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Hanna and Alex #1
Lies We Never See
Charleston attorney Hanna Walsh finds her life in emotional and financial ruin when her husband's ties to a ruthless stranger unleashes a spiraling cascade of betrayal and murder in this twisting story of treachery and shattered dreams.
Escaping to her last refuge on Pawleys Island, she discovers a letter and journal in the attic of her family's old beach house. She learns of a distant great-grandmother who owned the same house as a young widow during the Civil War who suffered a similar path of devastating loss and betrayal.
Charleston police detective Alex Frank comes into Hanna's life and joins an FBI team to help her through the chaos and danger coming at her from all directions.
Escaping to her last refuge on Pawleys Island, she discovers a letter and journal in the attic of her family's old beach house. She learns of a distant great-grandmother who owned the same house as a young widow during the Civil War who suffered a similar path of devastating loss and betrayal.
Charleston police detective Alex Frank comes into Hanna's life and joins an FBI team to help her through the chaos and danger coming at her from all directions.
Audible Audio
First published February 18, 2018
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About the author
Michael Lindley
50 books111 followersMichael Lindley is a #1 bestselling Amazon author for "Mystery Thriller & Romantic Suspense" with his debut novel THE EMMALEE AFFAIRS.
His more recent "Hanna Walsh and Alex Frank Low Country Suspense Thriller" series ranked #1 on Amazon for Mystery and Suspense series. The "Hanna and Alex" stories are set in Charleston, Pawleys Island and the fictional Dugganville, South Carolina.
His stories feature love and relationships challenged by the troubled waters of betrayal, tragic loss, and the many dark and unforeseen forces that can lie just below the surface of our fragile lives.
All of Michael's books are set in idyllic locales and often compelling historical contexts. The settings include a remote resort town in Northern Michigan in the 1940's, 50's and present-day; Atlanta and Grayton Beach Florida in the turbulent 1920's as well in current times; and most recently, 1860's and present-day Charleston, Pawleys Island and the fictional Dugganville, South Carolina.
Michael writes full-time now, stepping away from a career in Marketing and Advertising and divides his time between Northern Michigan and Florida. He and his wife, Karen, are also on an annual quest to visit the country's spectacular national parks.
"You will often find that writers are compelled to write what they love to read.
I've always been drawn to stories that are built around an idyllic time and place as much as the characters who grace these locations. As the heroes and villains come to life in my favorite stories, facing life's challenges of love and betrayal and great danger, I also enjoy coming to deeply understand the setting for the story and how it shapes the characters and the conflicts they face.
I've also been drawn to books built around a mix of past and present, allowing me to know a place and the people who live there in both a compelling historical context, as well as in present-day.
Writers like Pat Conroy and Kristin Hannah grace my bookshelves along with Ian McEwen, Dennis Lehane, Amor Towles, Anita Shreve, Lisa Wingate, William Kent Krueger and on and on. I need more bookshelves! ML
His more recent "Hanna Walsh and Alex Frank Low Country Suspense Thriller" series ranked #1 on Amazon for Mystery and Suspense series. The "Hanna and Alex" stories are set in Charleston, Pawleys Island and the fictional Dugganville, South Carolina.
His stories feature love and relationships challenged by the troubled waters of betrayal, tragic loss, and the many dark and unforeseen forces that can lie just below the surface of our fragile lives.
All of Michael's books are set in idyllic locales and often compelling historical contexts. The settings include a remote resort town in Northern Michigan in the 1940's, 50's and present-day; Atlanta and Grayton Beach Florida in the turbulent 1920's as well in current times; and most recently, 1860's and present-day Charleston, Pawleys Island and the fictional Dugganville, South Carolina.
Michael writes full-time now, stepping away from a career in Marketing and Advertising and divides his time between Northern Michigan and Florida. He and his wife, Karen, are also on an annual quest to visit the country's spectacular national parks.
"You will often find that writers are compelled to write what they love to read.
I've always been drawn to stories that are built around an idyllic time and place as much as the characters who grace these locations. As the heroes and villains come to life in my favorite stories, facing life's challenges of love and betrayal and great danger, I also enjoy coming to deeply understand the setting for the story and how it shapes the characters and the conflicts they face.
I've also been drawn to books built around a mix of past and present, allowing me to know a place and the people who live there in both a compelling historical context, as well as in present-day.
