Where the Truth Lies
- Judith D Collins
- 21 hours ago
- 4 min read
By: Katherine Greene
Narrators: Amanda Stribling, Tristan Wright, Hallie Ricardo
ISBN: 9798892424882
Publisher: Crooked Lane
Publication Date: 03/24/2026
Format: Other
My Rating: 4.5 Stars (ARC)
A picture-perfect couple’s sordid past threatens to rock a sleepy Southern town down to its core.
Told in alternating timelines, this multi-POV thriller explores toxic masculinity, gender-based violence, and female rage in the tradition of Darby Kane.
Childhood sweethearts Rhett and Lucinda seem to have the perfect marriage, the child they always wanted, and even the white picket fence. But fifteen years ago, the couple came very close to losing everything. When outsider Jennifer Moore arrived in their tight-knit Kentucky town, a brief but explosive affair between the newcomer and the soon-to-be-married Rhett stirred up a violent storm of betrayal that ended with a dead body and a mystery riddled with corruption and deception.
Now, new evidence has surfaced–including an eyewitness who places Rhett at the scene of the brutal crime. Soon the carefully constructed life Rhett and Lucinda built starts to crumble–and the truth waiting beneath the surface could destroy them both.
In a town steeped in deadly Southern charm, secrets don’t fade–they fester.
From the authors of The Lake of Lost Girls comes a chilling domestic suspense that will leave you desperate to uncover the truth.
My Review
In Katherine Greene's latest Southern domestic thriller, WHERE THE TRUTH LIES, an idyllic life enjoyed by a seemingly perfect couple is turned upside down by the chilling resurgence of a haunting 15-year-old cold case.
As the narrative deftly weaves between the past and present through dual timelines, readers are drawn into a web of suspense and intrigue that tightens with each chapter, ensnaring them until the very last page is turned.
The story's atmospheric Southern setting amplifies the tension, making it a gripping read that explores the intricate connections between love, secrets, and the shadows of the past.
Highlights...
Childhood sweethearts Rhett and Lucinda Clark live a seemingly ideal life in a tight-knit Kentucky town with their child and a white picket fence.
Fifteen years ago, just before their wedding, Rhett had a brief but explosive affair with an outsider named Jennifer (Jenn) Moore.
Shortly after the affair, Jenn Moore was found bludgeoned to death. At the time, Lucinda’s influential father intervened to protect the couple from suspicion.
In the present day, a new eyewitness comes forward, placing Rhett at the scene of the crime, leading to his arrest.
The story is told through multiple points of view, toggling between the night of the murder and the present-day crumbling of the Clarks' marriage.
As the investigation deepens, it explores whether Rhett committed the crime or if Lucinda took desperate measures to protect her future.
My thoughts....
WHERE THE TRUTH LIES is moody and claustrophobic, with the small town setting making the secrets feel like they are closing in. Full of deception and intensity, it is both gritty and dark, and has all the Southern Gothic vibes.
The pacing keeps you on edge as the 15-year-old cold case slowly unravels. The characters are driven by obsession, grudges, and revenge. The setting has a feel of chilling and malice as the novel explores the toxic core within the picture-perfect couple who have a sordid past.
The author does a great job with the characters and their internal struggles and guilt with the multi-POVs. Fern River, Kentucky, is a sleepy town with darker undercurrents, with a contrast of the outward facade, picture perfect against the violent storm of betrayal and darkness.
Characters...
~Lucinda (Lucy) Clark, Rhett’s wife and childhood sweetheart. She is a central POV character who fiercely protects her family's "white picket fence" image, even as evidence against her husband surfaces.
~Rhett Clark Lucinda's husband. He is a well-liked resident of Fern River whose life begins to crumble when an eyewitness places him at a 15-year-old crime scene.
~The Victim: Jennifer (Jenn) Moore: A teenage "outsider" who moved to the small Kentucky town 15 years prior. Her brief but "explosive" affair with Rhett just before his wedding set off the chain of events leading to her brutal murder.
Supporting Roles...
~Lucinda’s Father: An influential figure in town who used his power to protect
~The Eyewitness: A new character who comes forward in the present day, providing the testimony that leads to an arrest.
Themes...
~The Facade of Perfection
~Female Rage
~Small-Town Corruption.
~Toxic Masculinity & Betrayal
~The Persistence of the Past
~Class and "Outsider" Status
Ultimately, the book warns that secrets have a shelf life, and when they finally break, they destroy far more than just the original lie.
Recs...
If you enjoyed the small-town secrets and high-stakes marriage drama in "Where the Truth Lies," you might like these domestic thrillers that similarly explore cold cases, protective family dynamics, and the unraveling of "perfect" lives.
~The Woods Are Waiting by Katherine Greene
~Tell Me Something Good by Court Stevens
~Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica
~The Girl Who Was Taken by Charlie Donlea
~Listen for the Lie by Amy Tintera
~The Family Upstairs by Lisa Jewell:
~Not a Happy Family by Shari Lapena
~The Wife Upstairs by Rachel Hawkins
Many thanks to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for sharing an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
@JudithDColloins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
Pub Date: March 24, 2026
Praise
“Katherine Greene peels back the layers of a perfect marriage with a toxic core in this stellar domestic thriller. Twisted with an undercurrent of malice, Where The Truth Lies delivers a fast-paced punch of devastating secrets, overbearing privilege, and messy lives as it races to a satisfying end.”
—Darby Kane, #1 international bestselling author of Pretty Little Wife and Such a Clever Girl
About the Author
Katherine Greene is the pen name of bestselling authors A. Meredith Walters and Claire C. Riley. They each cut their teeth on spine-tingling thrillers and true crime. It was their love of dark, twisted tales with a strong female voice led them to create stories that leave you guessing. While A. Meredith is originally from the USA, both currently live in the United Kingdom with their families. Their next novel, WHERE THE TRUTH LIES, is coming March 24, 2026. WEBSITE
