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Distilling Lies
AMAZON BESTSELLER
Seventeen-year-old Emma June believed her mother’s new friend, the citified Betty Bedford, breathed life into their small town of Holly Gap, Texas, with her flapper dresses, fancy flasks, and progressive ideas. But when her mother goes missing after fighting with Betty on carnival night, Emma June fears that all of Betty’s words were filled with lies.
Trying to piece together the events of that dreadful night, Emma June sets out to find her mother and warily accepts the help of the town’s mysterious newcomer named Frank, whose sudden appearance in Holly Gap raises her suspicions. Yet behind his easygoing attitude and passion for jazz, Frank conceals many secrets of his own.
Teaming up in their investigation, Emma June and Frank uncover the presence of a wanted mobster who threatens the stability of their community and may be the key to finding Emma June’s mother. Even as their search leads to danger and Betty’s life-shattering lies come to light, Emma June will stop at nothing to bring her mother home.
A thrilling mystery set in the social tumult of the Prohibition era, Distilling Lies reveals what real crimes occur beyond the moonshine thicket.
Seventeen-year-old Emma June believed her mother’s new friend, the citified Betty Bedford, breathed life into their small town of Holly Gap, Texas, with her flapper dresses, fancy flasks, and progressive ideas. But when her mother goes missing after fighting with Betty on carnival night, Emma June fears that all of Betty’s words were filled with lies.
Trying to piece together the events of that dreadful night, Emma June sets out to find her mother and warily accepts the help of the town’s mysterious newcomer named Frank, whose sudden appearance in Holly Gap raises her suspicions. Yet behind his easygoing attitude and passion for jazz, Frank conceals many secrets of his own.
Teaming up in their investigation, Emma June and Frank uncover the presence of a wanted mobster who threatens the stability of their community and may be the key to finding Emma June’s mother. Even as their search leads to danger and Betty’s life-shattering lies come to light, Emma June will stop at nothing to bring her mother home.
A thrilling mystery set in the social tumult of the Prohibition era, Distilling Lies reveals what real crimes occur beyond the moonshine thicket.
362 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 9, 2023
13 people are currently reading
3271 people want to read
About the author
Carolyn Dennis-Willingham
8 books60 followersCarolyn is the author of three published novels - No Hill for a Stepper, 2001, and The Last Bordello, 2016. Her third and latest novel, Distilling Lies, was published May 9, 2023. When not writing, she fitness boxes, hangs out with children and grandchildren or throws a tennis ball for her ever-persistent mini Aussie. In addition to her blogging website, you may find her on Facebook, twitter and instagram as @cdwWrites.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
June 3, 2023
Seventeen-year-old Emma June believed her mother’s new friend, the citified Betty Bedford, breathed life into their small town of Holly Gap, Texas, with her flapper dresses, fancy flasks, and progressive ideas. But when her mother goes missing after fighting with Betty on carnival night, Emma June fears that all of Betty’s words were filled with lies.
Trying to piece together the events of that dreadful night, Emma June sets out to find her mother and warily accepts the help of the town’s mysterious newcomer named Frank, whose sudden appearance in Holly Gap raises her suspicions. Yet behind his easygoing attitude and passion for jazz, Frank conceals many secrets of his own.
Teaming up in their investigation, Emma June and Frank uncover the presence of a wanted mobster who threatens the stability of their community and may be the key to finding Emma June’s mother. Even as their search leads to danger and Betty’s life-shattering lies come to light, Emma June will stop at nothing to bring her mother home.
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"Distilling Lies" is a captivating crime mystery thriller novel penned by Carolyn Dennis-Willingham. With skillful storytelling, the book expertly weaves together a complex web of suspense, mystery, and drama, immersing readers in a gripping narrative.
One of the novel's greatest strengths lies in its well-developed characters. Emma, the protagonist, shines with her multilayered personality and depth. Although her dynamic with Frank felt slightly off, they still formed an amicable duo that kept me engaged.
While the plot starts off slowly, it progressively becomes more engaging, drawing readers deeper into the story. However, there were moments when the narrative felt disjointed, disrupting the overall flow. Despite these flaws, the author successfully delivers a tale that is worth the time invested.
In conclusion, "Distilling Lies" is an enjoyable book that strikes a good balance between plot and character development. Although it has its imperfections, the novel provides an engaging reading experience, making it a worthwhile choice for fans of crime thrillers.
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Rated 8/10
Melina L.
