The Lie

A Novel

Published by She Writes Press
Distributed by Simon & Schuster

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About The Book

Dan Millman’s Way of the Peaceful Warrior meets Dave Eggers’s The Circle in this exhilarating tale, which marries visionary and political fiction together into a nail-biting, high-stakes thriller.

Cybersecurity whiz Jedd finds himself held captive, strapped to the ground in a dark tunnel, without food or water. June’s campaign website has been hacked and she is viciously attacked by protesters. Darah flashes back to the terror of life under the dictatorship in the States, when her mother was deported.

Just when this group of friends thought they had defeated their enemies, they’re faced with not one but multiple immediate threats. Rumors and accusations are flying, and the future of the democratic nation of California is at stake. Can they figure out who is telling the truth and who is lying before it’s too late?

A taut combination of political, techno-thriller, and metaphysical fiction that’s scaffolded on three realities—the ancient wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita, our current post-truth world, and the near future—this sequel to The Die is a fast-paced story about friendship, courage, and how to restore and revitalize truth.

About The Author

Jude Berman grew up amid floor-to-ceiling shelves of books in many languages, with refugee parents who instilled in her a deep appreciation for cultural diversity and social justice. She has a BA in art from Smith College and an EdD in cross-cultural communication from UMass Amherst. After a career in academic research, she built a freelance writing and editing business and ran two small indie presses. She lives in Berkeley, California, where, in her free time, she volunteers for civic causes, paints with acrylic watercolors, gardens, and meditates. She blogs at https://judeberman.substack.com.

Product Details

  • Publisher: She Writes Press (August 4, 2026)
  • Length: 256 pages
  • ISBN13: 9798896363606

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Raves and Reviews

“A gripping thriller with compelling characters. . . . Readers will enjoy the suspense and be enthralled.”Readers’ Favorite, 5-star review

“A suspenseful, prescient, intriguing page-turner. Berman knows how to prey on her reader’s fear and love of technology, making the future feel immediate.”—Lori B. Duff, author of Devil’s Defense
 
The Lie, a sequel to Berman’s futuristic The Die, is not so futuristic. It is chillingly close to what we face in the world today. Truths, lies, and vulnerabilities drive this story, yet it has a sweetness in its portrayal of friendship and courage. I couldn’t put it down.”—Karen Uhlmann, author of Intersections
 
“Is a lie more powerful than the truth? In The Lie, Berman crafts a tight, Orwellian narrative—where two plus two often equals five—set amid a battle for reality itself in which deepfakes, political sabotage, and AI-fueled manipulation threaten to rewrite what it means to know the truth.”—Francesco Paola, author of Left on Rancho
 
“Clever and compelling, The Lie bridges ancient wisdom and modern challenges, showing that disinformation and deception are neither new nor insurmountable. A thrilling exploration of one of the greatest dangers of our time.”—Meredith Walters, author of This Animal Body
 
The Lie is set in an AI future, though not so far from now that we can get comfortable with our distance from it. Berman’s characters strive for truth and justice, but whose truth to believe when all information can be hacked and trusted sources may be deepfakes? A fascinating read!”—Joan Cohen, author of The Deepfake
 
“Another gift from Jude Berman—an ingenious story about truth, deception, friendship, and control in an age of deepfakes and misinformation. Jedd and his friends are deftly drawn and bring a deep humanity and hope to a scary and plausible near future. It’s a great, inventive read, and I’m eager for more.”—Sheri T. Joseph, author of Edge of the Known World
 
The Lie couldn’t be more timely in this era of faltering democracy and hydra-headed social and environmental crises. As its characters struggle to dispel a fog of deceit spawned by a bullying dictator, the novel asks vital questions about the restoration and defense of truth, clarity, and integrity. The Lie’s grounding in ancient wisdom is a ballast to steady our unmoored century.”—Steve Masover, author of Consequence
 
“A thought-provoking story in which technology and truth collide, The Lie speaks to what’s most important to us today: truth about ourselves, truth about each other, and truth about the society in which we want to live.”—Jen Braaksma, author of Amaranth
 
“The world Berman creates is genius in its futuristic qualities and juxtaposition of good and evil, light and dark, truth and lies. Its positive messaging, infused throughout, taps into the soul of our humanity and leaves the reader more hopeful that we can change the future for the better.”—Julie Hatch, author of The Very Best of Care
 
“This techno-thriller, set in a near-future California that has seceded from the United States, could be ripped from the pages of today’s news: quantum computing, deepfake videos generated by AI, and an evil dictator who seeks to rule the world by conning the public with his lies.”—Leslie Schover, author of Fission

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