The Good Lie

Six teens murdered. A suspect behind bars. A desperate father. In a case this shadowy, the truth is easy to hide.

Psychiatrist Dr. Gwen Moore is an expert on killers. She's spent a decade treating California's most depraved predators and unlocking their motives--predators much like the notorious Bloody Heart serial killer, whose latest teenage victim escaped and then identified local high school teacher Randall Thompson as his captor. The case against Thompson as the Bloody Heart Killer is damning--and closed, as far as Gwen and the media are concerned. If not for one new development...

Defense attorney Robert Kavin is a still-traumatized father whose own son fell prey to the BH Killer. Convinced of Thompson's innocence, he steps in to represent him. Now Robert wants Gwen to interview the accused, create a psych profile of the killer and his victims, and help clear his client's name.

As Gwen and Robert grow closer and she dives deeper into the investigation, grave questions arise. So does Gwen's suspicion that Robert is hiding something--and that he might not be the only one with a secret.

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Published Jul 20, 2021

255 pages

Average rating: 7.45

523 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

ValerieRuiz
Apr 06, 2026
5/10 stars
Six teenagers are dead and the alleged Bloody Heart Killer, high school teacher Randall Thompson, is behind bars, but doubts still remain. Psychiatrist Dr. Gwen Moore is brought in by defense attorney Robert Kavin, a grieving father, convinced of Thompson’s innocence, to reexamine the case. As Gwen digs deeper and grows closer to Robert, unsettling truths surface, suggesting the real killer (and the darkest secrets) may still be at large. While I’ve read a few of Torre’s books, I’m still on the fence about whether I like her writing or not. I found the synopsis of The Good Lie intriguing but as I read through it, I’m not really sure the plot made much sense and I felt the details were clunky at times. I did think it’s an okay read, but there isn’t anything much to remember or rave about.
The.readrose
Jan 28, 2026
6/10 stars
Maybe 3.5 out of 5 stars?

I had enjoyed the book almost entirely until the ending. There was a reveal that I don’t typically like in mystery/thrillers. Overall I liked the storytelling and the plot. I’ll read more books by this author in the future.
Ginac
Jan 07, 2026
3.7
BooksAreMyEscape
May 23, 2026
8/10 stars
Being a psychiatrist is not an easy job. Sometimes your patients are serial killers!
Melle M.
Mar 15, 2026
6/10 stars
This book kept me turning the pages. It definitely has an ending I was not expecting. I would recommend this book to anyone.

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