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White Picket Lies
How well do you really know your neighbours?
Zoey lives in a suburban home by the beach, in a gated community where nothing ever happens. Her biggest frustration is getting her husband to pick up after the potty-training puppy. Until her whole life is thrown into chaos when a body appears in the garden next door.
Stella is new to town. She doesn’t want to get involved in the small-town drama. She’s a single mother with a secret and the last thing she needs is more scrutiny. Looking for answers in her own life, her search becomes inextricably intertwined with the investigation.
Fighting the demons of her past Toni finds herself in the midst of a second marriage breakdown at forty seven years of age. She struggles to keep depression at bay while doing her best to raise a wayward teenaged son and uncover the identity of the killer.
In this small town investigation, it's only a matter of time until friends and neighbours turn on each other.
Zoey lives in a suburban home by the beach, in a gated community where nothing ever happens. Her biggest frustration is getting her husband to pick up after the potty-training puppy. Until her whole life is thrown into chaos when a body appears in the garden next door.
Stella is new to town. She doesn’t want to get involved in the small-town drama. She’s a single mother with a secret and the last thing she needs is more scrutiny. Looking for answers in her own life, her search becomes inextricably intertwined with the investigation.
Fighting the demons of her past Toni finds herself in the midst of a second marriage breakdown at forty seven years of age. She struggles to keep depression at bay while doing her best to raise a wayward teenaged son and uncover the identity of the killer.
In this small town investigation, it's only a matter of time until friends and neighbours turn on each other.
378 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 24, 2022
225 people are currently reading
130 people want to read
About the author
Lilly Mirren
38 books312 followersLilly Mirren is a USA Today Bestselling women's and contemporary fiction author.
She lives in Brisbane, Australia, with her husband and three children. When she's not writing she's running around after children, bushwalking, or spending time with friends.
"If readers are looking for an author who is the perfect mix of Debbie Macomber and Nora Roberts, Lilly Mirren is it." - InD'tale Magazine
She lives in Brisbane, Australia, with her husband and three children. When she's not writing she's running around after children, bushwalking, or spending time with friends.
"If readers are looking for an author who is the perfect mix of Debbie Macomber and Nora Roberts, Lilly Mirren is it." - InD'tale Magazine
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 23, 2022
I do enjoy stories set in small communities, this time it is a murder mystery. There are many twists and turns in the story, which left me guessing all the way through. The main characters all have issues with their relationships. Zoe, the one who found the body, is wondering what is happening to her 20 year marriage to her husband David and her relationship with her teenage daughter. Stella, a single mother to a 5 year old daughter and who works for Zoe, has secrets that she is worried will cause upset if they come out. Finally Toni, the detective investigating the murder, is going through a crisis in her marriage and also with her son from her previous marriage.
The story is as much around the various relationship issues as much as the murder. It does include descriptions of bouts of depression, which I can relate to, and problems with how marriages can become stale, which hopefully my wife can't.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and certainly hope that there will be more books in a series so that I can see how the various characters develop in what sounds to be an idyllic location.
I received an advance copy of this book from the author, however this did not influence my review of the book.
The story is as much around the various relationship issues as much as the murder. It does include descriptions of bouts of depression, which I can relate to, and problems with how marriages can become stale, which hopefully my wife can't.
Overall I really enjoyed this book and certainly hope that there will be more books in a series so that I can see how the various characters develop in what sounds to be an idyllic location.
I received an advance copy of this book from the author, however this did not influence my review of the book.
February 12, 2023
3.5 stars - A lot of the same types of story lines I’ve come to enjoy from Lilly Mirren’s books, but this time wrapped into a mystery. I enjoyed it but not as much as the non-mysteries I’ve read by her.
May 26, 2022
I love this author’s stories. This book is set in a small town. The main characters are three women. Zoey seems to be the woman that holds everything together. She’s been married for 20 years and has a daughter. She feels that her marriage is boring. She is feeling depressed but can’t really figure out why she should be. Toni is Zoey’s good friend. She’s a police officer and is married but she is having doubts about what her husband is feeling and doing after work. Stella is a single mother and Zoey’s friend and employee with secrets of her own.
Zoey finds her neighbor murdered and Toni is put on the case. From there, secrets come out and relationships change.
I enjoyed this book and hope it leads to more books in the series.
Zoey finds her neighbor murdered and Toni is put on the case. From there, secrets come out and relationships change.
I enjoyed this book and hope it leads to more books in the series.
