Is it me, or are there a LOT of Liar books out there? Maybe it’s the success of Big Little Lies, maybe it’s a continuation of the unreliable narrator trend started in Gone Girl, maybe it’s the current political climate, where accusations of lying are flying … but there are so many Liar books in the last two years that (no lie) I’m having a hard time keeping them straight. Here’s my Trend Report: Books About Liars
Trend Report: Books About Liars
I went to Goodreads and did a quick scan of “Liar” books published in 2017 and 2018. I stopped counting when I got to 25. (In comparison, I found only a handful of “truth” books, and many of them were things like “Everything But the Truth,” which, if you think about it, is just another way to say … lies.)
(My list includes both YA and adult books, though I think this trend is happening more in adult fiction than in YA. The YA books are *asterisked* in the list below.)
Want to play The Lying Game (2017)? Lie to Me (2017). Tell Me Lies (2018). Or just One Perfect Lie (2017). Let Me Lie (2018) because Sometimes I Lie (2017). Either way, One of Us ls Lying. (2017*)
Let’s talk about Every Last Lie: (2017) The Lies She Told (2017) and The Lies They Tell (2018*).
Here We Lie (2018), buried in Lie books. And, I’m telling you, The Life of Lies (2017) is a complicated one. Consider the Depth of Lies (2017) and The Weight of Lies (2017). The liars are just out there … Lying in Wait. (2018).
Sometimes there is Truth Beneath the Lies (2017*). But I know there are also Lies You Never Told Me (2018*). Maybe you think you want Proof of Lies (2017*). Or you want to say: “Tell Me No Lies.” (2018*) Yeah, good luck with that … until this trend runs its course!
The other problem with this trend? “Lie” book covers, especially the adult ones, tend to look a lot alike.
It seems like block capital letters are required for the title. (Red letters preferred.)
Women’s faces (obscured) are also a common feature, both above and here:
Yellow is also a popular color for “Lie” books. Torn paper effects are also popular.
Don’t lie: are you more confused or less? Do you love lie books or cannot tell a lie and don’t think they’re for you. Tell me in comments!
so many lies, not all of them remotely believable. Unreliable narrators are great but I think the drunk girl hype should be killed
Completely agree that there are some “liar” plots I could use a break from!
I noticed this the other day. there are a ton of lying, liar, lied books out there right now. It seems books always follow a trend. I guess this is one of them. I can say though I have read some great lie books this year and I am really excite for some more coming up. SO I guess I don’t mind the trend.
I’m all for liars but I think the books might need to be distinctive in some way to stand out in the crowd. The cover of One of Us is Lying is one of my favorite covers of the year and helps me distinguish that book from all the others…
I totally get sucked into this trend! I think I have a lot of those books on my TBR. Something about the word that makes me think the story will be interesting and there will a twist. Half the time they wind up disappointing though!
I agree – I like stories with unreliable narrators. I’m always willing to try them!
Wow, I never thought of this but SO true! Liars are everywhere in books! Oh and I love how you put together your list. Awesome 🙂
Thanks so much!
Lol! Awesome post, Jen! I have noticed that there seems to be at least a couple “lie” books released every year, so I’m sure it’s a trend that will be sticking around. It isn’t always my favorite trope, but if it’s done right, I’m a fan. 🙂
Agree – I enjoy “lie” books but when a trope becomes overdone it stops being as compelling!
I kept getting The Lies They Tell and Lies You Never Told Me confused because I had both for review and their release dates were not too far from each other, if I remember correctly. I do like the genre but it’s hard when the titles are all similar to remember which is which. Great post! I didn’t realize there were even more than that!
Right? I think the titles need a little more specificity. It’s very confusing!!
I’ve read a few (none of these) but honestly they turn me off. I’ve read SO many unreliable narrators and the word lie int he title just make me think it’s headed in that direction.
Karen @ For What It’s Worth
You read Lies You Never Told Me, right? See, too many similar sounding books….