Chet Granger held three women captive inside his basement and forced each one to bear his child. One woman died during childbirth. Eventually, the other two women and their children escaped. Missy Mo was one of these children. Twenty years after her escape, she has renamed herself Claire Lou and become a struggling photographer living in Portland, Oregon. She is desperately trying to put her life in Chet's basement behind her. Unfortunately, she learns that Chet will soon be paroled. Now, corpses are being discovered in the tunnels running beneath the Portland taverns (breweries). At all the scenes, objects from Claire's childhood are found (such as a bedraggled plush penguin), linking her to the murders. Claire must race against time to uncover the killer's identity before someone else dies and she is framed for all the murders.
Elle Marr's "Lies We Bury" is a creepy, highly engrossing mystery that totally unnerved me. I found it difficult to go to sleep until I discovered who was stalking and tormenting poor Claire Lou. I can't imagine spending seven years trapped inside a basement and then another twenty years suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Now, someone is leaving threatening notes on her car and inside her apartment and luring her to taverns where corpses are being found inside their tunnels. Who is trying to frame Claire for murder? The suspects are plenty. To make matters worse, she can't really trust anyone. Everyone in her family is mentally ill thanks to their horrifying incarceration inside the basement; her coworkers at the "Portland Post" don't know who she is; and she is constantly besieged by reporters who want to capitalize on her pain and suffering.
Its unique setting is what I liked most about "Lies We Bury." Much of it takes place beneath the ground where the characters feel buried alive. The story deftly alternates between the past (when Claire was imprisoned within Chet's tiny, two-room basement) and the present (when Claire is discovering gruesomely murdered victims in the tunnels beneath Portland's taverns.) Incidentally, the historical Shanghai Tunnels (a.k.a. the Old Portland Underground) actually exists. The tunnels were used to move goods from the Willamette River to the basements of many hotels and taverns. They are now a popular tourist attraction. There are several scenes where Claire must sneak down into the tunnels where she makes startling revelations.
As its title implies, lies play a significant role in "Lies We Bury." As I stated earlier, Claire doesn't know who to trust. People are telling her lies in order to first gain her confidence and trust before eventually betraying her. Many people have lied to her. The lies began inside Chet's basement and continued until Claire was grown. She makes a few horrifying discoveries about herself. Some of her history has been a lie. Our minds sometimes create lies in order to protect us from a harsh reality. Claire is reborn twice. Once, when she emerged from the basement and again when she discovers the killer's identity and their shocking motive--a motive consisting of a twisted revenge based on lies. Who doesn't like a mystery about a serial killer's quest for revenge?
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Elle Marr's "Lies We Bury." Loaded with suspense, mystery, and intrigue, it had enough murders to ensure a fast pacing. Our heroine is definitely a flawed one with a lack of morality that was sometimes questionable. However, I felt extreme sympathy towards her. Having been locked up for years within a basement, not always knowing when your next meal was coming, it was understandable she would sometimes snatch food that was lying around (such as an apple or a doughnut). Readers will love the unique setting of the Shanghai Tunnels that is very creepy and chilling. I read "Lies We Bury" in only a few days and, if I had time, I would love to read her debut, "The Missing Sister." It is obvious she likes to write about families that are torn apart. I'm not lying when I tell you I'm looking forward to reading Marr's next novel.
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Loading your book clubs
There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again.
Not in a club? Learn more
Join or create book clubs
Choose books together
Track your books
Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free.
Customers who bought this item also bought
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
Popular Highlights in this book
That we aren’t defined by our beginnings or by the choices our parents made for us. We can define ourselves.Highlighted by 107 Kindle readers- Sunshine doesn’t mean protection. The worst crimes can happen in the daylight.Highlighted by 97 Kindle readers
- Secrets have a way of breaking free. But when they do, their shame lingers—like the smell of rotten meat sauce. Even some twenty years later.Highlighted by 71 Kindle readers
About the author
Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Reviews with images
Thriller Kept Me Guessing
Lies We Bury by Elle Marr was sent to me as an ARC by Megan Beatie Communication via NetGalley and I couldn't be more grateful! This is the first book I've read by Elle Marr and it kept me on the edge of my seat!Per the description provided by NetGalley, "Two decades ago Marissa Mo escaped a basement prison—the only home she’d ever known. At twenty-seven, Marissa’s moved beyond the trauma and is working under a new name as a freelance photographer. But when she accepts a job covering a string of macabre murders in Portland, it’s impossible for Marissa not to remember."First of all I love the Pacific Northwest, having grown up in the suburbs of Seattle, so it was fun reading about the places the main character frequented in the book in Portland.As a worker in the mental health field, I found myself appreciating the descriptions of loneliness and pain that was explored with each character as a result of the horrific trauma they endured. It was interesting to see how each character's personality and circumstances differed, having shared a mutual trauma.Looking at the murder mysteries in the book, I had several different theories floating around in my head of who could have been the culprit and changed my mind several times. The way my mind does this with thrillers is important to me as a reader, even if I figure out the killer before the last page, I still want to doubt myself a few times before I get there. This book did that for me.This book's pub date is April 1st! Go check it out if you love books that will keep you guessing!Thank you so much to @mbc_books, @netgalley @amazonpublishing @ellemarrauthor and #thomasandmercer for this great ARC!!!
Top reviews from other countries
Talia C.
This was so much better than I could have ever hoped for !
Reviewed in Canada on March 12, 2021
Sammy
A Murder Mystery With A Painful Twist
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 13, 2021
Pauline Vernon
Pacey enthralling novel
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 18, 2021