Trying to piece together the events of that dreadful night, Emma June sets out to find her mother and warily accepts the help of the town’s mysterious newcomer named Frank, whose sudden appearance in Holly Gap raises her suspicions. Yet behind his easygoing attitude and passion for jazz, Frank conceals many secrets of his own.
Teaming up in their investigation, Emma June and Frank uncover the presence of a wanted mobster who threatens the stability of their community and may be the key to finding Emma June’s mother. Even as their search leads to danger and Betty’s life-shattering lies come to light, Emma June will stop at nothing to bring her mother home.
🐾
"Distilling Lies" is a captivating crime mystery thriller novel penned by Carolyn Dennis-Willingham. With skillful storytelling, the book expertly weaves together a complex web of suspense, mystery, and drama, immersing readers in a gripping narrative.
One of the novel's greatest strengths lies in its well-developed characters. Emma, the protagonist, shines with her multilayered personality and depth. Although her dynamic with Frank felt slightly off, they still formed an amicable duo that kept me engaged.
While the plot starts off slowly, it progressively becomes more engaging, drawing readers deeper into the story. However, there were moments when the narrative felt disjointed, disrupting the overall flow. Despite these flaws, the author successfully delivers a tale that is worth the time invested.
In conclusion, "Distilling Lies" is an enjoyable book that strikes a good balance between plot and character development. Although it has its imperfections, the novel provides an engaging reading experience, making it a worthwhile choice for fans of crime thrillers.
🐾
Rated 8/10
Melina L.
September 23, 2023
This book has kind of a slow pace at times, but the slow pace actually works surprisingly well. The basic plot is that Emma June's mom, Bernice has an argument with Betty, the mom's close friend. That night, Bernice disappears. While the reader knows at least part of the reason for the argument fairly early in the novel, Emma June, her dad, and most of the other characters don't know what happened. The rest of the book is spent trying to figure out what happened to Bernice. I found myself throwing around several theories in my head early on. A little over 60% of the chapters are from Emma June's point of view, but we also have chapters from Frank's point of view. He's a new guy in town who's got a bit of a secret.
This book does have some swearing. For most of the book, there's not a lot, but there are a few chapters, particularly those where the "bad guys" make more of an appearance, where the swearing is more prevalent. The violence is not graphic, but there are characters who are seriously injured or killed. When it comes to sexual content, we know that a few characters were raped or were almost raped, but we don't get the details of the incidents.
As a warning to readers, along with rape, there are several topics that might be difficult for some readers to handle. Racism, including the KKK is an issue that's addressed. While it happened before the beginning of the book, the book talks about someone who was lynched a few years ago. There is a main character who has an intellectual disability, and there are some people who make fun of him or mistreat him. Moonshining during the time of Prohibition is a big theme in the book. There is also some blackmailing and bribery going on. I think that covers all the major areas that might be difficult for some readers.
This book is worth reading, so I won't ruin the plot. I will say, though, that this does not have a bit of a bittersweet ending. If that's not something you can handle, you'll likely want to pass on this book.
I won this in a Goodreads Giveaway, and I am glad that I got the opportunity to read this book.
This book does have some swearing. For most of the book, there's not a lot, but there are a few chapters, particularly those where the "bad guys" make more of an appearance, where the swearing is more prevalent. The violence is not graphic, but there are characters who are seriously injured or killed. When it comes to sexual content, we know that a few characters were raped or were almost raped, but we don't get the details of the incidents.
As a warning to readers, along with rape, there are several topics that might be difficult for some readers to handle. Racism, including the KKK is an issue that's addressed. While it happened before the beginning of the book, the book talks about someone who was lynched a few years ago. There is a main character who has an intellectual disability, and there are some people who make fun of him or mistreat him. Moonshining during the time of Prohibition is a big theme in the book. There is also some blackmailing and bribery going on. I think that covers all the major areas that might be difficult for some readers.
This book is worth reading, so I won't ruin the plot. I will say, though, that this does not have a bit of a bittersweet ending. If that's not something you can handle, you'll likely want to pass on this book.
I won this in a Goodreads Giveaway, and I am glad that I got the opportunity to read this book.
September 24, 2023
3.5 stars rounded up.
A fairly engaging story tracing complicated personal relationships, some built on lies, in a setting affected by the greed, graft and danger of Prohibition.
The pace is slow, perhaps suiting a small town summer story, but occasionally frustrating. There isn't much of a mystery really, and not enough romance, commentary on race and class relations, history of bootlegging and the criminal alcohol trade, or exploration of small town politics to say any of these are significant. There's a touch of everything, but not much of anything. It's a little like how we rural Southerners talked about goings-on in town in the parking lot after church - enough information about our neighbors to feel in the know, but not enough to make anyone uncomfortable.
