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Eva Rae Thomas #1
Don't Lie to Me
When twelve-year-old Sophie Williams went on a Girl Scout summer camp, she never returned home.
Three months later, her body is found inside her sleeping bag in the most frequented area of Cocoa Beach, and the town is outraged.
The girl isn't just any child. She's the town's most beloved surf idol, and it was believed that she could be the next Kelly Slater.
As another child, the son of a well-known senator is kidnapped, and the parents receive a disturbing video, FBI profiler Eva Rae Thomas — who has just returned to her hometown, divorced and out of a job — plunges into the investigation, breaking her promise to her children not to do police work again.
Local law enforcement, with her old flame Matt Miller in charge, are the ones who ask for her help in a case so unsettling that only she can solve it. But the deeper they dig, the deadlier it becomes for Matt and Eva Rae. Soon, everyone she holds dear is in grave danger as this case hits a little too close to home.
DON’T LIE TO ME is the first book in the Eva Rae Thomas Mystery Series and can be read as a standalone.
Three months later, her body is found inside her sleeping bag in the most frequented area of Cocoa Beach, and the town is outraged.
The girl isn't just any child. She's the town's most beloved surf idol, and it was believed that she could be the next Kelly Slater.
As another child, the son of a well-known senator is kidnapped, and the parents receive a disturbing video, FBI profiler Eva Rae Thomas — who has just returned to her hometown, divorced and out of a job — plunges into the investigation, breaking her promise to her children not to do police work again.
Local law enforcement, with her old flame Matt Miller in charge, are the ones who ask for her help in a case so unsettling that only she can solve it. But the deeper they dig, the deadlier it becomes for Matt and Eva Rae. Soon, everyone she holds dear is in grave danger as this case hits a little too close to home.
DON’T LIE TO ME is the first book in the Eva Rae Thomas Mystery Series and can be read as a standalone.
8 pages, Audiobook
First published April 15, 2019
29813 people are currently reading
9965 people want to read
About the author
Willow Rose
235 books2,730 followersWillow Rose is a multi-million-copy best-selling Author and an Amazon ALL-star Author of more than 100 novels.
Several of her books have reached the top 10 of ALL books on Amazon in the US, UK, and Canada. She has sold more than three million books all over the world.
She writes Mystery, Thriller, Paranormal, Romance, Suspense, Horror, Supernatural thrillers, and Fantasy.
Willow's books are fast-paced, nail-biting pageturners with twists you won't see coming. That's why her fans call her The Queen of Scream.
Willow lives on Florida's Space Coast. When she is not writing or reading, you will find her surfing and watch the dolphins play in the waves of the Atlantic Ocean.
Connect with Willow online:
http://www.facebook.com/willowredrose
https://twitter.com/madamwillowrose
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/willo...
Sign up for Willow's VIP email list, and you'll automatically be notified as soon as her next book is released: www.willow-rose.net
Inbox already stuffed? Send the word: “ebooks” to 31996 to get a text alert with news about new releases, giveaways, and bargains from Willow.
Several of her books have reached the top 10 of ALL books on Amazon in the US, UK, and Canada. She has sold more than three million books all over the world.
She writes Mystery, Thriller, Paranormal, Romance, Suspense, Horror, Supernatural thrillers, and Fantasy.
Willow's books are fast-paced, nail-biting pageturners with twists you won't see coming. That's why her fans call her The Queen of Scream.
Willow lives on Florida's Space Coast. When she is not writing or reading, you will find her surfing and watch the dolphins play in the waves of the Atlantic Ocean.
Connect with Willow online:
http://www.facebook.com/willowredrose
https://twitter.com/madamwillowrose
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/willo...
Sign up for Willow's VIP email list, and you'll automatically be notified as soon as her next book is released: www.willow-rose.net
Inbox already stuffed? Send the word: “ebooks” to 31996 to get a text alert with news about new releases, giveaways, and bargains from Willow.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,436 reviews
June 9, 2019
This book is a one star from me. There is just sooo much wrong with it imo. The writing is shallow. No one talks the way they do in this dialogue. For example, the first dead child, Sophie, is called "the child" by her father. Eva Rae calls her own son "the boy". Her middle child says "they quarrel" and since they're American, it just doesn't sound right. It's so unnatural.
Eva Rae is not believable at all as a former FBI agent. She follows no protocols and frequently shows up where she has no business being. She jumps to conclusions (assaulting the man she believed hurt her friend.) That's not being a good protagonist.
She's also literally one of the worst moms I've ever read about and yet every time there's a scene with her own mom she only complains about her being cold. I'd take cold over fucking clueless and annoying any day. Also, why on earth does she allow her 12 year old to speak to her the way she does? So disrespectful. I found myself on her ex husband's side. I'd be fed up with her as a partner too.
The love interest is shallow. Her female friends are shallow. There are so many plot threads that don't really go anywhere.
Don't waste your time.
Eva Rae is not believable at all as a former FBI agent. She follows no protocols and frequently shows up where she has no business being. She jumps to conclusions (assaulting the man she believed hurt her friend.) That's not being a good protagonist.
She's also literally one of the worst moms I've ever read about and yet every time there's a scene with her own mom she only complains about her being cold. I'd take cold over fucking clueless and annoying any day. Also, why on earth does she allow her 12 year old to speak to her the way she does? So disrespectful. I found myself on her ex husband's side. I'd be fed up with her as a partner too.
