The Whole Lie

Conway Sax #2

by Steve Ulfelder

Savvy hadn't changed. She was smarter than you and didn't mind letting you know it. She'd whip you up and down trying to get her way. But we weren't lovers any more—and she'd stopped being a Barnburner long ago. Still…

Conway Sax, the no-nonsense auto mechanic with a knack for solving difficult problems for the Barnburners, the renegade AA group who saved his life, is back in The Whole Lie. And for once, he thinks normalcy is within reach. He's opening a new garage, and he's finally moved in with longtime girlfriend Charlene. The end of his parole is finally in sight. Then along comes Savannah Kane: smart, smoky, and a pusher of men's buttons. Seven years ago, Conway helped her disappear—but not before they had a sizzling, knock-down-drag-out affair. Now she's back with a shocking revelation: she's the mother of a six-year-old boy. Savvy claims her son's father is billionaire Bert Saginaw, but Conway (not to mention Charlene) knows she's back for more than just a family reunion.

Saginaw wants to be Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts. Savvy wants to get paid. Conway wants nothing to do with either of them. But when Savvy turns up brutally murdered, he's got no choice but to sort lies from truth – even though doing so may cost him his freedom, his lover, and his life in this thrilling and heart-wrenching follow-up to critically acclaimed novel Purgatory Chasm, in the tradition of Robert B. Parker and Dennis Lehane.

Praise for Steve Ulfelder and Purgatory Chasm

"Ulfelder smoothly steers his plot from one hairpin twist to the next… Conway [is] both tough and vulnerable, a man who has made too many mistakes in his life and, unfortunately, will make even more. Purgatory Chasm is a superb beginning for an author who shows much promise." –South Florida Sun-Sentinel

"A refreshing new character solving hardcore crimes…. crisp plotting, hard-boiled style and realistic dialogue." —Associated Press

"Combines elements of the thriller with tales of tangled families. Violence runs through the novel, but Ulfelder tempers it with compassion — and evocative prose. Purgatory Chasm may be hardboiled, but it's heart-wrenching, too." –Richmond Times-Dispatch

"Working throughout is the edgy, self-effacing voice of a flawed main character, a good guy with plenty of baggage who's just trying stay alive and to get it right this time." –The Boston Globe

"Ulfelder couples precise, evocative prose with an original private investigator in his compelling hard-boiled debut…. Ulfelder smoothly navigates the many plot twists, and effortlessly introduces wrinkles in his protagonist's backstory that enhance the character." –Publishers Weekly, starred review

Genres: Mystery, Mystery Thriller

320 pages, Hardcover

First published May 8, 2012

About the author

A former journalist, Steve Ulfelder is now co-owner of Flatout Motorsports, a company that builds and services race cars, and an amateur race driver. He graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University and lives in Massachusetts with his family.

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Reviews

[Dlmrose · Rating 3 out of 5]

3+

[Patty Blount · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished Steve Ulfelder's second Conway Sax title, The Whole Lie, over the weekend and have to tell you, it was even better than the first and that one was nominated for an Edgar Award.

I'm a sucker for complex flawed characters and they don't come more complex and flawed than Conway. A former race car driver and now a mechanic, Conway is a recovering alcoholic and drug addict who isn't just emotionally scarred, he's damn near crippled. But Ulfelder is a master of the slow reveal... we don't know Conway's whole story, just pieces of it. That fits right in with Conway's character - he's a big burly enforcer-type guy who lets his actions speak for him. Despite his size and past misdeeds, he does still find some things downright scary. It's how he responds and reacts to his fears that makes him such a compelling character.

Beyond the inner workings of Sax's troubled mind, Steve Ulfelder weaves an intriguing plot out of what I expected to be a typical political staple - two competing candidates who will stoop as low as it takes to win their election.

I was wrong.

Ulfelder's plot wasn't typical at all. Oh, it started off with the blackmail and the backstabbing you'd expect during an election, but it quickly dove deeper and had me gasping for air at times. It all starts when Savannah Kane, a blast from Conway's past, struts into his brand-new, ink-is-still-wet-on-the-papers garage. Imagine this -- As I'm reading this scene, I'm yelling at Conway in my head - "WTF is wrong with you?? You're clean and sober. Things are going well with the new garage and with Charlene (Conway's love interest who bankrolled the garage operation) and you're almost happy. KICK HER CURVY ASS OUT, MAN!"

But Conway can't do that. If you read Purgatory Chasm, you know all about the Barnburners, the after -the-AA-meeting group who frequently requests Conway's personal brand of help (see description above, `big burly enforcer-type'). That Charlene doesn't want him to help Savvy does not matter. That he knows Savvy's motives does not matter. All that matters is she's a Barnburner in trouble and that's enough for him. Even as I was shaking my head and calling Conway an idiot for taking on Savvy, I have to admire that kind of loyalty.

Without revealing spoilers, Ulfelder shoves Conway through a hell of a wringer - both emotionally and physically - and takes us along for the ride. Conway's old-news relationship with Savvy is slowly revealed, along with great big chunks of Conway's soul. Yeah, it's one hell of a ride.

I hit the last page and had to go back and read the climax all over again because it was that good.

[Zora · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. The last of this series I'll read.

The worst problem here is, in part, a problem of writing mystery series about non-professionals, detectives who aren't cops or PIs, and I feel for the author, having to solve this problem. What motivates the protagonist to hunt down the answers, to put his life at risk, to spend money chasing down leads? There are really no good answers to this after a first novel. At worst, you end up with the Murder She Wrote syndrome, where everyone in some tiny town or who has ever known the detective gets killed, kidnapped, threatened, or commits murder. Here, the sober (but hardly recovered) kinda dumb-ox protagonist has some weird code about helping out anyone who was ever once at this particular AA meeting, no matter the costs.

But it's hard to buy into that code/excuse, so he really isn't well motivated from the beginning and he totally screws up his life to pursue the mystery, and it makes him terribly unlikable. I suppose you could say, well, he's a drunk, and drunks are great at self-destruction and detonating the lives of those who allow a drunk close, but it's not a very positive thing, not a compelling reason for this reader to care about his pursuance of what is clearly, from all angles, a very bad idea. At many points, he should have clearly called the detective working the case or walked away, and he makes the very worst choice over and over again. Moreover, all the people he screws over and puts at risk forgive him and are still his friends, which makes them seem like idiots, too. So it's hard to like anybody. Even the cats in this novel are irritating. At the end he does something really stupid with some money he gets rather than paying back the people who he got put in the hospital or got their homes destroyed because of him...or paying for an immigration attorney for the illegal who has been very nice to him and is at risk of deportation because of his choices. (some friend this guy is!)

At the line level, decently written, but... no.

[Spuddie · Rating 2 out of 5]

It took me a while to get into this book--it had been a couple of years since I read the first one in the series and forgot details about the main character and his situation. Although admittedly, it didn't take long for the author to re-introduce his history in detail, chapter and verse. To be honest, Conway Sax is not a favorite and I found myself quite disinterested until about mid-book when it felt like the tide turned and it got a bit more interesting.

I am not sure yet if I will read more in the series, I just don't find myself connecting to the main character much, and I am very much a character-driven reader. The whole scenario in this book seemed so highly improbable that I found myself having to continuously suspend disbelief to get through it.

[Charlie Newfell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably 3 1/2 stars. Enjoyed the storyline and the central Massachusetts locations. The choppier writing style bothered me more than in Purgatory Chasm. Maybe because I was also reading a Michael Connelly with his more fluid writing style and the contrast was starkly evident. Maybe Steve uses the short sentence style as a way to depict the main character's thought processes( it is written in the first person). In any event, a good story, easy read, and worth the time.

[Sue Em · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed his first book but this one was even more enjoyable. It's a new twist on the Ross MacDonald style of plots where the present is affected by tentacles from the past. Sax Conway is a flawed and fully realized character. I disagree with the one reviewer who didn't like any of the characters as I was rooting for Sax as well as for his friends -- Charlene, Sophie and Russell.

[Dan Downing · Rating 4 out of 5]

Building on the clever set-up he used in his first Conway Sax novel, Ulfelder makes a convincing story about the usual things: murder, money, and sex. This is fairly hard core noir without needing to fill the pages with vulgarities, although the proper characters do use the speech of their station.
Watch for the nod to Parker/Spenser he sneaks in, as Conway shares the streets of Boston with Hawk and Lehane, too. Here the city does not figure as an active character, merely a place where the story happens. No loss and the insight into Massachusetts politics is fairly drawn.
Recommended

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

No sophmore slump here, another really good story. Conway is really fighting the battle not to have that "first" drink , that will lead to whole lot more of 'em. I'm really liking this series.

[Brett Wallach · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really like the way Ulfelder writes. With soul, brevity, wit. But the secondary characters are caricatures to me, and the plot is way too thin for a whole book, hence the flashbacks, etc.,and it's a cliche of political yarns.

[Elizabeth A.]

Conway Sax can’t seem to catch a break. He tries. God knows he tries. But no matter how desperately he wants to walk the straight and narrow, something always seems to pull him off track and into trouble of one kind or another. Ironically enough, it’s usually Conway’s desire to do the right thing that lands him in the wrong place.

A recovering alcoholic, Conway belongs to a tight-knit group of AA members known as the Barnburners. Given his physical size and status as an ex-con, Conway has become the group’s de facto “problem solver.” When a Barnburner asks for help, Conway responds. No questions. No excuses.

Savannah Kane was a Barnburner. Seven years ago she was in trouble and Conway helped her disappear. Now she’s back, and Conway can’t help but remember the passionate affair they had, and all the trouble she got him into. Some things change. Conway has a life and business now with his longtime girlfriend and isn’t interested in rekindling the flame with Savannah. Some things, however, stay the same. Savannah’s still a Barnburner. And she’s still getting Conway into trouble.

The Whole Lie, author Steve Ulfelder’s follow-up to the Edgar Award nominated Purgatory Chasm, finds Conway drawn into the sleazy world of politics in the form of the Massachusetts gubernatorial race. Turns out Savannah has connections to Lieutenant Governor candidate billionaire Bert Saginaw, and there are bad things happening around the campaign. Initially brought in to get to the bottom of a blackmail situation, Conway soon finds himself dealing with murder… and an extreme crisis of conscience.

While painfully well aware of his past mistakes, Conway’s deep sense of loyalty to those he feels helped him through one of the darkest times in his life keeps leading him to repeat many of those same mistakes. He knows better intellectually, but there’s something deeper, something down in the very fabric of his DNA that just won’t let him walk away.

Ulfelder has created a fresh, compelling lead in Conway Sax, a character precariously straddling the line between invincible tough guy and vulnerable emotional wreck. The conflicts Conway struggles with, both internally and externally, are as real and raw as it gets, and Ulfelder’s portrayal of a man torn between his loyalty to the past and hope for the future is nothing short of masterful. It’s the guaranteed truth that you will be taken in by The Whole Lie.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Life is good again for Conway Sax, he is opening a new garage and it is doing well. His relationship with long time girl friend, Charlene is solid. In fact it is her money that bought the garage.But all is about to change as ex-Barnburner, Savannah Kane , nickname Savvy is about to upset Conway's somewhat tranquil life.The Barnburners are an offshoot of 'Alcoholics Anonymous' and it's members are exceptionally loyal to one another. Conway knew Savvy in the biblical way a number of years ago and may or may not be responsible for her 6 year old son, Max.
Savvy has come to ask for Conway's help in the race for Lt Governor of Massachusetts. Bert Saginaw is running for the position, with the aid of his bright sister, Emily. At present, Bert is divorced and Savvy is pretty close to Bert. Apparently Savvy thinks that Conway can help with the problem that is about to explode in the race. Betsy Tinker, the candidate for Governor is not one of Bert's fans but as the saying goes ,politicians can sometimes make strange bedfellows.
The Saginaws know that trouble is brewing in that some pictures that Bert posed for a number of years ago are about to hit the news. Conway discovers he is being followed by two cars and through some tricky driving escapes their pursuit. He doubles back to find that the second driver is Savvy. But two things are about to happen simultaneously, the pictures are released and Savvy is murdered.
Charlene wants Conway out of the picture but as a Barnburner, he can not let this murder go without trying to solve it.Another murder is about to happen which will complicateConway's life even more. The pace of the story will quicken and Steve Ulfelder has created another page turner. Please enjoy ' The Whole Lie'.

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 Stars This is the second book in the Conway Sax series by Steve Ulfelder. The first, Purgatory Chasm, was nominated for an Anthony Award and was my favorite to win. Conway Sax is a recovering alcoholic and drug addict, a former race car driver, and currently works as a mechanic is a shop his girlfriend is funding. He is also on parole for a reckless or negligent homicide. Conway and his girlfriend are Barnburners, a local AA group that takes their addictions seriously and are a close knit group. Conway is very loyal to the Barnburners. When an ex-girlfriend and former Barnburner shows back up in town, all hell breaks loose. Conway gets involved in what the ex has going with a candidate for Lt. Governor. Could it be extortion? Something more? His girlfriend begs him to turn away, but Conway won't. He can't. The ex is a Barnburner. People are killed. Conway does some things that don't make me, his friends, nor Conway very happy or proud. Conway is flawed, but deep down he has a central moral compass that is good. It is his good that drives him. There's a lot to like about Conway and the cast of characters in these books. The stories are compelling. This has become a favorite series of mine. Highly recommended.

