125 books
—
31 voters
Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “Good Girls Lie” as Want to Read:
Good Girls Lie
by
11 hours, 53 minutes
Goode girls don’t lie…
Perched atop a hill in the tiny town of Marchburg, Virginia, The Goode School is a prestigious prep school known as a Silent Ivy. The boarding school of choice for daughters of the rich and influential, it accepts only the best and the brightest. Its elite status, long-held traditions and honor code are ideal for preparing excepti ...more
Goode girls don’t lie…
Perched atop a hill in the tiny town of Marchburg, Virginia, The Goode School is a prestigious prep school known as a Silent Ivy. The boarding school of choice for daughters of the rich and influential, it accepts only the best and the brightest. Its elite status, long-held traditions and honor code are ideal for preparing excepti ...more
Get A Copy
Paperback, 464 pages
Published
December 30th 2019
by Mira Books
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Reader Q&A
To ask other readers questions about
Good Girls Lie,
please sign up.
Popular Answered Questions
This question contains spoilers…
(view spoiler)
Cara
That was the implication and based on everything else she did I assumed she was responsible for his death as well.
Community Reviews
Showing 1-30

Start your review of Good Girls Lie

Year’s last good but not so good book for me! Yes, it’s less tricky for my taste!
I liked two things about this book: spooky, eerie atmosphere and epilogue.
The story-line is also intriguing with very special private school only accepts rich, privileged, successful, smart ladies named Goode located at the hills of Virginia. Honour Code is the most important thing to protect responsibility and dignity of these girls community. As you can imagine there are established secret societies and their rule ...more
I liked two things about this book: spooky, eerie atmosphere and epilogue.
The story-line is also intriguing with very special private school only accepts rich, privileged, successful, smart ladies named Goode located at the hills of Virginia. Honour Code is the most important thing to protect responsibility and dignity of these girls community. As you can imagine there are established secret societies and their rule ...more

Dec 31, 2019
Brenda ~Traveling Sisters Book Reviews
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
print-from-publisher
Good Girls Lie but not here in this in this elite all-girls boarding school where honor is a code??? Well, appearance is everything, but things are not always as they appear. There are a few secrets hidden in the dark corner and behind closed doors in this school and not everyone seems to follow that code.
Good Girls Lie is a simple and easy read with a little dark to it. With a story that centres around teens, I was a bit worried about the teen drama however I thought the drama was kept low here ...more
Good Girls Lie is a simple and easy read with a little dark to it. With a story that centres around teens, I was a bit worried about the teen drama however I thought the drama was kept low here ...more

Dec 31, 2019
Kim ~ It’s All About the Thrill
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
blog-tour
There is something about the Goode Girls..........they come from well respected families...they are wealthy...they are smart...they are wealthy...they are driven...they are wealthy...Also..they drink, do drugs, cut school, murder, bully, haze, lie and get into the BEST colleges!
The Goode Prep school is the best of the best. All girls of Goode are hand picked by the dean and have been for decades. Goode is almost a guarantee to an Ivy League school of your choice upon graduation. The girls of Goo ...more

4 surprisingly sinister stars for Good Girls Lie
A thriller set within an exclusive all girls boarding school? I'm so in! There's just something about sneaky, catty girls and sinister happenings that I find irresistible. Mix in some bad behavior, sexual surprises, secret societies, hazing and yes - murder and you have quite the page turner.
The book starts off with an unforgettable death scene that pulls you right in and and will have you needing to know what happened.
“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭’𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰 ...more
A thriller set within an exclusive all girls boarding school? I'm so in! There's just something about sneaky, catty girls and sinister happenings that I find irresistible. Mix in some bad behavior, sexual surprises, secret societies, hazing and yes - murder and you have quite the page turner.
The book starts off with an unforgettable death scene that pulls you right in and and will have you needing to know what happened.
“𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭’𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰 ...more

Menacing, edgy, & an engrossing page-turner!
GOOD GIRLS LIE by J.T. ELLISON is a riveting, spooky, dark, gritty, and twisty thriller that has quite the seductive and intriguing storyline. It opens up with a brutally chilling scene when one of the students is found dead and then it has us going back in time to learn the events of what happened leading up to this horrific tragedy. This is probably one of my favourite tactics, it definitely caught my attention, freaked me out a little bit and kept m ...more
GOOD GIRLS LIE by J.T. ELLISON is a riveting, spooky, dark, gritty, and twisty thriller that has quite the seductive and intriguing storyline. It opens up with a brutally chilling scene when one of the students is found dead and then it has us going back in time to learn the events of what happened leading up to this horrific tragedy. This is probably one of my favourite tactics, it definitely caught my attention, freaked me out a little bit and kept m ...more

Nov 19, 2019
Debra (having surgery will be back in a few days)
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
netgalley
Goode girls don't lie
.......or do they?
A code of honor, secret societies, and murder!
The Goode School is a prestigious all-girls school where the girls gain early acceptance to the ivy schools of their choice. This boarding school in Marchburg, Virginia accepts only the brightest (and richest) girls - daughters of politicians, prominent businessmen/women, and elite members of society. Rules are expected to be followed, there is an honor and conduct code that must be abided by. Sure, the secr ...more
A code of honor, secret societies, and murder!
The Goode School is a prestigious all-girls school where the girls gain early acceptance to the ivy schools of their choice. This boarding school in Marchburg, Virginia accepts only the brightest (and richest) girls - daughters of politicians, prominent businessmen/women, and elite members of society. Rules are expected to be followed, there is an honor and conduct code that must be abided by. Sure, the secr ...more

Jan 01, 2020
Lindsay - Traveling Sisters Book Reviews
added it
Shelves:
physical-from-publisher,
dnf
DNF @ 15%. Not connecting with characters or storyline.

Jan 07, 2020
Sandy *The world could end while I was reading and I would never notice*
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
EXCERPT: The girl's body dangles from the tall, iron gates guarding the school's entrance. A closer examination shows the ends of a red silk tie peeking out like a cardinal on a winter branch, forcing her neck into a brutal angle. She wears her graduation robe and multicolored stole as if knowing she'll never see the achievement. The last tendrils of dawn's fog laze about her legs, which are five feet from the ground. It rained overnight and the thin robe clings to her body, dew sparkling on the
...more

Now this was a fantastic read. I devoured Good Girls Lie by JT Ellison in about 3 hours yesterday afternoon. I set out to read this thriller, released in December 2019, assuming I'd finish about 25% before bed... nope, I couldn't put it down. What a great story that pulls you in, keeps you guessing, and drives you a little batty. While I loved it, there were a few flaws that had me scratching my head, but overall, I definitely recommend it.
Ash Carlisle has been dropped off at a Virginia all-girl ...more
Ash Carlisle has been dropped off at a Virginia all-girl ...more

Fabulous Mystery And Subdued Thriller!
There Is a boarding school which happens to be called The Goode Academy known for it's prestigious reputation of accepting only the most privledged and the brightest, talented and the most elite of teenage girls who will become the finest of young women and will be accepted into any university or Ivy League school of their desire before they graduate from Goode's doors. There will be one among their midst however, who may not belong and when the new sessions ...more
There Is a boarding school which happens to be called The Goode Academy known for it's prestigious reputation of accepting only the most privledged and the brightest, talented and the most elite of teenage girls who will become the finest of young women and will be accepted into any university or Ivy League school of their desire before they graduate from Goode's doors. There will be one among their midst however, who may not belong and when the new sessions ...more

Nov 27, 2019
Mandy White (mandylovestoread)
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
net-galley,
z-read-in-2019
Good Girls Lie by JT Ellison ticked all the boxes for a great psychological thriller for me. I am a big fan of JT, loving her stand alone books as well as the Taylor Jackson series through the years. When I heard about her new book I was desperate to get my hands on a copy. l was thrilled when I was approved for an ARC. And true to form once I started reading I did not want to put it down. I was completely hooked after that first chapter - and it just kept getting better.
So Good Girls Lie opens ...more
So Good Girls Lie opens ...more

Good Girls Lie by J.T. Ellison is a fascinating thriller about the lifestyle of the rich and connected gone completely awry. This is my first J.T. Ellison book but I look forward to reading many more. The Goode School in Marchburg, Virginia is a girls’ boarding school that caters to the daughters of politicians and celebrities. The school prepares the students for admission to the Ivy League schools. A new girl arrives at Goode: she is from England and has recently lost both her parents to suici
...more