Writers like Pat Conroy and Kristin Hannah grace my bookshelves along with Ian McEwen, Dennis Lehane, Amor Towles, Anita Shreve, Lisa Wingate, William Kent Krueger and on and on. I need more bookshelves! ML
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 266 reviews
May 8, 2018
This book....I have things to say. First, I won this E book through the publisher and Goodreads, in return for my honest review. Now, for the actual review. This book is a mish mash of two stories that have no business sharing the space. It's two separate books that the author has tried desperately to link up, but it doesn't work. All you get is two parallel stories side by side that don't actually connect in a way that is valuable to EITHER story.
Next, the characters in this book are terrible. They are flat, static, and unbelievable. I pictured cardboard cutouts of people while I was reading, and I think even then, that would be too animated. The female characters are supposed to take the lead in this book, and be the heart and soul, but there is little of either in the writing. I've lived in the south my entire life, and I've never heard women call each other "honey", "dear" or "Sweetie" as much as Hanna, Grace, and Amanda do in this book. It's ridiculous. That also brings me to how the female characters are written almost as hysterical, weak beings that can only stand and scream and yell at the face of their problems before falling to their knees in shock. This happens over and over. These are not the type of female characters I want to read about.
This book is also highly repetitive. I don't need to be reintroduced to the main characters every other page. I saw this happen over and over, and sometimes within the same few paragraphs! It's clunky and serves no purpose to the novel, and honestly, treats the reader as though he or she can't grasp the plot of the novel or the characters. When you add that fact to how easily everything came together in the end of the novel, the whole book just falls apart.
Overall, there wasn't enough substance here for me to enjoy this book. I found myself wishing it was over before I was halfway done. There were no shocking moments, no believable twists. It was boring.
Next, the characters in this book are terrible. They are flat, static, and unbelievable. I pictured cardboard cutouts of people while I was reading, and I think even then, that would be too animated. The female characters are supposed to take the lead in this book, and be the heart and soul, but there is little of either in the writing. I've lived in the south my entire life, and I've never heard women call each other "honey", "dear" or "Sweetie" as much as Hanna, Grace, and Amanda do in this book. It's ridiculous. That also brings me to how the female characters are written almost as hysterical, weak beings that can only stand and scream and yell at the face of their problems before falling to their knees in shock. This happens over and over. These are not the type of female characters I want to read about.
This book is also highly repetitive. I don't need to be reintroduced to the main characters every other page. I saw this happen over and over, and sometimes within the same few paragraphs! It's clunky and serves no purpose to the novel, and honestly, treats the reader as though he or she can't grasp the plot of the novel or the characters. When you add that fact to how easily everything came together in the end of the novel, the whole book just falls apart.
Overall, there wasn't enough substance here for me to enjoy this book. I found myself wishing it was over before I was halfway done. There were no shocking moments, no believable twists. It was boring.
June 6, 2024
Michael Lindley, author of Lies We Never See, here. Goodreads tells me it's appropriate for authors to write a review of their own books, all in the spirit of giving readers more insight into the story. As I considered my rating for the book, what author isn't going to check five stars after the months of work and revisions, and if it wasn't at a five star level in their own minds when they published it, they should have kept working on it.
This book began from the spark of an idea as most books do. All of my historical fiction has begun with an interesting piece of historical fact in some idyllic setting that launched me on a journey of creating characters and storylines to help bring that location to life. In most of my books, I also create a modern-day parallel story.
The first spark of the story idea came from a collection of Civil War memorabilia my grandfather had passed down to my mother. One of the artifacts was a Confederate $5 bill with a rough note penned by a soldier. The bill was faded and worn and the written note nearly illegible, but in my mind, it could well have been a note home from a dying soldier.
I came across the fact that the last soldier to die in the American Civil War was actually killed in a senseless battle five weeks after the war had officially ended and the treaty was signed at Appomattox. The Battle of Palmetto Ranch was fought in southern Texas when a Union Commander who had seen no action in the war decided to attack a nearby Confederate garrison, presumably to secure horses and guns, but really just to get something on his resume before he headed home. Unfortunately for this commander and the many men who died in this battle, he ran into one of Confederate Army's best battlefield commanders and the Union forces were soundly defeated.
It got me to thinking about how family members would feel back home when they learned their loved one had died needlessly in a battle that never should have been fought, and who would deliver that message? In Lies We Never See, a man travels from Texas to South Carolina to find one of the women whose husband was killed in this fight. His intentions are a bit mysterious and he becomes embroiled in other family drama as he finds himself with growing affections for the widow. In the modern day story, a descendant of Amanda Atwell, the widow, finds her life in ruins as well when her husband is found murdered following a questionable land development deal that leaves her family facing financial ruin.