The love interest is shallow. Her female friends are shallow. There are so many plot threads that don't really go anywhere.
Don't waste your time.
April 27, 2019
The only good thing is it was free
This book was poorly written, with no likeable characters. Eva, for supposedly being an experienced former FBI agent, and Matt, supposedly a somewhat experienced police officer were neither very bright. And Eva is a terrible mother besides. Don't waste your time on it.
This book was poorly written, with no likeable characters. Eva, for supposedly being an experienced former FBI agent, and Matt, supposedly a somewhat experienced police officer were neither very bright. And Eva is a terrible mother besides. Don't waste your time on it.
September 10, 2023
I love Willow Rose mostly for her horror offerings, but with Eva Rae Thomas, Rose adds a darkness to the mystery genre that only accomplished writers succeed with. Eva Rae is an accomplished FBI profiler who has retired at age 41 to spend more time with her children.
As Book 1 of the Eva Rae Thomas Mystery Series, Don’t Lie to Me begins, we discover that she is also divorced. As a consequence of that divorce, she has moved back to Cocoa Beach where she was born and raised. Her expectation (explicitly communicated by both parents) is that her parents will help her raise her three children.
When kidnappings occur in the Cocoa Beach community, she cannot help but become involved as her expertise is required by a law enforcement division unaccustomed to the grind of such tense investigation. Interesting story with some suspenseful, graphic story beats with elements of true-life horror.
As Book 1 of the Eva Rae Thomas Mystery Series, Don’t Lie to Me begins, we discover that she is also divorced. As a consequence of that divorce, she has moved back to Cocoa Beach where she was born and raised. Her expectation (explicitly communicated by both parents) is that her parents will help her raise her three children.
When kidnappings occur in the Cocoa Beach community, she cannot help but become involved as her expertise is required by a law enforcement division unaccustomed to the grind of such tense investigation. Interesting story with some suspenseful, graphic story beats with elements of true-life horror.
April 6, 2020
I couldn't finish this. I got only about 40% into it then I had to stop. This woman is the worst mother in the annals of fiction. She's also the worst FBI agent ever. I don't know what was in store for her in the rest of the book but if it was bad, she deserved it. Also, the writing style was terrible, as was the editing.
June 1, 2019
So much potential...
I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style and the fast paced nature of this story, but it was honestly just all over the place. So many characters with so little actual character development was so confusing. I’m an avid thriller/crime/mystery reader and I’m sad to say this was a busy. Slow down a bit, let us get to know the characters in the story. Kidnapping after kidnapping and murder after murder, and then it turns out to be her dad?! I couldn’t even keep straight who was being talked about each chapter because she kept introducing new kids, and....It was just bad. Almost ridiculous.
I thoroughly enjoyed the writing style and the fast paced nature of this story, but it was honestly just all over the place. So many characters with so little actual character development was so confusing. I’m an avid thriller/crime/mystery reader and I’m sad to say this was a busy. Slow down a bit, let us get to know the characters in the story. Kidnapping after kidnapping and murder after murder, and then it turns out to be her dad?! I couldn’t even keep straight who was being talked about each chapter because she kept introducing new kids, and....It was just bad. Almost ridiculous.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 30, 2025
This has been sitting on my NetGalley tbr for way too long and now I know exactly why. The synopsis sounded intriguing: a missing girl from a Girl Scout camp, body found on Cocoa Beach, a kidnapped senator’s son, and an fbi profiler with a messy past returning to her hometown. All the elements for a gripping read were there. I went in hoping for a good time. What I got… was the opposite.
The only thing I can honestly say I liked was the short chapters. That’s it. The pacing was easy to get through in that sense, but the content? Oof.
The characters were just… not it. I found them unlikable across the board — especially Eva Rae. The way she was written made it hard to connect with or even root for her. All the dialogue felt unnatural and forced, and the writing style overall just didn’t work for me. At all.
I kept picking it up, reading a few chapters, putting it back down — rinse and repeat — when honestly, I should’ve just dnf’d it. But alas, I pushed through, and now I can say: yay, it’s over.
Not much else to add without giving too much away. Let’s just say this one wasn’t for me.
- 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘉𝘶𝘰𝘺 𝘔𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦-𝘈𝘙𝘊. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.💐ᡣ𐭩
The only thing I can honestly say I liked was the short chapters. That’s it. The pacing was easy to get through in that sense, but the content? Oof.
The characters were just… not it. I found them unlikable across the board — especially Eva Rae. The way she was written made it hard to connect with or even root for her. All the dialogue felt unnatural and forced, and the writing style overall just didn’t work for me. At all.
I kept picking it up, reading a few chapters, putting it back down — rinse and repeat — when honestly, I should’ve just dnf’d it. But alas, I pushed through, and now I can say: yay, it’s over.
Not much else to add without giving too much away. Let’s just say this one wasn’t for me.
- 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘉𝘶𝘰𝘺 𝘔𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘎𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦-𝘈𝘙𝘊. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.💐ᡣ𐭩
April 22, 2019
FABULOUS murder/mystery book! My first time with this author and I am really impressed. There are so many little subplots in this book, but it is a great series start up. An ex-FBI profiler whose husband walks out on her and her three children for a younger (of course) woman, gives up her job, moves back to be close to her parents, dealing with her kids acting out, her cold mother and a serial killer on the loose in the town she grew up in. And, yet, the author does a spectacular job of keeping everything straight and working in the story while the lead character tries to, on the sly, figure out who the killer of these children is. Of course, the clock is ticking all the time. And, I never once saw that ending coming. As they say, you never really know a person. It is a great book and I can't wait for the next one to come out.
