Here at AvidBards, we are lucky to have authors reach out to us asking to review their work. Some of the most recent literary reviews we’ve done upon request include Meditation Time by Laurent Grenier, Seeds of Dissolution by William C. Tracy, and Lexi by Heidi J. Hewett. A few months ago, self-published author Julie Coons asked us to read her newest psychological thriller, a novel entitled Why She Lied. This is Coons’ second book, and her debut novel is called This Does Not Leave This House. Coons is extremely open about the fact that she has based her novels on her own life.
Let me say right off the bat that when Coons told us about the book, my interest was immediately piqued at the words “thriller” and “based on a true story”. I personally love novels that maintain a strong element of mystery and thriller, and though I absolutely love pure fiction, there’s something particularly tangible about stories that are based on real-life events. What made this even more compelling to me is that the events of Why She Lied were based off the author’s life specifically, making it a much more personal and raw introspective.
Why She Lied is a story about a woman named Julie who, despite her own gut instinct, begins a relationship with a man – one who seems too good to be true. One day, she finds out she’s pregnant with his child, and on the same day that she tells him this, he admits to her that he has been accused of child molestation. The story continues as she reveals more information about the man she thought she knew, with all signs pointing to him being guilty of the crime. Julie makes an extremely difficult decision and decides to abort her child – and her ex is put behind bars. The story picks up five years later when a series of bizarre events leads her to become involved in solving a complex mystery: one that begins with her criminal ex-boyfriend, but morphs into something much bigger and much more terrifying.
For the sake of avoiding spoilers, I won’t reveal anything else about the plot. However, I will say that the mystery that Julie begins to uncover bit by bit, alongside the police, is much more shocking than I ever would have imagined. What started off as an already unsettling crime transforms into something much more profoundly ominous.
It’s important for me to note that there are numerous trigger warnings to be aware of before reading Why She Lied. By no means should this deter you from reading the book; however, it may be difficult for some readers to get through some of this material. Trigger warnings include descriptions and content surrounding the topics of rape, abortion, violence, sexual/emotional/domestic abuse, human trafficking, and child prostitution. Needless to say, Why She Lied is not a ‘light reading’ book by any means. In fact, there were many times where I felt so overwhelmed by the heavy nature of the content that I had to take multiple breaks between chapters to collect my emotions. However, it was equally as important for me to keep picking it up and continuing to read, no matter how tumultuous my emotions were. I have always abided by the rule that no matter how harsh the truth is, I would rather know about it rather than be ignorant. In a time where #MeToo and other movements that emphasize the importance of believing women in their narratives of harassment and abuse are revolutionizing society, Why She Lied sheds light into the trauma of abuse in a massively important way.
The blunt honesty in which Coons speaks from her protagonist Julie’s point of view is extremely important to the narrative. It is precisely the unfiltered and uncensored way Coons writes that makes this a no-nonsense, riveting and straight-to-the-point novel that doesn’t suffer from overt lengthiness. My only main critique of the book is that the grammatical structure is very informal and the language, at times, can come across as heavy-handed. However, the fact that the language is not bogged down by ornate rhetoric contributes to the book’s accessibility for readers across the board. And ultimately, I think the underlying emphasis and importance of Why She Lied is less about the literary structure and more about the message regarding positive social change. Coons inherently, by publishing this book which bravely outlines her own story, contributes to the world of activism and advocacy by spreading awareness about major human rights issues.
While there are definitely positive and uplifting moments peppered throughout the book, the overall tone is one that’s profoundly heavy and difficult. Coons courageously opens up her own wounds through this text, in order to uncover the ugly and unfathomable truths about humanity.
Coons’ novel has taught me a lot, particularly about how easy it is to live in my own comfortable bubble. I am lucky to say that I have lived a relatively privileged life, so reading about the various atrocities that humans can both inflict and receive was somewhat of a wake-up call for me. It’s much too easy to ignore or compartmentalize real-world issues, even the ones that are hidden in plain sight. Why She Lied has given me immeasurable insight into some of the harsh truths of the world, ones that cannot and should not be ignored. I applaud Julie Coons on her ability to write so candidly and honestly about the horrific experiences she has endured in her life, and how she has utilized those experiences to try and better the world. Her work has truly opened my eyes in many ways, reminding me that there is still so much to learn and that I have to make the continuous effort to do so.
Why She Lied hybridizes the genres of memoir and crime fiction, creating a truly intriguing combination that results in a page-turning piece of activism. Coons uses this combination to hook readers into piecing the puzzle together as her protagonist does while simultaneously emphasizing a larger and more urgent message – one that reminds us that we still have a lot of work to do in order to make society, and the world, a better place.
Order Why She Lied by Julie Coons in eBook or Paperback on Amazon
Author Information
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2JHItvQ
Website: https://juliecoons.com/
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/juliecoonsauthor/
Twitter: @JulieCoons1
~ Z ~
