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Nicole Graves Mysteries #3
Liar Liar
The truth is elusive in Liar Liar."Tough and likeable" (Foreword Reviews) Nicole Graves finds herself in the crosshairs when she reluctantly agrees to babysit a witness in a high-profile rape trial. Mary Ellen Barnes is suing her university's star quarterback for rape when the authorities won't act. In the court of public opinion, Mary Ellen appears to be the quintessential, pious, good girl. But her lies and mysterious comings and goings lead Nicole to suspect that she’s not what she seems.It isn't just Mary Ellen who's acting suspiciously. No one wants to own up to the truth in Liar Liar, not even Nicole, whose fiance; begs her not to look into the case. But when the witness goes missing during the trial, Nicole is caught up in a tangle of lies that turns deadly. After the investigator assigned to the case fails to do his job, Nicole is determined to find the killer on her own, no matter the risks."Boyarsky's imagination serves up a court case that plays with expectations during an era where we push to believe women, resulting in some real bad baddies whom it feels good to root against." -Foreword Reviews"Nicole Graves is the best fictional sleuth to come down the pike since Sue Grafton's Kinsey Millhone." -Laura Levine, author of the popular Jaine Austen Mysteries"Liar Liar creates exquisite tension..."-Midwest Book Review
222 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 25, 2018
69 people are currently reading
161 people want to read
About the author
Nancy Boyarsky
11 books322 followersThe Swap, Nancy Boyarsky’s debut novel, won an Eric Hoffer gold medal for excellence in fiction. Her six four novels in the series, The Bequest, Liar Liar, The Ransom, The Entitled, and The Moscow Affair, are also available online and in bookstores.
Nancy's books have been compared to Mary Higgins Clark and are praised for contributing to the "women-driven mystery field with panache" (Foreword Reviews) as well as for their "hold-onto-the-bar roller coaster" plots (RT Book Reviews).
Nancy has been a writer and editor for her entire working career. She coauthored Backroom Politics, a New York Times notable book, with her husband Bill Boyarsky. She has written several textbooks on the justice system as well as written articles for publications such as the Los Angeles Times, Forbes, and McCall’s. She also contributed to political anthologies, including In the Running, about women’s political campaigns, and The Challenge of California by the late Eugene Lee. In addition to her writing career, she was communications director for political affairs for ARCO.
Aside from her writing career, she is producer/director of the podcast Inside Golden State Politics
Nancy is a graduate of U.C. Berkeley. She lives in Los Angeles.
Nancy's books have been compared to Mary Higgins Clark and are praised for contributing to the "women-driven mystery field with panache" (Foreword Reviews) as well as for their "hold-onto-the-bar roller coaster" plots (RT Book Reviews).
Nancy has been a writer and editor for her entire working career. She coauthored Backroom Politics, a New York Times notable book, with her husband Bill Boyarsky. She has written several textbooks on the justice system as well as written articles for publications such as the Los Angeles Times, Forbes, and McCall’s. She also contributed to political anthologies, including In the Running, about women’s political campaigns, and The Challenge of California by the late Eugene Lee. In addition to her writing career, she was communications director for political affairs for ARCO.
Aside from her writing career, she is producer/director of the podcast Inside Golden State Politics
Nancy is a graduate of U.C. Berkeley. She lives in Los Angeles.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
September 25, 2018
Favorite Quotes:
He was slightly built with a beaky nose and wire-rimmed glasses that gave him the look of a highly intelligent lizard.
What we call the SODDI defense… It’s an acronym. S.O.D.D.I. It stands for ‘Some other dude did it.’
My Review:
If ever I need a PI, I hope I find one as feisty and curious as Nicole Graves. I enjoyed this murder mystery, it wasn’t a heart-pounding thriller but it did hold my attention and interest throughout. The characters were well fleshed out and realistically flawed while everyone was of questionable veracity, even Nicole, as she was lying to her fiancé about her risk-taking and involvement in a case she promised not to take, just to keep the peace. The plot and writing style were easy to follow, well-paced, and adroitly crafted. The storylines and characters were appealing and enticing while the writing flowed smoothly with colorful details and descriptions that brought sharp visuals to mind. This was my first exposure to the series and Ms. Boyarsky’s work, and although this volume stood alone quite well, I enjoyed it enough to covet the previous installments, as Nicole’s past adventures were mentioned in passing.
He was slightly built with a beaky nose and wire-rimmed glasses that gave him the look of a highly intelligent lizard.
What we call the SODDI defense… It’s an acronym. S.O.D.D.I. It stands for ‘Some other dude did it.’
