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Lie for Me

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Lauren Holloway's ex-fiance, Tucker Kane, is without an alibi when his ex-wife is murdered. Tucker claims to have been alone at a job site at the time, but he needs Lauren to lie for him so that he won't become a suspect in the murder. She refuses; now as a prime suspect, Tucker disappears without a trace. Years later, she sees him at an antique fair, and worried that Lauren will reveal his carefully constructed life, he forces his into her hotel room and tells her that he's trying to find evidence to clear his name. As Lauren tries to help Tucker, she questions her ability to judge character as she uncovers a labyrinth of deceit, putting her very life in danger.

"Karen Young has written an exciting thriller with the second chance romantic subplot enhancing the suspense. Readers will root for the embattled lead protagonists caught in the crosshairs of a ruthless diabolical killer. . . . Lie For Me is a gripping one sitting read."

--Harriet Klausner (5 stars)

368 pages, Paperback

First published August 2, 2011

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About the author

Karen Young

102 books62 followers
Karen Young is the author of thirty-four novels with more than ten million copies in print. Her many awards include the RITA from Romance Writers of America and both the Career Achievement and Reviewer’s Choice awards from Romantic Times magazine. She is a frequent public speaker and a teacher of the craft of writing. Currently, she resides in Houston, Texas.

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5 stars
31 (22%)
4 stars
50 (37%)
3 stars
44 (32%)
2 stars
8 (5%)
1 star
2 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
Profile Image for Carolyn Vandine West.
969 reviews41 followers
October 27, 2019
Tucker and Lauren are planning their wedding, but then Tucker’s ex-wife is murdered. As someone is pinning the blame on Tucker things start falling apart.
Lauren thinks she should call off the wedding but then Tucker disappears. This story kept me in suspense even though I think I have read it before. I still wanted to finish Bc I couldn’t remember who the killer was.
Good clean read
Profile Image for Joi.
641 reviews42 followers
July 11, 2015
I really enjoyed this book and no, I did not guess the end. I wasn't surprised. The only problem I had with this book is I believe it was too long, and the runaround was unnecessary. I liked most of the characters, but I believe that it took too long to develop all of the characters, therefore there wasn't enough time to "Guess Whodunnit?". There was one suspect, just handed to you, but you already knew that's not the right one. The character development could have been better, for this book to be as long as it was.....it could have been different, better.
Profile Image for Britt Fitts.
Author 2 books48 followers
January 16, 2022
Karen Young's "Lie for Me" left me with a love/hate sort of feeling. I loved the murder mystery aspect of it. She surprised me with the ending of who the killer was, and for that, I give her props. There are many books where I figure out the killer quite early in the tale. However, there were plenty of continuity errors in this book. Margot was killed in January, and nine months later, Lauren runs into Tucker while she's on spring break?? That does not add up. Spring break in Texas is in March, not September. Then, it says Tucker took off nine months ago because he was suspected of killing Margot and only a few pages later, it says Margot was killed about eight months ago. It just doesn't flow well. Then, there was the Christianity aspect. I'm fine with characters having different faith from my own, but Lauren didn't need her God to tell her something that should have been common sense, and Tucker finding faith, in the end, added absolutely nothing to the story. If you like Christian fiction, this book is for you, but obviously, I am not the intended audience.
°°°°°°°°°°°°°
"Stop meddling. Otherwise, what happened to Margot Kane will happen to you."
-Karen Young, Lie for Me
Profile Image for Coleen.
20 reviews
November 15, 2025
If there were half stars I would have given the book 3 1/2 stars. I really enjoyed the suspense within the book and a couple of pieces I didn’t see coming. It was refreshing to incorporate how the main characters had a strong faith.
I do love Karen Young’s quote at the end as well…”But bad or sad or tragic things do happen to people. God doesn’t promise that won’t happen. His promise is to help us get through it.” Amen Ms. Young!
Profile Image for Shrek Yes Juuliet.
26 reviews
April 6, 2026
I loved this book. It's a subtly Christian murder mystery with great characters, an good plot, and unexpected twist. Several times during reading, I thought I had the killer figured out, but when revealed, it was not who I expected at all. I love that in a murder mystery. This book is really captivating and well written. I'd recommend it to any murder mystery fan.
Profile Image for Jjean.
1,216 reviews31 followers
May 29, 2018
A fast paced, suspense mystery - romance - Christian underlying - exciting characters & a plot that kept me guessing to end, all in one book. - well written - you feel the mis-trust & pain of the characters -
Profile Image for One Sentence Audio Critic.
1,011 reviews27 followers
January 9, 2023
A lightly Christian, romantic suspense murder mystery unfold in this plot based in Houston, as a teacher/administrator at a private school becomes involved when her contractor fiancée is accused of murdering his ex-wife. (Audiobook is on HoopLa.)
Profile Image for Shanelle Holt.
38 reviews
October 7, 2025
This was a great book of faith and love in the toughest times. I also didn't think the criminal was them. Really good red herring.
Profile Image for Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews.
5,630 reviews181 followers
August 6, 2011
Originally posted at: http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...