Woven throughout the story of these two women is a retelling of the Battle of Palmetto Ranch and events that led to the death of my fictional character, Captain Jeremy Atwell. Doing the research on this battle and also the towns of Charleston and Georgetown, and Pawleys Island SC during and after the Civil War is a big part of the joy of writing historical fiction for me. We've visited these locations over the years and it's great fun to try to bring them to life in an historical context.
Early response to the book has been very promising and I'm well into a sequel that will feature the present day characters of Hanna Walsh and Alex Frank facing new challenges in the Low Country of South Carolina as their relationship continues to evolve and grow.
I hope you enjoy reading Lies We Never See. All the best.
Michael Lindley
This book began from the spark of an idea as most books do. All of my historical fiction has begun with an interesting piece of historical fact in some idyllic setting that launched me on a journey of creating characters and storylines to help bring that location to life. In most of my books, I also create a modern-day parallel story.
The first spark of the story idea came from a collection of Civil War memorabilia my grandfather had passed down to my mother. One of the artifacts was a Confederate $5 bill with a rough note penned by a soldier. The bill was faded and worn and the written note nearly illegible, but in my mind, it could well have been a note home from a dying soldier.
I came across the fact that the last soldier to die in the American Civil War was actually killed in a senseless battle five weeks after the war had officially ended and the treaty was signed at Appomattox. The Battle of Palmetto Ranch was fought in southern Texas when a Union Commander who had seen no action in the war decided to attack a nearby Confederate garrison, presumably to secure horses and guns, but really just to get something on his resume before he headed home. Unfortunately for this commander and the many men who died in this battle, he ran into one of Confederate Army's best battlefield commanders and the Union forces were soundly defeated.
It got me to thinking about how family members would feel back home when they learned their loved one had died needlessly in a battle that never should have been fought, and who would deliver that message? In Lies We Never See, a man travels from Texas to South Carolina to find one of the women whose husband was killed in this fight. His intentions are a bit mysterious and he becomes embroiled in other family drama as he finds himself with growing affections for the widow. In the modern day story, a descendant of Amanda Atwell, the widow, finds her life in ruins as well when her husband is found murdered following a questionable land development deal that leaves her family facing financial ruin.
Woven throughout the story of these two women is a retelling of the Battle of Palmetto Ranch and events that led to the death of my fictional character, Captain Jeremy Atwell. Doing the research on this battle and also the towns of Charleston and Georgetown, and Pawleys Island SC during and after the Civil War is a big part of the joy of writing historical fiction for me. We've visited these locations over the years and it's great fun to try to bring them to life in an historical context.
Early response to the book has been very promising and I'm well into a sequel that will feature the present day characters of Hanna Walsh and Alex Frank facing new challenges in the Low Country of South Carolina as their relationship continues to evolve and grow.
I hope you enjoy reading Lies We Never See. All the best.
Michael Lindley
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May 11, 2021Disappointing! None of the characters are developed enough to capture my interest in what happens to them! The battle descriptions are tedious in what I assumed was an attempt at historic accuracy. Jumping back and forth in history was really clumsy.
I’m astonished that this the first of several books in a series. I have absolutely no desire to read more!
I’m astonished that this the first of several books in a series. I have absolutely no desire to read more!
May 11, 2021
I read the whole thing
Meh. It’s bad enough one family is deceived so horribly, but 2? No, plus I found 3 mistakes-2 wrong words, one was gatherers rather than gathers, and he called Hanna, Amanda once. I’d think an author would proofread. Anyway, it kept me occupied for a couple of days. But I’m not reading the whole series and not recommending this one.
Meh. It’s bad enough one family is deceived so horribly, but 2? No, plus I found 3 mistakes-2 wrong words, one was gatherers rather than gathers, and he called Hanna, Amanda once. I’d think an author would proofread. Anyway, it kept me occupied for a couple of days. But I’m not reading the whole series and not recommending this one.
August 22, 2021
This was my first book by Michael Lindley and book 1 of the Hanna and Alex series. I really enjoyed this book. I love stories that intertwine history and details of the characters in a way that allows readers to feel connected. This story gives a story of one family many generations apart. It left me so intrigued and entertained that by the end I was wanting to read more.