December 29, 2020
This book was absurd. There were so many disconnected threads going on and none of them had any depth. From the love interest that had zero actual spark, to the friend whose mom was randomly beating her with a crowbar, to the murdered boy with no history or relevance, the author seemed to just throw a bunch of ideas randomly into a pot and tried to make it work. It didn’t. In the end, the killer was also completely random. I guess it was a shock because there was zero indication of the killers history earlier in the story. It was also entirely absurd that the FBI agent mom was as unprofessional and scattered and impulsive as this woman. I can’t believe I read this to the end.
June 22, 2021
Don't lie to me by Willow Rose is one of those crime/mystery books that intrigue you in the beginning, and then it all falls apart, with poor writing and plot development, and a ridiculous plot twist.
The book follows former FBI agent Eva Rae Thomas, who has returned to her hometown after a divorce, and finds herself entangled in the kidnappings and killings of kids in her town. She starts investigating along with an old friend and FBI agent, Matt Miller. They soon find out how unsettling and disturbing the case is, and realize they and their families are in danger too.
The plot sounds pretty interesting, and so did the first few chapters of the book. But soon, the shallow and repititive writing becomes evident, along with the poor character development. I am someone who considers characters a major part of the book, and books with one-dimensional characters just don't work for me. In this book, things happened so fast, it was like the author wanted to just finish the story without giving the characters and plot enough time to develop.
Disappointing plot twists are the worst, especially when it comes to mystery-thrillers, because "the big reveal" is what we are all waiting for in mysteries. When that turns out to be terrible, it spoils the whole book for me. The excitement, the thrill, it's all gone. I admit that the author gave some clues as to who the killer might be, but they weren't many, and they were very subtle. I know that clues are not meant to be given right in your face, but here it was almost negligible. When the killer's identity was finally revealed, it was outright disappointing, and also quite cliché.
Eva Rae Thomas isn't that great of a protagonist. She isn't believable as a former FBI agent, because she doesn't follow any protocol at all and often jumps to conclusions. She can be excused a little in her role as a mom, becuase she's just got a divorce and is quite messed up. But still, she has three children and can't handle them at all. Matt, the FBI agent along with Eva Rae is a father, but not a great one at it. His son was missing for months, and he didn't realize that. His romance with Eva Rae was also not at all well-written.
I read this book because the title appealed to me, and so did the plot description. I also found out that the author is bestselling. This piqued my interest in the book. Guess it wasn't worth it.
The book follows former FBI agent Eva Rae Thomas, who has returned to her hometown after a divorce, and finds herself entangled in the kidnappings and killings of kids in her town. She starts investigating along with an old friend and FBI agent, Matt Miller. They soon find out how unsettling and disturbing the case is, and realize they and their families are in danger too.
The plot sounds pretty interesting, and so did the first few chapters of the book. But soon, the shallow and repititive writing becomes evident, along with the poor character development. I am someone who considers characters a major part of the book, and books with one-dimensional characters just don't work for me. In this book, things happened so fast, it was like the author wanted to just finish the story without giving the characters and plot enough time to develop.
Disappointing plot twists are the worst, especially when it comes to mystery-thrillers, because "the big reveal" is what we are all waiting for in mysteries. When that turns out to be terrible, it spoils the whole book for me. The excitement, the thrill, it's all gone. I admit that the author gave some clues as to who the killer might be, but they weren't many, and they were very subtle. I know that clues are not meant to be given right in your face, but here it was almost negligible. When the killer's identity was finally revealed, it was outright disappointing, and also quite cliché.
Eva Rae Thomas isn't that great of a protagonist. She isn't believable as a former FBI agent, because she doesn't follow any protocol at all and often jumps to conclusions. She can be excused a little in her role as a mom, becuase she's just got a divorce and is quite messed up. But still, she has three children and can't handle them at all. Matt, the FBI agent along with Eva Rae is a father, but not a great one at it. His son was missing for months, and he didn't realize that. His romance with Eva Rae was also not at all well-written.
I read this book because the title appealed to me, and so did the plot description. I also found out that the author is bestselling. This piqued my interest in the book. Guess it wasn't worth it.
October 11, 2021
Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.
Kidnapped and murdered children, divorce as the worst thing that can happen to children, abuse and child neglect with very disjointed writing, and that's just the first half of the book. Fortunately, after all the angst and multiple story lines, it all starts to come together and the last half is like what a mystery/suspense plot should be.
Eva Rae Thomas has quit the FBI and moved her three kids back home to Coca Beach, Florida. Eva now has total charge of her kids and is having trouble keeping up with their active lives. That was her househusband's responsibility before he opted out of it all. When she finds the body of a local 12 year old surfing phenom, Eva is right back in solve it mode, even if she has no authority whatsoever. And, she promised her kids she would not get involved in any police work and just be a mom for the first time in their lives. Unfortunately, that is a promise she is unable to keep as more children turn up missing.
Kidnapped and murdered children, divorce as the worst thing that can happen to children, abuse and child neglect with very disjointed writing, and that's just the first half of the book. Fortunately, after all the angst and multiple story lines, it all starts to come together and the last half is like what a mystery/suspense plot should be.
