I Can See Your Lies, by Izzy Lee

I Can See Your Lies is a horror novella, the debut of Izzy Lee as a novelist, published by Dark Matter INK (under their line Dark Hart). A really cinematic novella which explores the supernatural themes in a context of the world being in shambles for the protagonist, Fin, who is also investigating what happened to her mother many years ago.

Fin's life is a mess. Her marriage is an abusive relationship, her husband is going to abandon her and she's left as the sole mother for a nine-year-old girl; along with the stress and trauma derived from these conditions, she starts to have disturbing visions. But not only her, as she's called from the school reporting her daughter has been frightening other kids with tales of a strange she's the only one seeing; things get even more complicated when she starts investigating the cold-case disappearance of her mother, whose secrets might be connected with their visions.

Overwhelmed, and with the journal of her mother, Fin takes some days in a remote location, without suspecting that the truth behind her disappearance is hidden in that place that mysteriously appeared on her computer. In such a short length, Lee weaves an intriguing story that compels you to continue reading, a novella that you will devour in a single sit.

The writing style is kinda cinematic, in the sense of playing with the visual elements, creating impactful moments; characters not as developed as I would have liked outside of Fin, some just fulfilling roles that are important for the plot, but overall, it's a satisfying balance taking into account the length.

I Can See Your Lies is a great horror novella, mixing trauma and impactful moments to create an engaging story; really eager to read more stories from Izzy Lee.