The Truth You're Told: A Crime Novel

by Michael J. Clark

People die. Secrets don't Sam Hutchings was looking for a writing muse. She hoped that the family cabin at Bird Lake would spark her keyboard, a fire that had been smothered by self-loathing, cheap wine, and her daughter Meg's summer vacation. An innocent stroll down memory lane begins to unravel the story Sam had heard about her father: what he did for a living? How did he actually die? Those who know the truth are nearer than she imagines, and protecting their secrets is worth killing for. As the old family stories begin to disintegrate, can Sam and Meg figure out the actual story? And can they uncover the dangerous plot by ex-U.S. military men -- before it's too late?

Genres: Canada, Audiobook, Thriller

360 pages, Paperback

First published November 2, 2021

About the author

Michael J. Clark started his writing career in the field of automotive journalism, winning national awards in Canada for his writing and photography in both print and online publications. After retiring from reporting on all things car in 2015, Michael completed his first novel, Clean Sweep. He lives in Winnipeg with his wife, Carol.

Reviews

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Michael J. Clark, and ECW Press Audio for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.

Having read Michael J. Clark’s debut novel a few years ago, I was happy to return for another crime thriller. Set around my hometown of Winnipeg, Manitoba, I can enjoy Clark’s writing not only for the genre, but also because it reminds me of things from my youth. When a woman settles down in a cabin to get the literary juices flowing, she comes upon an old family mystery that she never knew existed. How well did she know her father and the past he was said to have lived? Sam Hutchings and her teenage daughter begin poking around, only to learn that there is more to family folklore than meets the eye, including something with traces to the Cold War. A great piece that shows how well Clark can recount a tale and keep the reader enthralled!

Having spent the last number of years as a newspaper journalist, Sam Hutchings receives her walking papers and must reinvent herself. Choosing to live the cabin life outside Winnipeg, Sam decides to start a writing career, while balancing a summer with her teenage daughter, Meg. While they iron out the wrinkles and learn to live the simple life, they remember the stories of Sam’s father and his enjoyment of the area.

After a small accident opens new questions to the life Gerry Hutchings lived, Sam and Meg begin poking around a little more. Could he have been more than the accountant he claimed to be? If so, what did he do and how did it change the reality for their Hutchings family? Sam’s curious journalist brain goes into overdrive and Meg is happy to tag along, as best a teenager can.

With flashbacks throughout the novel, the reader is also pulled into the middle of the story and how Gerry lived a life about which few knew a thing, growing throughout the latter decades of the Cold War. It was only a matter of time before danger and risk met a brick wall of reality. However, the truth can be more painful than the familial fairytales that are told to calm others. Might a fake story be more appealing than the harsh reality that awaits Sam and Meg? Clark does a wonderful job throughout to keep the reader guessing, though somewhat informed as the truth is peeled back for all to see.

I always enjoy finding books that not only showcase great writing, but have a Canadian flavour. I am proud of where I live and enjoy when I can feel that much closer to the action. Michael J. Clark not only highlights the ‘eh’ nature of the humble Canadian, but also brings Winnipeg and surrounding environs into the narrative, allowing me to remember growing up in Manitoba’s capital and passing through some of the rural communities. I was tickled peach (or pink) throughout and could not help but smile, partially by these memories, but also because the book was so captivating. I just hope others feel the same when they give it a chance.

Sam Hutchings proves to be a great protagonist. Having been through a great deal over the past number of years, her backstory comes to light in this standalone thriller. Clark ensures there is enough of her past mixed into the present character development to keep the story moving and leave readers begging for more. Surrounding herself with great supporting characters, Sam is able to tap into her investigative nature while also fanning the flames of her own memories. While I know this is a single-novel experience, I almost want to see more of Sam in order to delve deeper into her life.