My Review:
If ever I need a PI, I hope I find one as feisty and curious as Nicole Graves. I enjoyed this murder mystery, it wasn’t a heart-pounding thriller but it did hold my attention and interest throughout. The characters were well fleshed out and realistically flawed while everyone was of questionable veracity, even Nicole, as she was lying to her fiancé about her risk-taking and involvement in a case she promised not to take, just to keep the peace. The plot and writing style were easy to follow, well-paced, and adroitly crafted. The storylines and characters were appealing and enticing while the writing flowed smoothly with colorful details and descriptions that brought sharp visuals to mind. This was my first exposure to the series and Ms. Boyarsky’s work, and although this volume stood alone quite well, I enjoyed it enough to covet the previous installments, as Nicole’s past adventures were mentioned in passing.
October 18, 2018
Liar Liar by Nancy Boyarsky, is the first book in the Nicole Graves Mystery series that I have read. I would probably recommend that readers start at the beginning of this series and I know that I will go back and read the first two. In this book, Nicole Graves finds herself in a predicament once again. She is continuing to get in hours working as a PI, when her co-worker calls out sick. Nicole is entrusted to look after a witness in the high-profile, Oceanside University rape trial. Wanting to do her job and see justice served, she takes on the assignment despite her newly-engaged fiance's concerns for her safety and privacy. After spending time with the rape victim in close quarters, Nicole catches small things that lead her to believe the victim may not be as truthful as others think. Will this young football player have his future derailed by this young girl? Is he telling the truth? Who else is lying in this mess? When Nicole decides to do some investigating on her own, she puts her relationship on the line. How far will she go to find the truth?
I was not sure what to expect when I started this book, but it was an excellent mystery. I was fully invested in this story, having a hard time stopping it when I had things to do. I really like the character of Nicole. She is smart and persistent and I really like her desire to seek justice and the truth. While the subject matter of a rape trial can be off putting, this book has no graphic descriptions of the crime. This is not a cozy mystery, but it has the same clean feel to it. There is a gripping storyline that had me thinking of various scenarios and the twist near the end was a good one. The red herrings along the way were there, but not obvious until you looked back on the story. A great mystery story that I would recommend to any mystery lover. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Jane Oppenheimer was well done and I enjoyed listening to this one.
I was not sure what to expect when I started this book, but it was an excellent mystery. I was fully invested in this story, having a hard time stopping it when I had things to do. I really like the character of Nicole. She is smart and persistent and I really like her desire to seek justice and the truth. While the subject matter of a rape trial can be off putting, this book has no graphic descriptions of the crime. This is not a cozy mystery, but it has the same clean feel to it. There is a gripping storyline that had me thinking of various scenarios and the twist near the end was a good one. The red herrings along the way were there, but not obvious until you looked back on the story. A great mystery story that I would recommend to any mystery lover. I listened to the audiobook narrated by Jane Oppenheimer was well done and I enjoyed listening to this one.
December 29, 2018
Liar, Liar is the 3rd mystery in the Nicole Graves series but it can be read as a standalone. This time Nicole has a new job as a Private Investigator and has been given the task of babysitting a witness, the victim of an alleged rape.
Liar, Liar is told in the same style as The Swap and The Bequest with Nicole being the focus. Nicole meets a diverse range of characters as the story unfolds. The story is set in and around Los Angeles and Nancy describes her scenes very well indeed. Her novel does not dwell on the glamour and glitter of Hollywood but covers the whole region including the poor, low income parts and ethnic minorities. I loved the diversity within Liar, Liar.
I found this novel to have a very strong social message. It is all about how easy it is for everybody to simply not tell the whole truth. We are not talking about out and out criminal bare faced lies but those statements we can make were the whole truth is not spoken. Leaving out those little bits, lying by omission, is an easy mistake to make and is key to this novel.
So rather than have a regular plot were Nicole solves a mystery, Liar Liar is more like a catalogue of omissions that lead to the outcomes of this tale. I found Liar, Liar to be a GOOD read and I love the brand Nancy has developed with her character Nicole. However, I did not enjoy Liar, Liar as much as I enjoyed The Swap and The Bequest solely because the plot is not as intricate. I loved how we got the whole life of Nicole rather than just her workplace self. It was good to read how her day job affected her relationship with her boyfriend Josh. Again there was no gritty or steamy sex to read through and I found Liar, Liar to be an entertaining read that gets 4 stars from me.
