Lisa Unger profile picture

Lisa Unger

Thriller author -- Lisa Unger.

About Me


Hi, I'm Lisa Unger, New York Times bestselling author of BEAUTIFUL LIES, SLIVER OF TRUTH and BLACK OUT.
Thanks for visiting. Over the past year, I've found this to be a great place to meet and chat with readers from around the world. I enjoy every email and comment, and though I'm not always fast, I make it a point to answer everyone. And, yes, it really is me.
Visit www.lisaunger.com to learn more, watch videos, listen to audio commentary, join discussions, read blogs, post in guestbook or sign up for my newsletter.
BLACK OUT is now available! Check out these great qoutes:
“Black Out is riveting psychological suspense of the first order. If you haven’t yet experienced Lisa Unger, what are you waiting for?”
—Harlan Coben
"A stunning, mind-bending shocker with moments of sheer terror–one of the best thrillers I’ve read this year!”
—Tess Gerritsen
“Twisty, riveting, and enormously exciting. Lisa Unger is a powerful and elegant writer, and Black Out is her best novel yet.”
—Joseph Finder
“[A] hurricane of a thriller ... impossible to extract yourself until the last page."
—Entertainment Weekly
"Unger's latest keeps the adrenaline pumping with a roller-coaster plot and harrowing psychological suspense."
—People
"Gripping narrative and evocative, muscular prose"
—Associated Press
"[Unger] delivers such a ride you don't want the whirligig to stop ... psychotic scary, all the way."
—New York Daily News
“A white hot page turner. However, this book is more than a thrill ride. Its feeling-tones and issues linger after the denouement, as is the case with significant literature ... Its exploration of the human psyche brings insights both authentic and profound. Annie's plight will mean something to astute readers-they will take it personally. Lisa Unger is not-or not yet-the American Dostoevsky, but she may be on her way.”
—Naples Sun Times
BEAUTIFUL LIES was chosen as an International Book of the Month, a BookSense pick, Amazon.com's top 10 thriller and finalist for "Best Novel" by the International Thriller Writers.
SLIVER OF TRUTH, the sequel, was chosen as a BookSense pick and a main selection for Doubleday & Literary Guild book clubs.



My novels have been published in 26 countries and have appeared on bestseller lists worldwide. Here are just some of the cool foreign covers ...


A short discussion of BLACK OUT, in my own words ...

My Interests


Being a full-time writer, mom to my beautiful toddler and wife to my fantastic husband, I would say my only other interest at the moment is sleep!

But when I can find a minute or two to spare (oh, it's not really that bad!) I enjoy travel, boating, swimming, kayaking, movies, music, cooking and reading (naturally). I love to be out and about, observing people and having new experiences.

I'd like to meet:


I'd like to meet fellow readers, writers, book groups, booksellers, librarians (Are you seeing a theme here?) In other words, people who share my love of books.

Music:


I'm a musical omnivore ... equally moved by classical (Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D Major rocks ... well, you know what I mean) and dance (StarKiller and Above Beyond are recent faves).

Music is a big part of my process. The right music can evoke mood, stimulate memory, provide inspiration. When I'm stuck in my work, I put on my iPod and move.

What I'm listening to right now: David Bowie, Grace Jones, Ben Benassi and the Biz, Norah Jones, Cold Play, Annie Lennox, U2 ... I could go on and on. You gotta love your iPod.

Movies:


The Silence of the Lambs -- The standard thriller writer's favorite, right? It really is one of the best movies ever made.

Dead Calm -- Perfect suspense.

The Shining -- All work and no play makes Lisa a dull girl.

Star Wars -- You know Han Solo, Chewy, Princess Leia -- NOT Jar Jar and Anakin. Okay, you caught me, I'm a true nerd.

This is a terribly incomplete list but I think I've embarrassed myself enough.

Television:


Lost -- This show is driving me crazy!

Entourage -- They're just so cool!

Deadwood - Oh, my virgin ears!

The Shield -- Dark, Gritty, Flawed heroes ... right up my alley.

Sopranos -- Can anyone say 'downward sprial.'

Alias -- I love Sidney Bristow and I'm not afraid to admit it.

Battlestar Gallactica -- SO good.

30 Rock -- Hilarious.

Books:


I wouldn't know where to begin. However, you can read my blog "Books That Changed Me" for some that have made a lasting impact. Or browse a random selection of favorites from my Shelfari account below:

Heroes:


Passionate people who pursue their dreams, and who change the world through compassionate or selfless acts. No, really.

My Blog

The Music Behind Black Out

The Music Behind Black Out This week I wrote an essay for largeheartedboy.com about the music I was listening to when I wrote BLACK OUT. Music plays a large part in my process and that was especially ...
Posted by Lisa Unger on Mon, 30 Jun 2008 07:17:00 PST

5 Questions

5 Questions A couple of weeks ago, I got a charming email from JJ Cooper, an author about to release his first book with Random House Australia. JJ spent seventeen years in the Australian Army, de...
Posted by Lisa Unger on Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:56:00 PST

My Virtual Book Tour

My Virtual Book Tour So, I'm not on the road this year -- not on the "real" road. I still consider myself to be on tour, though. Virtually. I am quite high tech these days. At first it felt very stra...
Posted by Lisa Unger on Wed, 04 Jun 2008 10:51:00 PST

Black Out Released Today!

BLACK OUT is in stores now!
Posted by Lisa Unger on Tue, 27 May 2008 06:35:00 PST

Today Show - Top 10 Summer Reads!

Today Show - Top 10 Summer Reads! This morning, BLACK OUT was featured on the Today Show as one of the Top 10 summer reads! The host saw the cover and said "Oooh, this looks creepy." (Who could ask fo...
Posted by Lisa Unger on Thu, 22 May 2008 11:53:00 PST

Authors and Friends

Authors and Friends I was recently interviewed for a major magazine and one of the questions concerned my favorite authors. Space being what it is in these things, this part of my answer didn't make t...
Posted by Lisa Unger on Thu, 22 May 2008 04:49:00 PST

New York Times and USA Today Bestseller Lists!!

New York Times and USA Today Bestseller Lists!! Thanks to all of the tremendous support from readers, booksellers and my wonderful publisher Vintage Crime/ Black Lizard, the mass-market edition of Bea...
Posted by Lisa Unger on Fri, 16 May 2008 12:46:00 PST

Beautiful Lies - New Paperback Release!

Beautiful Lies - New Paperback Release! Tomorrow is the mass market publication of BEAUTIFUL LIES. My first book writing as Lisa Unger, BEAUTIFUL LIES was an instant New York Times bestseller, pu...
Posted by Lisa Unger on Mon, 28 Apr 2008 07:31:00 PST

Starred PW Review

Starred PW Review I'm thrilled that Publishers Weekly had some lovely things to say about BLACK OUT in a starred review earlier this month. And, as if that wasn't enough, there's an author Q &...
Posted by Lisa Unger on Tue, 22 Apr 2008 11:20:00 PST

Changes

Changes I've said on an earlier post and in several interviews that I could not have written BLACK OUT if it weren't for my daughter.  Motherhood changed me, naturally.  How could it not?&nb...
Posted by Lisa Unger on Fri, 11 Apr 2008 08:53:00 PST