There Will Be Lies by Nick Lake

There Will Be Lies
Written by Nick Lake
Contemporary, Diversity, Magic Realism
Published January 8th 2015
400 Pages
Thank you to Bloomsbury Australia
Shelby Jane Cooper is seventeen, pretty and quiet. It's just Shelby and her mom, Shaylene, a court stenographer who wears pyjama jeans, stitches tapestry, eats ice-cream for dinner and likes to keep Shelby safe. So safe she barely goes out. So safe she doesn't go to school. Because anything could happen, to a girl like Shelby. Anything.

When Shelby gets knocked down by a car, it's not just her leg that's broken. Shelby's world is shattered. Her mom turns up to collect her and drives off into the night, like it's the beginning of a road trip, like two criminals on the run, like Thelma and Louise or Bonnie and Clyde. And somehow, everywhere she looks, there's a coyote watching her, talking to her, telling her not to believe.

Who is Shelby Jane Cooper? If the person who keeps you safe also tells you lies, who can you trust?
Seventeen year old Shelby doesn't know what it's like to be an ordinary teen. She's been home schooled and warned of the danger of strangers, especially men who she's learnt to fear. Her only respite comes in the form of each Friday, where Shelby spends the afternoon in the safety of the library, with Mark. Mark is the only person Shelby has ever conversed with, besides her mother. Every day is the same, until a life altering accident almost takes Shelby's life and lands her in hospital, but not before seeing the coyote who warns her of what's to come. 
There will be two lies, it says. Then there will be the truth. And that will be the hardest of all.
Her mother is frantic, paying cash for her treatment, whisking Shelby away shortly after an operation to mend her leg and claims to taking Shelby on an impromptu adventure. But the two are on the run from a man her mother claims may just kill them both. The once shy woman is always thinking two steps ahead, vowing to keep Shelby safe while going against the very values she's instilled in her only daughter. Each night Shelby drifts into the Dreaming, where she joins Mark in her unconscious state. He speaks in riddles, while sharing the Native American history through the vivid dream world. But his warning remains the same, and Shelby is left to wonder who she can trust.

So where does the truth lie?

My Thoughts


There Will Be Lies was a fusion of contemporary, Native American mythology and a thriller which despite it's issues, I found impossible to put down. Shelby has lived an incredibly sheltered life, under the guise that people are generally not to be trusted and want to take advantage of her, relying on her mother to not only home school her but also keep her free from harm. She loves her mother for being protective, but wavers between wanting more freedom and loathing her mother for not allowing her to spread her wings. She's indecisive, critical, yet is almost fearful of asking why her mother lives both of their lives in secrecy. It isn't until Shelby is hit by a car in the one outing she is allowed per week, and the suspense begins.

Throughout the storyline, Shelby experiences vivid dreams of a dying arid world, where her narrator is the only person she's ever spoken to besides her mother, Mark. He speaks in riddles and claims his dying world can only be saved by Shelby rescuing the crying child and killing the Crone that has desolated the land. The dreamscapes were frustrating, I wasn't sure if they were considered as magical realism, as aspects of the dreams crossed over into her waking world, or her subconscious and offered little information about the storyline that was occurring in Shelby's waking hours. It was the contemporary thriller aspect of the storyline that completely engulfed me, it was absolutely brilliant. A mild mannered turned psychotic mother on the run, a skeptical daughter who is beginning to question her mother's motives and a Coyote who randomly appears to issue ominous warnings that she is being lied to. My biggest issue is why would a seemingly Caucasian girl dream of Native American mythology? I can imagine it would be akin to a white Australian and the indigenous Dreaming, which I'm sure would offend native Australians.

But as many issues as I had with the dreamscape world, I simply couldn't put it down. The main storyline was phenomenal and kept me on the edge of my seat. The lies, the intrigue, the thrill of the chase as readers will demand answers and the truth. This would have been a clear favourite, if not for the seemingly misguided mythology.

37 comments

  1. Lovely review Kelly. I love a good mystery/thriller so I will be adding this one to my TBR. Interested to see how I'll end up interpreting the dreamscape, Maybe it came across a bit too forced but I'll see how it goes!

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    1. Thanks Shan. Apart from the dreamscapes, I really, really enjoyed it. The contemporary thriller storyline was incredible.

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  2. I don't know if I will be able to pick this one up. I've read one or two other 'dreamscape' books and they were just confusing and BAD. I might be too jaded to read this interesting story

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    1. It's worth it just for the suspense. The dreaming does feature heavily, but doesn't have too much of an impact on the storyline though Alyssa, still definitely worth the read.

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  3. I started this, got to page two, and then found it very easy to drop the book (for the time being). It just didn't hold my attention at all which sucks. I think it was the italicised dialogue that really threw me off. Yeah, now I'm wondering about why a Caucasian girl would be dreaming of Native American mythology. Very odd. But I guess odd will sell? I don't know.

    I've heard that the dreamscape elements are putting everyone off. Will it work out if I skip them LOL Fabulous review, Kelly! I'm going to have to bog down and concentrate on this one soon!

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    1. The start was incredibly slow, but it wasn't long before the thriller part of the storyline kicked in and then I HAD to read it. If it wasn't for the mythology infusion, I probably would have given this five stars, or close to it. Even keeping the dreamscape without the actual mythology would have still worked as well. Just can't wrap my mind around a white girl dreaming about Native Americans. I didn't get it.

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  4. This sounds like something that would be interesting to read, thought I think I'd be left with a lot of questions at the same time. hah I know I've seen this title around but I didn't know what it was about. Thanks for sharing.

    -lauren

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    1. It's certainly unique Lauren. If you enjoy the Native American mythology, I'd definitely recommend this one. But even more so for the storyline besides that, it was utterly awesome. The Dreaming spoilt it for me though.

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  5. Great review! This is one of those reads where I'm quite looking forward to, but at the same time am very hesitant to as well--just because I've heard so many mixed things about them. But, the storyline sounds interesting, and I love the idea of the dreamscape, so hopefully it'll work for me. :)

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    1. I hope so too. Overall I really enjoyed it, just aspects didn't work. Even if the Dreaming wasn't your thing, you can skim through those bits and it would still be a really enjoyable read.

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  6. Hmmm, I'm really intrigued by this one! It seems unputdownable and relatively enjoyable as a whole. I definitely will be giving this one a go xD

    Lovely review, Kels <33

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    1. I think you'd really enjoy it actually poppet, maybe not so much the mythology aspects, but definitely the mystery and suspense of the storyline. I'd be interested to see what you think of it.

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  7. It sounds like a really interesting book with the lies that are told, the dreams sound really weird and offputting though. Great review Kelly!

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    1. They were, but luckily they weren't in any great length and the storyline made sense even without them. I read through them, and it felt out of place with the mythology. It would have been better just being reoccurring dream sequences instead. Still well worth the read though.

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  8. While I can appreciate the lesson in Native American Mythology, I would have to agree with you that I might have trouble accepting the reasons why, of all people, a caucasian girl have been gifted with the ability to transport herself into that world. Unless Shelby has parts of her that are Native American? It sounds like a fascinating novel, nonetheless.

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    1. I don't recall it mentioning she was one way or the other, but as the story unravels, there is a reason for it, but still doesn't really justify why sadly. I think may it's just a case of the author infusing his own interests into the storyline. The thriller aspect to the storyline was brilliant, so not sure why he went down that path really.

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  9. This sounds really bizarre... I want to read it. Just for the thriller aspects if nothing else. It would be so interesting to try and figure out the truth behind all the crazy dreams and lies.

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    1. If you're looking for a thriller, this will definitely hit the spot. That aspect was brilliant. The dreamscape was bizarre, but not without purpose though. But would have worked just as well without the mythology aspect.

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  10. I've read really mixed reviews, but I am really intrigued by the Native American aspect. I don't read any books like that, and I think that aspect would be awesome to read about. I'm also really curious as to how this would become a thriller. Awesome review <3

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    1. There aren't many around really, I've read one or two that touch on it, but not to this extent. I think you'd actually love this one Marianne, it's incredibly unique and really well written. It was just the mythology that didn't work for me and that might be a cultural issue with being Australian and not knowing all that much about it.