Favorite Quotes:
Everyone lies. To themselves, to each other. It’s a way to belong, to be included. To look important.
I employ the only tool in my arsenal— silence. It only adds to the mystique. Who knew? I thought lies had power until I saw what silence could do.
My Review:
J.T. Ellison has mad word skills and is a master storyteller, her descriptive and emotive prose fully created each scene from the ground up with multiple textures, scents, sights, and sounds. I was sucked right in and fully pre ...more
Everyone lies. To themselves, to each other. It’s a way to belong, to be included. To look important.
I employ the only tool in my arsenal— silence. It only adds to the mystique. Who knew? I thought lies had power until I saw what silence could do.
My Review:
J.T. Ellison has mad word skills and is a master storyteller, her descriptive and emotive prose fully created each scene from the ground up with multiple textures, scents, sights, and sounds. I was sucked right in and fully pre ...more

3.75 stars
Fast-paced, fantastic setting, and the amount of drama that you'd expect from Pretty Little Liars, this is a fun romp for fans of boarding school mystery/thrillers.
Pacing: ★★★ 1/2
Setting: ★★★★★
Reveal(s): Not overly surprising, but incredibly entertaining
Enjoyment: I love boarding school mysteries, so... yes.
Nestled in a small town in Virginia, there sits a prestigious all-girls boarding school catering to the elite. Appearances and social ties are everything, and these girls are prime ...more
Fast-paced, fantastic setting, and the amount of drama that you'd expect from Pretty Little Liars, this is a fun romp for fans of boarding school mystery/thrillers.
Pacing: ★★★ 1/2
Setting: ★★★★★
Reveal(s): Not overly surprising, but incredibly entertaining
Enjoyment: I love boarding school mysteries, so... yes.
Nestled in a small town in Virginia, there sits a prestigious all-girls boarding school catering to the elite. Appearances and social ties are everything, and these girls are prime ...more

Dec 13, 2019
Kristy
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
netgalley,
mystery,
thriller,
pbs-wishlist,
ebook,
harlequin,
read-in-2019,
arc,
mira,
best-of-2019
The Goode School is an elite prep school in Marchburg, Virginia. Each class contains only fifty girls, hand-picked by Dean Westhaven herself. The school has been in the Dean's family for generations. The girls all go on to college--mostly the Ivies--and are the daughters of the rich and elite. Goode is filled with traditions, rumors, haunted tunnels and arboretums, and secret societies. Coming to Goode from England this year is Ash Carr, now Ash Carlisle. Ash's wealthy parents are dead and Goode
...more

Nothing is what it seems.
There is a young girl hanging in the front gates of the school murdered. There we begin the story, on this thriller that kept my interest right through the very, very end. The plot is beautifully executed and the suspense slowly revealing in just the right moment as you are kept craving for more.
The setting is in an all-girls prep school in the picturesque town of Marchburg, Virginia. It is a school coveted by the elites, where graduates end up in prestigious universiti ...more
There is a young girl hanging in the front gates of the school murdered. There we begin the story, on this thriller that kept my interest right through the very, very end. The plot is beautifully executed and the suspense slowly revealing in just the right moment as you are kept craving for more.
The setting is in an all-girls prep school in the picturesque town of Marchburg, Virginia. It is a school coveted by the elites, where graduates end up in prestigious universiti ...more

An okay mystery...
I like this type of setting (an old boarding school, secret societies, crazy teenage girls...), but this book didn't really work for me. I didn't get attached to any characters nor felt a creepy atmosphere. The second half was better than the first, but nothing exceptional.
I have to say that I didn't see it labeled as a Young Adult book, but it felt like it.
2.5 rounded up ...more
I like this type of setting (an old boarding school, secret societies, crazy teenage girls...), but this book didn't really work for me. I didn't get attached to any characters nor felt a creepy atmosphere. The second half was better than the first, but nothing exceptional.
I have to say that I didn't see it labeled as a Young Adult book, but it felt like it.
2.5 rounded up ...more

J. T. Ellison does it again! An exclusive boarding school, secret societies, mysterious tunnels, creepy staircases, codes of conduct, hazing, murder, dark secrets, twists, and tainted histories. The book starts off with a body hanging from the school gates and then it goes back to the events leading up to this tragedy. Ash is the new girl, grateful for the opportunity but worried she won’t fit in. Ash has left the UK and her past behind and is ready for a fresh start. BUT Ash has plenty of secre
...more

