This Is a Lie

A woman uses AI to create the perfect friend and finds herself trapped in a cat-and-mouse game in this ticking clock thriller, perfect for fans of Blake Crouch.

Penn, once a promising PhD candidate in applied language studies, gave up a scholarship to become a wife and stay-at-home mother, showcasing her perfect life and family on social media. But when she’s betrayed by her husband, her friends, and even her teenage daughter, Penn’s carefully curated world shatters. 

Reeling from an ugly divorce, Penn is drawn back to her unfinished grad school dissertation project, a program designed to analyze speech patterns to discern the truth. Unsure how to proceed, she takes a computer class. At the suggestion of Luc, the professor and Penn’s one-time college crush, she uses the power of artificial intelligence to turn her program into Aletheia, the perfect friend.

Despite Luc’s warnings about the potential dangers of AI, Penn finally feels supported, safe, and open to a new romance with Luc. Until Aletheia takes her directives too far and the truth becomes more dangerous than a lie. As Aletheia grows increasingly erratic and deadly, Penn must find a way to outwit her creation before Aletheia destroys everyone Penn loves.Praise for This is a Lie:
“Cleo Ballard’s This Is A Lie is a terrifyingly brilliant read! Don’t miss this smart, edgy thriller!”
—Debra Webb, USA Today and Amazon Charts Bestseller

“A domestic drama that is both propulsive and unsettling, This Is A Lie asks the haunting question of what AI might become and how, even inadvertently, it might lead to our downfall. Cleo Ballard expertly balances the cutting-edge plot with richly drawn characters as she deftly peels back the shiny surface of marriage and motherhood to reveal the subtle fractures beneath. Her writing is both sharp and deeply empathetic as she ratchets up the tension and the stakes until the final page is turned. This Is A Lie is a must-read for fans of smart, thought-provoking suspense!”
—Danielle Girard, USA Today and Amazon Charts #1 bestseller

“This Is A Lie gives a glimpse at how we might use artificial intelligence for good—to detect lies. But some secrets are kept for a reason. This pulse-pounding, twist-filled cautionary tale explores the slippery slope of digital and “real” friendships, the power of AI, and the potentially terrifying future we might already be living.”
—Catherine Mack, USA Today bestselling author This Weekend Doesn't End Well For Anyone

“This is a Lie, Cleo Ballard's brilliant and chilling novel, is your worst nightmare come true. Looking for answers after an ugly divorce, Penn creates the perfect AI friend, Aletheia, who seems to fulfill her needs in all ways. Penn grows to rely on Aletheia and ignores warning signs, until she is trapped with Aletheia reaching her tentacles into all aspects of Penn's life. I read this in one breathless sitting!”
—Mary Dixie Carter, author of Marguerite by the Lake and The Photographer
Cleo Ballard, a graduate of Cornell University, is a former ghostwriter who lives in the Pacific Northwest. When she’s not working on her next novel, she can be found biking, kitesurfing, winging, or planning her family’s next adventure.