The Good Lie

Because crime fiction focuses primarily on the protagonist’s intent to solve (or commit) a crime, novels that fall into this category typically describe the crime itself and the resulting investigation. Within these confines, the tone of each story and the role of the protagonists vary widely from novel to novel, but whether the main character seeks justice for the crime or proves to be the perpetrator, the plot inevitably builds to a final revelation of the underlying mystery. While the structure of the psychological thriller has much in common with run-of-the-mill crime fiction, the plotlines are often more deeply convoluted and feature multiple twists and red herrings. Such novels also focus more closely on the internal psychological landscapes of specific characters, who are often morally ambiguous at best, and serial killers frequently feature as the antagonists.

As a commercial psychological thriller within the broader genre of crime fiction, The Good Lie plays on many standard tropes to both meet and subvert audience expectations. Most notably, the novel modifies the standard trope in which the primary characters work to catch a serial killer; in this case, the serial killer appears to be “caught” at the very start of the novel, but the author also makes it clear that Randall Thompson is not the true perpetrator. Thus, The Good Lie plays on audience expectations of the typical murder mystery plotline, which focuses on the game of exposing the real killer and bringing them to justice. However, the discovery of the true killer subverts the typical crime thriller plotline, for the protagonists do not manage to hunt down the criminal and bring him to justice; in this case, the killer was already brought to justice at the start of the novel, unbeknownst to the protagonist.

In addition to this departure from tradition, the author introduces yet another anomaly, for the central protagonist is far from being the “hero” of the story. Rather than solving the crime outright, the investigator, Gwen, constantly feels as if her efforts are insufficient to the task of answering the myriad unsolved questions. Similarly, her struggle to understand the wider scope of Robert’s plans drives the story’s mystery and suspense just as much as the uncertainty surrounding the killer’s identity. When Robert’s true intentions are revealed at the end of the novel, it becomes clear that his purpose is not to bring a killer to justice, but to make Gwen acknowledge her culpability in certain events. Thus, by playing on and subverting common tropes and themes of the psychological thriller and crime drama genres, Torre weaves a more complex plot and explores the deeper nuances of guilt and professional duty.