Liar, Dreamer, Thief

By: Maria Dong

Narrated by: Hannah Choi

A young woman’s carefully constructed fantasy world implodes in this brilliantly conceived novel that blurs distinctions between right and wrong, comedy and tragedy, imagination and reality: "Surreal . . . leaves you with the creeping certainty that there is a different world lurking just under the surface of our own, filled with technicolor lies and terrible truths" (Alix E. Harrow, New York Times bestselling and Hugo‑award winning author).

Katrina Kim may be broke, the black sheep of her family, and slightly unhinged, but she isn’t a stalker. Her obsession with her co-worker, Kurt, is just one of many coping mechanisms—like her constant shape and number rituals, or the way scenes from her favorite children’s book bleed into her vision whenever she feels anxious or stressed.

But when Katrina finds a cryptic message from Kurt that implies he’s aware of her surveillance, her tenuous hold on a normal life crumbles. Driven by compulsion, she enacts the most powerful ritual she has to reclaim control—a midnight visit to the Cayatoga Bridge—and arrives just in time to witness Kurt’s suicide. Before he jumps, he slams her with a devastating accusation: his death is all her fault.

Horrified, Katrina combs through the clues she’s collected about Kurt over the last three years, but each revelation uncovers a menacing truth: for every moment she was watching him, he was watching her. And the past she thought she’d left behind? It’s been following her more closely than she ever could have imagined.

A gripping page-turner, as well as a sensitive exploration of mental health, Liar, Dreamer, Thief is an intimate portrayal of life in all its complexities—and the dangers inherent in unveiling people’s most closely guarded secrets.

Critic reviews

"Narrator Hannah Choi brings Katrina’s story to life with outstanding characterizations and superb pacing. The intimacy of the first-person narration further draws listeners into Katrina’s increasingly unsettled mind . . . This fast-paced, surreal tale will hook listeners from the beginning. A perfect fit for fans of Gone Girl and Girl on the Train."—Library Journal

"Liar, Dreamer, Thief is a surreal thriller that blurs the line between daydream and nightmare. It leaves you with the creeping certainty that there is a different world lurking just under the surface of our own, filled with technicolor lies and terrible truths."—Alix E. Harrow, New York Times bestselling and Hugo-award winning author of The Ten Thousand Doors of January

"Clever, urgent, and deeply compassionate. This novel hooked its claws into me and didn't let go—a brilliant, brutal debut that's also deeply thoughtful in its examination of family, mental health, and diaspora. Absolutely stunning."—Grace D. Li, New York Times bestselling author of Portrait of a Thief

"A gorgeously written, genre-blending take on psychological suspense, Liar, Dreamer, Thief uses the frame of an investigation into a man’s apparent suicide to explore the act of meaning-making itself, as well as the ways neurodivergence and marginality both complicate the process and open it to spectacular new possibilities. This brilliant story is unlike anything I’ve read: provocative and unsettling, but grounded by a warm beating heart. Maria Dong is one of the freshest, most vital new voices in fiction."—Ashley Winstead, Author of In My Dreams I Hold a Knife

"I love Katrina Kim and this trip into her secret world. This book is a unique, stunning ride, with a memorable heroine who stands out like a mushroom-studded enchanted forest in a kitchen. Heartwarming, tragic, funny, suspenseful, and perfectly weird. I couldn’t put this down."—Emily Austin, Author of Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead

"A masterful work of psychological suspense with a hypnotically unreliable narrator who obfuscates as much as she reveals. Shocking, enthralling, and unnerving, Dong's debut gleams like broken glass."—Ava Reid, Internationally bestselling author of The Wolf and the Woodsman

"An achingly human mystery thriller with magic looming around every corner. I'm in awe of Maria Dong's beautifully flawed characters and richly drawn world, and you will be too. A marvelous debut."—Cadwell Turnbull, Author of No Gods, No Monsters

Winner of a book!

This book made me as compulsive to finish it as the main character, Katrina, was to resolving the mysteries in her life. It was lovely to read about a character who suffers from mental health issues but is extremely intelligent. I love Katrina and am grateful to Maria Dong for bringing her to life so vividly and honestly. I look forward anxiously to Ms Dong’s next book! ❤️

Brilliant and unique

Liar, Dreamer, Thief
The lovable heroine of Liar, Dreamer, Thief is Katrina Kim who is the daughter of Korean immigrants. She suffers from mental illness and has developed an unhealthy obsession with a male coworker that she’s pretty much stalking. When this coworker vanishes, he leaves a cryptic message for Katrina and she vows to find out what has happened with him. She also escapes to a fantasy world in her mind as a safe place when life throws too much at her. This is a book about coping mechanisms as a way of survival.

I had a difficult time getting ahold of this one early and when it was finally released, my usually well stocked library did not have the audio. Thankfully Audible had it and I grabbed it. Sadly the only review on Audible was a one star review from someone who clearly either didn’t understand it or even read it for that matter. While this book is not for everyone, Maria Dong has perfectly captured a complex character in Katrina and has written a beautiful and touching story.

Weird, but surprising

When I first started this book, I was t sure I was going to “get into it”, but I kept listening. I’m glad I did as it ended up being very interesting and the plot twist I did not see coming, which I always enjoy when I can’t not figure it out! If you do listen- know it might take a few hours before you feel like you understand the main character.

Loved it

A fun and weird mystery
That creates another way of seeing the world.
My advice: trust the author and dive into this world of unicorns, kitchen alternate dimensions and even some family reunions.
Loved this one.

Dizzying debut!

Besides the amazing narration and overall pacing and plot foundation, this book left me breathless. Im glad I went for the audio though, the focus to detail and overall descriptors worked better this way. Loved this story and all the bits and fragments of Katrinas life scattered and torn and found again. The ending went fast and shocked me!