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The Truth About Ruby Cooper
Liz Nugent
Publication Date: August 25th, 2026
Simon & Schuster Canada
336 Pages
Amazon | Goodreads | Bookshop.org
Genre: General Fiction
Boy, oh boy, is this story dark—and I loved it. What does that say about me? It’s not really a thriller, but more of a psychological suspense, and Ruby certainly likes to play mind games. The story takes place over two decades and across two locations: Boston and Dublin. It revolves around Ruby and her sister, Erin, who come from a religious family and community where their father is a pastor.
In 1999, Ruby is involved in a horrific incident with Erin’s boyfriend. Afterwards, Ruby and her mother take off for greener pastures in Ireland, while Erin stays behind in Boston with her dad. The point of view alternates between Ruby and Erin. Ruby has a hard time dealing with the betrayal, ultimately becoming an emotional and mental wreck. As the secrets begin to emerge, both sisters have to deal with the fallout.
Even though this premise has been done before—and done well (view spoiler) —I still thoroughly enjoyed this book. Ruby was a terrible human being, but I still felt empathy for her when she was younger. On the other hand, Erin has to grow up fast and deal with the brokenness of her family. Having the different points of view really highlighted how a single lie or event can change who we become.
Liz Nugent writes in a way that makes the story flow effortlessly and keeps it easy to read. She creates stories that I have a hard time putting down. This was so close to a five-star read for me; the only drawback was that adult Ruby didn’t learn very much and had no redeeming qualities, which made her frustrating to read about later on. I do appreciate a story that isn’t afraid to dig into the messier, uglier corners of human nature. A well-crafted psychological suspense with morally gray characters is deeply compelling, especially when an author like Liz Nugent pulls you into their minds so well. Finding empathy for a flawed younger character while being frustrated by their adult self is just a sign of great storytelling. Still, if you love dark, character-driven stories with a bit of a twist, this one was pretty darn good.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