Liar, Liar is told in the same style as The Swap and The Bequest with Nicole being the focus. Nicole meets a diverse range of characters as the story unfolds. The story is set in and around Los Angeles and Nancy describes her scenes very well indeed. Her novel does not dwell on the glamour and glitter of Hollywood but covers the whole region including the poor, low income parts and ethnic minorities. I loved the diversity within Liar, Liar.
I found this novel to have a very strong social message. It is all about how easy it is for everybody to simply not tell the whole truth. We are not talking about out and out criminal bare faced lies but those statements we can make were the whole truth is not spoken. Leaving out those little bits, lying by omission, is an easy mistake to make and is key to this novel.
So rather than have a regular plot were Nicole solves a mystery, Liar Liar is more like a catalogue of omissions that lead to the outcomes of this tale. I found Liar, Liar to be a GOOD read and I love the brand Nancy has developed with her character Nicole. However, I did not enjoy Liar, Liar as much as I enjoyed The Swap and The Bequest solely because the plot is not as intricate. I loved how we got the whole life of Nicole rather than just her workplace self. It was good to read how her day job affected her relationship with her boyfriend Josh. Again there was no gritty or steamy sex to read through and I found Liar, Liar to be an entertaining read that gets 4 stars from me.
September 24, 2018
In Liar Liar by Nancy Boyarsky, the loveable Nicole Graves finds herself in a predicament once again, when a co-worker calls out sick, and she's entrusted to look after a witness in the high-profile, Oceanside University rape trial. Wanting to do her job and see justice served, she takes on the assignment despite her newly-engaged fiance's well-founded concerns for her safety and privacy.
After spending time with the rape victim in close quarters, Nicole catches small things that lead her to believe the victim may not be telling the truth. Adding insult to injury, if the accused, a young man-of-color, is convicted, his promising future will be destroyed with the drop of the gavel. Is the victim speaking the truth?
Nicole Graves puts her life, and relationship, on the line to find the answers to the mystery, discovering some truths about herself in the process.
I love mystery reads and Liar Liar didn't disappoint. I was fully engrossed in this story, often living vicariously through Nicole while I flipped the pages. She is smart and the most lovable protagonist for her sleuthing, but also for her desire to seek justice and the truth.
While the subject matter of a rape trial is heavy, the book itself is not. It's devoid of graphic descriptions of non-consensual sex (thank goodness) and the story line is clean. I wouldn't go as far as to classify it as a "fluffy" mystery novel, like a cozy mystery, but it has the same readability if you're looking for a "woman sleuth" read. I found this book to be very enjoyable for it's mystery, unpredictability, and lovable protagonist.
I consider myself a pretty good "whodunit" detector, but Author Nancy Boyarsky got me on this one. AND IT WAS SO CLEVER! The "red herrings" were there when I thought back on it, but it wasn't at all obvious. To me, that's the mark of a great mystery read. Bravo!
Easily a five star novel. Highly recommended to fans of women sleuth reads.
Review, Giveaway, and Promo on A Well Read Woman Blog:
https://awellreadwomanblog.wordpress....
After spending time with the rape victim in close quarters, Nicole catches small things that lead her to believe the victim may not be telling the truth. Adding insult to injury, if the accused, a young man-of-color, is convicted, his promising future will be destroyed with the drop of the gavel. Is the victim speaking the truth?
Nicole Graves puts her life, and relationship, on the line to find the answers to the mystery, discovering some truths about herself in the process.
I love mystery reads and Liar Liar didn't disappoint. I was fully engrossed in this story, often living vicariously through Nicole while I flipped the pages. She is smart and the most lovable protagonist for her sleuthing, but also for her desire to seek justice and the truth.
While the subject matter of a rape trial is heavy, the book itself is not. It's devoid of graphic descriptions of non-consensual sex (thank goodness) and the story line is clean. I wouldn't go as far as to classify it as a "fluffy" mystery novel, like a cozy mystery, but it has the same readability if you're looking for a "woman sleuth" read. I found this book to be very enjoyable for it's mystery, unpredictability, and lovable protagonist.
I consider myself a pretty good "whodunit" detector, but Author Nancy Boyarsky got me on this one. AND IT WAS SO CLEVER! The "red herrings" were there when I thought back on it, but it wasn't at all obvious. To me, that's the mark of a great mystery read. Bravo!
Easily a five star novel. Highly recommended to fans of women sleuth reads.
Review, Giveaway, and Promo on A Well Read Woman Blog:
https://awellreadwomanblog.wordpress....
December 9, 2018
I haven’t read any other books in this series and feel like I missed out. There were references to other books / the past but I feel like I need to know more. This book was incredible regardless!