Canadian crime thrillers are surely plentiful if you dig deep enough, but I was pleased to have this one fall into my lap. Clark does well from the opening chapters to set the historic scene for a wonderful story. Weaving past and present into flashback narratives, the story moves forward effectively and kept me guessing as more truths surfaced. The characters were on point, infused with just enough Canadianness to assuage me (Canadians alone may understand what I mean here, eh), I was happy to see many locales that warmed my heart and left me smiling. With just enough twists to keep the story from being too easy to decipher, Clark makes the reading experience rewarding for all, from start to finish. I loved the debut, found this one intriguing, and will gladly add Michael J. Clark to my ‘authors to follow’ list for more Canadian (read: Manitoba) flavour in the future.

Kudos, Mr. Clark, for a wonderful reading experience. I miss Winnipeg and area very much. You sparked some of the reasons why yet again. I cannot wait to read more!

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

[Bandit · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m pleased to be the first to rate and review this one, not counting the publisher, because frankly publishers have no business rating their own books. Is no one reading this? Why not? Let’s see if I can change that.
The legendary Canadian niceness is so potent that at times it carries right into their fiction. Such was the case here in this appealing mystery that managed to remain surprisingly low key despite decidedly high stakes.
Somewhere around Manitoba/Winnipeg area there’s a lovely lake and a surrounding lake community. Places regular people live and/or come to vacation and a fancy lodge for those with Donald Duck kinda moolah. Sam, the novel’s protagonist, definitely one of the former ones, after being freshly laid off, comes to the lake to stay in her family cabin and try to write the Great Canadian novel. She’s got her friends (people she’s known from childhood) around also has her teenage kid come visit for the summer mother/daughter quality time. It’s a fun summer, though she hasn’t written a word.
What Sam instead gets preoccupied with is the past, specifically the fate of her father, a local accountant (or was he) who died in a fire in 1989. And thus Sam ends up entangled in a local (and all kinds of murderous) conspiracy that goes back decades, so much so that her very life and the life of her daughter might be in danger. It turns out the truth Sam’s always been told is quite far from the real thing.
Overall, this was a nice (I know, that word again) character driven small town mystery with a likeable cast and very decent writing. Not the thriller to light the world on fire, too mild mannered for that somehow (even when deadly) but a perfectly good read in its own right and goes by quickly too. Thanks Netgalley.

This and more at https://advancetheplot.weebly.com/

[Tiger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Clark's debut novel "Clean Sweep" almost 4 years ago and thought it was great, so was very eager to receive an ARC of this book. However, this was not nearly as good in my opinion. A book of family secrets set at a lake community near Winnipeg, this book just never pulled me in. An interesting ending brought my rating from 3* up to 4*. His 1st novel showed immense talent and potential so I do look forward to his next. Thanks to Net Galley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advance copy of this book. Thank You.

This is a solid good book, just a little slow...no that's not really how to describe it. It's low key, something that doesn't quite work with a mystery/thriller. Sam Hutchings is spending the summer at her family's cabin in Manitoba, Canada. She's a writer facing writers block...never does do any writing, but maybe after the adventures she'll have some inspirations. Her teenage daughter, Megan joins her, after having been with Sam's x husband. Sam reconnects with Lake friends of her youth. Most of the book saunters along in no big hurry. Life goes on, there are meals to cook, people to see etc, then suddenly there's a thought picking away at Sam. What did her father do for a living? How could she not really know. Then the book picks up its pace. It is a good, enjoyable book.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, I have to come clean. At first I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy this book. My mind kept wandering. I kept losing clues. Finally, I backed up and began rereading portions of chapters until things started clicking for me. I have decided the fault is mine. Maybe I just wasn't paying attention. But, going back to help me understand the plot was worth it. This is a clever book with an interesting premise. Sam Hutchings spent her childhood summers at a cabin on a lake in eastern Manitoba. Her father was an accountant and he traveled a lot. He died in a forest fire in 1989 and left a void in Sam's life. Now, Sam is divorced with a 15 year old daughter who lives with her ex. Megan is coming to the summer cabin to spend the summer with Sam. The mother-daughter duo have to get reacquainted, but they begin to bond when they stumble over some "breadcrumbs" maybe left by Sam's father. The more they find little clues about Sam's dad the more it looks like maybe he wasn't really an accountant. There are some flashback chapters that fill in the blanks that Sam and Megan can't know. Gerry Hutchings worked on Cold War efforts to thwart the Soviet threat in the 1950's and 60's. A secret company used covert means to fight the good fight. But, when the Cold War fizzled, the infrastructure was in place for less than honorable men to take advantage of the ways to get away with covert operations to line their own pockets. Gerry Hutchings had enough and was going to turn them in when he died suddenly. He left some cryptic clues in the form of model airplanes and a hidden key. Sam's mother has dementia and lives in a nursing home, but she begins to add her own clues whether she knows it or not. Sam relies on the memories of other long time camp residents to piece together what might be going on. Things come to head when Sam realizes what is happening and she boldly takes on some powerful and evil men.

[Crystal W · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book thanks to #NetGalley and #ECWPress.

Samantha Hutchings is a divorcee, writer, daughter, friend, and most importantly: a mother. A mother that will do anything for her child.

While trying to get her wheels going for a, “Great American Novel”, Sam comes across some interesting things. She’s taking time at her family’s lake house to focus, and sort through family items. It’s then she starts to wonder, if what she’s been told about past events is true.

Airplanes, memories, mysterious keys with no locks. What are all of these things adding up to? Her dad was an accountant, what did he need with these?

Samantha tries to piece together all the clues. All while aiding in the care of her mother, who lives in a nursing facility with dementia, and trying to work on her relationship with a teenage daughter, who isn’t too thrilled about being at the lake house with her. It’s a lot for anybody. Thank goodness she has some Lake Buddies to help her out.

As the pieces of the puzzle start to come together, even more secrets are revealed. Samantha’s daughter, and friends, get caught up with them on their journey to discovery.

Just when you think you know everything, you might just change your mind! How far will a mother go to save her daughter, and to find out the truth? How far will friends go to save one another?

Check out, The Truth You’re Told, and find out!


#Netgalley #ECWPress #TheTruthYoureTold
#MichaelJClark #SaffronHenderson

[(Grace) Kentucky Bohemian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and Exciting
Wow. So much to love in this one. The plot is...crazy, twisted, devious, and a bit WTH??? The characters lit up this story with their unique points of view and their impressions of life in general. There's a lot of humor in this story simply because some of the characters are total comedians.

Like Sam's best friend since childhood. She's outrageous, vivacious, and lots of fun at parties. In fact, she's the type of person that walks into a room and a party breaks out. Sam has her own brand of humor as well. Although not as raucous as her best friend's, Sam wields her humor like a hot knife through butter.

The daughter Meg started out like a typical teenager on a "forced" vacation. But she quickly turned into a delightful person, especially when dealing with her grandmother. There's more to Sam, as well, as she begins to have lots of questions about the past history of Bird Lake. The more she looks into things, the more questions she has. She's obviously part bloodhound because she wouldn't let go and wouldn't be deterred. She stuck to the trail consistently, all the while becoming closer to her mother.

There are a lot of characters in this cast, and the story line involves an incident that happened decades before. But the author blends it all together deftly into a novel that's both fun and suspenseful.

[Brianna Kallroos · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a really slow burn for me. I struggled to finish, to be quite honest. It was a book of family secrets being uncovered that did not stand out amongst the rest of the books I've read it. This was a very predictable book with few plot twists or surprises. The mystery/thriller aspect was really missing for me as there was not a lot of action until the very end. Sam seemed to just stumble upon this secret of her father's death as she procrastinated writing. It was not something she was really driven about until the ending. I would have liked to see Chris more involved. to make it really feel like more of a family affair. Overall, I didn't love it but I didn't hate it either. It was too slow for me to really enjoy, but I did finish and the ending was a bit redeeming. I would recommend this book to someone who enjoys a slow-burn mystery or thriller.