Amanda from the civil war era was feisty and strong in dealing with destruction and loss. Hanna in the modern day was brave and courageous while dealing with deception brought on by those closest to her..and some that were considered friends.
While it is a mystery told from many perspectives ..there is a deeper story of family, love, loss and new beginnings. I thought it was an excellent read!
Amanda from the civil war era was feisty and strong in dealing with destruction and loss. Hanna in the modern day was brave and courageous while dealing with deception brought on by those closest to her..and some that were considered friends.
While it is a mystery told from many perspectives ..there is a deeper story of family, love, loss and new beginnings. I thought it was an excellent read!
April 26, 2018
I liked the premise of this book alternating viewpoints between modern-day Hanna and her Civil-War era ancestor, Amanda. However, most of the other characters felt too simple and underdeveloped. They felt like one-dimensional stereotypes, like the drunken brother. I did enjoy the setting in South Carolina along the beach. This was a cute story, but could have benefited from a little more development.
I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway. Yay!
I received this book as a Goodreads giveaway. Yay!
January 7, 2019
Parallel Action
This book speaks of deception, recovery and love in different generations of the same family. Lindley is a brilliant writer who uses a number of devices to capture and hold the reader's attention. Often the writing is calm while action takes place out of sight. Both the history and the present have suspense and mystery as the stories develop. This is definitely a great read.
This book speaks of deception, recovery and love in different generations of the same family. Lindley is a brilliant writer who uses a number of devices to capture and hold the reader's attention. Often the writing is calm while action takes place out of sight. Both the history and the present have suspense and mystery as the stories develop. This is definitely a great read.
September 18, 2021
Sorry.....couldn't finish. I did not like the parallel stories.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 19, 2025
Lies We Never See - SO MANY LIES, so much deception, so many characters to keep track of in 2 different time lines!
Was hard for me to follow at times; I was about 40% done when a few things started to make sense.
Some why’s, what’s, and who’s were left unanswered, but that was ok, I wanted it to end…and it did with a satisfying ending leaving way for book 2.
Was hard for me to follow at times; I was about 40% done when a few things started to make sense.
Some why’s, what’s, and who’s were left unanswered, but that was ok, I wanted it to end…and it did with a satisfying ending leaving way for book 2.
September 18, 2021
suspense builds
This book did not grab me from the beginning but the suspense builds and I became immersed in it.. It is the first book of a series and I will read the next book because I have no idea what to expect. I enjoyed the historical drama describing South Carolina in 1866, and the modern-day story, where she learns of her great, great grandmother who owned the same house during the Civil War, who suffered a similar path of discovering deceit. The plot concluded well.
This book did not grab me from the beginning but the suspense builds and I became immersed in it.. It is the first book of a series and I will read the next book because I have no idea what to expect. I enjoyed the historical drama describing South Carolina in 1866, and the modern-day story, where she learns of her great, great grandmother who owned the same house during the Civil War, who suffered a similar path of discovering deceit. The plot concluded well.
May 12, 2022
I enjoyed this book. It was a great casual read. A fantastic book to read by the pool.
May 14, 2024
I would actually have given it a 3.5 but liked it enough to round up. I also liked it enough to give the next book in this series a try.
June 17, 2025
Was good. I didn’t care for the before parts of the book. Too much history for the real story
Want to read
June 8, 2019Author gift
January 10, 2023
I'm going to give this a 4 star for the following reasons: Very few cuss words. 0 inappropriate scenes. Decent story line. Looking forward to reading the next in the series, hoping for a good bit of intrigue without the trash that usually accompanies it.
June 12, 2024
Good story lines.
August 5, 2021
Lazy writing and editing ruin the story.
Mistakes made detract from whatever joy might have come from the reading of this story. The plot was not strong but the careless writing detracted from the book. Anyone who uses levy for levee needs to go back to school. Only once was levee used when appropriate. Worse the author couldn't keep his characters straight. He referred to Hanna as Amanda in the latter part of the book
Mistakes made detract from whatever joy might have come from the reading of this story. The plot was not strong but the careless writing detracted from the book. Anyone who uses levy for levee needs to go back to school. Only once was levee used when appropriate. Worse the author couldn't keep his characters straight. He referred to Hanna as Amanda in the latter part of the book
August 4, 2021
For me, this book did not meet my expectations based on reviews on GR’s.
