Friends for 25 Years,Please Don't LieAuthors Take on a Twisty Thriller Together — See the Cover! (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Christina Baker Kline and Anne Burt, with Please Don’t Lie.Photo:Cowbird Creative; AmazonAfter more than two decades of friendship, two accomplished authors are collaborating on a new thriller novel!FromChristina Baker KlineandAnne BurtcomesPlease Don’t Lie,a thriller set against the haunting backdrop of the Adirondacks which follows a young newlywed woman seeking to start fresh in a remote town. The book, set to debut in September, is “built on trust” and its complications, the authors tell PEOPLE.Protagonist Hayley Stone moves to the Adirondacks with her new husband after a number of painful losses, but “she’s determined to leave her past behind” with this move, according to an official synopsis. But that aim is quickly threatened when secrets — belonging to her, her husband and their neighbors — come to light.In a joint statement, the authors say the book’s aim is to haunt the reader, both during the unfolding story and in everyday life.Please Don’t Lie.Amazon"Our aim was to craft a story that’s both psychologically nuanced and relentlessly paced — one that keeps readers turning pages and leaves them questioning the small deceptions in their own lives long after the final chapter," they shared.Kline, aNew York Timesbestselling author, will mark her first thriller novel withPlease Don’t Lie— following the success of titlesOrphan Train,The Exiles, andA Piece Of The World.Burt’s novelThe Dighas received praise for its expertly crafted ambiance and psychological agility.Over the course of 25 years, Kline and Burt have fostered a deep friendship, starting in New Jersey where they learned to be parents alongside each other. The two authors are now both empty nesters living in New York City, and they said co-writing a book “felt like an exciting and natural next step.“Christina Baker Kline and Anne Burt.Cowbird CreativeNever miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“Please Don’t Lieis the result of 25 years of friendship — shared ideas, conversations and imaginings — and we hope it’s just the beginning!” they tell PEOPLE. “Writing it together allowed us to create something neither of us could have written alone.“Please Don’t Liecomes out Sept. 1 and is available for preorder now, wherever books are sold.

Christina Baker Kline and Anne Burt, with Please Don’t Lie.Photo:Cowbird Creative; Amazon

Cowbird Creative; Amazon

After more than two decades of friendship, two accomplished authors are collaborating on a new thriller novel!FromChristina Baker KlineandAnne BurtcomesPlease Don’t Lie,a thriller set against the haunting backdrop of the Adirondacks which follows a young newlywed woman seeking to start fresh in a remote town. The book, set to debut in September, is “built on trust” and its complications, the authors tell PEOPLE.Protagonist Hayley Stone moves to the Adirondacks with her new husband after a number of painful losses, but “she’s determined to leave her past behind” with this move, according to an official synopsis. But that aim is quickly threatened when secrets — belonging to her, her husband and their neighbors — come to light.In a joint statement, the authors say the book’s aim is to haunt the reader, both during the unfolding story and in everyday life.Please Don’t Lie.Amazon"Our aim was to craft a story that’s both psychologically nuanced and relentlessly paced — one that keeps readers turning pages and leaves them questioning the small deceptions in their own lives long after the final chapter,” they shared.Kline, aNew York Timesbestselling author, will mark her first thriller novel withPlease Don’t Lie— following the success of titlesOrphan Train,The Exiles, andA Piece Of The World.Burt’s novelThe Dighas received praise for its expertly crafted ambiance and psychological agility.Over the course of 25 years, Kline and Burt have fostered a deep friendship, starting in New Jersey where they learned to be parents alongside each other. The two authors are now both empty nesters living in New York City, and they said co-writing a book “felt like an exciting and natural next step.“Christina Baker Kline and Anne Burt.Cowbird CreativeNever miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“Please Don’t Lieis the result of 25 years of friendship — shared ideas, conversations and imaginings — and we hope it’s just the beginning!” they tell PEOPLE. “Writing it together allowed us to create something neither of us could have written alone.“Please Don’t Liecomes out Sept. 1 and is available for preorder now, wherever books are sold.

After more than two decades of friendship, two accomplished authors are collaborating on a new thriller novel!

FromChristina Baker KlineandAnne BurtcomesPlease Don’t Lie,a thriller set against the haunting backdrop of the Adirondacks which follows a young newlywed woman seeking to start fresh in a remote town. The book, set to debut in September, is “built on trust” and its complications, the authors tell PEOPLE.

Protagonist Hayley Stone moves to the Adirondacks with her new husband after a number of painful losses, but “she’s determined to leave her past behind” with this move, according to an official synopsis. But that aim is quickly threatened when secrets — belonging to her, her husband and their neighbors — come to light.

In a joint statement, the authors say the book’s aim is to haunt the reader, both during the unfolding story and in everyday life.

Please Don’t Lie.Amazon

Amazon

“Our aim was to craft a story that’s both psychologically nuanced and relentlessly paced — one that keeps readers turning pages and leaves them questioning the small deceptions in their own lives long after the final chapter,” they shared.

Kline, aNew York Timesbestselling author, will mark her first thriller novel withPlease Don’t Lie— following the success of titlesOrphan Train,The Exiles, andA Piece Of The World.Burt’s novelThe Dighas received praise for its expertly crafted ambiance and psychological agility.

Over the course of 25 years, Kline and Burt have fostered a deep friendship, starting in New Jersey where they learned to be parents alongside each other. The two authors are now both empty nesters living in New York City, and they said co-writing a book “felt like an exciting and natural next step.”

Christina Baker Kline and Anne Burt.Cowbird Creative

Cowbird Creative

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“Please Don’t Lieis the result of 25 years of friendship — shared ideas, conversations and imaginings — and we hope it’s just the beginning!” they tell PEOPLE. “Writing it together allowed us to create something neither of us could have written alone.”

Please Don’t Liecomes out Sept. 1 and is available for preorder now, wherever books are sold.

source: people.com