Maia Gold didn't even open the mail that came from Eris, Greece. She knew who it was from, and her memories of what happened there fifteen years ago were constantly with her. The island was owned by a billionaire who had known her parents. Just as her parents had once done, she had gone to the island for a writer's retreat, and while there, she wrote her first book, made a new best friend, and fell in love with a young man. However, a betrayal set the course for the next fifteen years of her life. Now, she and some of the writers from the first retreat had been invited back. After much deliberation, she decided to accept. Who knows, perhaps she could find inspiration. Or, revenge. From the time the invitees arrive, tension among them increases rapidly. Add to this the fact that the host is absent. Even so, they were tasked with a contest that would yield a lucrative prize, but before a winner is announced, he is found dead.
WRITERS AND LIARS, by Carol Goodman, is a fascinating story. The author brings to readers a cast of mystery writers who are teeming with possible motives. When another person dies, suspicions skyrocket. Is anyone safe? Add to the mix that there is no mobile service, the land line phone and radio have been destroyed and the boat to take them to the mainland is not scheduled to return for days. What transpires in their next few days will stay with those who survive for a lifetime.
Well plotted and packed with Greek mythology references, the narrative moves very quickly. No one is above suspicion and they all harbor secrets and resentments. They are, after all, mystery writers and they understand crime. Is there anyone amongst them who can move from their pages to the real world? Filled with drama, twists and turns and surprises, this story keeps readers engaged from start to finish. Highly recommended.
In the latest thrilling suspense novel from Mary Higgins Clark Award–winning author Carol Goodman, a group of mystery authors gathers on a secluded Greek island for a writers retreat, only to discover that their enigmatic host has been murdered and everyone present is a suspect.
They’ll kill for inspiration…
Fifteen years ago, Maia Gold attended a prestigious—and very exclusive—writers retreat hosted by billionaire Argos Alexander on the Greek island of Eris. It’s where she wrote her first book, the one that should have launched a brilliant career. But something dark happened on that island, a betrayal that has hung over Maia ever since.
Now, Maia finds a familiar envelope in the mail. It’s an invitation to return to Eris, and according to social media, she’s not the only one from that first retreat who’s been invited back. This could be the second chance Maia needs to jump-start her dreams. A chance for reconciliation… or revenge.
Almost all of the writers from fifteen years before have returned to Eris, bringing unresolved resentments with them. Soon, the guests learn that their illustrious host is absent, though he has left instructions for them to participate in a contest: whoever can write the most suspenseful mystery while on the island will win a fortune and literary acclaim. But this is no harmless game—when the guests gather in the morning to share their first chapters, they find Argos Alexander, dead.
Tensions simmer as the guests try to determine who’s capable of murder, not just on the page, but in real life. On an island full of mystery writers, anyone could be the killer—and anyone could be the next victim. Trapped together until the next boat arrives from the mainland, they must sort out old grievances and figure out how to trust one another... or die one by one.
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