Gathering Lies [Mass Market Paperback]

Meg O'Brien (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2001

Six women have come to Thornberry, a secluded writers' colony on a tiny island off the coast of Seattle. When a devastating earthquake hits the mainland, their safe haven is shattered. The women are left without any means of communication with the outside world and no way off the island and must rely on each other for basic survival. But soon after two strangers arrive on the island, one of the women is found dead from an apparent accident. Sarah Lansing fears they are in the company of a murderer, and with everyone hiding a secret, everyone is a suspect....

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 408 pages
• Publisher: Mira; First Thus edition (April 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1551668076
• ISBN-13: 978-1551668079
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,143,536 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lots mystery going on here, May 20, 2001

By 

rcarey22 (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Gathering Lies (Mass Market Paperback)

Attorney Sarah Lansing has been charged with drug possession, a charge which is brought about after her defense of a woman who has been raped and then murdered by five Seattle cops who are determined to find the evidence which Sarah supposedly has but has not turned over to the DA for fear it will get "lost" and the cops will go free. While no charges have been brought against these five cops, Sarah has lost her job and basically hides out at home. While awaiting her trial Sarah decides to write a book about the five cops and the events leading up to her arrest. Sarah receives an invitation to writer's colony on a tiny island several miles from Seattle where she spent her childhood summers with her family and where she again meets her first love, Luke Ford. Five other writers join Sarah on the island, each has a secret they don't want to particularly share, including the owner of the colony. When a disaster strikes by way of an earthquake, two men show up on the island, all the truths come out and so does a killer, now the body count begins to rise. This novel was a truly enthralling novel up to the very end and I was truly surprised at its conclusion. You will enjoy this novel.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Edge of your seat tension, and fast paced too., April 9, 2001

By 

Gregory Koenig (San Bernardino, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Gathering Lies (Mass Market Paperback)

I've been a Meg-a-Fan back since the Jesse James novels, and I'm glad to say Meg just keeps getting better. In this book, Meg blends murder with a huge natural disaster. And guess what? The disaster is a major earthquake hitting the Seattle area! (Meg must be psychic)

This book has a great visual tone to it. I could almost see, and feel, the earthquake happening. Sarah, the heroine, is delightfully determined, even though she's up against impossible situations and dealing with a strange mix of personalities.

Forced to work together after being marooned on an island after the quake, these characters struggle with issues like little food, no power, limited shelter, and no communication with the mainland. When one of the group is found murdered, distrust starts to hinder the groups chances of survival. Murderer or not, wood still needs to be cut for a fire to keep warm. But who are you going to give the ax to!

This book gets five stars all the way. I liked every page of it, except maybe the blank one after the "End." :-)

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gathering Lies, December 31, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Gathering Lies (Mass Market Paperback)

Set on a remote island in the San Juan Islands of Washington State. It is a well written book with attention to detail that readers of other books written by Meg O'Brien have come to appreciate. Without giving away a lot of the plot, I will point out that O'Brien brings out the dependency that residents of these islands have on ferry service to come and go from the islands for even the bare necessities of life. The beauty and grandeur are elluded to without being specific. She also writes of the solitude and isolation desired by many who live in the islands who might be looked upon by some city dwellers as reclusive. The characters are involved in the usual suspense and mystery with some not making it to the end of the novel without coming to a graphically depicted untimely end. It is another book written by Meg O'Brien that is well worth adding to your personal library.