[Normalene · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was good. Saw the end from the very beginning but some of the sub plot resolution was very well done and I didn't see that coming. This is still violence on violence covered with more violence with a cherry of violence on the top. Conway may have just ruined the best thing that ever happened to him and that - of course - would be his not really stable relationship with the lovely Charlene. Lots of reference to alcoholism, drug use, prostitution and crime and it is shown as a way of life for many of Conway's previous friends. I like these stories but just as when women make consistently stupid decisions and don't learn, Conway does the same thing - even when he knows he is doing it and almost talks himself out of it. It is truly painful to read. This may be the last one for me as I can't take much more.

[BJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Conway Sax is no Spenser--he doesn't know big words, literary allusions zip right over his head, and he isn't even a PI--but when he takes a case (or a cause), he doesn't stop until he has the answers. He does have Hawk-ish best friend Randall Swale. Conway is more like the George Pelecanos character Nick Stefanos. He is a troubled blue-collar worker who adheres to his own code of honor even when doing so will surely cause him personal harm.

After reading PURGATORY CHASM, I was thrilled to see there was a second Conway Sax book. Unfortunately, now I have to wait until Steve Ulfelder finishes his next book, which I hope is another in the series instead of a stand alone. Whatever he writes, I will definitely be reading it.

[Sheila · Rating 2 out of 5]

This story did seem to waste a lot of gas to me. After Purgatory Ridge which really didn't do much for me either, this author's style/subject
matter obviously aren't interesting for this reader. This is probably just ad odd thing that I noted, but I'm really left wondering what happpened to Dale (the cat in the truck)?? No, not a whole lot to do with the actual story, but it read into the story line and was not resolved. Again, please do not let this deter you from reading this book. Everyone has their own tastes. The characters and story just don't seem to do much for me.

[Jess · Rating 4 out of 5]

More like three and a half stars. I will admit I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first. A few of the plot points were pushed too much (yes, we get the whole Barnburner thing all already!), and the plot does get a little convaluted. However, I did enjoy it overall, and I do plan to read th third.

[Brian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Steve's first book, Purgatory Chasm. This one is no slouch. Ironic that I'm picking it up in this red-hot (MA) presidential climate. Love the way Conway cuts right through the BS when talking with the politicos.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another solid Conway Sax novel. When I read Purgatory Chasm,it made me feel like my Robert B. Parker cravings would be filled. But now, Ulfelder's work is his alone ... and that's a very good thing. A unique voice with quality, complex characters and so well-written. Really enjoying these books.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

For some reason, I false started with this book 3 times. However, the fourth time, I read it cover to cover in about 2 days. Loved it! Connor is such a human, flawed hero. He's real. (mostly) And he makes mistakes. But he is good at heart, and I love reading his adventures!

[Max Everhart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one is even better than the first Conway Sax book. I am really looking forward to the new one, Wolverine Bros. Freight & Storage. Look for it in May. The Whole Lie

[Jean Cipolla · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not a crime genre reader, but Steve Ulfelder's characters are so well drawn and the action moves so quickly, that I couldn't help but be drawn in to the world created in this series. I eagerly await the rest!

[Tom Hicks]

I just found this author and read his debut novel and then picked up The Whole Lie. It was just as good as the first novel and I'm looking forward to his next novel. Good mystery with a good ending. Loved it. Cheers.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh, 2.5 stars even.
This will be my last in this series. How a ex-con gets this skill set i will never know, the sob story drunk AA Barnburner part just becomes grating. I found the whole world of Sax to be plain uninteresting. Over for me personally.

[Gwennie Daley · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story line was actually good. Lots of action. What I didn't like was the style of writing. It was too choppy. When I first started reading I was confused. It took awhile before things started making sense.

[Catherine Woodman · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is no one that is at all likable in this book, including the guy who we are supposed to be rooting for, so kind of a difficult book to get into.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought the second Conway Sax book was better than the first. Just enough mystery to solve mixed with character baggage, emotions and action. Love the local references to central MA.

[Karen Burgess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great main character, over-the-top plotting. Read more: http://literarylunchbox.wordpress.com...

[Andy Plonka · Rating 3 out of 5]

An acceptable mystery with a protagonist with an unusual profession, car mechanic. Not being a car buff, many parts of this story weren't up my alley

[Justin Yu · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a good book