Bad things happening to good people just doesn't seem right. How much faith does it take to overcome unjust adversity and come out stronger and a better person?

Mature, with successful careers, and so-very-much in love, Lauren Holloway and Tucker Kane are soon to be wed and the plans are drawn for their dream home to be started as soon as they marry, but the world seems to cave in on them. Bad things begin to happen and just keep getting worse until Tucker disappears without saying goodbye in an effort to keep Lauren and his toddler daughter Kristy safe.

Devastated because Tucker didn’t trust her enough to tell her his plan, Lauren calls off the wedding as her life comes unraveled. Badgered and watched by the despicable Detective Sherman, discriminated against by the powers-that-be in the school where she is principal, She finds herself questioning her own self-worth and her values. Even though she feels cast adrift, she continues to be a part of Kristy’s life and also stays friends with Evelyn and Martin, Kristy’s maternal grandmother and grandfather. The hatred Evelyn has for Tucker and Martin’s secretive connection with Tucker have her in a quandary until Kristy is abducted then Lauren meets all adversaries head on with determination.

Dark threads woven into the story are secondary characters like Juliana, Kristy’s godmother and her politically ambitious D. A. husband; Jordan Raines, Juliana’s ambitious journalist nephew; as well as the Armstrongs who are associated with Lauren’s school trauma. All of them are major players in Tucker and Lauren’s heartbreaking situation. Even Margot, Tucker’s dead ex-wife, continues to wreck havoc on Tucker’s life. Conversely, bright, shining threads are characters like Eric Grantham and Sheriff Benton Fox (WOW!).

Karen Young weaves a plot that slowly unfolds with some surprising revelations. She builds in emotions that cause the characters to question their faith and their values. How she finally resolves the troubling issues they wrestle with makes compelling reading and also causes the reader to think about his or her own strengths and weakness both spiritual and emotional. Ms. Young’s descriptions of the Texas Hill Country make the setting seem real and her subtle foreshadowing of major events entices the reader to keep turning pages.

Tucker and Lauren’s love story is full of “unfair” doings of mean-spirited people who send both Tucker and Lauren to the depths of misery before they can unravel deceits and come to realize their love and faith withstood a fiery test and came through refined, strong, and true. Their happy-ever-after had a high price, but shines with so much promise for the future. Good reading!

