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Sasha Jackson #3
The Lies Have It
It’s election time in Toronto and this year’s mayoral race is hotly contested, but private investigator Sasha Jackson is more focused on bondage than ballots.
After a wild night at a fetish party, a man Sasha briefly met is found murdered near the waterfront, the whip marks on his back punctuated by two bullet holes.
It initially seems like naughty sex gone too far, but Sasha soon discovers that politicos like to play rough, and they might be hiding more than just their handcuffs.
After a wild night at a fetish party, a man Sasha briefly met is found murdered near the waterfront, the whip marks on his back punctuated by two bullet holes.
It initially seems like naughty sex gone too far, but Sasha soon discovers that politicos like to play rough, and they might be hiding more than just their handcuffs.
171 pages, Paperback
First published October 31, 2011
4 people are currently reading
682 people want to read
About the author
Jill Edmondson
7 books162 followersJill Edmondson is the author of the "Sasha Jackson Mysteries".
P.I. Sasha Jackson: She's a beautiful mess, but you should see the other guy...
"A chick who knows the ropes won't get tied up."
"Blood and Groom" was released in Nov. 2009 and has received many excellent reviews.
"Dead Light District" was released in March 2011 and has had several awesome reviews.
"The Lies Have It" was released in November 2011, and has also garnered lots of great reviews.
"Frisky Business" has just been released! Check it out now on AMAZON!
P.I. Sasha Jackson: She's a beautiful mess, but you should see the other guy...
"A chick who knows the ropes won't get tied up."
"Blood and Groom" was released in Nov. 2009 and has received many excellent reviews.
"Dead Light District" was released in March 2011 and has had several awesome reviews.
"The Lies Have It" was released in November 2011, and has also garnered lots of great reviews.
"Frisky Business" has just been released! Check it out now on AMAZON!
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
December 2, 2012
The Lies Have It is a fast-paced tale about Sasha Jackson, a private investigator and gutsy heroine with street instincts. Written with a fine blend of wit and humor, the mystery takes us on a journey through several storylines and contains some of the zaniest, laugh-out-loud descriptions of people and things I’ve ever read.
A realistic supporting cast adds layers of interest to the story while unforeseen events complicate the plot and Sasha’s investigative work. In the spirit of a true sleuth, this feisty protagonist is determined to make things right and takes on any challenge that comes her way—no matter what the dress code calls for.
A highly enjoyable read for mystery fans!
A realistic supporting cast adds layers of interest to the story while unforeseen events complicate the plot and Sasha’s investigative work. In the spirit of a true sleuth, this feisty protagonist is determined to make things right and takes on any challenge that comes her way—no matter what the dress code calls for.
A highly enjoyable read for mystery fans!
October 23, 2012
"The Lies Have It," the third book of the Sasha Jackson Mysteries series by Jill Edmondson (@JillEdmondson), is more of what I enjoyed so much about the first two entries: Multiple storylines that overlap in some interesting places, fast-paced, fun and told from the perspective of Toronto's sexiest private investigator, the wonderful Sasha Jackson.
Although somewhat new to the PI field, as "Lies" opens Sasha has many cases under her belt, including two big ones as told in "Blood and Groom" and "Dead Light District" (Reviews on my blog, Goodreads and Amazon), and her confidence and sleuthing ability are — to this reader at least — noticeably improved. She also has a new romance going on, the first serious one for her in quite some time.
So, all in all, things are looking up for Sasha when she arrives at her favorite watering hole to help out a friend who works there by serving drinks at a private party. Not just any party, however, but a meet-and-greet (and beat?) for a local fetish club.
No spoilers, but from this richly described opening scene, Sasha gets involved in a murder, a missing persons case and a fraud investigation. Oh, and there is a political campaign going on as well, in which Sasha's brother the restaurateur has decided to actively support one of the many candidates. How does it all tie together? You've got to read it to find out.
As I previously wrote, Sasha is a very likeable and humorous protagonist. Her inner-mind observations are often quite funny, and I for one would like to have a copy of her music playlist. Having her progress as an investigator seemed very logical to me; she's had some high-profile successes and learned lessons from them. That isn't to say she won't still make some mistakes, but I would expect Sasha to be finding her rhythm by the third book.
Sasha's family and friends make a great supporting cast, and I would also highlight the role played by city of Toronto. I'm sure the vivid descriptions of the city and its environs are treats for natives, but they also have me wanting to visit and poke around "The centre of the universe, T-dot, Hogtown, YYZ, or Canada's version of the Big Apple" to use Sasha's own words. Of course, having Sasha for a tour guide would make any trip a lot of fun.
