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Kisses and Lies
Alyssa Hillman thinks she may have killed her husband Willy. And she’s not sure how she feels about that. On one hand she loves him and is just too nice a person to be a killer, even if in self-defense. On the other, she also hates him a little because he’s an abusive brute from whose savage rape attempt she’s barely escaped with her life.
So Alyssa comes to Harry and Dee Shalan, private eye team extraordinaire, for help. At first they’re trying just to find out if Willy is alive, but it isn’t long before he proves himself not only alive but also quite unhappy and more than a little insane.
In the course of the investigation, Harry and Dee meet Willy’s younger brother Happy, Willy’s opposite in nearly every way. Happy’s wife Marissa is not only Alyssa’s best friend but could pass for her twin sister. Happy is forced to choose between two unthinkable options. Does he help his sociopathic sibling? If not, he risks bringing public shame to his beloved wife. In this modern re-imagining of the parable of the prodigal son, brothers battle over family honor, respect, and even the women who love them.
Kisses and Lies is the follow up to Joe Stephens’ critically acclaimed debut novel, Harsh Prey.
So Alyssa comes to Harry and Dee Shalan, private eye team extraordinaire, for help. At first they’re trying just to find out if Willy is alive, but it isn’t long before he proves himself not only alive but also quite unhappy and more than a little insane.
In the course of the investigation, Harry and Dee meet Willy’s younger brother Happy, Willy’s opposite in nearly every way. Happy’s wife Marissa is not only Alyssa’s best friend but could pass for her twin sister. Happy is forced to choose between two unthinkable options. Does he help his sociopathic sibling? If not, he risks bringing public shame to his beloved wife. In this modern re-imagining of the parable of the prodigal son, brothers battle over family honor, respect, and even the women who love them.
Kisses and Lies is the follow up to Joe Stephens’ critically acclaimed debut novel, Harsh Prey.
376 pages, Paperback
First published April 11, 2015
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210 people want to read
About the author
Joe Stephens
18 books66 followersJoe Stephens is a retired English teacher who now substitutes occasionally and works with the youth at his church. He's the author of the Shalan Adventures, which are no longer in print. Under the name JD Stephens, he is the author of the Sam and Meg Stone Mysteries, the first of which will become available on November 1, 2025.
He is married to the woman of his dreams, Sarah. They have one daughter, Lauren, and a son-in-law, Brodie.
He is married to the woman of his dreams, Sarah. They have one daughter, Lauren, and a son-in-law, Brodie.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 23, 2015
Private Investigators Harry Shalan and his wife Dee have to solve a mystery involving Happy Hillman and his brother Willy. Willy is on a rampage leaving dead bodies in his wake and now he has abducted Happy's wife Marissa. Can Harry find her before she ends up like the others? An interesting mystery with humorous elements.
* I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
* I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 10, 2015
Let me start out with two disclaimers. First, I was given a free copy of this book for the purposes of writing a review. Second, detective stories really are not my thing. With that out of the way, let me say if you are wondering if you should take a chance on this book by an unknown author, let me answer that question with a resounding "YES!" While, the story begins with one of the biggest clichés in the genre (a beautiful woman walks in the detective's office), the story that unfolds is far from clichéd. In fact, there was a definite moment that I thought "this is the untold part of the prodigal son story--what happens to the oldest brother after the feast." While this is only Stephens' second novel, his writing shows a maturity that one would expect from a seasoned veteran. The story is presented in parallel with flashback scenes laying the foundation for the present-day storyline. And even though it was clear from the beginning who the villain of the story was, there was always something that made me think it wasn't as cut and dried as it seemed. It is the kind of story that sucks you in and will not let go until it is over. Honestly, I hadn't intended to read it when I did, but I made the mistake of reading the first few pages and couldn't pull myself way.
As well-crafted as the story is, however, it is the characters that are the strength of this book. Many new authors fall into the trap of making their characters too one-dimensional, but Stephens has a gift for creating characters that are not only believable, but relatable as well. The villain is a truly vile human being, the kind of person that if you heard about him on the news, you would want to suspend that whole "cruel and unusual punishment" prohibition. At the same time, however, the author imbues him with a hint of humanity that makes him more than just pure evil. The author also avoids the typical pitfall in that his hero, Harry Shalan, is not Superman. He's a regular Joe who loves his job, loves his car, loves his wife, and is fiercely loyal to his friends. Shalan is the kind of guy we all want to be our friend and our neighbor, but he is not perfect. He has fears and doubts. He makes mistakes. He is just like us and so is his wife, Dee. I will also say it is so nice to see an adventure story that celebrates the love between the hero and his wife instead of seeing the hero bedding whatever beautiful woman comes his way.
The only negatives I can think of for this book are minor things that are probably just a matter of individual taste. For instance, I found that from time to time the details about the area where the action was taking place distracted me from the story. Overall, however, I cannot recommend this book strongly enough.
As well-crafted as the story is, however, it is the characters that are the strength of this book. Many new authors fall into the trap of making their characters too one-dimensional, but Stephens has a gift for creating characters that are not only believable, but relatable as well. The villain is a truly vile human being, the kind of person that if you heard about him on the news, you would want to suspend that whole "cruel and unusual punishment" prohibition. At the same time, however, the author imbues him with a hint of humanity that makes him more than just pure evil. The author also avoids the typical pitfall in that his hero, Harry Shalan, is not Superman. He's a regular Joe who loves his job, loves his car, loves his wife, and is fiercely loyal to his friends. Shalan is the kind of guy we all want to be our friend and our neighbor, but he is not perfect. He has fears and doubts. He makes mistakes. He is just like us and so is his wife, Dee. I will also say it is so nice to see an adventure story that celebrates the love between the hero and his wife instead of seeing the hero bedding whatever beautiful woman comes his way.
The only negatives I can think of for this book are minor things that are probably just a matter of individual taste. For instance, I found that from time to time the details about the area where the action was taking place distracted me from the story. Overall, however, I cannot recommend this book strongly enough.
May 20, 2015
I started and finished this book in one day; it was a quick, easy, and entertaining read. There were a few references from the first book that I didn't quite understand, having not yet read Harsh Prey, but for the most part you can figure out what is meant by it, or are given further details later on. I found the back and fourth between Happy and Harry to be a bit confusing; at first I thought they were the same person. After reading on though, they are two distinct people with different stories even though they become intertwined as the book progresses. The book had some good bits of humor in it that made up for some of the frustrating (in a good way) cliffhangers - it made me want to keep reading. What I loved most about it, though, was the love story between Dee and Harry. I thought it was so endearing the love they have for one another. Over all, it was a good book and I will most definitely be reading the first book now!
June 26, 2015
An interesting book that is a easy quick read and I would have to agree with Gina's review. Well done and I would recommend this one to my friends.
August 25, 2016
Good follow-up to Harsh Prey and like his book cover the writing also developed more. Harry is still conceded and has a foot fetish. Editing still leaves a lot to be desired but still a good read from an West Virginia author.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews