I was searching for a novel that stood by itself, one that did not belong to a series, when I came across “Liars, Inc.” by Paula Stokes. Even better than being a solo act, the young adult novel in no way whatsoever has anything to do with dystopia, making it a bit of an anomaly in the YA genre. I enjoy a dystopian setting as much as the next reader, but I always hold respect for an author going against the latest trend, and Paula Stokes has done just that with her latest novel.

A Tangled Web of Falsities

Like the novel’s tagline “It all starts with one little lie” suggests, the destructive behavior of lying proves one lie cannot stand by itself, and soon there is an entangled web of falsities where the truth could have so easily stood. Through the life of high schooler Max Cantrell, this truth comes to fruition by the creation of Liars, Inc., a student made and led system that creates lies for fellow students. Spanning from getting detentions covered for twenty dollars to creating alibis for one hundred dollars, with the help of his best friend Preston and his girlfriend Parvati, Max quickly becomes the senior to know. But the weekend he creates an alibi for Preston, being the person to know now makes him the prime suspect when his best friend is declared missing.

Soon, all the lies can be traced back to the day Liars, Inc. was created and Max begins to wish he had just told the truth from the beginning. As the story progresses, so do the intensity of the lies told to cover up the ones already told. If only the same could be said for his personal life where the unapologetic truth comes full force, annihilating everything Max thought he knew.

With each of Max’s relationships causing him to question everything, it quickly becomes apparent that if he and those closest to him had just been themselves, chaos would not have ensued.

A Convincing Mystery

An intriguing tale that captivated me from the get go, I would definitely recommend this book. Although the relationship between Parvati and Max is pretty physical, which is made evident throughout the book, the message “Liars, Inc.” carries should not shy one away just because of a few scenes. I believe there is always a redemptive story found in the midst of tragedy and the life of Max Cantrell testifies to this.

Stokes writes with a voice that pulls you in and creates a convincing mystery, leaving you wondering who is the one behind it all. More than anything, “Liars, Inc.” shows what life could be if you do not have truth as a foundation and how empty relationships are when all there is, is the physical.