The Many Lies of Veronica Hawkins

A Novel

Kristina Pérez

A cursed woman. A beautiful socialite. A tragic heiress. Just who was Veronica Hawkins?

When Martina Torres arrives in the glamorous and vibrant metropolis of Hong Kong, newly married to her high school sweetheart, the world seems to be her oyster. But looks can be deceiving. Adrift in a foreign city, with no job and no friends, Martina chafes in her new role as Expat Wife.

But her luck changes when she meets Veronica Hawkins. Beautiful, sophisticated, and very, very rich, Veronica is the epitome of Old Hong Kong—the last surviving member of a British mercantile dynasty that built the city during its colonial heyday. Martina can hardly believe her fortune when she's taken under Veronica's wing and into her confidence, with Veronica helping her to find a new apartment, a new career, and most importantly, a new self.

Veronica transforms Martina's life and then, shockingly, she dies. She disappears over the side of a yacht during a party attended by Hong Kong's most influential people—yet somehow there are no witnesses.

Was it murder? Suicide? A terrible accident? What really happened to Veronica Hawkins?

Somebody knows but nobody's telling.

Kristina Pérez is a half-Argentine, half-Norwegian native New Yorker. She holds a PhD in Medieval Literature from the University of Cambridge and has taught at the National University of Singapore and the University of Hong Kong. As a journalist, she's written for many international news outlets covering primarily travel, culture, and fine art. She has penned several novels for young adults and is now a London-based literary agent.

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Endorsements & Reviews

“A must-read that’s dark, disturbing, and suspenseful while also being a compelling story about identity, deception, and ambition.” Booklist (starred review)

"A twisty, glamorous thriller set among the rich and powerful in Hong Kong. The setting, characters, and structure of the novel are compelling, and, as the title suggests, there are secrets and lies aplenty." Library Journal (starred review)

“This whirlwind of a novel presents a glittering façade and then shatters it, exposing the violence and racism that lies behind.” The Times (London)

“Kristina Pérez crafts an engaging tale of intrigue, glamour and hyper-status conscious expatriates, laced with claustrophobic menace and mystery.” The Financial Times

"Lush descriptions, passionate friendships and wicked betrayals. An interesting undercurrent of ideas about identity, self and truth." The Literary Review

"A twisty thriller with rich and complex female friendships. I tore through this one." Kelley Armstrong, New York Times #1 bestseling author

"A smart, twisted story filled with secrets and lies played out in the vibrant, glittering setting of Hong Kong." Marina McCarron, author of The Shimmer on the Water

"A joyous, addictive exploration of materialism and excess, beautifully conjuring Hong Kong in all its societal layers. This is a delightfully dark novel which brings to mind The Great Gatsby in early 21st Century Hong Kong." Lisa Ballantyne, author of The Innocent One

"Vivid, immersive and compulsive, the layers of detail are gorgeous, and the quick wit and devious twists mean that you know everyone is lying, but it's a rollercoaster ride to find out what they're lying about." Alexia Casale, author of The Best Way to Bury Your Husband 

"Glamorous, shocking and deliciously deceptive. The kind of sharp, exciting and sophisticated mystery I just adore."
Chris Whitaker, author of We Begin at the End