Would I Lie to You?

Would I Lie to You? is a thrilling spy-next-door story that may have you cheering for all the wrong people, perfect for fans of Finlay Donovan and Killers of a Certain Age.

What if a covert, high-stakes cat burglar is given one last job before she can retire, but the gig is to steal the classified code to an innovative genetic editing tool her unaware husband is developing? 

Ask anyone about Lucille “Lu” Barlow and they’ll tell you that she’s a loving wife and mom, fire-body Pilates studio owner, and kind neighbor. But none of them know the true Lu. Because Lu is a liar and a thief—albeit reluctantly lately. She’s been part of a dangerous, deeply covert crime syndicate for the last thirty years, with a string of incredible, international heists under her belt and a shoebox full of fake passports, weapons, cash stacks, and skeletons.

But when her unsuspecting husband, Harry, accepts a lucrative job at the nation’s leading biotech company, it means moving the family from her familiar Brooklyn base to the well-heeled New England town of Partridge Hollow. Lu sees it as her shot to finally retire from crime life, something she’s wanted since her son’s birth eight years ago. But Partridge Hollow isn’t what it seems either. Lu quickly discovers that her new Stepford Wives–esque neighbors each have their own secrets hidden inside their mansions, into which she occasionally creeps.

She also uncovers the most scandalous truth of all: that this move for her husband's career was orchestrated by her illicit employer. Worse, she’s tasked with stealing the heavily protected code for a tool Harry is developing.

Fans of Finlay Donovan Is Killing It, Counterfeit, and Killers of a Certain Age will devour this book!Praise for Would I Lie to You?:
“What a banger of a book! The story of a mother caught between her family and her duty to a criminal organization she’s desperately trying to break out of—with one last job that could cost her everything—had me on the edge of my seat and rooting for Lu Barlow on every page.”
—Attica Locke, New York Times best selling author of Bluebird, Bluebird

“Wow! This is going to be your new favorite thriller series . . . the oh-so-talented Nicole Blades has written the most modern of takes on the "can a woman have it all" juggle, and the relentless tension between personal and professional lives . . . Jason Bourne has nothing on the savvy thief-next-door Lu—she is smart, witty, relatable, and super-skilled, but with the additional talent of being a loving wife and mom. This is completely entertaining, consistently thought-provoking, and a tour de force of storytelling. I absolutely adored it. Standing ovation!”
—Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author of All This Could Be Yours

“Wickedly fun and smart, Nicole Blades’ Would I Lie To You? is a spy-next-door novel about marriage, motherhood and what happens when being “good” is the most dangerous choice of all . . . A fast-paced, highly entertaining domestic thriller. Perfect for fans of Finlay Donovan Is Killing It and Killers Of A Certain Age, this novel exposes the lies we tell for love, and the secrets we keep to survive. A “must read” for 2026!”
—Karma Brown, #1 international bestselling author of Recipe For A Perfect Wife

“With Would I Lie to You? Nicole Blades has pulled off that rarest of feats: A high stakes,
suspense-drenched spy thriller with a tender core, featuring a magnetically compelling heroine
you won’t soon forget.”
—Elizabeth McCullough Keenan & Greg Wands, International bestselling authors of Trust Issues

“Grab a comfy chair, a good drink and get ready for the newest, most captivating voice in thriller-town. Nicole Blades’s immensely satisfying new thriller crackles with compelling characters, rapid-fire dialogue, and the cool, electric world of The Atlas—a shadowy crime syndicate.”
—Emily Carpenter, author of Gothictown

“This book is a winner. You will wince at every close call on her thieving capers, while laughing at the absurd antics of the “well-meaning” rich folks all around her. Nicole Blades combines a relatable, strong main character with an irresistible blend of humor and intrigue, announcing herself as a fresh new voice on the spy thriller scene.”
—Sandra Block, author of The Bachelorette Party

“You will love the protagonist of Nicole Blades' newest, Would I Lie to You? Edgy, witty, truth-telling Lu is a badass thief living the life of a suburban mom, and the work-life balance is killing her. Blades' high-stakes novel is sheer fun. I gobbled it up.”
—Amity Gaige, author of Heartwood

Nicole Blades is a novelist and journalist with nearly two decades of experience in the media industry. Her cover stories and features have been published in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Runner’s World, Women's Health, and more. An active member of the International Thriller Writers organization, her novels often focus on the facade and filters people put on to face the world. Would I Lie to You? is her latest and will be published in spring 2026! The domestic thriller joins Nicole’s previous novels, Have You Met Nora?, The Thunder Beneath Us, and Earth's Waters. A proud Caribbean Canadian, Nicole currently lives in New England with her husband and their son.