Eva Rae Thomas has quit the FBI and moved her three kids back home to Coca Beach, Florida. Eva now has total charge of her kids and is having trouble keeping up with their active lives. That was her househusband's responsibility before he opted out of it all. When she finds the body of a local 12 year old surfing phenom, Eva is right back in solve it mode, even if she has no authority whatsoever. And, she promised her kids she would not get involved in any police work and just be a mom for the first time in their lives. Unfortunately, that is a promise she is unable to keep as more children turn up missing.
July 15, 2024
There were a couple of plot holes, unexplained items, and a little bit of credibility problems but I don't care. I really liked it. It was a surprise to me when I found out who the villain was and I really was surprised. It stars out with a girl at girl scout camp being kidnapped. Eva Rae just moved back to town, she is a former FBI profiler and her husband just took off with another woman. She moves back to be close to her Mom and Dad and she is having a very hard time of it. She has three children and the Dad didn't work and stayed home with them and did everything for them. The kids are pretty brutal as their Mom tried to adjust to being a full time Mom.
Back to The missing girl scout. The girl turns up in a sleeping bag dismembered and the search begins. Another little girl is kidnapped, and two boys. I loved the little girl Maddie who was so brave. Eva Rae also returns to her high school sweetheart, Matt and I think they will end up together. Her former husband is a total douche canoe!!
Back to The missing girl scout. The girl turns up in a sleeping bag dismembered and the search begins. Another little girl is kidnapped, and two boys. I loved the little girl Maddie who was so brave. Eva Rae also returns to her high school sweetheart, Matt and I think they will end up together. Her former husband is a total douche canoe!!
October 30, 2019
This was a super quick and enjoyable read. I enjoyed all of the different elements the author entertwined within this story. It definitely made it a more complex book to read. The topics of family was a big part of this book and I definitely enjoyed reading about those aspects. As far as the main plot goes, I did find it to be very predictable, so the level of anticipation and mystery did lack a little for me but despite that, I still thoroughly enjoyed this book. I did also like the cute, all be very predictable, romance thrown in there between an old flame.
Overall, I think this book is good for anyone looking to jump into the crime genre. Although it isn’t to most well done, jaw dropping, shocking crime story, it was still very enjoyable.
Overall, I think this book is good for anyone looking to jump into the crime genre. Although it isn’t to most well done, jaw dropping, shocking crime story, it was still very enjoyable.
May 11, 2019
Maybe I'm not being fair because I didn't finish this book, but I could find not much to like about it after the first couple chapters. I really thought in the beginning of the book that it was going to be a good read, but the more I read, the more I really disliked the main character. First of all, she is not even middle aged yet but has reached such a high pinnacle in her law enforcement career that she is revered, an author and one able to step back from the lofty career in the FBI. I'm sorry, that doesn't happen in a scant ten or fifteen years. She is a woman who apparently had children, left those children to her husband to raise and then when he walks out on her, she begins to rely on her older daughters to become the mother to her younger child. Then, what mother would leave their obviously hyperactive child alone in a van while she goes into a crime scene, where she has absolutely no business being; talk about contaminating a crime scene. Maybe I've missed the whole premise of this book, but I could find nothing to like about a scatter-brained, irresponsible woman and the murder and kidnapping of children.
July 16, 2019
I could only read about the first two chapters. I stopped reading after the male cop "Bit his lip", yeah, if I had to read about someone biting their lip or their heart racing and tears welling one more damn time.....I just couldn't do it. Very juvenile to me and not so great writing.
January 7, 2025
One of those murder mystery thrillers that start real good, but after 40% just became mweh.
Eva is both a bad fbi agent, and a bad mom. I get that she’s going through a divorce an all that, but she couldn’t handle her kids at all. As if she didn’t know them. She ignored most protocols when it came to investigating.
Kids get abducted and murdered in a town and Eva is trynna figure out “who did it”. Ngl, the first chapters were really good and i was hooked.
The plot however? Talk about a cliche and the most boring one as well.
Don’t get me wrong, I will continue the series in hope they get better, and I did enjoy the audiobook, I’m just disappointed by the bad plot twist that ruined the book for me
Eva is both a bad fbi agent, and a bad mom. I get that she’s going through a divorce an all that, but she couldn’t handle her kids at all. As if she didn’t know them. She ignored most protocols when it came to investigating.
Kids get abducted and murdered in a town and Eva is trynna figure out “who did it”. Ngl, the first chapters were really good and i was hooked.
The plot however? Talk about a cliche and the most boring one as well.
Don’t get me wrong, I will continue the series in hope they get better, and I did enjoy the audiobook, I’m just disappointed by the bad plot twist that ruined the book for me
January 14, 2020
Ughhhhh why are most of the free kindle books so wtf. This book started out decent, if not predictable & cliche with the “sob story moved back home oops here’s the convenient past love who waited forever” blahhhh. Which, fine, can kind of move past that. But the rest of the book had too many plot holes & “seriously?!” moments. I understand this is in no way a police procedure book but can we try to pretend almost everything Eva did wasn’t borderline questionable. And solving server all serious mysteries instantly? Ugh. The biggest kicker was when the killer was revealed & the aftermath-um, that’s huge I don’t think a reaction of “oops oh well want some vegan casserole?” Is even close.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 25, 2023
Ughh, how disappointing. I really expected to love this book!
Don't Lie to Me follows ex-FBI profiler Eva Rae Thomas as she investigates a child kidnapping-murder case. I can't say I liked her or found her professional background believable by any means. She made plenty of questionable (at best) decisions and felt painfully incompetent throughout the investigation.
