Review: The Colour of Lies by Lezanne Clannachan

When she was ten years old, Anna realized she wasn’t like other children. Where others relied on the conventional five senses, Anna’s world was made all the more vibrant by an extra gift; above the heads of others, and visible only to Anna, were crowns of colour. Anna could see emotion – a skill made possible by synaesthesia. Thus able to easily spot a lie, or jealousy, or guilt, Anna maneuvered through life with the ability to read people, unbeknownst to all but her older sister.

When Anna is unjustly accused of stealing and thus fired from her job, she finds herself at a loose end. Luckily, her sister Billie comes to her rescue with a possible job – being a helping hand to a family recovering from a loss. Gabriel and Suzie, along with their young son Daniel, are reeling from the disappearance of Lily, a willful and beautiful 19-year-old girl. Once Anna finds herself immersed in the life that Lily left behind, she can’t help but find herself piecing together Lily’s story. With her unique ability to read a person’s inner emotions, Anna may be better equipped than most to find out what really happened to Lily. However, she may be equally unprepared for the answers, as she learns that even her synaesthesia isn’t concrete evidence.

The Colour of Lies is such a refreshing and unique premise, giving a much-needed twist and colourful revival to the classic whodunit. The pioneering narrative, together with Clannachan’s ease of story-telling and vibrant descriptions, make this a thoroughly enjoyable book that is as clever as it is unpredictable. With her emphasis on colour, it was no surprise that red herrings abound in this story, but it was such a great adventure to be proven wrong countless times; to fail to predict the villain, and to rejoice in being delightfully blind-sided. This, in itself, is a triumph in a world where no story truly feels unique anymore. The Colour of Lies is a superb story with a refined plot that speaks volumes to its writer’s talent. If you are keen to dive into something new and exciting, this is a book for you.

The Colour of Lies by Lezanne Clannachan is published by Orion Books, and is available in South Africa from Jonathan Ball Publishers.