Little Bitty Lies is the Mary Kay Andrews book for Dateline fans, and a Dateline fan I am. While I certainly appreciated the somewhat divergent plot of Little Bitty Lies, as a Friday and Saturday night murder mystery obsessee, I couldn't fully immerse myself in this read due to sheer unbelievability. Perhaps if I wasn't aware of all the triple-checks, video cameras, and DNA tests that surround a murder, I could have been fooled that the stunts pulled by protagonist Mary Bliss, and her best friend Katharine, could have ever happened in any reality.The cool thing about this book is that it is so different from other Mary Kay Andrews reads. Andrews has a knack for beach lit with intense and full protagonists. And while Little Bitty Lies incorporated some of Andrews' standard flair, it also took the reader on a very different journey than her other titles. I've been reading many of her books in a row, so I appreciated this. However, I think if I had read it as her newest release, I would have been disappointed.Little Bitty Lies is great storytelling, but that's as good as it gets. It's a story, and not a reality. The best thing about really great books is that they do become a reality, and this is where Little Bitty Lies fell short.Perhaps I should retract my initial statement. Little Bitty Lies is not the Mary Kay Andrews book for Dateline fans. We're way too aware of how a murder is handled, and won't believe the stunts in this book could be pulled off for a second. Yet if ignorance is bliss in how these investigations are handled, then Little Bitty Lies will certainly be pure bliss for the reader who doesn't delight in investigation TV.
Ugh, I'm giving this a two because the writing itself wasn't horrible. It was nicely done and there wasn't anything writing wise that you had to stop and wonder what the author meant.But the plot was not very good at all. If you're into those silly stupid crime romance crazy books then this is the one for you.The characters were for the most part just flat pieces that moved around a board for the fun of it, they made decisions on something huge without one thought if they could solve this problem another way.The teenage daughter was an over the top dramatic teenager, worse then I have ever met before, a few things about her story line in this seemed like it was put in the story just to give it even more drama then it already possessed.The main story about the mother and the husband was so overly dramatic as to make me put my head in my hands many times and I couldn't get over how much what she did about her husband leaving was the only thing she could think of to do. Like, ya, that is the ONLY solution this here problem you're having.The romance between her and the guy that she meets at the beginning of the book seems like something to just get the main character into a makeover and then into bed.The swears were almost not needed at all, they seemed forced but that may have been who was reading it because I listened to this on CD. All in all it was pretty hilarious to listen to, annoying and way overly dramatic at times and I would not read this again.If you need a laugh, try it, but keep in mind that you may be shaking your head at the stupid stuff most of the characters do in this book more than you are laughing at them.
What do You think about Little Bitty Lies (2003)?
oooohhhh... this is just too bad...I'm sorry I picked this one for our book club to read...I was disappointed in the story and the characters!Mary Bliss, the main character was totally without a clue and it wasn't funny, it was just sad.Katherine was supposed to be her best friend and gave her some of the worst advise ever and Mary Bliss actually went along with it... I guess insurance fraud was supposed to be funny, but I just didn't get it.There was nothing 'Little Bitty' about her Lies! I only started to enjoy the story after the truth came out.Needless to say I wanted to Parker get what was coming to him! What a low life!I usually love Mary Kay Andrews' books, but this one left me feeling sad....oooohhhh... this is just too bad...I'm sorry I picked this one for our book club to read...I was disappointed in the story and the characters!Mary Bliss, the main character was totally without a clue and it wasn't funny, it was just sad.Katherine was supposed to be her best friend and gave her some of the worst advise ever and Mary Bliss actually went along with it... I guess insurance fraud was supposed to be funny, but I just didn't get it.There was nothing 'Little Bitty' about her Lies! I only started to enjoy the story after the truth came out.Needless to say I wanted to Parker get what was coming to him! What a low life!I usually love Mary Kay Andrews' books, but this one left me feeling sad....
—Sonja
If you like chic lit, you will like this. It is a fun rompy ride, nothing too heavy and characters that are relatable while being completely over the top.Mary Bliss finds out that her husband left her via a note he left in the closet. He cleaned out all of their accounts and remortgaged their house and left her penniless. He did pay up his cantankerous mother's nursing home bill and she does know where he is, but she is not saying. So, with her best friend and partner in crime, Mary Bliss sets out to declare her husband dead. It is ridiculous. It is over the top. It is funny. Katherine (the best friend) and Charlie crack me up. I love love love Katherine.Of course there are problems. Erin (the daughter) is a pain in the ASS. In fact, while I see the need for this sort of complication in the story, her entire subplot can just be thrown out. I don't find much likeable about this character at all.Basically, this book takes a wife's worst nightmare and combines it with her best revenge fantasy.
—Lori Anaple
The writing itself was good and easy as is typical of Mary Kay Andrews. However, I didn't like these people AT ALL - well, except Charlie.Mary Bliss is at best a helpless, clueless type and at worst a criminal. I mean...insurance fraud is not ok and it is definitely not funny. (yes, I work in insurance.)Katherine is a drunk only capable of rushing through all of her (ex)husband's money and giving crazy advice, and the daughter...well the daughter is a horribly spoiled brat.And Matt? Did anyone b
—Cathie