I slogged through it waiting and waiting for the ‘suspense’ and ‘not able to put the book down’ and/or read it one sitting moments. What? Seriously? LOL…it was readable and I did finish so I guess that says something for the book. Would I read another of this author? No thanks…too many really good, suspenseful books out there. No offense to other reviewers who totally gave it a thumbs up…cause we all have different parameters in what we consider a good to excellent read.
I slogged through it waiting and waiting for the ‘suspense’ and ‘not able to put the book down’ and/or read it one sitting moments. What? Seriously? LOL…it was readable and I did finish so I guess that says something for the book. Would I read another of this author? No thanks…too many really good, suspenseful books out there. No offense to other reviewers who totally gave it a thumbs up…cause we all have different parameters in what we consider a good to excellent read.
July 5, 2021
What a story! A lawyer is killed in a Charleston alley as he is on his way to a liaison with a woman who isn't his wife. Turns out he is/was embroiled in land deals with the Miami mafia. His wife unwittingly is ensnared it in when she realizes her deceased husband had endangered the Pawley Island house that has been in her family for generations. Then the mob comes after her.
The confusing part was the alternate timelines: from present day to 1865 with her great-great-grandmother's journal and then the story of her great-great-grandfather's story of his last days of serving as a Confederate soldier in an unwarranted attack by Union forces in a small fort in Texas, weeks after the Union and Confederate forces meet at Appomattox Courthouse, VA.
The confusing part was the alternate timelines: from present day to 1865 with her great-great-grandmother's journal and then the story of her great-great-grandfather's story of his last days of serving as a Confederate soldier in an unwarranted attack by Union forces in a small fort in Texas, weeks after the Union and Confederate forces meet at Appomattox Courthouse, VA.
April 5, 2021
Hannah Welch’s husband Ben, a lawyer, was murdered; his involvement in a questionable land deal leaving her in life altering debt. Having to sell her home in Charleston was heartbreaking but to sell her ancestral home on Pawley’s Island was devastating. The Pawley’s Island home had been in Hannah’s family for generations. We are introduced to Amanda, Hannah’s grandmother, through her old journal.
Amanda’s husband Jeremy left to fight in the Civil War.
Killed while serving in Texas, Jeremy died in a battle which took place after the war ended. A mysterious man brings Amanda Jeremy’s last letter.
An easy but gripping modern & historical read, Michael Lindley’s The Lies We Never See takes the reader on two journeys with two strong women generations apart. Told in alternating chapters, we are shown the strength of two women, generations apart.
We are introduced to Charleston Police Detective Alex Frank who, with Hannah, goes onto solve situations in other books. I look forward to reading their future adventures.
Amanda’s husband Jeremy left to fight in the Civil War.
Killed while serving in Texas, Jeremy died in a battle which took place after the war ended. A mysterious man brings Amanda Jeremy’s last letter.
An easy but gripping modern & historical read, Michael Lindley’s The Lies We Never See takes the reader on two journeys with two strong women generations apart. Told in alternating chapters, we are shown the strength of two women, generations apart.
We are introduced to Charleston Police Detective Alex Frank who, with Hannah, goes onto solve situations in other books. I look forward to reading their future adventures.
May 18, 2018
Lies We Never See
I received this kindle book through a Goodreads giveaway. The book held my interest, though at times it got confusing going back and forth through time. I certainly felt sorry for all the deception these two women endured! It did have some nice surprises at the end.
I received this kindle book through a Goodreads giveaway. The book held my interest, though at times it got confusing going back and forth through time. I certainly felt sorry for all the deception these two women endured! It did have some nice surprises at the end.
August 11, 2021
Don't waste your time
Childish writing. Redundant explanations of circumstances. Two separate stories that never tie together. Terrible play-by-plays of war battles. Completely unbelievable endings.
Childish writing. Redundant explanations of circumstances. Two separate stories that never tie together. Terrible play-by-plays of war battles. Completely unbelievable endings.
November 21, 2024
Well written had me guessing lot of twists and turns in the story kept you guessing
December 28, 2024
Two women, two stories, and I cared about neither.
June 30, 2022
This started off a bit slow for me. I think because I was expecting a contemporary murder mystery. But really, there were 2, even 3 separate narratives. It was interesting enough to keep reading, but that's about it.
It starts in 'present day' (which is roughly 2019 given the publication date) and Hanna, a lawyer whose practice is exclusively those who otherwise couldn't afford representation is reeling from the murder of her husband and the revelation that she's basically broke. Accordingly, she's in the process of selling the house in Charleston which was solely in her husband's name, as well has the beach house that has been in her family for at least 200 years.