I'm grateful to have received a copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway and to have spent a few hours with Emma June, Frank, and the people of Holly Gap.
A fairly engaging story tracing complicated personal relationships, some built on lies, in a setting affected by the greed, graft and danger of Prohibition.
The pace is slow, perhaps suiting a small town summer story, but occasionally frustrating. There isn't much of a mystery really, and not enough romance, commentary on race and class relations, history of bootlegging and the criminal alcohol trade, or exploration of small town politics to say any of these are significant. There's a touch of everything, but not much of anything. It's a little like how we rural Southerners talked about goings-on in town in the parking lot after church - enough information about our neighbors to feel in the know, but not enough to make anyone uncomfortable.
I'm grateful to have received a copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway and to have spent a few hours with Emma June, Frank, and the people of Holly Gap.
August 10, 2023
Quick read; good little mystery
I love historical fiction!! This book being set during one of my favorite time periods, the Prohibition Era, definitely caused me to want to give it a read; even though mysteries aren’t really my thing…I mean you never know, right.?.?
Overall, the story was good. The character development was decent. I thought that it seemed extremely repetitive in places. It was a slow-burn for me. I like to be hooked in at least the first five chapters. I’ll even give some books 10 chapters, if they’re over 800 pages. This didn’t grab me. But, I stayed the course, because mysteries are not my preference and I wanted to give it my best…because hell if it’s good enough it could be.
If you like books that are a slow-burn, quick to read, and do not have much depth; you’ll probably enjoy this book. Also, if you’re not into “edge of you seat” thrillers and horror(It’s me. I’m mostly into those); you just might enjoy the tamed-nature of this book.
I’d,also, like to thank the author, publisher and Goodreads for a opportunity to win a copy of this book.
I love historical fiction!! This book being set during one of my favorite time periods, the Prohibition Era, definitely caused me to want to give it a read; even though mysteries aren’t really my thing…I mean you never know, right.?.?
Overall, the story was good. The character development was decent. I thought that it seemed extremely repetitive in places. It was a slow-burn for me. I like to be hooked in at least the first five chapters. I’ll even give some books 10 chapters, if they’re over 800 pages. This didn’t grab me. But, I stayed the course, because mysteries are not my preference and I wanted to give it my best…because hell if it’s good enough it could be.
If you like books that are a slow-burn, quick to read, and do not have much depth; you’ll probably enjoy this book. Also, if you’re not into “edge of you seat” thrillers and horror(It’s me. I’m mostly into those); you just might enjoy the tamed-nature of this book.
I’d,also, like to thank the author, publisher and Goodreads for a opportunity to win a copy of this book.
June 6, 2023
4.5 stars. Distilling Lies is a mystery set in a small Texas town during prohibition. The author really brings the characters and the town to life with her writing. I felt immersed in the plot. The mystery centers on the disappearance of one of the main characters mothers. The mystery was engaging and I had to resist the urge to flip to the end of the book to discover what really happened. The authors writing style made this book an enjoyable and easy read. I highly recommend reading this book and am grateful that I won a copy from a Goodreads giveaway.
August 14, 2023
I really liked this book. Not at all how I thought it was going to be. I would recommend it to anyone.
August 12, 2023
A well written prohibition era placed in Texas. Emma June, the main character, is determined to find her mother who has gone missing. As her search goes on secrets are uncovered, all while she falls in love.
The author lives in Austin. I live in the Austin metro area and greatly enjoyed the local setting intertwined so well through the book. A fun read!
The author lives in Austin. I live in the Austin metro area and greatly enjoyed the local setting intertwined so well through the book. A fun read!
August 12, 2023
Enjoyable story. Full of twists that keep you guessing until the end.
July 28, 2023
Distilling Lies by Carolyn Dennis-Willingham was a charming surprise. I thought the characters were interesting and just quirky enough to keep me interested. The story takes place during prohibition and the plot of the story was unique and not something I'd read and re-read before in other books surrounding this time period. I will be looking for more books by this author in the future!
August 23, 2023
Distilling Lies by Carolyn Dennis-Willingham takes place during the Prohibition years, about 1928. Though I had read books that took place during the "Roaring 20's", I had not read one that focused on Prohibition and moonshine. So this peaked my interest and was excited when I received an advanced reader copy.
Set in Holly Gap, Texas, which I believe is fictitious, this novel focuses on the illegal, but overlooked, distilleries that produced "hooch." All you needed was law enforcement that would turn their heads the other way. Holly Gap was one such town.
