Review: 3 Truths & a Lie by Lisa Gardner

Title: 3 Truths & a Lie

Author: Lisa Gardner

Series: Detective DD Warren,#7.5

Published: January 2016, Dutton 

Format: ARC E-copy, 52 pages

Source: Netgalley

Boston Detective D.D. Warren faces her most brutal adversaries yet—a class of jaded thriller writers—in New York Times Bestselling Author Lisa Gardner’s exclusive e-Book short story

In Lisa Gardner’s second short story, after the New York Times bestseller The 7th Month,
Detective D.D. Warren takes on her most intimidating assignment yet: a
fifty-minute class meant to educate a horde of bloodthirsty thriller
writers on the ways of actual police work. Yet sometimes life really
does imitate fiction, as D.D. takes the writers through the reality of
one of her most twisted cases—a case that involves a seedy motel room,
drugs, prostitution . . . and a severed leg.

With Gardner’s trademark suspense, sharp observations, and thrilling storytelling, Three Truths and a Lie is a fascinating chapter in D.D.’s storied career. Includes an early look at Lisa Gardner’s next novel of suspense, Find Her, coming February 9, 2016.

My thoughts: I am big fan of Lisa Gardner’s Detective DD Warren series and love that she has written this short story to hold us over until the next full-length novel comes out in February. I’m not sure what inspires an author to release these short stories – what the rational is behind it, but I really enjoyed this one!

I found the premise of this short story to be so cool – Detective DD Warren has been asked to present to thriller writers. Not sure what to do, she actually comes up with her plan at the last minute and I thought it was a fun plan, especially for a bunch of thriller writers. She decides to play a game with them – three truths and a lie – she will walk them through a case and they have to decide what is the truth and what is the lie. So clever and fun!!! Even I was trying to figure out what was the lie. And the case she uses was insane…

I just love this series and this was a fun, crazy addition. And I loved that Lisa Gardner used real thriller writers in the class DD was teaching – Kathy Reichs, Karin Slaughter being two I’m familiar with! So much fun and now I’m really excited for the next book…to catch up with DD Warren and see her in action again. But it leaves me with a question – are these short stories always a prelude for the upcoming novels or are they sometimes just a stand alone short story that the author wanted to tell? 

Books in this series: 

     1.  Alone                              
     2.  Hide                                    
     3.  The Neighbor                      
     4.  Live to Tell                               
     5.  Love You More 

     5.5  The 7th Month

     6.  Catch Me

     7. Fear Nothing

     7.5  3 Truths & a Lie

     8.  Find Her – due out Feb 2016