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She Lied First

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Sisters make the best flatmates ... except when they are both keeping terrible secrets.

The stunning new standalone psychological thriller from the author of the popular Detective Kate Miles series.

The dream apartment. The start of a grand adventure. And two lives about to unravel.

Devika is living her best life, moving out of home in her final year of university. Close to the beach and away from her mother. Independent and self-sufficient, just like Kalyani. There's just one awful secret that Kal can never find out about.

Kalyani has it made. A new job. A unit she can afford, and her little sister as her roomie. She's finally achieved the life she's always wanted. Except for the one big thing she's yet to confide in Devi. A truth that gets harder to reveal the longer she waits.

When their lives are torn apart by betrayal, and Kal refuses to forgive her sister, Devi must peel back everything she thought she knew to rediscover Kalyani, lie by lie and secret by secret.

'A gripping, confident thriller with a deeply felt emotional core. McKenzie captures the intensity, contradiction, love and damage of family with rare nuance, bringing a fresh and grounded perspective to the genre' Shankari Chandran, Miles Franklin Award-winning author

'Packed with secrets and lies, Dinuka's first standalone suspense is a twisty kaleidoscope of a novel. The pieces of the puzzle slide together in an immensely satisfying way' Allie Reynolds

'Brilliantly clever and twisty! She Lied First delves deep into complex family relationships. And just when you think you've figured it out, McKenzie reveals another secret. This is an absolute page-turner with relatable characters and multiple layers of intrigue.' Petronella McGovern

'A complex, suspenseful, mind-bending story of lies, secrets and betrayal' Cass Moriarty

Praise for Dinuka McKenzie:

'Dinuka McKenzie has talent to burn' Dervla McTiernan

'A born storyteller' Michael Robotham

'How lucky are we to have Dinuka McKenzie?' Hayley Scrivenor

'A new star in Aussie crime' Craig Sisterson

'McKenzie is an exciting voice - a new contender for Queen of Australian crime' Katherine Kovacic


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An <em>anti-racist</em> social enterprise bookstore specialising in BIPOC books.
About Amplify Bookstore

An anti-racist social enterprise bookstore specialising in BIPOC books.

Only about 11% of books published are by BIPOC authors — so unless you specifically seek out books by BIPOC authors, you aren't likely to find very many of them organically. At Amplify, BIPOC authors are highlighted and celebrated. Here, they don't have to fight to be seen, and you don't have to fight to find them.

We hope that in our shop, you can discover a new favourite read, find stories that speak uniquely to you, learn about a culture outside your own (or more about your own histories), and gain a better understanding of the systems that connect us all.

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I’ve discovered so many new-to-me authors and the owners are so generous in their recommendations. Don’t follow the trends, set them! - let Amplify broaden your reading and sharpen your mind.

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Within are thoughtfully curated books, and I was amazed to see a great diversity of authors. The atmosphere is cosy, calm and relaxed – just the perfect way to start my Sunday!

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I loved how inclusive this space was, there were dyslexia friendly books and a space for books about queer love, a bit of something for everyone.

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