A second narrative jumps back to 1865-1866 and features Amanda, the widow of a Confederate officer, also fallen on hard times following the end of the war as they have little in the way of capital to hire workers to operate the plantation. A stranger arrives with her husband's effects; her brother in law is pressing his attentions (clumsily and drunkenly); and carpetbaggers are pressing her ailing father to sign the property over to them.
Separately, there's a narrative that was, in my opinion, completely extraneous, that is essentially a retelling of the battle where her husband Jeremy was killed. I pretty much skimmed those sections.
So, really, it's more like one of the popular genre of family secrets told via women several generations removed from each other. Which is fine, but, it doesn't quite work. The author could have left out the chapters featuring Jeremy, and fleshed out what was happening to Hanna in the now a little more. As it was, the plot was thin and neither Hanna -- nor her apparent love interest Alex -- had much at all to do with resolving things.
There was a clear parallel drawn between Hanna and Amanda in terms of what's happening to them, betrayals by those they had trusted, and their overall ignorance of their financial situations -- which last is more difficult to believe in Hanna's case. It seems a bit unlikely to me that a an educated woman in 2019, a lawyer, agreed to a mortgage on HER separate property without a full accounting and explanation of why.
So the 'mystery' part didn't quite work either. It was as if all the characters were secondary characters. There was little tension in either narrative. And a fair amount of repetition in the descriptions. Example: Hanna keeps using the phrase "many times great grandmother". So often that it became a bit silly. It would have been less distracting if we'd just been told how many greats and went from there. I mean: Hanna apparently has some family history available, so she would have been able to figure it out. Plus, Amanda was in her 20s during the civil war; Hanna is in her 40s now -- it wouldn't really have been that many 'greats'. It felt like laziness on the part of the author.
So: this was the first in the series. I'm undecided whether to continue. It's in Kindle Unlimited so no additional cost. But there's so much else to read that continuing this series is definitely low on the priority list.
It starts in 'present day' (which is roughly 2019 given the publication date) and Hanna, a lawyer whose practice is exclusively those who otherwise couldn't afford representation is reeling from the murder of her husband and the revelation that she's basically broke. Accordingly, she's in the process of selling the house in Charleston which was solely in her husband's name, as well has the beach house that has been in her family for at least 200 years.
A second narrative jumps back to 1865-1866 and features Amanda, the widow of a Confederate officer, also fallen on hard times following the end of the war as they have little in the way of capital to hire workers to operate the plantation. A stranger arrives with her husband's effects; her brother in law is pressing his attentions (clumsily and drunkenly); and carpetbaggers are pressing her ailing father to sign the property over to them.
Separately, there's a narrative that was, in my opinion, completely extraneous, that is essentially a retelling of the battle where her husband Jeremy was killed. I pretty much skimmed those sections.
So, really, it's more like one of the popular genre of family secrets told via women several generations removed from each other. Which is fine, but, it doesn't quite work. The author could have left out the chapters featuring Jeremy, and fleshed out what was happening to Hanna in the now a little more. As it was, the plot was thin and neither Hanna -- nor her apparent love interest Alex -- had much at all to do with resolving things.
There was a clear parallel drawn between Hanna and Amanda in terms of what's happening to them, betrayals by those they had trusted, and their overall ignorance of their financial situations -- which last is more difficult to believe in Hanna's case. It seems a bit unlikely to me that a an educated woman in 2019, a lawyer, agreed to a mortgage on HER separate property without a full accounting and explanation of why.
So the 'mystery' part didn't quite work either. It was as if all the characters were secondary characters. There was little tension in either narrative. And a fair amount of repetition in the descriptions. Example: Hanna keeps using the phrase "many times great grandmother". So often that it became a bit silly. It would have been less distracting if we'd just been told how many greats and went from there. I mean: Hanna apparently has some family history available, so she would have been able to figure it out. Plus, Amanda was in her 20s during the civil war; Hanna is in her 40s now -- it wouldn't really have been that many 'greats'. It felt like laziness on the part of the author.
So: this was the first in the series. I'm undecided whether to continue. It's in Kindle Unlimited so no additional cost. But there's so much else to read that continuing this series is definitely low on the priority list.
June 2, 2021
Lies We Never See: The ‘Hanna and Alex’ Low Country Suspense Thriller Series Book 1 is by Michael Lindley. This is a new author for me and I simply love his way of writing. This series is fun to read and is complex enough to keep you guessing as to who the guilty party is. There are actually two stories going on at the same time. The first story takes place in the present and the second story takes place at the end of the Civil War. Both take place on Pawleys Island, South Carolina.