November 27, 2018
Book #65 - Liar, Liar by Nancy Boyarsky. For her third mystery novel featuring protagonist Nicole Graves, the author has written an intriguing thriller that turns what could have been a predictable #metoo movement novel on its head.
In Liar Liar, Nicole is tasked with babysitting a witness who has accused a university’s star quarterback of rape. While the witness, Mary Ellen Barnes, has come off as squeaky clean in public, Graves quickly sees that things are not as they seem.
Soon Mary Ellen goes missing and Nicole, over the objections of her fiancé, gets increasingly in the middle of the case. And then a key figure in the story dies. What follows are twists and more twists.
I interviewed the author here:
https://mysterypeople.wordpress.com/2...
In Liar Liar, Nicole is tasked with babysitting a witness who has accused a university’s star quarterback of rape. While the witness, Mary Ellen Barnes, has come off as squeaky clean in public, Graves quickly sees that things are not as they seem.
Soon Mary Ellen goes missing and Nicole, over the objections of her fiancé, gets increasingly in the middle of the case. And then a key figure in the story dies. What follows are twists and more twists.
I interviewed the author here:
https://mysterypeople.wordpress.com/2...
October 21, 2018
I tend to really enjoy spunky female investigators, so this book was a plus for me to begin with. But I liked Nicole for her courage, her sense of right and wrong and her common sense too. This is an easy read about a lady, soon to be an investigator, who is assigned to baby-sit or look after a young lady ready to testify that she was raped by none other than the star football quarterback. If this sounds like all other storylines, it most certainly is not. It’s a page turner with good dialogue, constant movement and yet a good flow. Nancy Boyarsky has added all of the elements of a good mystery. There’s fear, a little emotion and some of the aspects of life many of us go through who desire a career and a marriage. While this is an easy-to-read mystery, it could definitely cause some conversation around the table about how one person’s life affects that of another.
I have mentioned that I thought this book flowed well while reading it, it was written as clear as a bell. Never one time did I have to turn back wondering “who is this person” or “where did he come from” in the story. It isn’t just the action, it’s this type of writing that makes a book a page turner. Her characters were well-defined, the good ones as well as the bad. There was one more reason this was such an extremely enjoyable read. One that does not seem to happen too often for me. This book was well-edited. Maybe I have just described what made it flow so well.
Definitely worth my time.
I have mentioned that I thought this book flowed well while reading it, it was written as clear as a bell. Never one time did I have to turn back wondering “who is this person” or “where did he come from” in the story. It isn’t just the action, it’s this type of writing that makes a book a page turner. Her characters were well-defined, the good ones as well as the bad. There was one more reason this was such an extremely enjoyable read. One that does not seem to happen too often for me. This book was well-edited. Maybe I have just described what made it flow so well.
Definitely worth my time.
September 26, 2018
This is the first of Nancy Boyarsky's books that I have read. I enjoyed the determined, curious, yet confused Nicole Graves. She was good at what she did, and I liked the way her mind worked. Watching her race to stay alive as danger found her kept the pace going. With a good outcome of this mystery despite her personal relationship issues, I enjoyed this story and recommend it.
I received a copy of this story through Goddessfish Promotions, and this is my unsolicited review.
I received a copy of this story through Goddessfish Promotions, and this is my unsolicited review.
September 28, 2018
While putting in the hours to qualify for a private investigator’s license, Nicole Graves is given the assignment to keep an eye on a client for Colbert and Smith investigations, the company she works for. But the client, a young woman, turns out to be more than Nicole can handle. When the client turns up dead, her personal investigation into the murder case not only puts her life in danger, it also puts her at odds with a new fiancé. In the end, Nicole must make a heart-wrenching decision—marriage to a wonderful guy or a new career as a P.I. In my opinion, she made the right one.
Great characters and an interesting story kept me turning the pages. This is the third Nicole Graves mystery I’ve read, and I’ve enjoyed each one. Now I’m looking forward to the next. I highly recommend, Liar Liar.
Great characters and an interesting story kept me turning the pages. This is the third Nicole Graves mystery I’ve read, and I’ve enjoyed each one. Now I’m looking forward to the next. I highly recommend, Liar Liar.
September 25, 2018
"Liar Liar" by Nancy Boyarsky, is more than a mystery. It's about the decisions a young woman must make when her heart tears her in two separate directions. Does she do the exciting job she feels she was born to do? Or, does she sacrifice that for the sake of a happy, stable marriage?
