Thrilled to host Lisa Manterfield on the Spotlight today, here to discuss her latest psychological thriller

Author Name: Lisa Manterfield

Book Title: All Our Lies Are True

Book Genre: Psychological Thriller

Release Date: September 12, 2023

Publisher: Steel Rose Press

Welcome, Lisa! How would you describe All Our Lies Are True? 

It’s been sixteen years since Abby Kirkpatrick’s twin sister vanished without a trace, throwing her family under the white-hot lights of public scrutiny. Now, Cassie has been found, and everything Abby believed about the family who kept her safe is about to be turned inside out.

What sparked the idea for this book?

This story was sparked by a dream I had almost two decades ago. I woke up with one very vivid image of myself as a young girl witnessing my father hiding the evidence of a crime. It was a deeply disturbing dream, but from that single snapshot, the story of this family began to spin.

How long did it take for you to write the book? Did you do any research?

I started the book as a NaNoWriMo project, which left me with a messy partial draft but a great start to the story. It took me about eighteen months to finish. I did a lot of research into the psychology of trauma and memory, which triggered some unexpected plot twists. One particular twist came out of an article I spotted while reading about another aspect of the book. That’s the magic of the writing process!

What’s your favorite part about writing/being an author? What do you find challenging?

I love playing with ideas and exploring new-to-me worlds. My favorite parts of the process are the development and first draft stages, when a spark of an idea takes hold, and an entire story grows from it. I’ve also grown to embrace research, in particular talking to experts in their field. You can learn so much from someone who is passionate about what they do.

One of my big challenges is balancing the urgency of getting a book finished with the desire to write the best book I possibly can. I see authors I admire publishing a book a year and I think, “I really should be doing that.” But then I remind myself that it’s not my process and I need to do what I do.

If you were speaking to someone who hasn’t read your writing before, why should they want to read All Our Lies Are True?

Early readers tell me this is a fast-paced, keep-you-up-all-night read, but one that leaves you thinking about the consequences of family secrets, moral dilemmas, and assumptions of guilt.

What are your interests outside of writing and reading?

I have a very productive vegetable garden that seems to thrive despite the neglect it’s suffered this year. It’s my favorite place to go and think. I’m also a (very slow) runner and I love hiking. Anything that gets me outdoors makes me happy.

Are you working on a new project? Please tell us about it.

I’m working on a thriller about a woman who starts to believe that her long-dead husband might have faked his death. It’s partly set in the comic book world, so I’m enjoying the research and playing with telling a story within a story.

What was the last book you read and what did you think of it?

I just finished listening to Ann Patchett’s Tom Lake. The audiobook is narrated by Meryl Streep and is wonderful. It’s a very gentle family story, brilliantly told in dual timelines that merge seamlessly. It was the perfect escape from writing dark, twisty thrillers.

Where can readers find you?

I’m looking forward to more in-person events in California in the coming months. In January, I’m teaching an 8-week Publishing Intensive online with Shirin Yim Leos.

You can find me on my website at lisamanterfield.com. I’m also on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.

All Our Lies Are True

For far too long, Abby Kirkpatrick has lived with survivor’s guilt. She was only six when her twin sister, Cassie, vanished without a trace from the room where they slept, an unsolved mystery that continues to haunt her family. Now, Abby is ready for a fresh start—a new town and a promising career in child psychology. Maybe if she can save just one child, it will ease her conscience about losing Cassie.

But when Cassie’s remains are discovered, Abby’s family is thrust into a devastating “trial by media,” with her father emerging as the prime suspect. Despite her older sister’s efforts to protect the family from fresh trauma, Abby returns to the crime scene, determined to uncover the truth about that fateful night. As she unravels a web of secrets, Abby realizes the close-knit family she has always trusted might be protecting a killer.

All Our Lies Are True is a gripping page-turner and a deeply moving portrayal of a woman longing for freedom from her past.

Author bio:

Lisa Manterfield is the award-winning author of A Strange Companion and The Smallest Thing, and two works of non-fiction. Originally from northern England, she now lives in Northern California with her husband and two cats. When not writing, she can be found hiking in the redwoods and daydreaming in her vegetable garden. Learn more at LisaManterfield.com.