The plot has its issues (despite sounding so promising!) but the writing is where this book really fails in my opinion. Don't Lie to Me would've benefited greatly from further editing. The entire book felt repetitive and choppy, and the dialogue unnatural.
I'm sad I didn't enjoy this, but I'm grateful for the opportunity to review nonetheless. Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my review copy!
Don't Lie to Me follows ex-FBI profiler Eva Rae Thomas as she investigates a child kidnapping-murder case. I can't say I liked her or found her professional background believable by any means. She made plenty of questionable (at best) decisions and felt painfully incompetent throughout the investigation.
The plot has its issues (despite sounding so promising!) but the writing is where this book really fails in my opinion. Don't Lie to Me would've benefited greatly from further editing. The entire book felt repetitive and choppy, and the dialogue unnatural.
I'm sad I didn't enjoy this, but I'm grateful for the opportunity to review nonetheless. Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my review copy!
March 9, 2020
This book is terrible.
Eva Ray is the worst mother ever, a terrible FBI agent, every man is gaslighting and has nothing to do with their kids at all (hi, missing your child for 2 months and not noticing) and American cops shoot at running mothers holding kids and the mother goes to jail, not the cop.
This book is terribly written, unbelievable, and if a true portrait of what families are like that side of the pond, horrific.
Eva Ray is the worst mother ever, a terrible FBI agent, every man is gaslighting and has nothing to do with their kids at all (hi, missing your child for 2 months and not noticing) and American cops shoot at running mothers holding kids and the mother goes to jail, not the cop.
This book is terribly written, unbelievable, and if a true portrait of what families are like that side of the pond, horrific.
July 7, 2024
Don't Lie to Me is my first time reading Willow Rose, and I dare say she might just have an instant fan! The pacing moved at a nonstop rate and there were plenty of twists and suspenseful moments throughout to keep me on my toes. This book deals with incredibly tough subject matters, so for anyone sensitive to triggers I would highly recommend looking them up on StoryGraph prior to reading. I will say that I wasn't a huge fan of all of the viewpoints. I love a good dual or multi-viewpoint novel, but sometimes it makes the book feel a little too scattered and that's how I felt here. We didn't need the kid's viewpoints IMO, and I really wish this story had been told only from Eva's POV.
The audiobook is narrated solely by Kendra Lee Oberhauser, and this is one instance where I feel like this was fine despite the multiple POVs. The storyline is really easy to follow, so it didn't bother me that there was only one narrator. I also quite liked Oberhauser's narration and would definitely recommend the audiobook as well as listen to her again. Some parts of Don't Lie to Me were downright disturbing, and frankly, anything with kids breaks my heart even though I don't have any of my own. There is a dash of romance between Eva and Matt, and I liked that as a way to lighten the mood a bit. Parts of the book felt pretty rushed, but overall, this was a solid read for me and I will be looking for the next book in the series!
Thank you to the publisher and Libro.fm for my complimentary listening copy of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
The audiobook is narrated solely by Kendra Lee Oberhauser, and this is one instance where I feel like this was fine despite the multiple POVs. The storyline is really easy to follow, so it didn't bother me that there was only one narrator. I also quite liked Oberhauser's narration and would definitely recommend the audiobook as well as listen to her again. Some parts of Don't Lie to Me were downright disturbing, and frankly, anything with kids breaks my heart even though I don't have any of my own. There is a dash of romance between Eva and Matt, and I liked that as a way to lighten the mood a bit. Parts of the book felt pretty rushed, but overall, this was a solid read for me and I will be looking for the next book in the series!
Thank you to the publisher and Libro.fm for my complimentary listening copy of this book. All opinions and thoughts are my own.
August 4, 2023
The book summary pretty much introduces the first part of the story. The prologue was chilling with the kidnapping of Sophie, a local, 12yr old surfing champion, who was taken from her tent one night during a girl scout outing. The cast of characters in this story is large: there is Eva Rae, newly divorced mother of three and former FBI profiler from D.C. “comes back home” (that usually leads to no good) to Cocoa Beach, FL to be near her parents. There is also Matt, a local detective of the Cocoa Beach PD and an old friend of Eva Rae’s. While the book summary makes it sound like they were childhood sweethearts, that wasn’t the case. Matt has pined for her since then, but the feelings were not mutual.
There are also Sophie’s parents Jenna and Todd, who are divorced and bitterly fought over custody of Sophie and the money she earned surfing. There is also a kidnapped victim named Maddie (10yrs old), who lives with her sex worker mother, who disappears for days at a time. This happened pretty early in the story so it’s not a spoiler.
The story flips back and forth between now and then. In the then period, there is a secondary storyline around a boy and his younger sister whose parents divorced, and the kids are supposed to split their time between their parents. However, the mother, a drug addict, is really neglectful and is always forgetting when it’s her time for them and when to pick them up. There is also another secondary storyline about the nightmares that Eva Rae has regarding the kidnapping she witnessed of her sister, Sydney, when she was a kid, that her own mother blamed her for when she was a kid. Lastly (yeah, I know, a lot going on here), there is another secondary storyline of one of Eva Rae’s friend who lands in the hospital after a pretty severe beating. I can’t say anymore or that would be a spoiler.