I'm not sure what Ms. Edmondson has planned for Sasha's next case, but rest assured I'm looking forward to reading it. I highly recommend the Sasha Jackson series for anyone looking for fast-paced and fun light mysteries. Perfect companions for curling up on the couch on a rainy day or taking to the park or beach.
Although somewhat new to the PI field, as "Lies" opens Sasha has many cases under her belt, including two big ones as told in "Blood and Groom" and "Dead Light District" (Reviews on my blog, Goodreads and Amazon), and her confidence and sleuthing ability are — to this reader at least — noticeably improved. She also has a new romance going on, the first serious one for her in quite some time.
So, all in all, things are looking up for Sasha when she arrives at her favorite watering hole to help out a friend who works there by serving drinks at a private party. Not just any party, however, but a meet-and-greet (and beat?) for a local fetish club.
No spoilers, but from this richly described opening scene, Sasha gets involved in a murder, a missing persons case and a fraud investigation. Oh, and there is a political campaign going on as well, in which Sasha's brother the restaurateur has decided to actively support one of the many candidates. How does it all tie together? You've got to read it to find out.
As I previously wrote, Sasha is a very likeable and humorous protagonist. Her inner-mind observations are often quite funny, and I for one would like to have a copy of her music playlist. Having her progress as an investigator seemed very logical to me; she's had some high-profile successes and learned lessons from them. That isn't to say she won't still make some mistakes, but I would expect Sasha to be finding her rhythm by the third book.
Sasha's family and friends make a great supporting cast, and I would also highlight the role played by city of Toronto. I'm sure the vivid descriptions of the city and its environs are treats for natives, but they also have me wanting to visit and poke around "The centre of the universe, T-dot, Hogtown, YYZ, or Canada's version of the Big Apple" to use Sasha's own words. Of course, having Sasha for a tour guide would make any trip a lot of fun.
I'm not sure what Ms. Edmondson has planned for Sasha's next case, but rest assured I'm looking forward to reading it. I highly recommend the Sasha Jackson series for anyone looking for fast-paced and fun light mysteries. Perfect companions for curling up on the couch on a rainy day or taking to the park or beach.
June 22, 2012
Sasha Jackson is an awesome girl. She plays drums to blow off steam, lives at home with her dad and doesn't own a car. That's as good an intro as I can think of for a main character - she's a regular person! No martinis or fancy cars for this private eye and further, she rides the bus or hails a taxi to reach her destinations in Toronto.
The characters are well rounded and believable (if you've read any of my reviews, this is important to me). The storyline is tight and well written and if you're paying attention as you read, you'll catch a couple of quick clues along the way.
This is the first Sasha book I've read and won't be the last - a great story from a wonderful storyteller!
The characters are well rounded and believable (if you've read any of my reviews, this is important to me). The storyline is tight and well written and if you're paying attention as you read, you'll catch a couple of quick clues along the way.
This is the first Sasha book I've read and won't be the last - a great story from a wonderful storyteller!
March 1, 2017
Entertaining cozy mystery featuring Toronto private investigator Sasha Jackson.
November 3, 2014
I believe The Lies Have It is the third in Jill Edmondson's Sasha Jackson Mystery series. I've read and reviewed the first two, Dead Light District and Blood and Groom. I like Sasha. She's tenacious. She gets a case or two or three and she keeps working until she solves them. She doesn't zip around town in a red sports car having meetings with the rich and famous. She hoofs it or takes public transportation. She doesn't slip into an evening dress and glide into a celebrity ball unnoticed. She doesn't pretend to be something-- oh, wait a minute. She does dress appropriate to the occasion, like in The Lies Have It, which starts with Sasha working the bar at a fetish party at The Stealth Lounge.
And from there, we follow her into places and lives both troubled and fascinating. Edmondson makes Toronto come alive on the page. She makes me want to go there. She brings even minor characters to life. Here's an example. This is from page 22. Sasha and a friend have been discussing one of the participants at the fetish party:
I folded my arms across my chest, and pressed my knees closer together than words in a dictionary. Right now, I kind of wished I were wearing a medieval chastity belt.
From that, you have no idea what or who has caused this reaction, but you know this may be a coming out party, but there are no debutantes attending. Some parts of The Lies Have It would probably be rated R, although not overly graphic. I figure that will entice as many buyers as it will scare away.
Sasha tends to take the cases other investigators won't. And because she's willing to tromp around in grunge clothes, talk to street people, and go where others won't, she solves problems, she finds people, and she steps into situations that sometimes turn out very bad. But more of them turn out very good.