Profile Image for Sarah.
81 reviews
July 30, 2013

Tucker was called to a job site to pick up what some would call antique wood. When he arrived he was shocked to see the body of a woman murdered and it's not just any woman, it's the body of his ex-wife Margot, whom he was in the process of having a long custody over their daughter Kristy. Tucker knew life for him and his soon to be wife Lauren was going to get intense, Tucker is the prime suspect in the investigation and was the last person to see or speak to Margot after having a argument over their daughter Kristy.
At First Lauren believes in Tucker's innocence but as time goes on and more things about Tucker's past come to Lauren's attention she begins to question whether the man she loves could be responsible for this gruesome act. In an effort unknown to Lauren, Tucker disappears to protect both Lauren and Kristy which only leaves everyone to believe that Tucker is in fact guilty. Lauren calls off the wedding and begins to watch her life unravel before her eyes. She is being watched for any suspicious behavior or secretive encounters with Tucker by Detective Shermon. Her job as a principle at the elementary school is now in jeopardy as they begin to question her role as Principle while supporting her soon to be husband. Lauren questions whether she wants to be with Tucker but in the end their relationship withstood many obstacles and trials, leaving them with their "happy ever after" fairy tale ending.
Each character in this novel are connected to the plot, whether it be Juliana, Kristy's godmother, and her D. A husband or Jordan Raines, the ambitious Journalist and Juliana's nephew. The way Ms Young tells this story will leave your jaw dropping and your heart pounding, she counts on her readers to get emotionally involved and leaves them questioning your values and beliefs.
Though Tucker's divorce with Margot he remained close to her father Martin, Martin always believed in Tucker's innocence despite what Margot's mother Evelyn believed. Lauren eventually teams up with Tucker trying to prove who is responsible for the murder and allowing closure for the families. Lie for me really shows the roots of an amazing suspense novel and will leave the reader tuning the pages until the jaw dropping truth is revealed about who killed Margot and why.

For a full review, please check out my blog
http://theultimatebookworm23.blogspot...
851 reviews28 followers
June 26, 2011
Tucker Kane, a successful builder, is about to get the shock of his wife. Approaching his house in order to collect some rare wood before the house is demolished, Tucker notices his dog is very excited in a nervous, upset way. Entering the home, he has his first shock, that a woman is lying on the floor murdered, and his second, that it’s his ex-wife, Margot. Immediately after calling the police, he calls his fiancé, Lauren, and is interrogated by the local police. We then discover the real killer waiting near the home and allowing us into his or her thoughts, that evidence is going to be planted to make sure that Tucker takes all the blame!

As the plot continues, we learn that Tucker has some secrets he’s kept from Lauren that indicate he just might have violent tendencies. It seems a family member might have been hurt by Tucker, Margot may have lost a fetus because of him, and the murder weapon finally found links him to the killing. Margot’s mother is sure he is the murderer but her father believes Tucker is innocent. Lauren won’t lie to protect Tucker and the fact she is asked to provides a huge leap into doubt about his innocence, as well as other hints that are slowly revealed. Lauren’s job may be in jeopardy because of her association with Tucker and Tucker can’t prove the threatening phone call he’s received!

Eventually, Tucker runs away for quite some time, and Lauren as well as the entire town now believes his fugitive status proves his guilt. But the plot is far from over and there are no spoilers here. Lauren begins to take a more active role, despite her doubts, in finding information that would lead to discovering who really murdered Margot, and the rest of this novel moves like lightning until the reader finally learns the astonishing identity of the killer and the motives behind this death as well as another shooting before it’s all over!

Fast-paced, well-plotted, and tense, Lie For Me is a great story sure to engage every reader who loves a riveting crime thriller/mystery! Superb!
Profile Image for Gloria ~.
1,261 reviews140 followers
July 18, 2011
There is a definite Christian theme underlying the suspense in this new novel, which in my opinion is mis-titled. The main characters are strong, faithful good people, and believers in prayer. Tucker Cane is the accused architect/carpenter in the death of his ex-wife, with whom he has been fighting an ugly custody-battle in regards to their young daughter. His fiance, Lauren, is the principal of a Christian school. Neither of them ever lied to police investigators when questioned about their whereabouts or events leading up to Tucker's discovery of the body at a job site. The murder weapon appears to be one of his missing hammers. The evidence against Tucker is all circumstantial but it all looks bad for him. As the manipulated evidence against him mounts, he does in desperation, ask Lauren to change her statement and give him an alibi, but it is a fleeting moment, and she, of course cannot ethically do so. He is forced into hiding to prove his innocence, and regrets putting her in that impossible situation. The "lie for me" part of this book is inconsequential and maybe should've been called No Alibi or something to that effect. Both of these characters are too-good-of-Christians to ever lie about something this serious.

