Writers and Liars: A Novel

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In the latest thrilling suspense novel from Mary Higgins Clark Awardwinning author Carol Goodman, a group of mystery authors gathers on a secluded Greek island for a writers retreat, only to discover that their enigmatic host has been murdered and everyone present is a suspect.

Theyll kill for inspiration...

Fifteen years ago, Maia Gold attended a prestigiousandveryexclusivewriters retreat hosted by billionaire Argos Alexander on the Greek island of Eris. Its where she wrote her first book, the one that should have launched a brilliant career. But something dark happened on that island, a betrayal that has hung over Maia ever since.

Now, Maia finds a familiar envelope in the mail. Its an invitation to return to Eris, and according to social media, shes not the only one from that first retreat whos been invited back. This could be the second chance Maia needs to jump-start her dreams. A chance for reconciliation... or revenge.

Almost all of the writers from fifteen years before have returned to Eris, bringing unresolved resentments with them. Soon, the guests learn that their illustrious host is absent, though he has left instructions for them to participate in a contest: whoever can write the most suspenseful mystery while on the island will win a fortune and literary acclaim. But this is no harmless gamewhen the guests gather in the morning to share their first chapters, they find Argos Alexander, dead.

Tensions simmer as the guests try to determine whos behind the murder, and why theyve really been invited to the retreat. On an island full of mystery writers, anyone could be the killerand anyone could be the next victim. Trapped together until the next boat arrives from the mainland, they must sort out old grievances and figure out how to trust one another... or die one by one.

Reviews

"In keeping with the grand gothic tradition of the Bronts and du Maurier, Goodman spins an engrossing tale.... Fans of the genre will be happy to take it all in." -- Booklist (starred review) on Return to Wyldcliffe Heights

"A mystery within a mystery shrouded in layers of ghosts and dark family secrets, Return to Wyldcliffe Heights by Carol Goodman transports the reader effortlessly through three different timelines, each thick with deception and intrigue. A cleverly plotted gothic tale of madness, murder and revenge, readers will be riveted with the intertwined storylines, unable to stop until the last page is turned and the final secret revealed. An absorbing and addictive read!" -- B.R. Myers, Mary Higgins Clark Award-winning author of A Dreadful Splendor

"Multigenerational mysteries haunt a Hudson Valley mansion.... Goodman nails the gothic atmosphere." -- Publishers Weekly on Return to Wyldcliffe Heights

"Goodman... will please readers who like a gothic mystery with a creepy setting and unreliable narrators. Suggest for fans of Jane Eyre." -- Library Journal on Return to Wyldcliffe Heights

"Return to Wyldcliffe Heights is an absolute pleasure to read and delivers on all expectations. Carol Goodman also throws in more than a couple of mega twists I did not see coming that sends the narrative into uncharted territory. For fans of the author or newcomers who enjoy gothic mysteries, this is not to be missed." -- Bookreporter.com

"Return to Wyldcliffe Heights is a haunting gothic mystery that leaves you questioning everything and everyone. Be prepared to lose yourself in the fog of Wyldcliffe Heights." -- Novels Alive

"Goodman, a master genre-blender, has integrated elements of Mary Roberts Rinehart's 'had-I-but-known' gambit and Agatha Christie's 'alone-on-an-island' theme to come up with a real winner." -- Booklist (starred review) on The Disinvited Guest

"[A] superior thriller...The plot takes many terrifying twists and turns en route to the surprising climax. Those with a taste for the gothic will be richly rewarded." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review) on The Stranger Behind You

"Goodman expertly melds the psychological thriller and academic mystery into a compelling story of revenge and grief." -- Lisa Ko, author of The Leavers

"Carol Goodman's The Stranger Behind You is at once a ripped-from-the-headlines thriller, a powerful meditation on the deep bonds and power of female friendship, and a colorful glimpse of New York City old and new. In a twisting, mesmerizing story that is as beautifully written as it is utterly propulsive, Goodman weaves a dream that blends the past and the present, takes us deep into the hearts and souls of her characters, and keeps us breathlessly turning the pages right to the shocking and poignant end. I absolutely loved this layered and moving novel!" -- Lisa Unger, New York Times bestselling author of Confessions on the 7:45

"Carol Goodman is a superb writer, and she explores family and small-town dynamics in a way that's both suspenseful and touchingly real. THE SEA OF LOST GIRLS features a fascinating cast of characters, intriguing setting -- and enough shocking twists to leave you breathless. I loved it." -- Alison Gaylin, Edgar Award-winning author of Never Look Back

"The Disinvited Guest is a tense, fever dream of a thriller in an extraordinary, atmospheric setting, gripping from first page to last. In a world under attack from a new virus, seven friends take refuge on a private, fog-drenched island where memories are both long and unreliable, illness lurks, the terrain is treacherous and even the island's history has claws. Carol Goodman is a brilliant writer, and she shines here. Loved it." -- Gilly Macmillan, New York Times bestselling author of The Long Weekend

Author Bio

Carol Goodman is the critically acclaimed author of fourteen novels, including The Lake of Dead Languages and The Seduction of Water, which won the 2003 Hammett Prize. Her books have been translated into sixteen languages. She lives in the Hudson Valley with her family, and teaches creative writing at the New School and SUNY New Paltz.