Maitland’s strength of presenting the facts of medieval life in a subtle manner is quite evident in the novel. Readers learn about the time period in a natural and amusing way. Maitland obviously conducted research for “Company of Liars” instead of taking a pure fictional route.

Goodreads Ireland - Previous Monthly Reads: Spoiler Thread Goodreads Ireland - Previous Monthly Reads: Spoiler Thread

It is I suppose comforting for some to believe that the social issues of today’s Britain are perennial, that there is a national character, perhaps, which continuously muddles through the same problems over and over. This is one explanation for Karen Maitland’s imagined world of England in the Middle Ages. The way she portrays the state of the nation - from immigration to the condition of the roads; from sexual harassment to fake news - suggests that the problems we have to deal with have a constancy that define the country. There are so many twists and turns in this thrilling novel that the reader will be left wondering just who these liars really are. The end, or beginning, will surprise you. You are guaranteed never to jump to conclusions again.”The books many threads made this more challenging to review, was it a retelling of Chaucer's 'Canterbury Tales' – yes kind off sort off. Then I settled on it being an enthralling story of mystery and intrigue inspired by Chaucer's 'Canterbury Tales' but darker. But what is it?

In The Company Of Liars by David Ellis | Goodreads In The Company Of Liars by David Ellis | Goodreads

Nothing is what it seems in In the Company of Liars, David Ellis’ compelling new novel of intrigue, murder and terrorism. Rarely does an author give readers such a good time trying – futilely – to guess what’s about to happen. Or, more to the point, what has already happened. Tenemos a Zophiel, supuesto mago y dueño de carromato y caballo, que transporta, entre otras lindezas, un supuesto bebé de sirena, por el que la ciudadanía paga por contemplar. Tenemos a Rodrigo y Jofre, músico y aprendiz, que vivieron tiempos mejores. Tenemos a Osmond y Adela, un matrimonio que huye del repudio de la familia (ella está embarazada). Tenemos a Pleasance, una curandera y partera, que ayuda a Adela a sobrellevar su embarazo por esas peligrosas veredas. Tenemos a Cygnus, un contador de historias que, como su nombre indica, nació con un brazo deforme… que no es tal, sino ala de cisne a medio formar. Tenemos a Camelot, nuestro personaje principal y desfigurado de cara, vendedor de reliquias más falsas que Judas, pero muy necesarias en estos tiempos convulsos de pecado y contrición. Y, por si fueran pocos, a este grupo de ocho se sumará Narigorm, una extraña chiquilla de blanca piel, que sabe interpretar las runas, y, de este modo, ayudar al grupo a elegir los mejores caminos y a eludir las peores adversidades. Despite some of these familiar undertones; Maitland’s text is not predictable or overly foreshadowed. Therein lays a healthy amount of drama with the need to know what happens next. However, there are some much too dramatized and unbelievable moments. These aren’t too excessive but when they are apparent, they sadly take a bit away from the story. The narrator of this text (Camelot) is a wonderful voice to carry us through the proceedings and creates a sympathetic prism from which to view the other characters, all of whom have unlikable traits, but most of whom I was able to feel some empathy with. Due to the nature of the book, there is not much I can tell you about the plot without spoiling it. I'll just say that it centers around Allison Pagone, a best-selling author who is standing trial for the murder of her boyfriend, Sam Dillon, and who is found dead in her bathtub ... an apparent suicide. It also features Allison's ex-husband, Mateo, her daughter, Jessica, the FBI ... and a terrorist organization. There are several sub-plots going on simultaneously, and it as the truth is slowly revealed, the reader realizes that nearly nothing is as it seems. Each character has his or her own perception of the reality of the situation, his or her own motives for solving the murder and/or taking the blame for it. That's about as far as I can go in describing it.This group will have to face superstition and mystery, and one by they will become victim to the child rune reader, who somehow compels each of her companions to tell their stories, or face the consequences.

