In her electrifying debut novel, Sophie Stava delivers a psychological thriller that stands shoulder to shoulder with the best in the genre. Count My Lies is a riveting exploration of identity, deception, and the dangerous allure of stepping into someone else’s life. With razor-sharp prose and characters whose moral compasses spin wildly in every direction, Stava crafts a narrative that will have readers questioning everything—and everyone—until the final page.
The Intricate Plot: Three Perspectives, One Devastating Truth
The story begins innocently enough with Sloane Caraway, a self-proclaimed liar whose “harmless” fabrications have become second nature. When she encounters a distressed little girl with a bee sting at a Brooklyn park, Sloane can’t resist the opportunity to present herself as a nurse to the child’s attractive father, Jay Lockhart. This seemingly small lie catalyzes a series of events that draws Sloane into the Lockharts’ world—a gleaming brownstone in Cobble Hill, a picture-perfect marriage, and an adorable daughter named Harper.
But as Sloane integrates herself into their lives as the family nanny, it becomes increasingly clear that the Lockharts have secrets of their own. Violet, Jay’s enigmatic wife, harbors pain beneath her polished exterior, while Jay’s charm masks a history of betrayal. What begins as Sloane’s fantasy of belonging to this idealized family morphs into something far more sinister during a summer trip to Block Island.
Stava brilliantly employs three distinct perspectives—Sloane, Violet, and Jay—that unfold like nesting dolls, each revealing layers of deception more shocking than the last. The narrative structure creates a disorienting experience that mirrors the characters’ psychological states, leaving readers constantly reassessing what they thought they knew.
Character Study: The Liars Among Us
The true triumph of Count My Lies lies in its complex characterization. Sloane is immediately compelling—deeply flawed yet somehow endearing in her desperation to be seen and valued. Her childhood history of compulsive lying establishes a pattern that feels psychologically authentic rather than merely convenient for the plot.
“It’s just that the truth is so uninteresting. Amending it, changing the details, adding in color, is something I started when I was a kid, a bad habit—like biting your nails or picking at scabs—that I never grew out of.”
Violet Lockhart emerges as equally fascinating—a woman who has spent her life conforming to others’ expectations, first her parents’ and then her husband’s, until she reaches her breaking point. The gradual revelation of her motives creates a compelling portrait of a woman trapped by wealth and appearances.
Jay, initially presented as the handsome, successful husband, evolves into something far more complex as the story progresses. His perspective in the final third of the novel provides a crucial counterbalance that challenges readers’ assumptions.
Where the characterization occasionally falters is in the secondary characters, who sometimes feel like convenient plot devices rather than fully realized individuals. Anne-Marie, the neighbor on Block Island, serves her narrative purpose but lacks the psychological depth of the central trio.
Masterful Pacing: A Slow Burn That Ignites
Stava demonstrates remarkable control over her narrative pacing. The first third of the novel feels like a slow-burning psychological study as Sloane infiltrates the Lockharts’ lives and forms an increasingly intimate bond with Violet. The middle section accelerates as tensions mount on Block Island, culminating in a shocking act of violence. The final third shifts into high gear, with revelations coming at a breathless pace that makes the book nearly impossible to put down.
This carefully calibrated pacing allows Stava to fully develop her characters while still delivering the adrenaline rush that thriller readers crave. The transition between these modes feels organic rather than jarring, a testament to her skill as a storyteller.
Thematic Depth: Beyond the Surface
Count My Lies transcends the typical psychological thriller through its thoughtful exploration of several compelling themes:
- The Construction of Identity – Both Sloane and Violet struggle with authentic selfhood, each adapting and changing to meet others’ expectations.
- The Cost of Wealth and Privilege – The novel offers a nuanced critique of wealth and the façades it enables, especially through Violet’s complicated relationship with her trust fund.
- Motherhood as Motivation – The lengths Violet goes to in order to protect Harper from becoming like her are both disturbing and understandable.
- Female Solidarity – Perhaps most unexpectedly, the novel evolves into a twisted exploration of female friendship and the bonds that can form between women who recognize themselves in each other.
Stylistic Strengths and Weaknesses
Stava’s prose is confident and assured, particularly in her dialogue, which crackles with tension and subtext. She has a gift for evocative descriptive passages that bring settings to life, from the pristine Lockhart brownstone to the dreamy, isolated quality of Block Island.
Where the writing occasionally stumbles is in handling exposition. There are moments, particularly in Jay’s sections, where the need to explain past events leads to passages that feel slightly forced. Additionally, some readers might find the level of coincidence required to make the plot work stretches credibility, though the psychological authenticity of the characters largely compensates for this.
The Twist Factor: Surprising Yet Inevitable
The best thriller twists feel both shocking and, in retrospect, inevitable. Stava achieves this delicate balance repeatedly throughout the novel, particularly with the major revelation about Violet and Sloane’s true relationship and plan. The groundwork is laid so carefully that readers will experience the satisfaction of recognizing the clues they missed along the way.
What elevates these twists beyond mere plot devices is how they arise organically from character psychology. Each revelation deepens our understanding of who these people truly are and the damaged histories that have shaped them.
Comparisons and Context
Count My Lies stands confidently alongside contemporary psychological thrillers by authors like Lisa Jewell and Lucy Foley, but perhaps its closest spiritual relative is Patricia Highsmith’s classic The Talented Mr. Ripley. Like Highsmith, Stava delves into the psychology of imposters and identity thieves with unflinching clarity, finding the humanity within their morally questionable choices.
Fans of Ruth Ware’s In a Dark, Dark Wood and Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl will appreciate the novel’s exploration of female relationships with sharp psychological insight, while readers who enjoyed Jean Hanff Korelitz’s The Plot will recognize the thematic concerns with authenticity and appropriation.
Final Verdict: A Stellar Debut With Minor Flaws
Count My Lies announces Sophie Stava as a formidable new talent in psychological suspense. The novel’s strengths far outweigh its minor shortcomings, delivering a reading experience that is both intellectually stimulating and emotionally engaging.
Strengths:
- Complex, psychologically nuanced characters
- Expertly crafted plot twists that deepen rather than distract
- Sophisticated handling of perspective shifts
- Thematic depth beyond typical genre offerings
- Sharp, evocative prose
Weaknesses:
- Occasional reliance on coincidence
- Some secondary characters feel underdeveloped
- A few passages of exposition that interrupt the narrative flow
For readers seeking a thriller that combines page-turning suspense with genuine psychological insight, Count My Lies is a must-read. It’s the rare debut that feels both fresh and assured, suggesting that Sophie Stava has a long and promising career ahead of her.
Bottom Line
Count My Lies is a sophisticated, twisty psychological thriller that explores the dangerous consequences of deception and the lengths people will go to create new identities. While not without minor flaws, Stava’s debut demonstrates remarkable confidence and skill, promising great things to come from this talented new voice in suspense fiction. As the novel’s tagline warns, “Careful what you lie for”—and careful which book you pick up next, because this one will keep you reading well past your bedtime.