This novel covers mystery, murders, kidnapping, racism, and prohibition. However, what I feel it does best is character development. There is a whole slew of characters. And the ones most interesting are the ones with flaws - which are most of them.
We learn very early on how one night can change the life trajectory of many -- some good; some not so good. Each character, and there are many, must adapt to these changes. The characters come to realize that choices are, many times, not just black and white, but gray. People are not all bad or all good -- just flawed. People can accept these flaws and move on or they can reject the flaws. And that is exactly what this story is about. The struggle with acceptance of these flaws is what makes the characters so real.
I definitely give it a 4 stars. The only thing I would have liked to see at the end was an epilogue showing what happened to the characters after prohibition, during the depression and the war. Perhaps, this request shows how invested I actually became with the characters. Well done, Ms. Dennis-Willingham.
Set in Holly Gap, Texas, which I believe is fictitious, this novel focuses on the illegal, but overlooked, distilleries that produced "hooch." All you needed was law enforcement that would turn their heads the other way. Holly Gap was one such town.
This novel covers mystery, murders, kidnapping, racism, and prohibition. However, what I feel it does best is character development. There is a whole slew of characters. And the ones most interesting are the ones with flaws - which are most of them.
We learn very early on how one night can change the life trajectory of many -- some good; some not so good. Each character, and there are many, must adapt to these changes. The characters come to realize that choices are, many times, not just black and white, but gray. People are not all bad or all good -- just flawed. People can accept these flaws and move on or they can reject the flaws. And that is exactly what this story is about. The struggle with acceptance of these flaws is what makes the characters so real.
I definitely give it a 4 stars. The only thing I would have liked to see at the end was an epilogue showing what happened to the characters after prohibition, during the depression and the war. Perhaps, this request shows how invested I actually became with the characters. Well done, Ms. Dennis-Willingham.
September 3, 2023
This historical fiction was interesting and kept my interest throughout the whole book. I was surprised at how things turned out which was good because the book kept me guessing. I highly recommend Distilling Lies!
August 28, 2023
Goodreads giveaway winner-
I really enjoyed this book. I'm a sucker for a small town story, but it being historical fiction and mystery just added to my enjoyment. I felt she did a good job with the character development and keeping you guessing. It is a slow burn but well worth it to me.
I really enjoyed this book. I'm a sucker for a small town story, but it being historical fiction and mystery just added to my enjoyment. I felt she did a good job with the character development and keeping you guessing. It is a slow burn but well worth it to me.
July 13, 2023
Good story
I enjoyed the majority of the book. The few months we see of Emma June's life were pretty interesting. Learning about all the other characters was entertaining, too. There were certain parts that I felt dragged on too long or things repeated too often. The ending was nice but frustrating. For it just to end like it did without giving a real conclusion to the story was annoying.
I enjoyed the majority of the book. The few months we see of Emma June's life were pretty interesting. Learning about all the other characters was entertaining, too. There were certain parts that I felt dragged on too long or things repeated too often. The ending was nice but frustrating. For it just to end like it did without giving a real conclusion to the story was annoying.
August 15, 2023
I enjoyed this mystery! It is two of my very favorite genres: mystery and historical fiction. The story is set during Prohibition in a small town and centers on a the search to find a missing woman. The chapters are told from different characters points of views and help tell the story. I couldn’t wait to get to the end to see what happened. My favorite character was Emma June, the sweet daughter of the missing woman. She was smart and sassy and figured out more than the sheriff about her missing mama. I love that it’s set in a small town. It is an enjoyable read that was a great escape!
Thank you to the author for giving this book in a Goodreads Giveaway!
Thank you to the author for giving this book in a Goodreads Giveaway!
January 11, 2024
Great story
I won this book on Goodreads. Solid 4 stars, great story. Felt like I really got to know the main character Emma June. I haven't read much fiction from this time period and found it really interesting:-)
I won this book on Goodreads. Solid 4 stars, great story. Felt like I really got to know the main character Emma June. I haven't read much fiction from this time period and found it really interesting:-)
August 4, 2023
This was an okay read.
