Emma Paxton has never had a family. So when her long-lost identical twin, Sutton Mercer, messages her and asks to meet in Arizona, she is overjoyed. However, things are not as they seem. Emma soon discovers that Sutton was murdered - and she must take Sutton's place in her twin's lavish (albeit complicated) life. With Sutton's murderer watching her every move, Emma must work to find the killer and avenge her sister, diving deeper into her twin's dark past and her twisted involvement in The Lying Game, uncovering secret after secret.
I really liked reading Shepard's more famous series, "Pretty Little Liars," so I picked up "The Lying Game" in the hopes that it would be the same page-turning mystery filled with high school drama. However, although some plot points and revelations were interesting, I was largely disappointed by this book. It is told in first perspective by Sutton from beyond the grave, following Emma's current activities in third person, and the idea of Sutton telling the story (although essential, as it gave context clues that Emma had not figured out yet) was a little awkward. Honestly, the whole book felt a little unbelievable and the characters were all stereotypical and flat, making it hard for me to enjoy. If you are looking for a Shepard's style of YA mystery, I would recommend reading "Pretty Little Liars" or "The Perfectionists" instead.