The story moves fast. I would estimate the book is about 10 to 20 percent prose and the rest is dialogue. When Sasha works a case, she doesn't sit in an office. She's out on the streets finding answers and finding people.
I give The Lies Have It and Sasha Jackson a rating of Hel-of-a-Character.
And from there, we follow her into places and lives both troubled and fascinating. Edmondson makes Toronto come alive on the page. She makes me want to go there. She brings even minor characters to life. Here's an example. This is from page 22. Sasha and a friend have been discussing one of the participants at the fetish party:
I folded my arms across my chest, and pressed my knees closer together than words in a dictionary. Right now, I kind of wished I were wearing a medieval chastity belt.
From that, you have no idea what or who has caused this reaction, but you know this may be a coming out party, but there are no debutantes attending. Some parts of The Lies Have It would probably be rated R, although not overly graphic. I figure that will entice as many buyers as it will scare away.
Sasha tends to take the cases other investigators won't. And because she's willing to tromp around in grunge clothes, talk to street people, and go where others won't, she solves problems, she finds people, and she steps into situations that sometimes turn out very bad. But more of them turn out very good.
The story moves fast. I would estimate the book is about 10 to 20 percent prose and the rest is dialogue. When Sasha works a case, she doesn't sit in an office. She's out on the streets finding answers and finding people.
I give The Lies Have It and Sasha Jackson a rating of Hel-of-a-Character.
December 18, 2014
"More Intriguing Mysteries Which Sasha Jackson Takes On"
In this continuing mystery series, Sasha Jackson's friend, Jessica, asks her to help attend bar at the Stealth Lounge, a private party room at the Pilot Tavern. Some of the staff refuse to work as Bound For Glory, a sadomasochist fetish club has booked the Lounge for the evening. Ian Dooley, head of the social club arrives to get things set up. It's going to be a very busy night. Sasha is not too enthusiastic about serving at this function, it made her feel grimy. Costumes and leather assaulted her senses; she really wasn't looking forward to the performances of the evening. She'd much rather be with her new man in her life, Derek Armstrong, but he's out of town working on a trial. As Lindsay and Sasha close up the bar for the night, Lindsay hands Sasha her cellphone. Later that night, Sasha finds out it's not her cellphone, but Ian's. The next day, Sasha takes on a case for Mr and Mrs Edquist. There daughter, Macy, 16 yrs. old, is missing, believed to be somewhere in Toronto. Meanwhile, Lindsay has left for England for a family reunion and Sasha agrees to apartment-sit and tend to her cat. That evening, while listening to the news, a local murder report catches her attention. Thirty-eight year old Ian Dooley is found dead, face down in the water at The Port area with two bullet holes in his back. He was wearing only a black leather kilt and army boots. Now there's no way to return his cellphone. As usual, this novel has compelling characters, an engaging story-line, and twists and turns. It moves forward quickly. There are many typos which need to be fixed, and I found the described fetish practices somewhat offensive. But this story will not keep me from reading more of Sasha Jackson's heroic efforts to solve crimes. Jill Edmondson is a great story teller.
In this continuing mystery series, Sasha Jackson's friend, Jessica, asks her to help attend bar at the Stealth Lounge, a private party room at the Pilot Tavern. Some of the staff refuse to work as Bound For Glory, a sadomasochist fetish club has booked the Lounge for the evening. Ian Dooley, head of the social club arrives to get things set up. It's going to be a very busy night. Sasha is not too enthusiastic about serving at this function, it made her feel grimy. Costumes and leather assaulted her senses; she really wasn't looking forward to the performances of the evening. She'd much rather be with her new man in her life, Derek Armstrong, but he's out of town working on a trial. As Lindsay and Sasha close up the bar for the night, Lindsay hands Sasha her cellphone. Later that night, Sasha finds out it's not her cellphone, but Ian's. The next day, Sasha takes on a case for Mr and Mrs Edquist. There daughter, Macy, 16 yrs. old, is missing, believed to be somewhere in Toronto. Meanwhile, Lindsay has left for England for a family reunion and Sasha agrees to apartment-sit and tend to her cat. That evening, while listening to the news, a local murder report catches her attention. Thirty-eight year old Ian Dooley is found dead, face down in the water at The Port area with two bullet holes in his back. He was wearing only a black leather kilt and army boots. Now there's no way to return his cellphone. As usual, this novel has compelling characters, an engaging story-line, and twists and turns. It moves forward quickly. There are many typos which need to be fixed, and I found the described fetish practices somewhat offensive. But this story will not keep me from reading more of Sasha Jackson's heroic efforts to solve crimes. Jill Edmondson is a great story teller.
