adjacent" gravel to the narration.

My thoughts:

~A gritty, atmospheric PI mystery where the past is as murky as the Minnesota shoreline.

~Verdict: 4⭐Stars. The vibe of Liar's Creek is a "slow-burn" blend of small-town intrigue and deeply felt family drama. It is a more character-driven, quietly engaging mystery that prioritizes authentic emotional weight over rapid-fire plot twists.

~"Reliable, atmospheric, a snappy mystery for fans of the genre." It’s a classic "sins of the past" story set against a well-realized, atmospheric backdrop. The central themes focus heavily on the complexities of family and the secrets hidden within a small town's "picturesque facade."

~A solid, character-driven, compelling procedural that hits the right notes. It’s well-constructed and moves fast, but it stays within the lanes of a traditional mystery without reinventing the wheel. Goldman’s writing feels like it’s built for the screen—it's punchier and less "heavy" than the deep-dive investigations you get with Bosch or Ballard.

Special thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.

@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks

My Rating: 4 Stars

Pub Date: May 5, 2026

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Praise

"Goldman explores tensions between father and son... Liar's Creek is compelling and sets things up nicely for what is to follow... for fans of restrained, character-driven mysteries."

―Booklist

"Liar’s Creek reads like the best of John Hart, Greg Isles and Harlan Coben. A brooding, bracing tale that gives its characters no quarter or respite amid the constant tension."

―BookTrib

About the Author

Matt Goldman is a New York Times Bestselling author and Emmy Award winning television writer. He has been nominated for the Shamus Award and Nero Award.

​Matt's television writing credits include Seinfeld, Ellen, The New Adventures of Old Christine, and Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency.

​Matt lives in Minneapolis with his wife, two dogs, and two cats. WEBSITE