Dec 23, 2019
"Avonna
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
net-galley,
kindle-scout-winner
Check out all of my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
GOOD GIRLS LIE by J.T. Ellison is a standalone suspense/thriller that kept me turning the pages quickly until the very last page. I would think I knew what was going on and then, BAM, I was so wrong and another tiny reveal would send me off on another tangent.
The Goode School is a premier private boarding school for females only in the tiny town of Marchburg, Virginia. It is for the best, brightest, elite daughters of the rich and ...more
GOOD GIRLS LIE by J.T. Ellison is a standalone suspense/thriller that kept me turning the pages quickly until the very last page. I would think I knew what was going on and then, BAM, I was so wrong and another tiny reveal would send me off on another tangent.
The Goode School is a premier private boarding school for females only in the tiny town of Marchburg, Virginia. It is for the best, brightest, elite daughters of the rich and ...more

I love thrillers... I can't get enough of them!! But, they actually have to be GOOD.
Lately, I've seen quite a few thrillers that have become "fillers". In other words, a whole bunch of random extra info or too much extra unnecessary details that are added to the plot.
Unfortunately, I have struggled with J.T Ellison's books before with having the same issue as I did with this book. It's extremely way too long!!
There was a lot of interior dialogue going on and too much telling and not showing b ...more
Lately, I've seen quite a few thrillers that have become "fillers". In other words, a whole bunch of random extra info or too much extra unnecessary details that are added to the plot.
Unfortunately, I have struggled with J.T Ellison's books before with having the same issue as I did with this book. It's extremely way too long!!
There was a lot of interior dialogue going on and too much telling and not showing b ...more

The Goode School is considered the Ivy League prep school known as the Silent Ivy. Its elite status, long-held traditions and honor code are ideal for preparing exceptional young women for brilliant futures at Ivy League universities and beyond. In a world where appearances are everything, as long as students pretend to follow the rules, no one questions the cruelties of the secret societies or the dubious behavior of the privileged young women who expect to get away with murder. But when a popu
...more


"Everyone lies. To Themselves, to each other. It's a way to belong, to be included. To look important."
I honestly wasn't crazy about Good Girls Lie.
The beginning was too slow and without much of a story. To me, none of the characters were likable.
Let's meet the cast of women:
First, the novel starts with the introduction of a teenage woman from London, Ash Carlisle. She's starting a new school year in a well-known boarding school for young girls, Goode School. Ash is hiding something. Som ...more

Here I go again with another 3 star rating...
WAIT!
That's not bad, it means I did like the story, but I wasn't totally riveted in certain reading times or surprised by the twists. Goodreads doesn't appear to appreciate half stars and neither do some of my reviewer buddies. Just for the sake of argument, this read is one that had me feeling a bit indecisive.
What I did like:
1. Call me strange but I like the whole private school setting with secret societies and nasty mean girls. That is, in t ...more
WAIT!
That's not bad, it means I did like the story, but I wasn't totally riveted in certain reading times or surprised by the twists. Goodreads doesn't appear to appreciate half stars and neither do some of my reviewer buddies. Just for the sake of argument, this read is one that had me feeling a bit indecisive.
What I did like:
1. Call me strange but I like the whole private school setting with secret societies and nasty mean girls. That is, in t ...more

Dec 20, 2019
Linda Strong
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
read-in-2019,
netgalley-2019
The Goode School is an exclusive all - girls school. Only 50 selected each year, the students selected are among the most gifted, intelligent, and generally come from wealthy, prominent families. These students are prepped to become Ivy Leaguers.
But a stranger has come to Goode, and this ivy has turned poisonous.
In a world where appearances are everything, as long as students pretend to follow the rules, no one questions the cruelties of the secret societies or the dubious behavior of the privil ...more