I found this read entertaining, and it kept my interest. I looked forward to picking it up each time, but figured it out quite quickly, who had motive and what transpired. To me it was predictable. Never having read this author before, I didn't know what to expect when I received the ARC from the publisher to review. I did enjoy it, but it was not the gripping, suspenseful mystery that I usually read, but more of a moral-issue dilemma.
Profile Image for Marilyn Rondeau.
496 reviews24 followers
September 5, 2011
I’ve read numerous romantic suspense novels over time but this had to be the first one that tosses in snippets of Christianity at odd irregular intervals. Unfortunately I didn’t see the Christian theme as well as others did in the fact that Ms. Young gave her characters strong Christian beliefs which I thought was good in defining the type of character Tucker was as not only a regular church attendee but who also took the time to become involved in church activities.

Ms. Young did give the characters depth, and form. I can say that the suspense was terrific and the secondary characters were true to character with Tucker being extremely likeable and upstanding. However, I couldn’t get close to Lauren after her decision to not give Tucker an alibi which was not the one I would have made. Although, after Lauren ran into Tucker a few years down the highway of life, she gained some bonus points from me when she didn’t rat him out to the sheriff and began to believe in the possibility that Tucker was innocent as claimed and had been framed.

The rest of LIE FOR ME was well written even though, as mentioned before, I didn’t see that much Christianity in the telling. My one issue was, what genre was the author trying to portray here? The murder itself was vicious and calculated and in my mind not a big surprise as to who the culprit was. However, I do give kudo’s to Ms. Young for rounding out the suspense, romance and mystery to a believable conclusion.

Bottom Line: LIE FOR ME was a good effort for this romantic suspense thriller and an enjoyable read for the most part of a moral dilemma rather than a “who done it”
Profile Image for April.
1,913 reviews76 followers
August 1, 2011
LIE FOR ME by Karen Young is an exciting romantic thriller set in present day.It is a powerful story with complex emotions,passion,mystery,and suspense. It will take your breathe away at times. The characters are not only believable,engaging but also challenging and will capture your heart. This is the story of Lauren Holloway,a elementary school teacher and her fiance,Tucker Kane,an accused murderer/suspect of his ex-wife. When Tucker finds he needs an alibi for the next of his ex's murder,Lauren refuses to give him the alibi,so Tucker must disappears without a trace leaving his small daughter with his in laws. Tucker and Lauren together must find a murder,and evidence to clear his name. This story is has suspense,murder,romance,family,passion,complex emotions,policitians,secrets,deception and danger. This story of a young woman who makes the decision to help her ex-fiance,his daughter and find a killer. It will reveal secrets that has caused a murder and could ruin others lives. This is a great read that will keep you turning pages and guessing who the killer really is and why. This book was received for the purpose of review from the publisher.Details can be found at Howard Books,a division of Simon & Schuster and My Book Addiction Reviews/My Book Addiction and More.
Profile Image for Romancing the Book.
4,420 reviews221 followers
October 31, 2011
Reviewed By: Lisa
Review Copy Provided By: ARC by Nancy Breland Public Relations
Lauren Holloway and Tucker Kane are building their life together when tragedy strikes. Tucker stumbles upon his ex-wife’s body at a job site and he becomes the prime suspect in her murder. Lauren continues to support Tucker even though the evidence points to Tucker as being guilty.

Long held secrets and lies from the past, rise to the surface to haunt Tucker. Can Lauren trust the man she thought she knew so well? As Tucker fights to clear his name, Lauren’s life quickly begins to unravel one piece at a time.

Lie for Me is one part romance and one part suspense with Christian undertones mixed throughout. This is a fast paced story that will keep the reader on their toes for most of the book. I enjoyed the tension that built between Lauren and Tucker as well as the supporting characters in the book. Lie for Me kept me intrigued due to the masterfully crafted twists and turns. The importance of honesty, compassion and faith are delicately
woven into elements of suspense and mystery.

Lie for Me is a perfect blend of everything I enjoy in a great book. I am looking forward to reading more from Karen Young.

Profile Image for Maria.
190 reviews31 followers
June 28, 2011
Lie for Me fell a bit flat for me. The writing style didn't draw me in to keep me reading. I couldn't feel the romance between Lauren and Tucker at all.

