LoveReading Says
Transporting glamorous Great Gatsby vibes to Hong Kong’s 21st-century high society, Kristina Pérez’s The Many Lies of Veronica Hawkins is an addictive, twisty thriller centred on the complex friendship between an incredibly wealthy old-money heiress and an American ex-pat wife. It’s a heady page-turner with psychological edge, and all the juicy allure of lives lived to decadent excess.
After arriving in Hong Kong freshly married to her childhood sweetheart, Martina finds herself at a loss. With no job and no friends, she’s enraptured when super-stylish, super-rich Veronica takes her under her sophisticated wing. The best-connected person in the city — and beyond — Veronica embodies old colonial Hong Kong. While “everyone wanted something from Veronica Hawkins”, to Martina “she was magical”.
At the same time, friction mounts between Martina and her husband, and she finds herself in the throes of an identity crisis: “Who was I if I wasn’t Spencer’s wife?...I could only be who I was. Where I was. I was no longer New York Martina. Who would Hong Kong Martina turn out to be?” Thankfully, though, Veronica sweeps her into Hong Kong’s high society and gives her new energy, and new purpose: “I’m starting to think you’re my fairy godmother”.
But when Veronica vanishes over the side of a yacht at a party, no one is sure whether it was murder, suicide, or a tragic accident. The truth is revealed in time, after stacks of serpentine twists, and after Martina has experienced success as an author as a result of penning her account of their relationship.
Darkly addictive and explosive, thriller fans will not be able to tear themselves away from this.
Joanne Owen
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The Many Lies of Veronica Hawkins Synopsis
'Glamorous, shocking and deliciously deceptive. The kind of sharp, exciting and sophisticated mystery I just adore' CHRIS WHITAKER, author of We Begin at the End
'This whirlwind of a novel presents a glittering façade and then shatters it' The Times
'A richly drawn and riveting tale of friendship gone wrong, with too many secrets, twists, and lies to count' SARA SHEPARD, author of Pretty Little Liars
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo meets Gone Girl in this deliciously gripping novel set in the world of Hong Kong's super-rich, where everyone has secrets... some of which may get you killed.
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When Martina Torres arrives in the glamorous and vibrant metropolis of Hong Kong, newly married to her high school sweetheart, the world seems to be her oyster. But looks can be deceiving. Adrift in a foreign city, with no job and no friends, Martina chafes in her new role as Expat Wife.
Her luck changes when she meets Veronica Hawkins. Beautiful, sophisticated, and very, very rich, Veronica is the epitome of Old Hong Kong - the last surviving member of a British mercantile dynasty that built the city during its colonial heyday. Martina can hardly believe her fortune when she's taken under Veronica's wing and into her confidence, with Veronica helping her to find a new apartment, a new career, and most importantly, a new self.
Veronica transforms Martina's life and then, shockingly, she dies. She disappears over the side of a yacht during a party attended by Hong Kong's most influential people - yet somehow there are no witnesses.
Was it murder? Suicide? A terrible accident? What really happened to Veronica Hawkins?
Somebody knows but nobody's telling.
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'An engaging tale of intrigue, glamour . . . laced with claustrophobic menace and mystery' Financial Times
'A twisty thriller with rich and complex female friendships. I tore through this one' KELLEY ARMSTRONG, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author
'A joyous, addictive exploration of materialism and excess, beautifully conjuring Hong Kong in all its societal layers. This is a delightfully dark novel which brings to mind The Great Gatsby in early 21st Century Hong Kong' LISA BALLANTYNE, author of The Innocent One
'Smart, suspenseful, and utterly addictive' KAREN M. MCMANUS, No. 1 New York Times bestselling author of One of Us Is Lying
'Vivid, immersive and compulsive, the layers of detail are gorgeous, and the quick wit and devious twists mean that you know everyone is lying, but it's a rollercoaster ride to find out what they're lying about' ALEXIA CASALE, author of The Best Way to Bury Your Husband
'A smart, twisted story filled with secrets and lies played out in the vibrant, glittering setting of Hong Kong' MARINA MCCARRON, author of The Time Between Us
'With its richly drawn setting and thorny, complex characters, this story of two women, a friendship, and a fateful night keeps you guessing to the end' KATE ALICE MARSHALL, author of What Lies in the Woods
'A thrilling expose of ex-pat life; deliciously dark and compelling' KATE MAXWELL, author of Hush
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781408719039 |
| Publication date: |
3rd April 2025 |
| Author: |
Kristina Pérez |
| Publisher: |
Constable an imprint of Little, Brown |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
400 pages |
| Primary Genre |
Crime and Mystery
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| Other Genres: |
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