Hanna Walsh was in a state of shock. Her husband, Ben, had been murdered and not only was she dealing with that, he had left behind a great debt which she was having to pay. That meant selling her house in Charleston and, worst of all, her house on Pawleys Island which had been in her family for centuries. She and her friend, Grace, were on their way to Pawleys Island to get it ready to sell. There was so much to go through in the house before it could sell. She finds herself mixed up in something she knows nothing about when a stranger approaches her about money Ben had taken from the mob. Now, she is mixed up with the police and FBI. What is going on?
The second story starts on Pawleys Island after the Civil War when Amanda Atwell sees a stranger walking on the shore. He has come to tell her about the death of her husband and to give her his last letter. It puzzles her that a stranger would come all the way from Texas just to hand deliver a letter and then go right back. She has more dire things to worry about. She has to figure a way to keep her family plantation for her Father who is ill. Her father-in-law who has handled her money while her husband is gone, wants her to sell some of her plantation; but she is unwilling to do so. Her brother-in-law, Jackson, has other plans for her plantation and for her.
The stories collide when Hanna finds Amanda’s diary in an old trunk in the attic. How can Hanna get involved in Amanda’s story when her own life is in such a mess?
Hanna Walsh was in a state of shock. Her husband, Ben, had been murdered and not only was she dealing with that, he had left behind a great debt which she was having to pay. That meant selling her house in Charleston and, worst of all, her house on Pawleys Island which had been in her family for centuries. She and her friend, Grace, were on their way to Pawleys Island to get it ready to sell. There was so much to go through in the house before it could sell. She finds herself mixed up in something she knows nothing about when a stranger approaches her about money Ben had taken from the mob. Now, she is mixed up with the police and FBI. What is going on?
The second story starts on Pawleys Island after the Civil War when Amanda Atwell sees a stranger walking on the shore. He has come to tell her about the death of her husband and to give her his last letter. It puzzles her that a stranger would come all the way from Texas just to hand deliver a letter and then go right back. She has more dire things to worry about. She has to figure a way to keep her family plantation for her Father who is ill. Her father-in-law who has handled her money while her husband is gone, wants her to sell some of her plantation; but she is unwilling to do so. Her brother-in-law, Jackson, has other plans for her plantation and for her.
The stories collide when Hanna finds Amanda’s diary in an old trunk in the attic. How can Hanna get involved in Amanda’s story when her own life is in such a mess?
April 21, 2018
I want to thank Michale Lindley, author and Goodreads First Read Giveaway for the eBook Kindle copy of Lies We Never See that I won in the Giveaway.
Hanna Walsh is a modern woman facing the aftermath of the death and betrayal of her late husband and the financial ruin he left her with, plus the threat for stolen money. It is a modern day mystery, full of danger, a kidnapping, threats and FBI investigations. She is facing selling the last of her family legacy, a beach property of Pawley Island, South Carolina.
Hanna has been interested in her family history and found an old diary of her great-great-grandmother from the period right after the Civil War. Amanda faced danger, near financial ruin and the loss of her husband in a battle that was fought in Texas after the Civil War officially ended. The Union officer, Robert Morgan, who has shot her husband took the time to travel from Texas to South Carolina to bring her Jeremy's last letter to her and one his father had written to him about his double dealings to take her family plantation Tanglewood.
The parallel stories have common threads and difficulties for both woman and show the strength each of them have to face danger and save those close and dear to them and find a happy ending. Two stories the twist together along common themes is difficult to write and Michael Lindley has done an excellent job in Lies We Never See.
Hanna Walsh is a modern woman facing the aftermath of the death and betrayal of her late husband and the financial ruin he left her with, plus the threat for stolen money. It is a modern day mystery, full of danger, a kidnapping, threats and FBI investigations. She is facing selling the last of her family legacy, a beach property of Pawley Island, South Carolina.
Hanna has been interested in her family history and found an old diary of her great-great-grandmother from the period right after the Civil War. Amanda faced danger, near financial ruin and the loss of her husband in a battle that was fought in Texas after the Civil War officially ended. The Union officer, Robert Morgan, who has shot her husband took the time to travel from Texas to South Carolina to bring her Jeremy's last letter to her and one his father had written to him about his double dealings to take her family plantation Tanglewood.
