Two Truths and a Lie

by April Henry

Overview

A group of teens are trapped in an old motel with a murderer in this chilling YA mystery by New York Times bestselling author April Henry.

Nell has always wanted to be an actor, but she doubts her ability. As a member of her school’s theater program, she prefers working backstage. On the way to a contest, an unexpected blizzard strands her acting troupe in a creepy motel. Soon they meet a group of strangers from another high school—including the mysterious and handsome Knox, who insists they play the game Two Truths and a Lie. When it’s Nell’s turn, she draws a slip of paper written in unfamiliar handwriting:
 

I like to watch people die.
I’ve lost count of how many people I’ve killed.
 

Suddenly a night of harmless fun turns into a matter of life and death. As guests go missing, it becomes clear that a murderer is hiding in their midst ready to strike again. In a room full of liars and performers, the truth is never quite what it seems. Nell is going to have to act like her life depends on it—because it does.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780316323338
Publisher:	Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Publication date:	05/24/2022
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	35,557
Product dimensions:	5.60(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.10(d)
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

April Henry is the New York Times bestselling author of many acclaimed mysteries for adults and young adults, including the YA novels Girl, Stolen; The Night She Disappeared; The Girl Who Was Supposed to Die; The Girl I Used to Be, which was nominated for an Edgar Award and won the Anthony Award for Best YA Mystery; Count All Her Bones; The Lonely Dead; Run, Hide, Fight Back; The Girl in the White Van; Playing with Fire; Eyes of the Forest; and The Body in the Woods and Blood Will Tell, the first two books in the Point Last Seen series. She lives in Oregon. April invites you to visit her at aprilhenry.com.

Editorial Reviews

04/18/2022

In Henry’s (Playing with Fire) intermittently scary mystery, a vanload of Midwestern high school theater kids is headed for a regional competition with their drama teacher when it begins to snow. Six hours later, caught without cell service in a polar vortex, they’re forced to check into the sprawling, difficult-to-navigate Travel Inn and Out. Soon, another group of teens arrives, this one en route to a robotics competition. When they all meet in the common room in high spirits and begin a variation on Two Truths and a Lie—one in which each contribution is anonymously offered and read aloud—the story’s narrator, Nell, chooses a paper-slip submission that no one claims, reading “I like to watch people die,” “My least favorite food is mushrooms,” and “I’ve lost count of how many people I’ve killed.” Then things get bad for the largely white cast: the power fails, large paw prints suggest a cougar prowling around outside, and a body is found hanging from a noose with another message—“THIS IS THE FIRST.” If abundant red herrings result in a less than satisfying ending, Henry’s telling successfully incorporates elements of romance into a snowed-inn mystery with Agatha Christie roots. Ages 12–up. Agent: Wendy Schmalz, Wendy Schmalz Agency. (May)

Publishers Weekly

Praise for Two Truths and a Lie:
Amazon Editor’s Choice for Best Young Adult 
Teen Vogue 15 Best New Thriller & Mystery Books for Summer 2022
She Reads: Best YA Thrillers Coming in 2022
YALSA Top 10 Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers ​
Featured in Crime Reads
Featured in the Big Thrill 
Junior Library Guild Gold Standard selection 

"Suspense, intrigue, and isolation converge in this perfect storm of a thriller."—Mindy McGinnis, author of The Female of the Species

"A white-knuckle, claustrophobic, locked-room tour de force, Two Truths and a Lie is a worthy successor to Agatha Christie."—Gretchen McNeil, author of Ten and #murdertrending

"Told with nods to Agatha Christie and in eerie detail, this thriller is sure to delight fans of mystery, suspense, and a little horror.... A grisly, fast-paced, suspenseful tale of a murder and mystery that is great for fans of noir thrillers who do not mind a little gore."—School Library Journal

"Henry returns with another thriller that will keep readers on the edges of their seats with mystery and romance, plus various theater references that give the novel a unique feel. Multiple twists and turns will keep readers guessing until the very end. An engrossing read."—Booklist

"Henry successfully incorporates elements of romance into a snowed-inn mystery with Agatha Christie roots."—Publishers Weekly

"An homage to Agatha Christie, Henry’s locked-room mystery is tautly plotted, with quick-moving nail-biting chapters, relatable characters, and a deftly wrought setting that paradoxically manages to feel both claustrophobic and sprawling …. An atmospheric and entertaining thriller perfect for snowy night chills."—Kirkus Reviews

"April Henry is a prolific author who, in my opinion, consistently writes engaging and authentically teen YA books that remind me of those 90s and 2000s paperback series, and this is the highest compliment I can give her as an author. Just as adults still love to read Harlequin romances, I believe that a lot is being lost in teen fiction and in our libraries by moving away from those quick, fun – and easy to carry because they are paperback – series that you can consistently count on for some great escapist reading that horrifies, delights, and engages. April Henry excels at this…A thing that I appreciate with April Henry is how authentically teen her protagonists feel and sound on a consistent basis. I have never walked away from an April Henry book thinking those characters were adults that they just labelled as 17 to market them as YA. And did I mention they are fun and engaging reads?!"—SLJ.com’s Teen Librarian Toolbox

From the Publisher

07/01/2022

Gr 9 Up—A group of high school students are doomed on a trip for a theater competition. They drive straight into a blizzard and must find refuge in a hotel in the middle of nowhere. When they check-in, they meet a robotics team that is also stranded while traveling for their own competition. The hotel is creepy, cold, and full of winding hallways, making it difficult to navigate. It also holds dark secrets, including the murder of a businessman and his mistress years before. The murder weapon was never found, and the murder never solved. The teens play games, including Two Truths and a Lie, to pass the time. When one person writes their two truths and a lie as "I like to watch people die," and then two classmates turn up dead, the evening becomes sinister. Told with nods to Agatha Christie and in eerie detail, this thriller is sure to delight fans of mystery, suspense, and a little horror. Who is the killer and why are they targeting the teens? VERDICT A grisly, fast-paced, suspenseful tale of a murder and mystery that is great for fans of noir thrillers who do not mind a little gore. Recommended for teen readers.—Tracey S. Hodges

School Library Journal

2022-03-02
A group of teens stranded in a snowstorm discovers a murderer in their midst.

While traveling on the highway to a state theater competition, Nell and her friends Min, Raven, Adam, and Jermaine are caught in a dangerous blizzard. Their teacher, Mrs. McElroy, who is driving the minivan, decides to stop for the night at the run-down and shady-looking Travel Inn and Out. The motel is labyrinthine and spooky, with dingy corridors and walls adorned with moldering kitsch. Nell and the gang meet another group of kids who are also stranded by the storm, making fast friends. A game of Two Truths and a Lie starts out flirty and fun but devolves into something more sinister when one slip of paper reads “I like to watch people die,” and “I’ve lost count of how many people I’ve killed.” The snow falls and the winds howl, and soon power and cell service are lost, cutting off the motel patrons from the outside world. As the first victim is discovered and the body count begins to grow, the terror becomes palpable. Everyone at the motel seems to have an insidious secret: Will Nell be able to uncover the killer before they strike again? An homage to Agatha Christie, Henry’s locked-room mystery is tautly plotted, with quick-moving nail-biting chapters, relatable characters, and a deftly wrought setting that paradoxically manages to feel both claustrophobic and sprawling. Nell is White; there is diversity among the secondary characters.

An atmospheric and entertaining thriller perfect for snowy night chills. (Mystery. 12-16)

Kirkus Reviews