May 22, 2022
Here I am with a smile on my face after finishing this wonderful book on this pleasant Sunday afternoon. Perfect! That’s how I feel about this storyline and the characters that make up all the drama. It’s a community we would all love to live in; beaches, small-town, central well-loved coffee shop, and people who cared about each other. Each person in this story has their own hopes and dreams; along with that, each person has their own disasters and lives that are hidden. I loved the excellent writing; I really enjoyed the mystery; and I was happy reading this book. Thanks for sharing this book with me.
May 24, 2022
I actually have mixed feelings about this book. Overall, I enjoyed this small-town mystery with secrets and happenings. I just felt that none of the men were written in a good light. Surely there must be some male who comes close to being a decent fellow? Set in Australia, the descriptions were fascinating as always. I did figure out who the murderer was long before it was revealed, but overall it held my interest and was a fun (if not exaggerated at times) read. I received a complimentary ARC of this book and have voluntarily given my honest opinion in this review.
May 24, 2022
An intricately written mystery with three women who are stronger than they thought. Toni a police officer with a marriage on the rocks, Stella, a single mother of a five year old, and Zoey a mature woman married for 20 years. Zoey always seems to be on top of things and realizes she has put her relationship with her husband on the back burner. When her neighbor is murdered Toni is on the case. From there a tangled web is weaved and several secrets come out, some good, some bad. A shocking conclusion.
May 29, 2022
This was a fantastic story. I felt like I was part of the group with the wonderful characters. Each one going through something kept the story real and keeps you in tune with them. The mystery that needed solving was fun trying to figure out who was responsible. The author didn’t try to trick you but left evidence so you could figure it out as you read. A couple of jaw dropping moments. Now that I’ve read this book and fee in love with the characters I want more. Definitely will be reading the next book Lilly Mirren releases!
May 30, 2022
Well folks, sorry, I did not care much for this story. I have read several books by this author. They are usually light and entertaining. This one however, made me feel like the author was just trying to stretch the length by adding superfluous, unimportant words. One of the secrets was mentioned, built up to be somewhat earth-shattering if found out, but then when revealed, was very anticlimactic. The murder in this story seemed more like an interruption than a plot. Not a well-developed story in my mind.
August 11, 2022
Police Mystery and Women's Fiction
This book is the first in a new series by an author that I really enjoy. It is half women's fiction and half police whodunit. At any given time one drives the other until it all works out in the end. We have two main characters who are friends. One is a police detective, the other a socialite interior decorator, and they mesh up well! The story has so many twists and turns that I was truly surprised at how it ended. This is going to be a great series to read!
This book is the first in a new series by an author that I really enjoy. It is half women's fiction and half police whodunit. At any given time one drives the other until it all works out in the end. We have two main characters who are friends. One is a police detective, the other a socialite interior decorator, and they mesh up well! The story has so many twists and turns that I was truly surprised at how it ended. This is going to be a great series to read!
June 18, 2022
Three very different women with way different agendas who somehow become fast friends and even more so when murder comes way to close to home. The title gives some of it away....beautiful gated community near the ocean what could possibly go wrong? Apparently all is not as it seems or should be as Toni,Stella and Zooey soon find out when the past and present lives intersect much to their suprise. Well written with many twists and turns.
May 24, 2022
I enjoyed the close community of neighbors in this gated community in a small island town. A small safe community where a murder shows the cracks and the flaws of souses and children. Not everything in the upscale homes nor anyone else’s homes are as perfect as they may appear to be. *I was given a copy and am voluntarily giving my honest review.
June 5, 2022
Never put this one down
You find that you know these people. They are your friends, your enemies, your neighbors. They are everyone. And you know them. This is a great story and I enjoyed every line of it.
You find that you know these people. They are your friends, your enemies, your neighbors. They are everyone. And you know them. This is a great story and I enjoyed every line of it.
June 9, 2022
Loved this book!
Since I have discovered Lily Mirren's books I have read almost all of them
This is fast becoming my favorite. I hope she writes more like this. Can only describe this book as "unputdownable"
Since I have discovered Lily Mirren's books I have read almost all of them
This is fast becoming my favorite. I hope she writes more like this. Can only describe this book as "unputdownable"
June 12, 2022
Good read
I really enjoyed the story line of this book. It kept my interest because of the great character development. Thanks
I really enjoyed the story line of this book. It kept my interest because of the great character development. Thanks
July 10, 2022
Total waste of time
November 28, 2023
Started out like an interesting mystery with a lot of potential. Half way through the story line just dragged on.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews