What Lies Beneath: Behind Every Lie is A Truth Desperate to Surface

by Rane Williams

Sloane Mercer never imagined she’d set foot in Summit Grove again. But when her beloved grandmother falls seriously ill, she has no choice. Back in the life she left behind, Sloane is determined to uncover the truth about Scarlett, her mother, who vanished without a trace more than twenty years ago. Intent on bringing peace to her family, she plunges into the tangled mystery of her mother’s past—only to uncover secrets better left buried, shocking revelations, and the unwelcome return of her ex-boyfriend, the one who shattered her heart. With every step closer to the truth, Sloane must decide what she’s willing to risk for the answers her grandmother—and she—have waited a lifetime to find.

402 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 6, 2025

About the author

Rane is a suspense romance author based in Oklahoma City, where she juggles life as a mother, wife, full-time office manager, and part-time plot twist conspirator. Fueled by caffeine and chaotic inspiration, she loves crafting stories in her head and bringing them to life on the page. When she’s not managing spreadsheets or wrangling characters who refuse to follow the script, Rane can be found savoring quiet family moments, hoarding books, or jotting down story ideas in her notes app. On her rare days off, she’s usually chasing caffeine, dodging laundry, or happily buried in a book.

Reviews

[Angie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The way I wanted just to wrap Sloane up and tell her, You aren’t crazy, the people in your town suck ass was wild. No one who could actually help cared about her mother’s disappearance, and Sloane, her mother, and her grandmother deserved better. I was hella suspicious of the ex for the first bit of the book, but he ended up coming around.
When we got the answers, my jaw fell to the fucking FLOOR. The suspense of this book had me constantly looking to the next line to see what was coming next.
Rane did a fantastic job of blending her real life with fiction, making it just a bit more engaging to read. Knowing some pieces were pulled from her life, there were many times I wondered what exactly was real and what was fiction. (I know now, but I will not be sharing that). I wouldn’t call the book a typical happy ending, but it is in the sense that there is a conclusion, letting us know what all has happened.
I was fortunate enough to get to work through this book making edits, and for Rane to trust me with her work means more to me than I could ever express. This was a great book, and the suspence was on point.

[BRandy Thomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

What Lies Beneath delivers a compelling blend of intrigue, nostalgia, and emotional tension that fans of small-towns, forced proximity, and sassy characters will appreciate. Sloane Mercer’s journey back to her hometown throws us into a whirlwind of secrets and unresolved relationships, making for an easy read.

I think those who are more mystery/thriller-lite will like this book better as there’s less of that until Rane packs all the twisting and turning into the very last ~20% of the book. So slowish burn romance girlies who like to dabble in thrillers will find a home here. Sloan is incredibly frustrating at times, but Nathen and Marilyn are redemptive characters. While I don’t agree with where this book went several times, it did bring out the tears, the anger, and the surprise.

Another thing I think the author should be applauded on is her attempt to bring attention to the treatment of those struggling with addiction who have gone missing. This is something that needs more addressing by society as a whole. I really wish that the complex characterization could have applied to every character- better showing that addiction is the monster not the people suffering, but kudos for addressing such an important issue in the prose. She also covers grief very candidly for a few short pages.

If you love twisty revelations, imperfect characters, and the kind of mystery that would happen in a small town in a lifetime movie, What Lies Beneath is worth adding to your TBR pile.

[Lectures_de_Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

"There was a before, and then there was an after."

Returning to Summit Grove, Sloane investigates her mother's twenty-year-old disappearance while dealing with her grandmother's illness and an unwanted reunion with her ex-boyfriend.

I really enjoyed reading this book and I devoured the last few pages! I couldn’t stop reading after page 100. I HAD to know the ending. I imagined several scenarios while reading… but I never could have seen that ending coming! I was truly surprised!
The plot is gripping, Rane Williams manages to take us through a full range of emotions and her characters are very endearing. I already can’t wait to read her next one!"

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J'ai vraiment aimé lire ce livre et j'ai dévoré les dernières pages! J'ai été incapable d'arrêter à partir de la 100e page. Je DEVAIS connaitre la fin. Je me suis imaginé plusieurs scénarios durant la lecture… mais je n'aurais pas pu voir la fin venir! J'ai été vraiment surprise! L'intrigue est accrocheuse, Rane Williams réussit à nous faire passer par toute une gamme d'émotion et ses personnages sont attachants. J'ai déjà hâte de lire son prochain!

Second chance romance / small-town conspiracy / missing person / buried secrets

[Jessica McIntyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited to receive this ARC. This book had me going through all of the emotions. I love a romantic suspense book. It’s two of my favorite things in one. This book is no different. I was pulled into this story immediately. There were twists and turns. I had no idea where the story was going and I was shocked. This book had me full on sobbing. It is also really speaks on addiction and grief in such a real way. Thank you Rane for writing this story and sharing such a vulnerable piece of yourself within this novel. Easy 5 ⭐️’s.

[Taylor Roberson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What Lies Beneath was an incredible read from start to finish. I felt truly connected to the main character — the author did such a great job bringing her to life that I found myself feeling everything she felt. The emotional depth made it hard to put the book down. Just when I thought I had the story figured out, the ending took a turn I didn’t see coming. It was both surprising and satisfying. If you enjoy character-driven stories with twists that keep you guessing, this one is absolutely worth reading.

[Austin Maness · Rating 5 out of 5]

The mystery of Scarletts disappearance and Sloan calling out the town was great! Going with Sloan on her path to find answers about her mom and working through things with Nate was great. Just enough romance/spice to keep things interesting but doesn't take away from the main mystery!

[Ashley Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good grief that ending threw me that was a wild ride! The romance was hot and just the right amount of spice, the plot twist was extremely unexpected and the ending was nothing like I wanted or thought it would be! Just crazy how much I wasn’t guessing that at all!

[Abby Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazingly written! This author has done an amazing job at keeping your attention from page one!

[Cassidy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely love this book!!!

[Bookstagramming Girl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing bookkkk