Release Date: 7th March 2024
Publisher: Firefly Press
Pages: 367
Find it: Goodreads Waterstones
Source: The publisher kindly sent me a copy of this book to review
Rating: 4/5 stars

Synopsis

Ten strangers trapped in a television studio
Forty-two remote cameras
Trust no one

When a casting call is announced for new reality TV show Lie or Die, Kass is tricked into auditioning by her best friend. Big Brother meets Mafia, Lie or Die pits contestants against each other as they try to discover who is a murderous agent and who is an innocent player. But when contestants start to turn up dead (the real kind, not the fake kind), Kass realises that not being eliminated and winning the game is the least of her worries. No longer a game of truth and lies, Kass and her friends are in a fight for survival. ‘Reality’ just got very real.

Review

Lie or Die is a fast-paced and twisty young adult thriller that follows a young girl named Kass who ends up auditioning for a new reality TV show that pits players against each other as they attempt to discover who is the murderous agent among them. Who is telling the truth and who isn’t? Kass knows she can’t trust anyone. As tensions climb in the game and players start actually dying, Kass has to use all her wits to discover what’s really going on and save those around her.

I absolutely love the TV show Traitors and this is exactly the book to read if you’re looking for something to fill that Traitors hole in your life. This is such a fun and addictive read, I raced through it and it was full to the brim with edge of your seat moments. There were plenty of surprises and twists and I was surprised by the ending because it wasn’t what I expected it to be. I don’t read an awful lot of YA thrillers but this was a compelling story with an engaging writing style. The story felt well executed and I would definitely be keen to read more from A J Clack in the future.

The friendship dynamics in the story were well portrayed and I loved seeing the way the friendships and alliances changed as things became more and more tense. The story had a good sense of atmosphere and I really liked our main protagonist Kass. She felt well crafted and I was rooting for her the entire time. If you’re looking for an engaging YA thriller that will keep you hooked till the very last page, definitely check out Lie or Die – you won’t be disappointed.