Now, I’m not the kind of reader whose enjoyment of a story is contingent on the level of believability of the story. That’s why it’s called FICTION!!! However, I was even rolling my eyes at some of the ridiculous behavior of Eva Rae. For instance, she is no longer an FBI agent, yet she insinuates herself into the investigation of a kidnapping and tells the parents that she’s FBI like she’s still active and leading them to believe that the FBI are involved in the case. OMG!!! Impersonating an FBI agent!!! Seriously??? What an idiot!!! Stupid stuff like this didn't end there.
Well into the second half of the story, another kidnapping and death are revealed and at this point, I’m at a loss as to who the kidnapper(s)/killer(s) are; it could be any number of people. The end comes pretty quick in a shocking (never saw that one coming) and intense standoff with the Eva Rae, the killer, and two kids. Without a doubt, the ending was the best part of this story.
I’ve got mixed feelings about this book. While some readers don’t have to like the MC in order to enjoy the story, I do, and I didn’t like Eva Rae or most of the other adults in the story. Eva Rae got on my nerves with her stupid and annoying behavior and all her whining about how she couldn’t understand why her husband left her to take care of the kids all by herself. Oh please! While I don’t condone her husband’s infidelity, I’m certainly not team Eva Rae either. This is a woman who was pretty much an absent spouse and parent off pursuing her FBI career for most of her marriage and kids’ lives while her husband was at home and the primary caregiver for their kids for most of their lives. Now a single mom, she is absolutely clueless about how to take care of her kids and now depends on her parents and her oldest daughter to pick up the slack where she falls short. Pretty much everything is more important than taking care of her kids. I actually felt sorry for every kid in this story for getting stuck with such crappy parents. This is one of the reasons I end up not liking a lot of domestic thrillers.
Anyway, for me, a halfway decent ending can be the difference between a 2star or a 3star rating, hence, the 3star rating, which is actually pretty generous. This series is going to be a one and done for me. I want to thank NetGalley and Buoy Media for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #BuoyMedia #DontLietoMe
There are also Sophie’s parents Jenna and Todd, who are divorced and bitterly fought over custody of Sophie and the money she earned surfing. There is also a kidnapped victim named Maddie (10yrs old), who lives with her sex worker mother, who disappears for days at a time. This happened pretty early in the story so it’s not a spoiler.
The story flips back and forth between now and then. In the then period, there is a secondary storyline around a boy and his younger sister whose parents divorced, and the kids are supposed to split their time between their parents. However, the mother, a drug addict, is really neglectful and is always forgetting when it’s her time for them and when to pick them up. There is also another secondary storyline about the nightmares that Eva Rae has regarding the kidnapping she witnessed of her sister, Sydney, when she was a kid, that her own mother blamed her for when she was a kid. Lastly (yeah, I know, a lot going on here), there is another secondary storyline of one of Eva Rae’s friend who lands in the hospital after a pretty severe beating. I can’t say anymore or that would be a spoiler.
Now, I’m not the kind of reader whose enjoyment of a story is contingent on the level of believability of the story. That’s why it’s called FICTION!!! However, I was even rolling my eyes at some of the ridiculous behavior of Eva Rae. For instance, she is no longer an FBI agent, yet she insinuates herself into the investigation of a kidnapping and tells the parents that she’s FBI like she’s still active and leading them to believe that the FBI are involved in the case. OMG!!! Impersonating an FBI agent!!! Seriously??? What an idiot!!! Stupid stuff like this didn't end there.
Well into the second half of the story, another kidnapping and death are revealed and at this point, I’m at a loss as to who the kidnapper(s)/killer(s) are; it could be any number of people. The end comes pretty quick in a shocking (never saw that one coming) and intense standoff with the Eva Rae, the killer, and two kids. Without a doubt, the ending was the best part of this story.
I’ve got mixed feelings about this book. While some readers don’t have to like the MC in order to enjoy the story, I do, and I didn’t like Eva Rae or most of the other adults in the story. Eva Rae got on my nerves with her stupid and annoying behavior and all her whining about how she couldn’t understand why her husband left her to take care of the kids all by herself. Oh please! While I don’t condone her husband’s infidelity, I’m certainly not team Eva Rae either. This is a woman who was pretty much an absent spouse and parent off pursuing her FBI career for most of her marriage and kids’ lives while her husband was at home and the primary caregiver for their kids for most of their lives. Now a single mom, she is absolutely clueless about how to take care of her kids and now depends on her parents and her oldest daughter to pick up the slack where she falls short. Pretty much everything is more important than taking care of her kids. I actually felt sorry for every kid in this story for getting stuck with such crappy parents. This is one of the reasons I end up not liking a lot of domestic thrillers.
Anyway, for me, a halfway decent ending can be the difference between a 2star or a 3star rating, hence, the 3star rating, which is actually pretty generous. This series is going to be a one and done for me. I want to thank NetGalley and Buoy Media for sending me this eARC in exchange for my honest review.
#NetGalley #BuoyMedia #DontLietoMe
May 10, 2023
this book is great and thrilling! I was at the edge of my seat most of the time. so brutal and true, so heartbreaking. a story of lost children and trauma and hurt. it actually is so graphic so if you're not ok with violent scenes this one is probably not for you. an amazing plot twist at the end and all and all a very good strong read. this was my first read by the author but I'm gonna read all her work for sure!
thanks to NetGally for providing my copy of this book.
thanks to NetGally for providing my copy of this book.
June 23, 2021
This book was so bad it made me angry.
This book inspired me to write a book about how bad this book is.