April 22, 2012
This herky-jerky ridealong with hardworking Toronto P.I. Sasha Jackson is most notable for two things: 1) Sasha is not even remotely likeable and 2) she knows Toronto like the back of her hand.
Good thing for me I love unlikeable protagonists and placeporn.
Temping as a bartender at a fetish event, Sasha gets the opportunity to show her full disapproval of the BDSM scene. The next morning, when the event's organizer is found murdered, Sasha gets to swing into P.I. mode as well. Toss in a surly missing teen, a restaurant's phantom finances, ungrateful parents and a cast of thousands, and you have a book I fell asleep on last night and got up early this morning to finish.
I wasn't kidding about Sasha being horrible: her constant "I'm okay with it but ew gross" at the fetish scene and scenesters wears thin almost immediately, and she's not so much snarky as she is snipey, but she's also incredibly hard-working and smart as a whip. She fuses her block-by-block knowledge of Toronto with contacts from her days on the city's music scene to juggle multiple cases deftly, and eventually, it's her geographical knowledge of the city that allows her to crack the case...
Edmondson has a unusual writing style that combines short chapters with abrupt endings and no transitions from scene to scene, and it takes some getting used to. There's also a few cases of police who are too willing to, you know, print out photos from the murder victim's BlackBerry for a P.I. and a couple loose ends left hanging at the book's end, but overall, I'd definitely read another Sasha Jackson case.
Got up early. On a Sunday. For this book.
Good thing for me I love unlikeable protagonists and placeporn.
Temping as a bartender at a fetish event, Sasha gets the opportunity to show her full disapproval of the BDSM scene. The next morning, when the event's organizer is found murdered, Sasha gets to swing into P.I. mode as well. Toss in a surly missing teen, a restaurant's phantom finances, ungrateful parents and a cast of thousands, and you have a book I fell asleep on last night and got up early this morning to finish.
I wasn't kidding about Sasha being horrible: her constant "I'm okay with it but ew gross" at the fetish scene and scenesters wears thin almost immediately, and she's not so much snarky as she is snipey, but she's also incredibly hard-working and smart as a whip. She fuses her block-by-block knowledge of Toronto with contacts from her days on the city's music scene to juggle multiple cases deftly, and eventually, it's her geographical knowledge of the city that allows her to crack the case...
Edmondson has a unusual writing style that combines short chapters with abrupt endings and no transitions from scene to scene, and it takes some getting used to. There's also a few cases of police who are too willing to, you know, print out photos from the murder victim's BlackBerry for a P.I. and a couple loose ends left hanging at the book's end, but overall, I'd definitely read another Sasha Jackson case.
Got up early. On a Sunday. For this book.
December 27, 2012
At the end of her last case, Sasha Jackson found herself running topless down a busy street, her hair smoldering as she chased a murderer. Could she find a more embarrassing situation in "The Lies Have It"?
You betcha.
The beautiful thing about this third installment is seeing both Sasha and author Jill Edmondson hit their respective strides. Sasha starts out backing-up her friend, Jessica, bartending at a private BDSM party, with leather, whips and chains, and ass-less chaps galore. The party's host, a surprisingly mild-mannered man named Ian Dooley, is found murdered the morning after. Sasha ends up working this case, just trying to prove the club had no involvement in the murder. Also, Sasha accepts a case from two worried parents, whose 16 year-old daughter, Macy, ran away to Toronto.
Ms Edmondson has found her zone as well, where she can trust her readers to trust her characters. This frees her to let the story drive "The Lies Have It," without having to reintroduce everybody, and re-explain everyone's roles.
The result is a sassy, fun, streamlined novel, a lovely quick read for a rainy afternoon. To me, this is the strongest of the three Sasha Jackson novels, and I can't wait for the fourth installment. Sasha is too irrepressible a character to keep bottled up. In three books, she has become one of the most interesting, entertaining investigators in fiction, and with each book, she gets better at the job. (How do you pry information from your cop friend? Center-ice tickets to the Leafs-Habs game, of course)
"The Lies Have It" works on both levels, as an entertaining read, and a well-done mystery.
Highly recommended.
You betcha.
The beautiful thing about this third installment is seeing both Sasha and author Jill Edmondson hit their respective strides. Sasha starts out backing-up her friend, Jessica, bartending at a private BDSM party, with leather, whips and chains, and ass-less chaps galore. The party's host, a surprisingly mild-mannered man named Ian Dooley, is found murdered the morning after. Sasha ends up working this case, just trying to prove the club had no involvement in the murder. Also, Sasha accepts a case from two worried parents, whose 16 year-old daughter, Macy, ran away to Toronto.