The parallel stories have common threads and difficulties for both woman and show the strength each of them have to face danger and save those close and dear to them and find a happy ending. Two stories the twist together along common themes is difficult to write and Michael Lindley has done an excellent job in Lies We Never See.
March 6, 2025
4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Lies and deceit received from close family members and friends surrounded Amanda Paltierre-Atwell of South Carolina in the year 1867. Drama to behold!
Amanda grew up at the Tanglewood Plantation which harvested rice by their slaves in South Carolina. The house stayed in the family for generations and was their legacy, as such, and Amanda has fond memories of growing up there. Then she married Ben Walsh who was swept off to the civil war. Tragedy happens.
By chance, Hannah Walsh of Charleston, South Carolina, (year? listed as current day)…has similar deceitful losses happening. They are connected thru family bloodlines but years apart from each other. Amanda is the great grandmother of Hannah, as we find out. Family history repeating itself with evilness and tragedy?
This story evolves with the family plantation, “Tanglewood” being in the background.
There are two timelines in this story to follow. The years around 1867 when the civil war broke out. Amanda was married and loses her young husband Jeremy at war. Loss, despair, and confusion surrounds her life until “unknown facts” become clear. Oh my heavens!!
Switching to current day time line, Hannah is exposed to death and destruction and must find her way through a mess of deceits her husband has left upon her. Will this all leave her penniless? Things just aren’t as they seemed to be.
Amanda grew up at the Tanglewood Plantation which harvested rice by their slaves in South Carolina. The house stayed in the family for generations and was their legacy, as such, and Amanda has fond memories of growing up there. Then she married Ben Walsh who was swept off to the civil war. Tragedy happens.
By chance, Hannah Walsh of Charleston, South Carolina, (year? listed as current day)…has similar deceitful losses happening. They are connected thru family bloodlines but years apart from each other. Amanda is the great grandmother of Hannah, as we find out. Family history repeating itself with evilness and tragedy?
This story evolves with the family plantation, “Tanglewood” being in the background.
There are two timelines in this story to follow. The years around 1867 when the civil war broke out. Amanda was married and loses her young husband Jeremy at war. Loss, despair, and confusion surrounds her life until “unknown facts” become clear. Oh my heavens!!
Switching to current day time line, Hannah is exposed to death and destruction and must find her way through a mess of deceits her husband has left upon her. Will this all leave her penniless? Things just aren’t as they seemed to be.
October 14, 2025
At first, I thought what turned me off of this book was the narrator and her annoying fake southern accent, but as the book wrapped up, I decided it was much more than that. Part of it was setting, if an author is not intimately familiar with a setting, then don’t specify places that are absolutely incorrect, like a Walmart in downtown Charleston! Next is the overused vehicle of multiple timelines, which he uses to excess with 3 different POV. I also disliked that he used the last chapter to tie everything up with a pretty bow, the bad guys get death or prison, the good guys get happily ever after, the mob is never mentioned again. And really, the best friend and rotten husband fooling around, duh?!? And my last criticism, the main character’s name: Alex Frank, two last names, which the author proceeds to use interchangeably, calling him either Frank or Alex. That makes it very difficult to follow, especially on audio. An editor should have caught that, easy fix. So, needless to say, I won’t be searching out the next TEN in the series!
September 14, 2021
Lies We Never See by Michael Lindley, is a good read with mystery, suspense, and a touch of romance. It's the story of the past and present, and two strong women, Hanna in present day and her many times great-grandmother, Amanda, in the past during the Civil War.
These women face similar circumstances and betrayals, when they put their love and trust into the wrong people. They are each determined to survive, no matter which era they come from. Hanna discovers the betrayals her husband was part of, and who else in her life was involved so many lies.
Amanda seeks to find exactly what happened to her husband at the end of the Civil War, and is shocked by what is finally revealed. She does her best to maintain the family home that was ravaged by union soldiers though she has no money or crops to rely on. She also has no one she can trust fully and must do her best as a woman of the era, where men reign and control everything.
These women face similar circumstances and betrayals, when they put their love and trust into the wrong people. They are each determined to survive, no matter which era they come from. Hanna discovers the betrayals her husband was part of, and who else in her life was involved so many lies.
Amanda seeks to find exactly what happened to her husband at the end of the Civil War, and is shocked by what is finally revealed. She does her best to maintain the family home that was ravaged by union soldiers though she has no money or crops to rely on. She also has no one she can trust fully and must do her best as a woman of the era, where men reign and control everything.
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