Nicole Graves has once again gotten involved in a very dangerous situation. She's agreed to "babysit" a witness in a high profile rape case and her fiancé isn't happy about it. He pleads with her to reconsider, reminding her "the paparazzi will be all over you again." But Nicole refuses to give in and, as she struggles with her decision and the case, she realizes she's put her relationship and her life in jeopardy.
Nicole Graves has once again gotten involved in a very dangerous situation. She's agreed to "babysit" a witness in a high profile rape case and her fiancé isn't happy about it. He pleads with her to reconsider, reminding her "the paparazzi will be all over you again." But Nicole refuses to give in and, as she struggles with her decision and the case, she realizes she's put her relationship and her life in jeopardy.
August 24, 2021
The third in the trilogy of The Nicole Graves Mystery series, Liar, Liar was actually my favorite. Having said that, had I been able to reach into the book, I'd have slapped her a half dozen times. She is very stubborn, and prone to not listening or doing what she knows is right. I found her difficult to deal with and have patience with. I did however really enjoy the suspense to the story. It got my heart racing a few times. Again, as with the other two books, there just seemed to be something dragging down the flow. I just can't put my finger on it.
September 15, 2018
Reading the blurb I thought "wow, this is going to be an action packed short read" in reality Liar Liar fell short. It literally took me over 5 days to read 200 pages, so eh. I felt there was a lot of unneeded information included to draw the storyline out more. I experienced a lot of eye rolling, falling asleep, and thoughts of just moving on. I will say the last 10-15% of the book was a page turner for me.
December 20, 2022
Definitely read the first books before picking up this one. I did not and had a hard time figuring out what was going on in some situations, mostly pertaining to the fiance plot line. The plot is decent and moves along well, but I found the writing style to be a little boring for some reason, and the resolution wasn't very memorable. It's been a few days and I can barely remember whodunit.
May 17, 2020
This is the third in the Nicole Graves series. As enjoyable as the first two. In this episode, Nicole is a PI in training and is doing well finding the truth of the matter at great personal sacrifice. Looking forward to the next book
March 1, 2019
A girl is allegedly raped by the star quarterback, there are questions on lying, blackmail, and revenge. Don’t worry Nicole Graves will get it all sorted out. A good, quick read.
March 1, 2019
Really good mystery/thriller. A real page-turner. I literally didn't want to put it down!
March 6, 2019
The mysteries are getting better as the series goes on, but Nicole is getting more unlikable for me.
March 7, 2019
What the hell?!! This book took me for a spin. Its a familiar general story with a unique spin.
August 26, 2020
I didn't start at the beginning of this series but I know I'll read more by this author. I love the main character and it was an easy read.
November 12, 2021
BLURB:
Nicole Graves finds herself in the crosshairs when she reluctantly agrees to babysit a witness in a high-profile rape trial. Mary Ellen Barnes is suing her university's star quarterback for rape when the authorities won't act. In the court of public opinion, Mary Ellen appears to be the quintessential, pious, good girl. But her lies and mysterious comings and goings lead Nicole to suspect that she’s not what she seems.
It isn't just Mary Ellen who's acting suspiciously. No one wants to own up to the truth in Liar Liar, not even Nicole, whose fiance; begs her not to look into the case. But when the witness goes missing during the trial, Nicole is caught up in a tangle of lies that turns deadly. After the investigator assigned to the case fails to do his job, Nicole is determined to find the killer on her own, no matter the risks.
Nicole Graves finds herself in the crosshairs when she reluctantly agrees to babysit a witness in a high-profile rape trial. Mary Ellen Barnes is suing her university's star quarterback for rape when the authorities won't act. In the court of public opinion, Mary Ellen appears to be the quintessential, pious, good girl. But her lies and mysterious comings and goings lead Nicole to suspect that she’s not what she seems.
It isn't just Mary Ellen who's acting suspiciously. No one wants to own up to the truth in Liar Liar, not even Nicole, whose fiance; begs her not to look into the case. But when the witness goes missing during the trial, Nicole is caught up in a tangle of lies that turns deadly. After the investigator assigned to the case fails to do his job, Nicole is determined to find the killer on her own, no matter the risks.
October 1, 2018
This book is very well written that it will continuously keep the reader reading through the night.. Hard to put down! Interesting plot that will have you turning the pages! If you haven't read this book yet, you're missing a really good one!
Read
August 20, 2019This is a very clever thriller by a very smart writer, whose depth of legal knowledge makes it most believable and interesting. Her characters have flaws, charm, heart and a sense of adventure. It's a terrific fast read and I couldn't put it down.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews