Not sure about this one. Full array of gothic tropes play out here, from And Then There Were None to Rebecca to Jane Eyre. Creepy enough to keep me from sleeping but I guessed early on what was happening. Anyway, there it is. ( )

I finished JT Ellison's newest book, Her Dark Lies, yesterday. I enjoyed the formatting of it, told from Claire's point of view with snippets of the villain's point of view throw in here and there.⁠
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The story is told about the wedding weekend of Claire to Jack, but everything is going wrong. It starts with a home invasion before they even leave town and ends in a blood bath.⁠
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If I had to complain about one thing, it was that so many people died. At the end, it seemed like everyone was dying. And the end felt a bit anti-climatic for me. So I guess that's two things.⁠
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In the grand scheme of things, I really enjoyed the book - the story and the writing. I really enjoyed the characters, each with their own part to play.⁠
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I listened to the audiobook for most of it, and really enjoyed the narrator.⁠
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On Isle Isola off the Italian coast, at a majestic cliff-top villa, owned by the wealthy Compton family, up-and-coming artist Claire Hunter will marry handsome, charming Jack Compton, surrounded by close family, intimate friends…and a host of dark secrets. From the moment Claire sets foot on the island, something seems amiss. Menacing texts. A ruined wedding dress. Then a raging storm descends and the real terror begins.

Many surprising things happen in this story but it is far-fetched and at times a bit silly which made it not that suspenseful. The characters were mostly stereotypes. The ending made it a bit more plausible. For me, just a so-so story. ( )

Her Dark Lies by J.T. Ellison takes place in Italy. A talented artist, Claire Hunter, has arrived at Isle Isola at the invitation of the wealthy Compton family. She is to be married to one of the Compton sons, Jack. Their families and friends will be joining them for the private affair. But plans begin to change, due to a fierce storm. Claire begins to realize that she may not know Jack as much as she thought. Then an unidentified body turns up and there is a power failure on the island and other disasters occur. The possibility of having a wedding on the estate seems to be less and less doable. This book felt familiar and I then realized it reminded me of Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier. It has the same gothic feel and the plot and characters are quite comparable. But Her Dark Lies lacks the dark suspense and the story at times seems to drag. Also, maybe the book is longer than necessary. If you enjoy reading about the lifestyle of the wealthy, you will love this book. If you are looking for a thriller, this may not be it. This is my opinion only and I am sure many will love this book. Thank you to Harlequin-Mira, NetGalley and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. ( )

A secluded island in Italy is the perfect backdrop for the perfect wedding...but of course everything is far from perfect. Artist Claire Hunter has met the man of her dreams... Jack Compton. Jack is hugely wealthy...handsome...charming...and the director of his family’s prominent charitable organization. Jack is drawn to Claire for her free spirit... her sparkling personality...and her impressionable talent as an artist. Together, the two seem to have it all… but everyone has secrets it seems and Jack and Claire’s secrets are about to catch up to them. As Jack and Claire depart Nashville, Tennessee for their wedding in Italy, they are unknowingly placing themselves on a collision course with danger. J.T. Ellison invites you to pack your bags and follow Claire and Jack to beautiful Isle Isola. This is one wedding you won’t soon forget. ( )