September 4, 2024
This story is set in 1928 during Prohibition but before the start of the Depression. The story takes place in the small town of Holly Gap, Texas. The book is written mainly from the perspective of Emma June. Emma June's mother becomes best friends with a new lady in town, Betty. Betty is all glamour and fun. On the night of the big carnival, Betty and Emma June's mother get into a big fight - it seems Betty had something she confessed to Emma June's mother that made her mad. Later that night, Emma June's mother and Betty both disappear. A day or two later, a new guy appears in town, Frank. Emma June finds Frank easy to talk to but she is suspicious of the circumstances. Meanwhile Emma June's neighbor, Miss Helen owns the best distillery in town (the town conveniently ignores the prohibition rules). Miss Helen has her liquor stolen and some unsavory other characters come to town. The mystery deepens. Emma June believes all of these mysteries are related and is worried for her mother. Frank becomes a friend, even though he is hiding secrets and helps Emma June solve the mystery. We do find out what happened to her mother, Frank's secret and how all of the other unsavory characters are involved.
Overall I enjoyed the book. It was a little slow in the beginning and jumped between Emma June and Frank's stories. There are a lot of characters to keep track of in the beginning but in the end we see how all of their stories are interwoven.
Overall I enjoyed the book. It was a little slow in the beginning and jumped between Emma June and Frank's stories. There are a lot of characters to keep track of in the beginning but in the end we see how all of their stories are interwoven.
February 25, 2024
I received this in a Giveaway. This was a very good book that held my attention and kept me reading. There was a lot going on in the book, which kept it entertaining. Emma June's mother disappeared and she works with Frank to try to find her mother. Frank has his own secrets and does he know what happened? This is happening in a small town during Prohibition. There were a few different aspects to this book and with the characters, which made this book interesting and kept me reading. This was an enjoyable book that I recommend reading if you like a good mystery.
April 27, 2024
I enjoyed reading this book. I loved the characters and the descriptions of them. It’s a good old fashioned story of the 1920’s in a small town in Texas. The story line keeps you interested. It took a number of chapters to get into the story and to get all of the characters straight. Once that was done I enjoyed the book more. There was very little repetition in the story and the suspenseful / secret parts were good. There are a number of subjects that were mentioned that were concerning during the late 1920’s. There are also a number of twists and turns. I would recommend reading this book.
June 17, 2023
I loved this book so much, I couldn't put it down. This mystery is set-in small-town Texas during prohibition. 17-year-old Emma June's mother disappears and no one seems to take it seriously. Emma June joins forces with a new stranger to find out what happened. Throughout their investigation they find corruption and crime in all the expected and unexpected place. This story is full of twists and turns, it had me guessing until the end.
August 3, 2023
Distilling Lies is a lighthearted mystery set in the back country of Texas during Prohibition. It’s got a large cast of colorful characters – gangsters, lady bootleggers, a crooked mayor on the take - and plenty of twists and turns. The suspense about Emma June’s missing mama kept me reading ‘just one more chapter’ and then another because I had to know how it all turned out. My thanks to Goodreads Giveaways and the publisher for an ebook copy to review.
November 26, 2023
I received this book through a goodreads giveaway. The pacing in this book is slow and there is a fair amount of repetition that had me skipping some sections or reading only dialogue. I felt like the author tried too hard to force morality lessons into the story and not hard enough to allow characters to be themselves and, as a result, some were not believable and others were not well developed. I liked it well enough, but it wouldn't be a book I would recommend.
September 18, 2023
I received this book in a giveaway.
I liked it, didn’t love it. I’m not really sure why. The story was interesting and moved along but I had a little difficulty sticking with it at times. Not enough to make me not finish the book, because I did want to see how everything played out. All in all a decent read.
I liked it, didn’t love it. I’m not really sure why. The story was interesting and moved along but I had a little difficulty sticking with it at times. Not enough to make me not finish the book, because I did want to see how everything played out. All in all a decent read.
September 7, 2023
I won this book with goodreads giveaway. This was a story of a small town filled with secrets lies good guys and bad guys. Also a case of mistaken identity that a leaves a family heart broken searching for answers.
January 1, 2024
Got this arc from a goodreads giveaway. All opinions are my own. At first this story was slow going. About halfway through it grabbed my attention and I didn't want to put it down. Good story with a good backstory.
December 1, 2023
An enjoyable read.
Thanks to Goodreads for the kindle copy.
Thanks to Goodreads for the kindle copy.
April 11, 2024
3.5 ⭐️
I liked the time period the story was set in and the premise of the mystery. However, the story just didn’t hold my attention like I expected.
I liked the time period the story was set in and the premise of the mystery. However, the story just didn’t hold my attention like I expected.
June 17, 2025
great book I loved it
August 14, 2023
This was a nice pallet cleanse. I enjoyed the characters very much as well as their development throughout. Their personalities brought me joy and reminded of people that I am close to in my life.
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