[Sue Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

The truth you're told by Michael J. Clark.
Narrated by Saffron Henderson.
Sam Hutchings was looking for a writing muse. She hoped that the family cabin at Bird Lake would spark her keyboard, a fire that had been smothered by self-loathing, cheap wine, and her daughter Meg’s summer vacation. An innocent stroll down memory lane begins to unravel the story Sam had heard about her father: What did he do for a living? How did he actually die? Those who know the truth are nearer than she imagines, and protecting their secrets is worth killing for. As the old family stories begin to disintegrate, can Sam and Meg figure out the actual story? And can they uncover the dangerous plot by ex-U.S. military men — before it’s too late?
This was a good audiobook. I liked Saffron. It was different and surprising. 4*.

[Purabi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you ECW press for a copy of The Truth You're told by Michael J. Clark.

Set in 1980’s Manitoba at a campground on Bird Lake, this story is extraordinary made even more so by the protagonist’s real-life character. Aspiring to write the Great Canadian Novel, Sam Hutchings just can’t seem to get the inspiration to do it. And, then she stumbles upon something which raises the question she has always had about her father – was he really an accountant as he said? But he was dead so there is no way she can get an answer. To top it all, Sam’s mom lives in the past singing and watching television in her room at a nursing home. When Sam’s daughter Megan arrives the story really takes off. There is humour, suspense, amazing characterization, a surprising plot twist and a great ending.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Family secrets and lies. And a small town on a lake in Canada. Sam has come back to the family home on the lake to lick her wounds and write.a novel but finds herself instead investigating her father, who died in 1989. She's joined by her teenage daughter Meg, and together they ask questions that other people don't want answered. it's an interesting read with good characters and if part of the solution is a bit implausible, who's to say? Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

[Kris (My Novelesque Life)]

DNF @ 25%

Holy smokes, this one really draaaaaaaagged. At 20% I still didn't feel like we got much further in the front door. I not only bailed but ran away from it. I did see many positive reviews with high ratings, so maybe it was my tolerance or it was too slow burn for me.

***I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.***

[Tamara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting family based mystery. Sam Hutchings returns to her childhood holiday home in search of inspiration for her novel and to spend time reconnecting with her daughter following the divorce. Megan gets a job working at the nearby holiday resort just as Sam did as a teenager. In the process they re-establish friendships and discover long hidden secrets.

[Carol Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved "The Truth You're Told" Michael J. Clark's novels just get better and better. I loved the Mother Daughter story line. Along with all the other surprises. Congratulations on another fantastic novel!!!

[Ian · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am torn on this book. The writing is good but the writing tries to meld 3 story telling styles: slice-of-life, mystery, and special operations. Each part is well written but the disconnect between the 3 detracts from my enjoyment.

[Joy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good storytelling - fast paced - likeable, interesting characters - easy to follow - suspenseful and gripping - great ending!
I enjoyed it a lot !!

[OjoAusana · Rating 4 out of 5]

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* did not see that coming! good ending for sure, very good read.

[Joyce Douglas · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice crime novel with very predictable storyline but a fun time

[Albert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good thriller. Our Canadian neighbors k ow how to tell a good story.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book and its Canadian setting. Fun characters and a great murder mystery.

[Wanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked it

This was a nice read away from familiar authors.
I didn't totally feel I "knew" the characters, but it had history, a great setting and mystery.

[Jan Armstrong · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Canadian mystery novel. Loved the setting and the story was decent. Enjoyed it

[Dori · Rating 2 out of 5]

I do not like it when there is a good story line and it morphs into laymen solving the crime and bringing the bad guys to justice. It's just not believable.

[Tracy Dougherty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story. Different. The characters are a bit undeveloped, and the story has a slow start.

[Janet Salsgiver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started slow and confusing, but kept enough of my interest to keep reading. Closer to the end could not put down till finished.

[wally · Rating 3 out of 5]

finised 7th june 2024 good read three stars i liked it kindle library loaner first from clark ichael j. entertaining story.

[Dorothy Deason · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story

No need for the filthy language. Takes away from the story and just makes the characters trashy. Decent women don't talk Lisa and Sam.

[Jo Cohn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I fell asleep for an hour and didn’t miss anything important so that’s not great. But compelling characters

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good mystery. First time reading this author and I enjoyed his style of storytelling.

[Denise · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good read. Unexpected ending. The cast of characters are very likable. Enjoyable.