Dare You to Lie by Amber Lynn Natusch
Published by Tor Teen on September 4, 2018
Genres: Suspense
Pages: 352
Format: ARC
Source: ALA
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When her FBI agent father is framed for murder, Kylene is forced to move in with her grandfather, back to the small town that turned its back on her, and the boy who betrayed her.

All Ky cares about is clearing her father’s name, but someone won’t let her forget the photo scandal that drove her away two years ago. As the threats gain momentum, Ky finds an unlikely ally in the rookie FBI agent sent to keep an eye on her.

Determined to expose the town's hidden skeletons, Ky unwittingly thrusts herself into a much bigger plot. They thought she’d forgive and forget. They’re about to learn they messed with the wrong girl.

My Thoughts:

When a book is pitched as perfect for fans of Riverdale, you can bet I’ll be picking it up.  Dare You to Lie hooked me with that tagline but it was the story and the main character, Kylene Danners, that really kept me reading.  Dare You to Lie is one of the best YA suspense novels I’ve read in recent years.

Kylene Danners is not happy to be moving back to Jasperville, Ohio.  For one, she’s only moving back because her dad, FBI Agent Bruce Danners, was put in prison for murdering another agent and Kylene knows that there is no way her dad would have done that.  Second, she left the town after a scandal painted her as a slut and turned everyone in the town against her.  Things in Jasperville may not have changed much in the years she’s been gone but Kylene definitely has.  She’s determined to find a way to clear her dad’s name but first she has to clear her own.  She doesn’t care how popular someone is, if they stand in her way, they are going down.

Kylene is a completely sarcastic smartass and I loved her for it.  Her sense of humor was perfect.  She took no shit from anyone, whether it be another student or a junior FBI agent who refused to believe in her father’s innocence.  She had a very take-no-prisoners attitude when it came to justice.  Admittedly, that didn’t always work out in her favor.  Kylene tended to charge into situations that really did not end well for her.  The guys she was up against had a lot more power than she did, both physically and mentally.  They knew they were protected from consequences and Kylene definitely wasn’t.  She got herself into some crazy situations that always left me laughing.

Kylene’s friends, Garrett and Tabby, were spectacular.  I wasn’t sure about either of them at first but they very quickly proved their loyalty and their usefulness.  They both brought something essential to their little team of vigilantes.  I also greatly appreciated the strictly platonic relationship between Garrett and Kylene.  It was refreshing to see a guy and a girl appreciate each other for their great friendship.  And Tabby really helped to lighten the mood of things sometimes.  She reminded me a bit of myself, totally awkward and quirky but with a great personality.  The banter between these three was just too perfect and constantly had me smiling.

Also, while her dad may have been in prison, that didn’t mean there weren’t adult presences in Kylene’s life.  For one, she did still visit her dad and even from prison, he was a fabulous parent.  Her Gramps was also always there for her when her dad couldn’t be.  Not to mention she had the support of her mom’s best friend, Meg, lawyer extraordinaire, as well as her dad’s old friend from the FBI, Agent Striker.  She had a wonderful support system of adults she knew she could go to with any problem.  It’s not often you see that kind of parent representation in YA books so I particularly loved that aspect of Dare You to Lie.

Oh and there is also a junior FBI agent, Agent Dawson, who comes into the story a little later and really stirs things up with Kylene.  It just so happens that the FBI agent her dad is accused of killing was this agent’s mentor and the whole reason he joined the FBI.  He definitely had a chip on his shoulder when it came to Kylene and her dad but he eased up a bit as he got to know her.  I look forward to seeing where their relationship goes in book two because after the ending of this one, it’s safe to say they will be getting much closer.

Overall, Dare You to Lie is a fabulous start to the Hometown Antihero series from Amber Lynn Natusch.  I can’t wait to see what comes next for Kylene, Garrett, Tabby, and the others.  If you’re looking for the next Veronica Mars style teen detective, look no further!

What others are saying about Dare You To Lie:

One Page at a Time’s review: “Overall, compelling characters, witty dialogue, and non-stop action will keep readers flipping pages to find out what happens in Natusch’s Dare You to Lie.”

The Candid Cover’s review: “Dare You to Lie is a suspenseful thriller featuring two cases at once.”

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