Ms Edmondson has found her zone as well, where she can trust her readers to trust her characters. This frees her to let the story drive "The Lies Have It," without having to reintroduce everybody, and re-explain everyone's roles.
The result is a sassy, fun, streamlined novel, a lovely quick read for a rainy afternoon. To me, this is the strongest of the three Sasha Jackson novels, and I can't wait for the fourth installment. Sasha is too irrepressible a character to keep bottled up. In three books, she has become one of the most interesting, entertaining investigators in fiction, and with each book, she gets better at the job. (How do you pry information from your cop friend? Center-ice tickets to the Leafs-Habs game, of course)
"The Lies Have It" works on both levels, as an entertaining read, and a well-done mystery.
Highly recommended.
February 28, 2013
Sasha Jackson is busier than ever! She starts out working a simple runaway case and ends up knee deep in murder. Sasha never thought she'd be learning so much about fetishes, but with Ian's murder, she had to. She'd only met him once at a party but his death was causing problems all over town. It was up to Sasha to get to the bottom of it all. As usual, Sasha dives in with both feet, then sorts the information later. Her new boyfriend is out of town on business and Sasha is missing him more than she ever dreamed she would. Now, to keep her mind on the cases at hand. What a mess!
Jill Edmondson does it again with a Sasha Jackson Mystery. We get the fun, quirky detective and a mystery to sink our teeth into. Jill is very comfortable with Sasha Jackson and it shows in the writing. They make a great team! The characters are likable, fallible and human. Just the way you'd want them to be. Picking up a Jill Edmondson book is a guaranteed good read.
The only issue I found was this particular book moved at a much slower pace. You could almost feel how tired Sasha Jackson was.
I gave this one 5 cheers out of 5 because I am addicted to Sasha Jackson Mysteries. ~Copy of book provided by author in exchange for a fair review~
February 21, 2014
I received a free download of "The Lies Have It" by Jill Edmondson to read on my Kindle, in exchange for an honest review. This was a super crime mystery novel set in Toronto.
Sasha Jackson is a PI in Toronto. Business has been slow lately, but the bills keep coming. To supplement her income she takes some odd jobs from time to time, like bartending at a BDSM party in a local bar. Shortly after this particular party the host of this group, Ian Dooley was found dead at the waterfront, indicating foul play,with whip marks and two bullet holes. Sasha suspects that the crime has nothing to do with the victim's lifestyle, but she is occupied with another case at the moment.
But where was the motive for Ian's murder? Could the murder have been random? If so there would be no pattern. Why was the victim chosen? Who had the means, motive and opportunity to pull off this killing? Sasha must dig deep to solve this mystery.
This book is an easy read and an interesting plot, but definitely keeps your attention. And as a resident of Toronto, for the last 30 years, the descriptions and details of Toronto are so true and accurate. All I can say is hats off to a very talented writer, and thank you for allowing me to read your novel.
Sasha Jackson is a PI in Toronto. Business has been slow lately, but the bills keep coming. To supplement her income she takes some odd jobs from time to time, like bartending at a BDSM party in a local bar. Shortly after this particular party the host of this group, Ian Dooley was found dead at the waterfront, indicating foul play,with whip marks and two bullet holes. Sasha suspects that the crime has nothing to do with the victim's lifestyle, but she is occupied with another case at the moment.
But where was the motive for Ian's murder? Could the murder have been random? If so there would be no pattern. Why was the victim chosen? Who had the means, motive and opportunity to pull off this killing? Sasha must dig deep to solve this mystery.
This book is an easy read and an interesting plot, but definitely keeps your attention. And as a resident of Toronto, for the last 30 years, the descriptions and details of Toronto are so true and accurate. All I can say is hats off to a very talented writer, and thank you for allowing me to read your novel.
June 28, 2013
The book lacked much enthusiasm about actually getting the plot off the ground! It was a very so go for the majority of the book. It also had little to no actually creativity that lead to a lifeless and dull plot line. Add that all together with poor wording and few spots that actually had incorrect english; does no proof read any more, and you got one boring and lousy book.
February 12, 2014
I loved this book and was dissappointed for it to end ! I loved the Toronto setting and felt like I was there.I loved the character Sasha she is well rounded and down to earth yet spunky and brutaly honest . She has a great , dry sense of humour. The story keeps you guessing and kept me turning the pages, I would love to read some more Sasha Jackson series books. Thank you!
February 15, 2013
Thought I would love this book, but I didn't really care about the characters. I did finish the book but scanned a lot of the way through instead of reading. I found it didn't hold my interest.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews