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3.58 AVERAGE
3.58 AVERAGE
David Baldacci returns following The 6:20 Man (5 stars) with his latest standalone suspense, SIMPLY LIES —two women—a former detective and a con artist—are caught up in a dangerous game of cat-and-mouse in this action-packed thriller.
Mickey Gibson, a former detective and single mom of two, had worked her way up to be a criminal investigator, and then Peter came along. He wanted to start a family, and as soon as baby one was born, he was different, and then she was pregnant with number two.
He cleaned the bank accounts, ran off with his secretary, and left her with the bills. She lost the house, had to leave her job with the force, and moved to Williamsburg, VA, where her retired parents lived.
She joined ProEye global PK agency that did most of its sleuthing online. It is a global investigation company specializing in financial fraud, locating hidden assets of criminals and those looking to evade taxes. It allowed her to work from home, but juggling work and single parenting with two little ones was always challenging.
When she receives a call from a woman named Arlene Robinson, that says she works with the company requesting her to conduct an inventory of a vacant home of an arms dealer who cheated ProEye’s clients and fled, she goes.
However, when she arrives, she finds a dead body in a secret room and realizes she may have been set up. She finds a cryptic message left on the wall. The man, Harry, has ties with the mob and was previously in witness protection.
Ironically, Mickey discovers there is no Arlene that works at ProEye. Mickey is now a prime suspect in a murder investigation—and her job is in jeopardy until she has proof she is innocent. She does not need this stress with all she is juggling.
Now the mysterious woman calls herself “Clarisse” and continues calling her, urging her to dive deeper into the background of the murder victim.
Who is Clarisse, and why has she involved Mickey in this dangerous game?
Baldacci expertly keeps the tension high and weaves a twisty suspenseful tale starring two intriguing women leads. Both women are interesting, and I enjoyed the suspense and cat-and-mouse game. There are also parts of cryptocurrency and NFTs that are fascinating.
If this is the beginning of a new series, I look forward to reading more about these two dynamic women.
Even though SIMPLY LIES was not as EPIC as The 6:20 Man, overall, was an entertaining read. You cannot go wrong with Baldacci—a big fan; he always surprises you!
Thanks to #GrandCentralPublishing for a gifted ARC via #NetGalley for review purposes.
Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins |#JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: April 18, 2023
My Rating: 4 Stars
April 2023 Must-Read Books
Mickey Gibson, a former detective and single mom of two, had worked her way up to be a criminal investigator, and then Peter came along. He wanted to start a family, and as soon as baby one was born, he was different, and then she was pregnant with number two.
He cleaned the bank accounts, ran off with his secretary, and left her with the bills. She lost the house, had to leave her job with the force, and moved to Williamsburg, VA, where her retired parents lived.
She joined ProEye global PK agency that did most of its sleuthing online. It is a global investigation company specializing in financial fraud, locating hidden assets of criminals and those looking to evade taxes. It allowed her to work from home, but juggling work and single parenting with two little ones was always challenging.
When she receives a call from a woman named Arlene Robinson, that says she works with the company requesting her to conduct an inventory of a vacant home of an arms dealer who cheated ProEye’s clients and fled, she goes.
However, when she arrives, she finds a dead body in a secret room and realizes she may have been set up. She finds a cryptic message left on the wall. The man, Harry, has ties with the mob and was previously in witness protection.
Ironically, Mickey discovers there is no Arlene that works at ProEye. Mickey is now a prime suspect in a murder investigation—and her job is in jeopardy until she has proof she is innocent. She does not need this stress with all she is juggling.
Now the mysterious woman calls herself “Clarisse” and continues calling her, urging her to dive deeper into the background of the murder victim.
Who is Clarisse, and why has she involved Mickey in this dangerous game?
Baldacci expertly keeps the tension high and weaves a twisty suspenseful tale starring two intriguing women leads. Both women are interesting, and I enjoyed the suspense and cat-and-mouse game. There are also parts of cryptocurrency and NFTs that are fascinating.
If this is the beginning of a new series, I look forward to reading more about these two dynamic women.
Even though SIMPLY LIES was not as EPIC as The 6:20 Man, overall, was an entertaining read. You cannot go wrong with Baldacci—a big fan; he always surprises you!
Thanks to #GrandCentralPublishing for a gifted ARC via #NetGalley for review purposes.
Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins |#JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: April 18, 2023
My Rating: 4 Stars
April 2023 Must-Read Books
To protect her life, a former detective must sort through lies to solve a murder.