Company of Liars by Karen Maitland | Goodreads Company of Liars by Karen Maitland | Goodreads

Writing as KJ Maitland, her new historical thriller 'Rivers of Treason', the 3rd in her Jacobean quartet, is set in 1607. Daniel Pursglove finds himself again embroiled in murder in the aftermath of the infamous Gunpowder Plot. The 1st book in the series is 'The Drowned City', and 2nd 'Traitor in the Ice' are also published by Headline. Superstitions of the era influence the journey. They believe in witches and the supernatural. They think a wolf or werewolf is following them. Dramatic tension is maintained by wondering what evils will befall the group. The narrative is driven by the sequential uncovering of secrets. The tone is eerie. The reader will feel a sense of foreboding. We know something bad is going to happen and are waiting for the axe to fall. That gives Ellis a chance to show off some humor. Allison wonders what reporters would say if they followed her into the grocery store: “Yes, Bob, we can now confirm that Allison Pagone has decided to go with the sugarless gum Trident as her breath freshener, baffling experts who had predicted cinnamon Altoids.” And the newspaper headline, “Murder suspect: ‘I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!’ ” A major issue with “Company of Liars” is the unnatural ease with which the characters accept each other and their mysteries. Yes, there are arguments and disagreements but overall, the loyalties of the strangers to each other are a bit difficult to digest. On the other hand, this adds to the foggy, mysterious allure of “Company of Liars”. For example, Narigorm read Runes (which, as far as I know, is a Germanic thing?) but worships an Irish Goddess through them – I am not sure how the two work together? Similarly, some of the character’s world views seemed far too modern? Camelot’s easy acceptance of homosexuality (which ok, is awesome and cool), incest (which is not so awesome) not to mention a certain abjuration of religious beliefs felt too out of place?

Company of Liars

From hanging to a tree, to the deadly confirmation that more than Plague is at stake, this group of people is held in suspense by several more sinister circumstances. Maitland combines the story-telling traditions of The Canterbury Tales with the supernatural suspense of Kate Mosse's Sepulchre in this atmospheric tale of treachery and magic." - Marie Claire (UK). In the Company of Liars is a truly original thriller, strikingly fresh and unpredictable. Told in chronological reverse, from its enigmatic end to its brilliant beginning, the novel is centered on a woman who is on trial for murder—Allison Pagone, a mother caught between competing forces, each represented by someone who may not care if the pressure kills her in the end. A prosecutor wants Allison convicted and put on death row. An FBI agent believes she can squeeze her into ratting on her family. A daughter and an ex-husband need to save their own skins. And circling them all: a group who would prefer to eliminate her quietly and anonymously, but who also are not what they seem. Casting faux historical references in terms of a sort of hippie Canterbury Tale (with neither the wit nor the elegance of the original) is, therefore, of dubious merit. Dropping in archaic period terms like ‘camelot’ and ‘kirtle’ don’t do much to divert attention from the Hobbesian misery of the lives of the characters - solitary, nasty, brutish and short. These characters inhabit a land of superstitious squalor in which the principle recreations are alcoholism and GBH. Whatever secrets they might be hiding seem insignificant in light of their existential reality, which has little to do with their place in history. Not all is bad in this book, for the suspense factor is maintained throughout. By this I don’t mean that we don’t know the murderer, in fact we do. However, the why of those murders and why does this person murder the others is kept a suspense throughout. Unfortunately though, it remains a mystery even at the end. No reason, no conclusion, nothing is provided by the author and it is left to the reader to fathom. While I don’t usually mind such narratives, this one irked me a lot. It felt as if the author took us readers for a ride, promising a lot of things but not delivering it. I felt completely let down and felt that I had actually wasted a lot of time reading this book. It was the end that kept me going through all the boring and repetitive parts, it was the hope that there would be some clarifications, but I got naught. In fact, at that point, I would have settled for a fantastical if implausible ending but I didn’t even get that. What I got was a stereotyped ending, which did nothing to endear me to this book.