Writer Unboxed

Many readers of the writers’ blogosphere are aware that today is Patry Francis Day. Patry, a longtime blogger (her blog Simplywait is a must-read for writers) and author of the chilling psychological thriller THE LIAR’S DIARY, was recently diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer, which leaves her little energy to promote the paperback release of her debut novel.

This is where we, the collective online community of writers and readers, come in.

Today, please take a moment to follow the links to Patry’s website, blog, and book. We are encouraging all our readers to buy one book for themselves and one for a friend between January 29th and Feb 1, and help Patry. As you know, sales drive the longevity of a writer’s career; let’s show Patry’s publisher that we can make a difference.

You won’t be sorry.

We don’t do reviews at WU, but in this case, we’ve made an exception. I read THE LIAR’S DIARY in one gulp, enthralled at the spare prose and gripping tension. For writers who wish to dissect the high art of the unreliable narrator within a murder mystery, this is the book for you. For readers wanting a story that will let them lose a night of sleep, well, this is for you too.

THE LIAR’S DIARY is, above all, a story about denial and the consequences of inaction. Francis takes a cliche in the murder mystery genre—the discontented wife who discovers the dark secrets buried under the facade of a ‘perfect’ family—and weaves a story about a woman trapped by her own inability to act when she sees the truth staring her in the face. Jeanne Cross is so damaged by her wretched past, she accepts her sterile existence as the wife of the town’s leading orthopedic surgeon without question. She meets Ali Mather, the new music teacher at the local high school where she works, a woman who lives life to the hilt. An unlikely friendship is struck, leading to tragedy for them both.

That’s about all I can say of the plot without giving it away. The genius of THE LIAR’S DIARY is, as I mentioned before, a breathtaking use of the unreliable narrator to misdirect the reader. By the time I thought I’d been reading one sort of book, the story boomeranged and I realized I was reading something quite different altogether–a murder mystery turned psychological thriller. As a writer, I was blown away with how seamlessly she accomplished it.

THE LIAR’S DIARY is also a study in characterization, and how to use characterization to augment the themes of the story. All the characters in THE LIAR’S DIARY are in some form of denial. This denial leads them to the destructive behaviors that fuel the plot. The shocking climax (and it is shocking) was the logical outcome of the all character’s choices and motivations.

Finally, Francis’ stripped prose and simple writer’s voice never gets in the way of the story. The narrator, Jeanne, tells her story just as any woman might over a cup of coffee at a friend’s house.

Do yourself a favor, and buy a copy of THE LIAR’S DIARY. Not only will you be treated to a gripping read, but you’ll learn oodles about the craft of writing. And you’ll be helping out a fellow writer who needs our support.

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