My Review:

Genre: Suspense, romance, Christian fiction.

My Rating: 5 stars.

My Recommendation: 16 up, warnings below.

My Favorite Character/s: It was so hard to read Lane's story but she was a character that you could see was struggling with something and needed help. I loved how her character changed by the end of the story.

My Verse for Lane is Matthew 5:4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. (King James Version.)

And Charlie with little Noah was so so so so adorable!

My Thoughts: This debut was AMAZING . . . I enjoy suspense and this may have been one of my favorite involving police officers. Yes, there was a lot of hard content but there was a lot of darkness and hurt. The suspense was wonderful and it didn't drag, it kept up with a good pace throughout the whole novel. It was a big plus that Vets were helped some and that it showed how hard it is for men to return home after war.

Warnings: There is a murder . . . Think a Hallmark movie that's real. A character suffers from depression and attempts to kill themself. A character is shot and there are mentions of drugs/drinking. An older lady makes a joke about 'enjoying the view' when a guy rushes to help someone while preparing for the day and he was shirtless. (Surprisingly, slightly funny but still, I needed to mention it.)

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review and am truly happy to provide it — all the thoughts are my own. ( )

Living Lies, the first book in Natalie Walter’s Harbored Secrets series, takes the reader to a small Georgia town where deceit, murder, and despair lay just below the surface. My book club chose this novel because we love suspense that keeps the pages turning. This one did just that. We all like and recommend it.

Walton is a typical sleepy southern town — close-knit community, quaint businesses, and low crime — that is until there is a murder of a teenaged girl. The murder peels away what the veneer hides. Walton is not immune to the dark underside of criminal activity. Nor is it immune to the very real struggles of those with depression and PTSD. Walters honestly explores the often stigmatized subject. The mystery keeps the reader on his/her toes, but the characters are what engage the heart. I really liked main character Lane Kent. Her vulnerabliity makes her very credible. Her love interest, hunky Charlie Lynch, also has some baggage that he strives to overcome. Both rely on God to give them strength to get through the day-to-day and the danger that they face. The two’s relationship gets equal billing with the murder investigation, making this one a great choice for fans of the romantic suspense genre.

There are 3 books in the Harbored Secrets series — all currently available. I have already read book 2, Deadly Deceit, so just one left to go, and I am looking forward to it.

Recommended.

Audience: adults.

(I purchased this book from Amazon. All opinions expressed are mine alone.) ( )

Thank you to Just Read Tours and Revell Books (division of Baker Books) for a review copy of this book which was given without payment or exchange for a positive review.

“Living Lies” is Natalie Walters’ first novel in the romance/suspense “Harbored Secrets” series and is also her debut novel. It is about a young widow, Lane Kent, who has returned to her hometown of Walton, Georgia. A widow with a little boy, Lane also harbors a dark secret – one that continues to haunt her. It is because of that secret she meets one of Walton Police Department’s newest deputies – Charlie Lynch, who has his own secrets as well.

When Lane discovers the body of a young girl, she has to not only suppress her secret even deeper, but work to uncover the truth behind the murder.

While Lane struggles with her secret past, she finds herself feeling more normal around Charlie, almost as if she’s being given a second chance. But, after her husband’s death, Lane can’t or won’t take another chance. It takes everything she has to just keep going, especially with her father’s Senate election coming up.

As the investigation into the young girl’s murder progresses, Lane is not only in danger from her past, but someone else. Someone, who is also trying to keep their secret as well. The investigation isn’t the only thing progressing – Charlie and Lane’s friendship begins to progress as well. But, Lane still wonders if she is worth saving and if life is worth fighting for.

As I read this, it was (for me), more of a suspense story with the romance woven into it naturally and not “forced”. There were multiple plots and sub-plots that worked together without seeming to overwhelm the reader:

** Grisly murder (of a teenager)
** Depression
** Suicide
** PTSD
** Treatment of Vietnam War Vets post-return

Walters weaves a story that is not only entertaining, engaging, thrilling – but compassionate and informative as seen from Lane’s point of view (POV). The writer also constructs multiple viewpoints from those with depression, to the denial of the family, and the misunderstanding of strangers. Adequately represented are the views of the grieving family, the community’s reaction, and the (near-accurate) media sensationalizing the murder.

I was conflicted while reading this book – I wanted to take my time reading it, but I also couldn’t put it down and wanted to keep reading straight to the end.

I’m very much looking forward to the author’s second title in this series. ( )

A well written book that captured my attention from the beginning. I look forward to reading more by this author. ( )

As some one who battles mental illness, or as with this character, chronic anxiety,as well as battling depression, this debut novel for this series has hit home with me! I loved following Lane and seeing how she dealt with it. When Charlie enters the picture and the two go on a whirlwind ride of solving a murder, Walters brings her readers a fantastic 4 star debut! If you love twists, turns, ups and downs, then this book is definitely for you. You'll be on the edge of your seat, turning page after page long into the night. I can't wait til the next! ( )