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  11. *hi fives* We have the same rating for thsi basically. XD I never really thought about that...her being Caucasian but going into all the Native American dreaming. But YES. I can only imagine how the indigenous Australians would be soo so unimpressed if we did similarly. >.>
    I liked the story, but I skimmed most of the dreaming. *sigh*

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    1. I read through the Dreaming scenes, as I assumed they'd be important to the storyline, but not so much really. I just read your review and we pretty much had the same issues actually. But this is still well worth reading just for the contemporary alone. Gosh I loved it!

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  12. Another thriller/mystery book to read! This is one of the books that I've been waiting for to read this year. Too bad it wasn't that great. :)

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    1. It was, it was just the mythology that didn't work for me. Still well worth the read Paula, if not for the thriller aspect alone.

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  13. I've heard mixed things about this book, but more than anything it's the blurb and the hint of uncertainty that is really making me want to read this book. The dreams sound so confusing, though. I would probably skim them if they don't seem to add much to the plot. All in all, this book sounds a little bit like We Were Liars. I loved that book, so hopefully I'll love this one just as much.

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    1. It really is. The same mystery thriller, despite the Dreaming. The main storyline is that of a contemporary thriller and although the mythology didn't work for me, I couldn't put it down.

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  14. I've been eyeing this one off, and after reading your and Cait's reviews, I'm not sure I would rush out to buy it. The dreaming sounds so odd, but after clicking on Cait's spoiler tag (I couldn't help myself), I understand the use of the italicised speech. I thought that was very clever! Unfortunately the rest of the story still doesn't sound all that appealing, I probably won't be picking this one up any time soon.

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    1. It was. One of the reasons I wish I had Wordpress, to include spoilers without having to have that horrid grey button. Apart from the Dreaming, the storyline is incredible. You can skim most of the dreamscapes and the storyline is no worse off for it. No, you need to give it a go Joy, it really IS a great read.

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  15. I felt a similar way. I really enjoyed the book, but I think it may have been even better without the Dreaming passages, as the main storyline worked so well. At times it really slowed the pace down. My take was that it was her subconscious revealing what she knew, but had suppressed.

    Great review.

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    1. I thought so too, until she was given the knife to reenter the Dreaming again, then it was like, say whaaaaaat? Not sure if that was just part of the magical realism, or just an aspect that wasn't thought out too well. Our reviews almost mirror one another Nicole, same issues and thoughts completely. See, great minds think alike.

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  16. I think I've said this a few times but one of my favourite books to read are those that are confusing and that have you not knowing what is going to happen next! I love books that keep you guessing and thinking you have worked it out and then somehow you couldn't be more wrong, this is what happened with a book i read called missing judy by anne cassidy and this sounds like it is similar in the sense of confusion. Definitely something I would want to give a go!

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    1. This will certainly keep you guessing Becks, this one is right up your alley actually. I've read one of Anne Cassidy's books, Looking For JJ and loved it. I can't WAIT to see what you think of this one, it'll blow your mind!

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  17. Oooh! This sounds definitely intriguing! I love the mythological aspect (although, the dreaming does sound a bit odd), and it seems like a book that thrills and entertains until the very end. :) Thanks so much for putting this under my radar Kelly, and, as always, fabulous review! <3

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    1. You'll enjoy this one Zoe, the thriller aspect reminds me a little of We Were Liars, but much more sinister. The Dreaming was odd, but it might work for you. Can't wait to see what you think of it!

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  18. I'm glad you liked it Kelly! I find it very interesting that there is Native American mythology. I thought it was just a normal contemporary thriller.

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  19. Great review Kelly, I like the idea of the Native American mythology but as you said I’m not sure sure how I feel about a girl with no heritage experiencing it. Seems a bit funky to me, I’m definitely interested in this book though.

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  20. Brilliant review, lovely! That's really strange, and a bit disrespectful to the Native American heritage as well by not actually having Shelby as a Native American, I don't understand the reasoning behind, 'she will be Caucasian.' Other than that, I'm excited to read this book, I wasn't too sure what it was about exactly, but I'm hopefully, going to ignore the whole disrespectful thing.

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