Mickey GIbson left behind a career she loved as a detective when her marriage crumbled and she was left to support herself and her two young children. She uses skills from her old job in her new position, working from home for an international investigation company called ProEye, tracking down the assets of wealthy tax cheats. It’s much safer, but Mickey misses the adrenaline rush from earlier days. When she receives a call from Arlene, a woman identifying herself as an out-of-state colleague who needs Mickey’s help and assures her that its been cleared by Mickey’s boss at ProEye, Mickey is happy to assist. In fact, she is more than willing to hop in her minivan and head out to the vacant home of a purported arms dealer an hour away to inventory the contents of the house for a ProEye’s client (it beats having her slippers thrown up on by a toddler with a queasy stomach). Unfortunately, the house doesn’t belong to an arms dealer, and its not empty….there is a dead body, that of the property’s owner, Harry Longhorne. When the police arrive and check out Mickey’s story, they find out that no one named Arlene works for ProEye, and no one at ProEye sent Mickey out to the property. And things only get worse! Arlene, whose real name may or may not be Charisse but who is definitely a highly accomplished con artist, lures Mickey into investigating Harry’s murder. Mickey can’t believe a word Charisse says, but is drawn to the puzzle, and soon finds it is too late to extract herself. Harry was a mob accountant who had flipped on his bosses years ago, went into the Witness Security Program but later disappeared, and may have been in possession of a huge fortune at the time of his murder. Charisse wants to get her hands on the money, and she’s not alone. A wealthy businessman (whose dealings are less than legal but who has escaped punishment time after time) is also looking for money Harry owed him, and isn’t above threatening Mickey’s whole world if she doesn’t get to the bottom of things soon. And there are others as well. Mickey doesn’t know what or whom she can believe, and will need every skill she has ever used to catch crooks to figure out what is going on with this case….her life and the lives of her children and parents are on the line.
David Baldacci is known for telling a good story, and Simply Lies is an entertaining read. The reader can sympathize with a young mother who loves her children but misses a career at which she excelled (although deciding to investigate a murder under strange circumstances was probably not the best choice to make). Two women, one a detective and the other an accomplished liar, make for an unusual team; lies and manipulation cloud all of their dealings. Why did Charisse approach Mickey in the first place? Who are the other players in this deadly game? Did Harry’s past come back to haunt him, or is his death the result of more recent criminal activity? There are far more questions than answers, and its best not to trust that anyone is who they claim to be. Simply Lies is not part of any of Mr. Baldacci’s earlier series, its a stand-alone, but if you are a fan of his work, you will enjoy this novel as well. It isn’t my favorite of his works, and it wasn’t as consistently fast paced as many of his previous books have been, but it was an enjoyable read in large part due to the characters of Mickey and Charisse. Readers of Gillian Flynn and Paula Hawkins should also give SImply Lies a try. Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with the advanced reader’s copy.
Mickey GIbson left behind a career she loved as a detective when her marriage crumbled and she was left to support herself and her two young children. She uses skills from her old job in her new position, working from home for an international investigation company called ProEye, tracking down the assets of wealthy tax cheats. It’s much safer, but Mickey misses the adrenaline rush from earlier days. When she receives a call from Arlene, a woman identifying herself as an out-of-state colleague who needs Mickey’s help and assures her that its been cleared by Mickey’s boss at ProEye, Mickey is happy to assist. In fact, she is more than willing to hop in her minivan and head out to the vacant home of a purported arms dealer an hour away to inventory the contents of the house for a ProEye’s client (it beats having her slippers thrown up on by a toddler with a queasy stomach). Unfortunately, the house doesn’t belong to an arms dealer, and its not empty….there is a dead body, that of the property’s owner, Harry Longhorne. When the police arrive and check out Mickey’s story, they find out that no one named Arlene works for ProEye, and no one at ProEye sent Mickey out to the property. And things only get worse! Arlene, whose real name may or may not be Charisse but who is definitely a highly accomplished con artist, lures Mickey into investigating Harry’s murder. Mickey can’t believe a word Charisse says, but is drawn to the puzzle, and soon finds it is too late to extract herself. Harry was a mob accountant who had flipped on his bosses years ago, went into the Witness Security Program but later disappeared, and may have been in possession of a huge fortune at the time of his murder. Charisse wants to get her hands on the money, and she’s not alone. A wealthy businessman (whose dealings are less than legal but who has escaped punishment time after time) is also looking for money Harry owed him, and isn’t above threatening Mickey’s whole world if she doesn’t get to the bottom of things soon. And there are others as well. Mickey doesn’t know what or whom she can believe, and will need every skill she has ever used to catch crooks to figure out what is going on with this case….her life and the lives of her children and parents are on the line.