I received a free e-copy of Good Girls by J.T. Ellison from NetGalley for my honest review.
This book takes place at an elite all girls boarding school. The girls that are accepted her are demanded excellence. Ash, a new girl, arrives and she along with other girls have lots of secrets.
A murder, rituals and secret societies entangle this story. Although there are plot twists, I struggled connecting with the characters and found certain aspects of the book to be very unbelievable.
I think the sto ...more
This book takes place at an elite all girls boarding school. The girls that are accepted her are demanded excellence. Ash, a new girl, arrives and she along with other girls have lots of secrets.
A murder, rituals and secret societies entangle this story. Although there are plot twists, I struggled connecting with the characters and found certain aspects of the book to be very unbelievable.
I think the sto ...more

Hol-eeeeeeee-crap this book, y'all. I've read plenty of JT, but this one takes it to a whole other level. The writing is genius, and the story sinister and eerie, with the kind of suspense that creeps up the back of your neck. Read it and report back, because I need to talk about this story.
...more

Jul 30, 2019
Erin Clemence
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
first-reads,
kindle
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
The Goode School is an elite, private school for girls settled amongst the scenic hills of Virginia. A school known for its elite students, on the fast track to Ivy League schools of their choice, where the only rules are those in the school’s Honour Code, created to ensure responsibility, honesty and dignity amongst staff, students and faculty. So, when a young ...more
The Goode School is an elite, private school for girls settled amongst the scenic hills of Virginia. A school known for its elite students, on the fast track to Ivy League schools of their choice, where the only rules are those in the school’s Honour Code, created to ensure responsibility, honesty and dignity amongst staff, students and faculty. So, when a young ...more

Jan 06, 2020
Bren
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
All mystery fans and fans of YA campus novels.
Recommended to Bren by:
Dita
"In a world where appearances are everything, as long as students pretend to follow the rules, no one questions the cruelties of the secret societies or the dubious behavior of the privileged young women who expect to get away with murder".
Good Girls Lie by J.T. Ellison
Done!
M y first 5 star review of 2020!
Thanks Dita for recommending another winner!
Good Girls Lie is an incredible book. It's fun, twisty and was just an all around great read.
So Ash is the new girl in town at her Boarding school, ...more
Good Girls Lie by J.T. Ellison
Done!
M y first 5 star review of 2020!
Thanks Dita for recommending another winner!
Good Girls Lie is an incredible book. It's fun, twisty and was just an all around great read.
So Ash is the new girl in town at her Boarding school, ...more

Dec 27, 2019
Darinda
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
netgalley,
mystery-thriller
A couple of deaths, plenty of drama, and questionable behavior combine to make a clever suspense novel. The characters in this book are primarily young adults, but it reads as an adult novel.
Ash is the new girl at The Goode School, an elite boarding school for girls. Her arrival is the catalyst that leads to the events at The Goode School. I especially enjoyed the atmospheric boarding school setting. Lies, secrets, and rumors combined with money and power.
A slow burning mystery with secret socie ...more
Ash is the new girl at The Goode School, an elite boarding school for girls. Her arrival is the catalyst that leads to the events at The Goode School. I especially enjoyed the atmospheric boarding school setting. Lies, secrets, and rumors combined with money and power.
A slow burning mystery with secret socie ...more

Good Girls Lie by J.T. Ellison is a psychological thriller that is set in an elite boarding school for the wealthy and privileged. The Goode School is located in the tiny town of Marchburg, Virginia and only allows in the best and brightest daughters of the rich and influential holding them to a strict honor code. Of course with any elite boarding school there comes the time honored traditions that defy the code but are overlooked and ignored.
The story in Good Girls Lie certainly opens with a ba ...more
The story in Good Girls Lie certainly opens with a ba ...more
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
J.T. Ellison began her career as a presidential appointee in the White House, where a nuclear physicist taught her how to obsess over travel itineraries and make a seriously good pot of Earl Grey, spawning both her love of loose leaf and a desire for control of her own destiny. Jaded by the political climate in D.C., she made her way back to her first love, creative writing. More than 20 novels la
...more
Articles featuring this book
If you're looking for a new thriller that will keep you turning the pages long into the evening, you've come to the right place. To help you add...
90 likes · 45 comments
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
“I thought lies had power until I saw what silence could do.”
—
1 likes
“No. You never apologize for something you didn’t do wrong. You say ‘excuse me.’ Never ‘I’m sorry.’ If you spend your life apologizing, you’ll never gain any confidence.”
—
1 likes
More quotes…