A hard-bitten private investigator takes a case at a school for young mages, where secrets are as volatile as the magic itself. Sharp, stylish, and darkly funny, Magic for Liars braids noir grit with arcane allure into a mystery you won’t want to put down.
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Start or resume Shelf TalkThese picks are popular with readers who enjoyed this book. Possible spoilers below.
In Magic for Liars, did you enjoy morally complex protagonists navigating supernatural mysteries?
If you loved Ivy Gamble's morally gray investigation amidst magical secrets in Magic for Liars, you'll be hooked by Myfanwy Thomas, who wakes up in a park surrounded by dead bodies and discovers she's part of a secret supernatural agency. Both protagonists grapple with ethical decisions and their own flaws while trying to solve dangerous mysteries in a magical world.
In Magic for Liars, did you enjoy psychological depth in a mystery narrative?
If you were drawn to Ivy's internal struggles and her complicated relationship with truth and magic, In the Woods offers a similarly immersive experience. Detective Rob Ryan is a deeply layered protagonist whose unresolved trauma and unreliable narration add psychological complexity to a murder investigation, mirroring the introspective and emotionally nuanced storytelling of Magic for Liars.
In Magic for Liars, did you enjoy an intimate, insular setting with dark academic secrets?
If the claustrophobic, secret-laden atmosphere of the Osthorne Academy in Magic for Liars drew you in, you'll find the elite college environment of The Secret History equally captivating. The story follows a tight-knit group of students whose bonds—and secrets—lead to murder, weaving together suspense, academia, and a sense of haunting intimacy.
In Magic for Liars, did you enjoy a modern magic school with a unique system of magic?
If you enjoyed the inventive yet perilous approach to magic at Osthorne Academy, A Deadly Education will enthrall you with its Scholomance—a school where the magic system is both original and deadly. Like Gailey, Novik explores the dangerous underbelly of magical education, with rules and consequences that shape every character's fate.
In Magic for Liars, did you enjoy unreliable narration and shifting perspectives on truth?
If the shifting truths and unreliable perceptions in Magic for Liars fascinated you, The Liar's Gospel offers a narrative told through multiple, potentially unreliable voices, each presenting their own version of events surrounding a central figure. The book masterfully explores how truth is shaped by perspective, echoing Ivy's journey through secrets and deception.
