If Ridley Jones had slept ten minutes later or had taken the subway instead of waiting for a cab, she would still be living the beautiful lie she used to call her life. She would still be the privileged daughter of a doting father and a loving mother. Her life would still be perfect—with only the tiny cracks of an angry junkie for a brother and a charming drunk with shady underworld connections for an uncle to mar the otherwise flawless whole.
But that’s not what happened. Instead, those inconsequential decisions lead her to perform a good deed that puts her in the right place at the right time to unleash a chain of events that brings a mysterious package to her door—a package which informs her that her entire world is a lie.
Suddenly forced to question everything she knows about herself and her family, Ridley wanders into dark territory she never knew existed, where everyone in her life seems like a stranger. She has no idea who’s on her side and who has something to hide—even, and maybe especially, her new lover, Jake, who appears to have secrets of his own.
Sexy and fast-paced, Beautiful Lies is a true literary thriller with one of the freshest voices and heroines to arrive in years. Lisa Unger takes us on a breathtaking ride in which every choice Ridley makes creates a whirlwind of consequences that are impossible to imagine . . . .
I liked this a lot. It starts out with a glimpse into the past and a glimpse into the future that are just enough to whet your appetite and start you reading. The suspense and the never-ending list of unanswered questions keep you reading until the bitter(sweet?) end. I liked Ridley and agreed completely with her "no regrets" philosophy of life. Jake was a good counterpart to her, even when you weren’t sure if he was a good guy or a bad guy. The only thing I found a little silly was the "interview" with Ridley in the discussion guide. I definitely plan to read more of Unger’s books.