The character (Eva Rae Thomas, but my friends call me Eva Rae Thomas - srsly) is the shittest mother, even worse FBI agent.
There were so many moments that made me put it down and wonder if I'd pick it up again.
She leaves a missing girl to escape on her own because calling the police will alert them to the fact thatyhe girls mother is a prostitute and oh, they'll remove her from her mother and we can't have that... if she's still alive and unraped, that is.
Wtf, Eva Rae Thomas, you're an FBI agent. Wtf. Call the police you dumb dolt.
The writing was bad. The plot was weird and there were some completely irrelevant subplots that didn't end up coming back around.
It's so bad.
It's not your fault, Willow Rose. It's my fault because I kept reading it even when I could see it was trash.
Legit.
This book inspired me to write a book about how bad this book is.
The character (Eva Rae Thomas, but my friends call me Eva Rae Thomas - srsly) is the shittest mother, even worse FBI agent.
There were so many moments that made me put it down and wonder if I'd pick it up again.
She leaves a missing girl to escape on her own because calling the police will alert them to the fact thatyhe girls mother is a prostitute and oh, they'll remove her from her mother and we can't have that... if she's still alive and unraped, that is.
Wtf, Eva Rae Thomas, you're an FBI agent. Wtf. Call the police you dumb dolt.
The writing was bad. The plot was weird and there were some completely irrelevant subplots that didn't end up coming back around.
It's so bad.
It's not your fault, Willow Rose. It's my fault because I kept reading it even when I could see it was trash.
Legit.
August 21, 2023
Roman je sastavljen od dva vremenska razdoblja, odnosno priča “nekada” i “sada”. Radnja je predstavljena iz perspektive nekoliko likova, odnosno Eve, nestale djece i samog ubice. Ono što je velika prednost, i što čini ovaj triler žestokim i "nabijenim" su poglavlja, koja su vrlo kratka, i brzo se čitaju i mnoogo su napeta i dobro povezana, iako skaču sa lika na lik. Radnja nije zapetljana, nema šokantnih i prevelikih obrta, osim recimo samog kraja, tako da nije izgubljena fluentnost same radnje. Laganim iznenađenjima i intrigama autorka je izazvala osjećaj "osvisnosti" o radnji i svemu što se nalazi na svakoj sledećoj stranici.
✔️Ono što je mene "izulo" su teme koje je sama autorka sasvim suptilno provukla kroz svoj roman, lagano im se ismijala i pljunula svim stereotipama u lice, na lijep način. Krenuvši od nje same, koja je bila zaposlena, a njen muž bio "domaćica " , odnosno brinuo se o djeci i bio nezaposlen. Da bi je taj isti muž ostavio jer po njegovom - ona dovoljno nije obraćala pažnju i cijenila njegov rad. Zvuči poznato? I naravno na kraju je ona bila kriva jer je uništila svoj brak - nije li to pomalo tipični ( čitaj teski) patrijarhat?? On nalazi nekoga ko će ga "tetošiti" jer pobogu dosta je on oblačio i spremao djecu u školu- ipak im on nije majka. Pronalazi sebi utjehu jelte - mladu i prelijepu djevojku koja će se brinuti o njemu i tako lako odbacuje djecu.
Nadalje - sva djeca koja su nažalost nastradala- bila su djeca iz razvedenih brakova, djeca kojom se nije brinulo jedno od roditelja. Takođe tema koja je uvijek aktuelna- prvenstveno kada već dođe do samog događaja, odnosno razvoda - koliko bi zapravo trebalo u tim trenucima da obraćamo pažnju na djecu i kako to oni podnose. Da je potrebno imati zdrav razgovor zašto mama i tata ne žive više zajedno, i koliko toliko održati pristojne odnose jedno između drugoga. Naravno da to povlači i temu samog odabira partnera, prije nego što djeca i stignu- koliko trebamo biti sigurni u osobu kojoj predajemo svoj život i život buduće djece.
Dalje, sledeći stereotip - samohrane majke. Autorka je ooodlicno pokazala šta svijet misli šta žene nakon što ih partner " odbaci" postaju, zapravo šta im jedino preostaje. Nikakav dobronamjeran savet ili prijekopotrebnu pomoć niko nije spreman da pruži, ili ono što najviše treba - podrška- međutim jedno što ima svijet reći za takve majke je - zaslužila je.
Na jako pristojan način autorka se poigrala sa patrijarhatom i lagano upakovala u triler koji iako ne izgleda tako ima stotinu slojeva - razvod jedini krivac za bolesni mozak, muškarac je stub porodice, a žena pripada u kuhinji i kući sa djecom.
🚫Ono što ni se nije dopalo su razgovori i između likova i same rečenice, koje u jedno momentu izgledaju kao da ih je pisalo petogodišnje dijete, u nekim dijalozima skoro nečitljvi i toliki klišej da pomisliš da bi odustao od romana.🍀
✔️Ono što je mene "izulo" su teme koje je sama autorka sasvim suptilno provukla kroz svoj roman, lagano im se ismijala i pljunula svim stereotipama u lice, na lijep način. Krenuvši od nje same, koja je bila zaposlena, a njen muž bio "domaćica " , odnosno brinuo se o djeci i bio nezaposlen. Da bi je taj isti muž ostavio jer po njegovom - ona dovoljno nije obraćala pažnju i cijenila njegov rad. Zvuči poznato? I naravno na kraju je ona bila kriva jer je uništila svoj brak - nije li to pomalo tipični ( čitaj teski) patrijarhat?? On nalazi nekoga ko će ga "tetošiti" jer pobogu dosta je on oblačio i spremao djecu u školu- ipak im on nije majka. Pronalazi sebi utjehu jelte - mladu i prelijepu djevojku koja će se brinuti o njemu i tako lako odbacuje djecu.
