Wherever there is life, there are lies.

Slick-suited politicians lie on the podium, ready to tell voters what they want to hear. Cheating lovers, swindling businessmen, double-crossing villains - all liars. But nature lies too - the cheetah crouching in the tall grass waiting to pounce, its spots and straw-coloured fur blending in with its surroundings, the chameleon with its adaptable skin, the octopus hiding in its cave.

Juan Jacinto Muñoz-Rengel uncovers the slippery history of lies, some dark and elusive, others thunderous and dazzling. From primeval forests to modern politics, he explores the uncomfortable truths of our white lies, fudged facts and blatant deceptions. For centuries, philosophers, writers and poets have grappled with the paradox of what's fact and what's fiction. So who can we really believe? Our friends? Our partners? Our leaders? Can we even trust ourselves?

Truly, this is the only book in which the abundance of lies on its pages is a sign of success. Or maybe it isn't. Who can really tell?