Count My Lies by Sophie Stava

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⭐ 3.5/5: Count My Lies by Sophie Stava — A Twisty Thriller About the Dangers of Little White Lies

👉 Grab your copy here: Count My Lies on Amazon (affiliate link)

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⚠️ Trigger Warnings

This book contains:

• Gender discrimination

• Anti-gay bias

• Suicidal ideation & self-harm

• Sexual content

• Cursing

• Illness & death

• Emotional abuse

• Violence & bullying

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✨ First Impressions

I tore through this book like it was a Netflix binge. 🍿 The premise of a compulsive liar as a main character is just so juicy, and Sophie Stava’s writing is fun, sharp, and relatable.

Did I see some twists coming? Absolutely. This story gave me strong vibes of The Housemaid (Freida McFadden), Behind Closed Doors (B.A. Paris), and The Drowning Woman (Robyn Harding). Still, it manages its own spin. Jay, the “perfect” husband, isn’t quite as monstrous as Andrew (Housemaid), Jack (Behind Closed Doors), or Benjamin (Drowning Woman)… but let’s be real: in a psychological thriller, “perfect husband” = 🚩🚩🚩.

⭐ My rating: 3.5 out of 5 (knocked down for predictability, but still very entertaining).

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📖 Spoiler-Filled Plot Summary

(Spoiler Alert! Don’t scroll unless you want the whole truth.)

The novel has three narrators: compulsive liar Sloane Caraway, polished wife Violet Lockhart, and her charming-but-slimy husband Jay.

• Sloane’s Story (Ch. 1–18, 32):
  Sloane has lied her way through life—starting as a bullied kid making up stories about her “rich, famous” dad and continuing into adulthood. She loses her cushy preschool job (and nanny gig) after getting a little too Single White Female with her boss Allison. After that disaster, she works at a spa until fate (aka Violet’s plotting) puts her in the path of Jay and Violet Lockhart.

Sloane lies to Jay that she’s a nurse named Caitlin and before long, she’s nannying their daughter Harper. She idolizes Violet, dyes her hair like hers, and basically becomes her mini-me. 🚩🚩

• Violet’s Story (Ch. 19–29):
  Plot twist! Violet knew Sloane was a liar from the jump. She engineered their “chance” meeting in the park, sicced Allison on her at the spa, and fed her just enough rope to dangle. Why? Revenge. Violet’s marriage to Jay is a dumpster fire—he cheats with the nanny (classic 🙄), gaslights, and wants custody of Harper plus access to her grandmother’s fortune.

Her BFF Danny (childhood friend, gay, EMT, all-around loyal king) helps her scheme. Violet’s plan: make it look like Jay killed her.

• Jay’s Story (Ch. 30–31):
  Jay’s chapters are pure smugness. He cheats, manipulates, and thinks he’s untouchable. Spoiler: he’s not.

• The Climax:
  On Block Island, Violet blurs the lines so much that she and Sloane basically swap identities. She even considers killing Sloane to frame Jay for “her” death. But in a surprise twist, Sloane teams up with Violet. Danny fakes Violet’s death, Jay gets nailed for murder, and Violet lives in secret with Sloane and Harper.

The book closes with Sloane narrating again—because who better than a liar to have the final word? 😏

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💭 What I Loved

• Compulsive liar POV — Watching Sloane spin webs (and get caught in them) was addictive.

• Messy female dynamics — Violet using Sloane, Sloane idolizing Violet—it was deliciously toxic.

• Fast-paced writing — Super bingeable.

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😬 What Fell Flat

• Predictable beats — The “perfect husband is trash” trope was obvious.

• Comparisons to other thrillers — If you’ve read McFadden, Paris, or Harding, you’ll spot the similarities a mile away.

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✨ Final Verdict

Count My Lies is a darkly fun psychological thriller with compulsive lying, scheming wives, cheating husbands, and a finale that leaves everyone questioning who’s really in control. It’s not the most shocking thriller out there, but it’s highly readable and very entertaining.

⭐ 3.5 out of 5 stars — Worth the read, especially if you like messy thrillers with unreliable narrators.

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📚 Read If You Liked…

• The Housemaid by Freida McFadden (nanny, lies, unmasking the “perfect” life)

• Behind Closed Doors by B.A. Paris (the husband you really don’t want)

• The Drowning Woman by Robyn Harding (toxic relationships + dark secrets)