Nadalje - sva djeca koja su nažalost nastradala- bila su djeca iz razvedenih brakova, djeca kojom se nije brinulo jedno od roditelja. Takođe tema koja je uvijek aktuelna- prvenstveno kada već dođe do samog događaja, odnosno razvoda - koliko bi zapravo trebalo u tim trenucima da obraćamo pažnju na djecu i kako to oni podnose. Da je potrebno imati zdrav razgovor zašto mama i tata ne žive više zajedno, i koliko toliko održati pristojne odnose jedno između drugoga. Naravno da to povlači i temu samog odabira partnera, prije nego što djeca i stignu- koliko trebamo biti sigurni u osobu kojoj predajemo svoj život i život buduće djece.
Dalje, sledeći stereotip - samohrane majke. Autorka je ooodlicno pokazala šta svijet misli šta žene nakon što ih partner " odbaci" postaju, zapravo šta im jedino preostaje. Nikakav dobronamjeran savet ili prijekopotrebnu pomoć niko nije spreman da pruži, ili ono što najviše treba - podrška- međutim jedno što ima svijet reći za takve majke je - zaslužila je.
Na jako pristojan način autorka se poigrala sa patrijarhatom i lagano upakovala u triler koji iako ne izgleda tako ima stotinu slojeva - razvod jedini krivac za bolesni mozak, muškarac je stub porodice, a žena pripada u kuhinji i kući sa djecom.
🚫Ono što ni se nije dopalo su razgovori i između likova i same rečenice, koje u jedno momentu izgledaju kao da ih je pisalo petogodišnje dijete, u nekim dijalozima skoro nečitljvi i toliki klišej da pomisliš da bi odustao od romana.🍀
May 4, 2020
I really don't like leaving one star reviews. Means I didn't like a book I thought would be excellent because of all the fabulous ratings. Anyway, huge big sigh. I was looking forward to getting my teeth stuck in a good thriller/murder/suspense mystery today. ☹
Firstly this book was very simply written, which in itself isn't bad. It can be pretty liberating not to think too hard when reading - just immerse yourself into the plot and start enjoying the story and the rollercoaster ride it sends you on. In fact, I love KISS. (Keep It Stupid Simple). In this case, I fail to understand all the 5 star reviews. There are mix-ups in past and present tense and this book needs further editing. Perhaps I'm too picky...? It was a choppy ride, rather than a smooth one.
I didn't like Eva at all. She went jogging in the middle of the night after a bad dream, leaving the children at home by themselves. As you do... After she woke, she drove for coffee - with her youngest boy in the car - because she couldn't leave him at home as the other kids were asleep. Seriously? Ever heard of a kitchen and instant coffee? Then, there was the sobbing from the hero (a seasoned cop) and the touching of an obvious crime scene. Sorry, I couldn't continue after that.
I do stress:- this is my opinion and you may love this book, so don't let my review put you off. I do have a couple more of this author's books on my kindle, so I will give them a go.
Firstly this book was very simply written, which in itself isn't bad. It can be pretty liberating not to think too hard when reading - just immerse yourself into the plot and start enjoying the story and the rollercoaster ride it sends you on. In fact, I love KISS. (Keep It Stupid Simple). In this case, I fail to understand all the 5 star reviews. There are mix-ups in past and present tense and this book needs further editing. Perhaps I'm too picky...? It was a choppy ride, rather than a smooth one.
I didn't like Eva at all. She went jogging in the middle of the night after a bad dream, leaving the children at home by themselves. As you do... After she woke, she drove for coffee - with her youngest boy in the car - because she couldn't leave him at home as the other kids were asleep. Seriously? Ever heard of a kitchen and instant coffee? Then, there was the sobbing from the hero (a seasoned cop) and the touching of an obvious crime scene. Sorry, I couldn't continue after that.
I do stress:- this is my opinion and you may love this book, so don't let my review put you off. I do have a couple more of this author's books on my kindle, so I will give them a go.
May 20, 2020
I never write reviews but this book was so terrible, I felt obligated. If this stops one person out there from wasting their time, I'll be happy. The writing is horrible, the dialogue is robotic and stilted. The plot is choppy and frankly unbelievable. I read this book for free through Amazon prime reading, and free is truly too high of a price. I'm not a book snob, I love a good cheesy murder mystery but this is just not it.
April 21, 2019
This book has such good reviews, but I was disappointed. Everything happened so quickly; no real character development. Just a little too simple, rushing to get to the end result. No more books by Willow Rose for me.
September 5, 2019
Wow! What a twist!
January 14, 2020
"A mixed bag"
A promising start , but then everything fell apart. I must have read a different book to the one that garnered all those 5* reviews.
A promising start , but then everything fell apart. I must have read a different book to the one that garnered all those 5* reviews.
May 3, 2020
If you like trillers, this is a good one!
January 26, 2023
Such a good book! Wow just wow! I love a good Murder mystery and this one was great. I literally pictured it in my head like an episode of CSI…. It was phenomenal. It sucked me in, I couldn’t stop reading. And the plot twist????? WOW.
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