The mystery storyline was pretty good. I suspected, but didn't totally figure out who the "bad guy" was before the end. There were some interesting twists and turns that kept me guessing. Although, I did feel the book was longer than it needed to be. I found myself hoping at times that it would hurry and end.

Since there are some redeeming qualities in the storyline and I see that a lot of other reviewers enjoyed this book far more than I, I'm giving it a tad higher rating than I originally decided upon and leaving the decision up to you readers. Give it a try and let me know how you liked it.

*Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher, I was not required to write a positive review.

Profile Image for Melissa (Always Behind).
5,288 reviews3,291 followers
May 17, 2011
Young has crafted another captivating mystery that will keep readers guessing until the exciting conclusion. The novel does suffer a little from a slow-moving plot in the middle, but the suspense makes up for the book's shortcomings.
SUMMARY: Lauren Holloway and Tucker Kane are engaged and heading toward marriage when Tucker discovers the dead body of his ex-wife. Tucker is accused of her murder and despite Lauren's firm belief he is innocent, she won't lie to give Tucker an alibi for the time of the death. Tucker soon disappears and Lauren isn't sure what to think as she slowly begins to rebuild her life. Then she catches a glimpse of him and must decide who to trust.
2 reviews
August 20, 2011
Lie for me is a very enjoyable mystery. The plot is great, and her storytelling abilities are excellent. I especially appreciate the convincing and appealing portrayal of the relationships of the main characters. The relationship between Tucker and his fiance, and especially his daughter really drew me in. I really appreciated the character of a supportive and loving ex-father-in-law. Great read!
Profile Image for Peggy.
231 reviews
November 8, 2014
Wow better then I thought it would be.
The things these two go through for each outher shows what Love really is.
She truly belived in him and he loved her so much.
All I can say is wow what A great Read this was I could night put it down.
Now the killer is who I thought it was at first but the story gives so meany twist and turns that it makes you wonder if you are rtight or not and I was right on the money with this one.
Profile Image for Claire.
102 reviews7 followers
October 18, 2011
This was my first book by Karen Young it won't be the last! How far would you go to protect a loved one you believed was innocent? And how long would you believe they were innocent in the face of mounting evidence to the contrary? Young explores these questions skillfully.
Profile Image for Sarah.
356 reviews
March 28, 2012
Not bad, not great. Interesting plot development, though a little hard to believe that someone would A) think of and B) accomplish going to such great lengths to frame someone else for the murder. I was glad Lauren did take a stand and refuse to lie for love's sake; true love doesn't require the beloved to do wrong!
Profile Image for Jami.
2,222 reviews7 followers
October 17, 2011
I give this one a 2.5. The suspense part was good, but it was fairly predictable. I also am not into the Christian based books, but she managed to do a good job of not making that part overwhelming, so for me, it did not detract from the overall story.
Profile Image for Patricia.
39 reviews6 followers
November 13, 2011
This is my first book by Karen Young!! From the very beginning, you can tell that this story is a faith based suspense. I really think Karen added just the right amount of Christianity along with the teeth clutching suspense!! I will be on the lookout for another book by this author!!
Profile Image for Linda.
29 reviews
May 23, 2012
I read this book at the suggestion of my church book club. It was quite good!
177 reviews
June 1, 2012
Keep me guessing till it finally clicked in the middle... Very good book
Profile Image for Gerri.
145 reviews4 followers
July 30, 2012
Good story. Many times I was leaning toward one person as the killer, but then would change. It definitely kept you guessing and thinking why would you lie for this person. Enjoyed it.
Profile Image for Amy.
203 reviews5 followers
May 7, 2013
I just finished this book over the past weekend,and I had a hard time putting it down. I would recommend it for a murder plot story to read.
1 review
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February 17, 2016
Tucker Kane is contractor with Kristy toddler - his wife Margot Houseman is murdered and he is suspected. His fiance Lauren Holloway helps him in hunting down the real murderer.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
20 reviews
August 28, 2012
Good book, a typical suspenseful romance, but good.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews