HarperCollins India has announced the publication of Liar, Liar by author Rheea Mukherjee — a deeply personal and unsettling true-crime memoir that examines emotional manipulation, online trust and the hidden costs of digital activism.

At the heart of the book is the story of “Sanch”, a woman admired within urban activist circles as a fiercely articulate Dalit orphan committed to social justice causes. When news emerged that she was battling lung cancer, friends, followers and supporters across the country rallied around her, offering emotional and financial support. Among them was Mukherjee herself, who had grown close to Sanch and actively encouraged others to support her.

But the story took a shocking turn when Sanch suddenly disappeared from social media and from the lives of those who had trusted her, leaving behind confusion, betrayal and devastating consequences.

In Liar, Liar, Mukherjee revisits the experience years later, piecing together how one of India’s most sophisticated online scams unfolded and examining the emotional vulnerabilities that made it possible. Moving beyond sensational headlines, the memoir explores questions of trust, guilt, identity and performative morality in the age of social media.

Speaking about the book, Mukherjee said, “There is a person out there who can mirror your deepest resonances, your causes, your hopes, the exact texture of what you care about. Someone who has already measured how generous you are, how soft your heart goes in specific situations, and how far you’ll reach before you pull back.”

“Writing this book did not cure me of my tendency to trust others. If anything, it made the argument for trust more urgent. Because the alternative — a closed fist, a sealed life — is its own kind of annihilation,” she added.

Trisha Bora, Executive Editor at HarperCollins India, described the memoir as “essential reading” in an era shaped by digital relationships and online identities.

“Rheea’s courage in confronting not just a scammer but her own vulnerability makes Liar, Liar deeply impactful. It’s one of the most urgent examinations of digital trust, guilt and compassion I’ve encountered in years,” Bora said.

The book has already drawn strong endorsements from writers, journalists and performers. Actor and activist Swara Bhaskar called it “an honest and unflinching look at our individual and collective vulnerabilities” set within “the hyper-articulate world of social justice and social media.”

Stand-up comedian Aditi Mittal described the memoir as “equal parts scandalous and thoughtful”, while journalist Devrupa Rakshit called it “urgent, uncomfortable and fiercely intelligent.”

Mukherjee is the author of Body Myth and The Girl Who Kept Falling in Love. Her work has appeared in publications including the Los Angeles Times, BuzzFeed, Scroll.in, HuffPost and Electric Literature. She is also the co-founder of Bengaluru-based branding collective Moonbird Creative.