Tell Me Lies: A Novel
Now an original series on Hulu! Season 3 airing now!
“A twisted modern love story” (Parade), Tell Me Lies is a sexy, thrilling novel about that one person who still haunts you—the other one. The wrong one. The one you couldn’t let go of. The one you’ll never forget.
Lucy Albright is far from her Long Island upbringing when she arrives on the campus of her small California college and happy to be hundreds of miles from her mother—whom she’s never forgiven for an act of betrayal in her early teen years. Quickly grasping at her fresh start, Lucy embraces college life and all it has to offer. And then she meets Stephen DeMarco. Charming. Attractive. Complicated. Devastating.
Confident and cocksure, Stephen sees something in Lucy that no one else has, and she’s quickly seduced by this vision of herself, and the sense of possibility that his attention brings her. Meanwhile, Stephen is determined to forget an incident buried in his past that, if exposed, could ruin him, and his single-minded drive for success extends to winning, and keeping, Lucy’s heart.
Lucy knows there’s something about Stephen that isn’t to be trusted. Stephen knows Lucy can’t tear herself away. And their addicting entanglement will have consequences they never could have imagined.
Alternating between Lucy’s and Stephen’s voices, Tell Me Lies follows their connection through college and post-college life in New York City. “Readers will be enraptured” (Booklist) by the “unforgettable beauties in this very sexy story” (Kirkus Review). With the psychological insight and biting wit of Luckiest Girl Alive, and the yearning ambitions and desires of Sweetbitter, this keenly intelligent and supremely resonant novel chronicles the exhilaration and dilemmas of young adulthood and the difficulty of letting go—even when you know you should.
“A twisted modern love story” (Parade), Tell Me Lies is a sexy, thrilling novel about that one person who still haunts you—the other one. The wrong one. The one you couldn’t let go of. The one you’ll never forget.
Lucy Albright is far from her Long Island upbringing when she arrives on the campus of her small California college and happy to be hundreds of miles from her mother—whom she’s never forgiven for an act of betrayal in her early teen years. Quickly grasping at her fresh start, Lucy embraces college life and all it has to offer. And then she meets Stephen DeMarco. Charming. Attractive. Complicated. Devastating.
Confident and cocksure, Stephen sees something in Lucy that no one else has, and she’s quickly seduced by this vision of herself, and the sense of possibility that his attention brings her. Meanwhile, Stephen is determined to forget an incident buried in his past that, if exposed, could ruin him, and his single-minded drive for success extends to winning, and keeping, Lucy’s heart.
Lucy knows there’s something about Stephen that isn’t to be trusted. Stephen knows Lucy can’t tear herself away. And their addicting entanglement will have consequences they never could have imagined.
Alternating between Lucy’s and Stephen’s voices, Tell Me Lies follows their connection through college and post-college life in New York City. “Readers will be enraptured” (Booklist) by the “unforgettable beauties in this very sexy story” (Kirkus Review). With the psychological insight and biting wit of Luckiest Girl Alive, and the yearning ambitions and desires of Sweetbitter, this keenly intelligent and supremely resonant novel chronicles the exhilaration and dilemmas of young adulthood and the difficulty of letting go—even when you know you should.
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✨ Summarized by Bookclubs AI
Readers say *Tell Me Lies* offers a raw, unflinching look at a toxic relationship, with many appreciating its emotional honesty and portrayal of abuse...
Since this recently turned into a TV show, I wanted to read the book first. After doing so, I am very curious to see the show to compare, because unfortunately I wasn’t super impressed. Starting with the main characters, I found Lucy to be fairly annoying and although I know she is in a relatable position, she was frustrating to read her ruin her life and obsess over a boy, especially a horrible one. Speaking of Stephen, I knew he was a psychopath from the get go and he is literally the worst. I hated every single one of his chapters because I could barely stand to listen to his side. Then when it comes to the plot there were things that just constantly bothered me. “The big terrible thing” was anti-climactic for me and just led me to be more annoyed by Lucy. In the end I just wasn’t fulfilled and it wasn’t my favorite but I’d still recommend it and I’m very interested to watch the show.
I really wanted to like this book. It kept me intrigued but also made me really angry. Between the jumping of timelines and not being able to follow them clearly, I was getting annoyed. The main character, Lucy, was irritable. She had a terrible eating disorder, very immature tendencies, and I just rolled my eyes at her the entire book.
I really hated Steven and the ending left his crime just up in the air without resolution.
I wanted to like this book because of the TV adaptation but it’s nothing like the book. The tv version is better, which is rarely ever the case.
Overall, I would listen to this book if you want to read it. I wouldn’t waste your time reading the physical copy.
I really hated Steven and the ending left his crime just up in the air without resolution.
I wanted to like this book because of the TV adaptation but it’s nothing like the book. The tv version is better, which is rarely ever the case.
Overall, I would listen to this book if you want to read it. I wouldn’t waste your time reading the physical copy.
I don't usually write book reviews, but I've also never quite read a book like Tell Me Lies. I have never felt more seen or understood than I did when reading this book. The little expressions, the big overarching feelings - all that comes with a toxic relationship - it was all in this book, to the T. Part of me didn't expect to be able to finish this book, but reading it helped me see what healing looks like in a new way - helped me feel not so alone in what had made me feel alone. If you want to understand emotional abuse in a different way, whether for someone you know or for yourself, please read this book.
Ugh. You feel for the main character but you also want to slap her upside the head and take her phone. Very relatable story for anyone who has ever dated.
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