For the Best

A POPSUGAR Best New Book of September 2020

“Smoothly plotted…Lillie keeps the suspense high up to the shocking ending. Readers will root for troubled Jules every step of the way.” —Publishers Weekly

“For the Best, Vanessa Lillie’s timely and unsettling tale of white privilege is fascinating.” —CrimeReads

“For the Best rises beyond genre to include explorations of social justice, racism, trauma and addiction—explorations that are not digressions from the tale but woven wonderfully into it…Another winner from Providence’s [Vanessa] Lillie.” —Providence Journal

“In For the Best, Lillie shows her consummate expertise at weaving story strands into a deep and complex tale where not everything can be taken at face value. A genuine thriller with a vicious twist at the end that will make the reader gasp.” —Authorlink

“An engaging story with lots of twists and turns you won’t see coming. The use of the VLOG works really well here and enhances the story. A well-written thriller.” —Red Carpet Crash

“Reminiscent of Paula Hawkins’s The Girl on The Train…[in] her sophomore thriller, For the Best…Lillie writes about Rhody with a passion that feels homegrown.” —The Boston Globe

“As a woman tries to clear her name of a murder charge using an investigative vlog, she unearths secrets that hit close to home. The resolution is emotionally complex and devoid of sneaky tricks and tropes. For the Best is intelligent and wholly original. It is that rare book that makes you race to the end but then stop in your tracks and just say WHOA! The perfect follow-up to Lillie’s sensational debut, Little Voices.” —Wendy Walker, internationally bestselling author of The Night Before and All Is Not Forgotten

“What happens when the secrets from your past finally catch up to you in the present? For the Best is a dark and twisting tale that takes you on a breathless ride from the first page to the final jaw-dropping conclusion. Juliet Wellington-Smith, a prominent Foundation CEO, is stunned to wake up to a murder accusation after an alcohol-fueled gala the night before. She sets out to clear her name and uncover the truth, but to do so, she will need to confront her demons from the past. And some of those demons are still very much alive. A must read for thriller lovers!” —Amy Impellizzeri, award-winning author of The Truth About Thea and Why We Lie

“Lillie follows up her smashing debut Little Voices with another winner, this time exploring just how far a person will go to keep old secrets buried. For the Best is dark and gritty, starring a host of damaged characters who blur the line between what’s true and what’s not. A slow-burn, moody mystery that will keep you on your toes.” —Kimberly Belle, internationally bestselling author of Dear Wife

“In For the Best, Vanessa Lillie deftly writes about complex and gritty relationships, and the damage long-term familial secrets can cause. The story had me switching allegiances like it was a tennis match, made me suspect everyone, and the ending…pure perfection. A fast-paced read thriller lovers won’t want to miss!” —Hannah Mary McKinnon, bestselling author of Her Secret Son and The Neighbors

“In her sophomore novel, For the Best, Vanessa Lillie proves once again she is a master of the final twist. With an expert hand, Lillie creates a fascinating, gripping, thought-provoking thriller that weaves past trauma and present-day consequences for a protagonist accused of her beloved colleague’s murder. Complex, edgy, and smart, For the Best reveals secrets page after page, leading to a shocking ending you won’t see coming.” —Samantha M. Bailey, bestselling author of Woman on the Edge

“A fascinating look at the power of restorative justice, For the Best is Vanessa Lillie at her finest. With damaged characters and a dark undercurrent, the plot unravels a myriad of devastating secrets in the wake of an alcohol-soaked night that left a man dead and a woman accused of his murder. Mesmerizing and thought-provoking, For the Best smolders with a brooding, slow-burn tension you simply won’t want to miss.” —Christina McDonald, USA Today bestselling author of The Night Olivia Fell and Behind Every Lie

“For the Best is a riveting story of a woman who is accused of murder and launches her own investigation. Plotted to perfection, the events of that night unfold in a series of shocking and disturbing twists. A clever, captivating book you need on your list.” —Samantha Downing, USA Today bestselling author of My Lovely Wife and He Started It

“Twisty, unpredictable, and compulsively readable, For the Best deftly explores the intersections of healing and justice. Vanessa Lillie has created a riveting mystery about a woman desperate to remember what happened the night someone close to her was murdered—and she was named the prime suspect. Packed with surprises, this book will have you turning pages long into the night, right up until its stunning conclusion and beautiful last line.” —Megan Collins, author of The Winter Sister and Behind the Red Door

“Vanessa Lillie takes domestic suspense to another level in For the Best. Gripping and suspenseful with edge-of-your-seat reveals that will keep you turning the pages to the epic conclusion. If you liked Little Voices, you’ll love For the Best.” —Matthew Farrell, bestselling author of What Have You Done

“For the Best grabs the reader from the first page and does not let up until the final, unexpected turn. While Jules Worthington-Smith fights to clear her name and preserve her hard-earned career, what she discovers threatens to bring her world down around her. As in her debut Little Voices, Vanessa Lillie writes with both authority and a fresh voice as she confronts the contradiction of family—that those closest to us can give us strength or tear us to shreds, and sometimes both at once. For the Best is not to be missed.” —Danielle Girard, USA Today and #1 Amazon bestselling author of White Out

“In just two books, Vanessa Lillie has already earned a reputation for creating beautifully flawed and complicated characters who won’t let past trauma get in the way of their present—especially when it involves solving a murder. For the Best has all the things I fell in love with in Lillie’s debut: the idyllic Rhode Island setting, the layered character studies, and the unexpected reveals. And all while introducing a new main character still desperate for justice, but this time for herself. Lillie remains a writer to watch!” —Kellye Garrett, Anthony, Agatha, and Lefty award–winning author of Hollywood Homicide and Hollywood Ending

“Vanessa Lillie’s For the Best is both a riveting page-turner about a woman’s race to prove her own innocence, and a layered, thought-provoking exploration of self-destructive impulses and the crushing weight of old secrets. Well-paced and full of surprises, this is one you definitely don’t want to miss!” —Kathleen Barber, author of Follow Me and Truth Be Told

“Lillie’s sophomore novel, For the Best, builds on an already impressive debut with a book that crafts a haunting, evocative mystery—starring a complicated and flawed protagonist in Jules. Lillie’s prose is taut and mesmerizing, and that ending knocked me for a loop. Don’t sleep on this book or Vanessa Lillie—a true rising star in crime fiction.” —Alex Segura, acclaimed author of Blackout and Miami Midnight

“In this nail biter of a thriller, Lillie delivers an unconventional, unlikeable, but not unsympathetic protagonist who gets caught between a decades-old tragedy and a current day mystery. CEO Juliet finds herself in an impossible situation when her colleague is murdered, leaving her the prime suspect. What follows is a high-stakes unraveling, forcing Juliet to confront both her past and who she fears she’s becoming. Character-driven and heart wrenching, For the Best is a book to be devoured more than read.” —Wendy Heard, author of Hunting Annabelle and The Kill Club