David Baldacci is known for telling a good story, and Simply Lies is an entertaining read. The reader can sympathize with a young mother who loves her children but misses a career at which she excelled (although deciding to investigate a murder under strange circumstances was probably not the best choice to make). Two women, one a detective and the other an accomplished liar, make for an unusual team; lies and manipulation cloud all of their dealings. Why did Charisse approach Mickey in the first place? Who are the other players in this deadly game? Did Harry’s past come back to haunt him, or is his death the result of more recent criminal activity? There are far more questions than answers, and its best not to trust that anyone is who they claim to be. Simply Lies is not part of any of Mr. Baldacci’s earlier series, its a stand-alone, but if you are a fan of his work, you will enjoy this novel as well. It isn’t my favorite of his works, and it wasn’t as consistently fast paced as many of his previous books have been, but it was an enjoyable read in large part due to the characters of Mickey and Charisse. Readers of Gillian Flynn and Paula Hawkins should also give SImply Lies a try. Thanks to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with the advanced reader’s copy.
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
informative
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Like Michael Connelly, David Baldacci rarely disappoints. He has a flair for writing his women characters, and I loved the pairing of these two. I can’t wait to see how he progresses the series. I stayed up all night to finish the book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Addiction, Alcoholism, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Mental illness, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexual assault, Terminal illness, Violence, Blood, Trafficking, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
Check out my full review at www.freshfiction.com
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Simply Lies by David Baldacci
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️stars
"A twisting new psychological thriller in which two women—one a former detective, the other a dangerous con artist—go head-to-head in an electrifying game of cat and mouse."
There's more to the synopsis that you can read on Goodreads. ✅️
***
I loved this. It wasn't predictable. It didn't fall flat. There was enough drama for an action movie. The plot was clever. The main characters were on point and interesting as well. It's what I want in a thriller/mystery novel. And, this is perhaps the first in a Mickey Gibson series. We'll see. I'd definitely read a book two.
***
#booklover #bookblogger #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #bibliophile #librarymouse
#simplylies #davidbaldacci
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️stars
"A twisting new psychological thriller in which two women—one a former detective, the other a dangerous con artist—go head-to-head in an electrifying game of cat and mouse."
There's more to the synopsis that you can read on Goodreads. ✅️
***
I loved this. It wasn't predictable. It didn't fall flat. There was enough drama for an action movie. The plot was clever. The main characters were on point and interesting as well. It's what I want in a thriller/mystery novel. And, this is perhaps the first in a Mickey Gibson series. We'll see. I'd definitely read a book two.
***
#booklover #bookblogger #bookstagrammer #bookstagram #bibliophile #librarymouse
#simplylies #davidbaldacci
I always enjoy books by David Baldacci. He's a prolific writer with books I've been reading (or listening to) for years. This one really had me pretty much from the start. When Mickey is sent to check out a house for work but finds a body everything changes. Since I am a sucker for a good who done it and trying to untangle the threads this is a new favorite. This book has mob ties, red herrings, cops, witness protection, and a treasure on the line. What's not to like????
**I listened to this as an audiobook.
**I listened to this as an audiobook.
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3⭐
Genre ~ crime thriller
Series ~ Mickey Gibson #1
Setting ~ Virginia
Publication date ~ April 18, 2023
Page Count ~ 433 (86 chapters)
Audio length ~ 11 hours 45 minutes
Narrator ~ Lisa Flanagan, Corey Carthew
POV ~ single 3rd
Featuring ~ single mom, investigator, murder, se*ual assault, child abuse
I don't have too much to say about this one. It was pretty typical of what I expect from this author, but not my favorite. There was a good amount of action, but I wouldn't say I was on the edge of my seat or wowed really.
Narration notes:
Love that it was duet narration!...for the most part, but not every chapter.
Husbands review:
Book was okay. Some spots I got lost, but I was eventually able to figure it out. I liked the voices.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
Genre ~ crime thriller
Series ~ Mickey Gibson #1
Setting ~ Virginia
Publication date ~ April 18, 2023
Page Count ~ 433 (86 chapters)
Audio length ~ 11 hours 45 minutes
Narrator ~ Lisa Flanagan, Corey Carthew
POV ~ single 3rd
Featuring ~ single mom, investigator, murder, se*ual assault, child abuse
I don't have too much to say about this one. It was pretty typical of what I expect from this author, but not my favorite. There was a good amount of action, but I wouldn't say I was on the edge of my seat or wowed really.
Narration notes:
Love that it was duet narration!...for the most part, but not every chapter.
Husbands review:
Book was okay. Some spots I got lost, but I was eventually able to figure it out. I liked the voices.
Connect with me ➡ Blog ~ Facebook ~ Twitter
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Trafficking