🩸 Book Review: Who Is the Liar by Laura Lee Bahr
A disturbing, psychologically rich thriller that explores sisterhood, innocence, and the terrifying ambiguity of truth.
Laura Lee Bahr’s Who Is the Liar is a chilling, genre-bending novel set in a tight-knit 1980s town where a child-killer is on the loose—and a young girl may be holding the key to a horrifying secret. With a Goodreads rating of 3.41/5 from nearly 3,000 readers, this book has sparked intense discussion for its unsettling premise and morally complex characters.
🧠 Plot Overview
Ten-year-old Topaz lives in a faith-focused community gripped by fear. Her older sister Ruby, known for her manipulative streak, claims she’s captured the killer and hidden him in their root cellar. The man she’s tied up? Brother Johnson, a kindly church figure who insists Ruby is lying.
Topaz is caught in a terrifying dilemma: trust her sister, who’s sworn her to secrecy, or believe the man pleading for his life. As the story unfolds, readers are forced to question every character’s motives—and whether innocence can survive in a world built on secrets and fear.
🩶 Why It Resonates
- Child’s Perspective: Told through Topaz’s limited understanding, the narrative captures the confusion, fear, and moral ambiguity of childhood trauma.
- Atmospheric Horror: From shadowy basements to whispered rumors of Satanic panic, the setting amplifies the tension and dread.
- Psychological Depth: Bahr explores how protective instincts can blur into cruelty, and how truth is often a matter of perspective.
- Unreliable Narration: Ruby’s manipulations and Topaz’s innocence create a layered mystery where no one is fully trustworthy.
💬 Reader Reactions
- “A genuinely shocking story—rare in contemporary horror.”
- “Uncomfortable, tense, and unforgettable.”
- “Ruby is one of the most chilling characters I’ve read in years.”
Some readers found the pacing uneven and the ambiguity frustrating, but many praised the book’s originality and emotional impact.
🏁 Final Verdict
Who Is the Liar is a haunting psychological thriller that refuses to offer easy answers. If you enjoy morally complex stories with unreliable narrators, disturbing family dynamics, and a slow descent into dread, this one will leave you shaken—and thinking long after the final page.
