Midnight Lies

Written by Ella Grace

Narrated by Marguerite Gavin

The winds of fate have blown cruelly on a family that once had it all: money, power, prestige. The lives of three beautiful daughters were forever changed when, on a sultry night in Midnight, Alabama, a murder-suicide shattered the Wilde family. The girls grew up to live separate lives but now have returned home, each to face a danger no one can see coming.

Former homecoming queen Samantha surprised everyone by going into law enforcement, but beneath her tough facade lies a wary heart. The tragedy that struck her family is an ever-present reminder that nothing is ever as it seems. When the man she loves, Quinn Braddock, a doctor and Iraq war veteran, is accused of murder, Samantha assumes the worst. Brokenhearted, her confidence shattered, she returns to Midnight. Though exonerated, Quinn still feels the sting of Samantha's doubt, but he can't forget his feelings for her and follows her. Soon after his arrival, a shocking murder terrifies the town, and once again, Quinn is under suspicion. This time, Samantha will not turn her back on the man she loves-even if it means walking into a killer's trap.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Sep 24, 2013
• ISBN: 9781452683997

Reviews for Midnight Lies

[lauren2013_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Midnight Lies
4 Stars

Synopsis:
Exonerated following the murder of his ex-wife, Quinn Braddock travels to Midnight, Alabama to win back the heart of the woman who means everything to him. Yet, a killer is waiting in the wings to destroy all that Quinn holds dear, including his love, Samantha Wilde.

Review:
Similar to the first book in the series, Midnight Lies is more of a contemporary romance than a romantic suspense novel despite the inclusion of a murder mystery.

Unlike the first book in which there are virtually no clues as to the killer's identity, the villain in this one is painfully obvious as there are no other suspects to be had, and the motive is completely transparent. Nevertheless, the build up to the climax is steady and the tension ratchets up a notch or two toward the end with an intense and thrilling resolution.

In terms of the romance Quinn and Sam have palpable chemistry, however, their inability to trust each other or even hold a single conversation without holding themselves in check begins to grate on the nerves. Their lack of communication leads to a tedious on/off relationship and, unfortunately, this makes it difficult to completely enjoy their story.

That said, Quinn is a scrumptious hero and his past family and marital history more than explain his reticence. The same cannot be said of Sam. Yes, she has trust issues with men, however, by acknowledging that Quinn seems too perfect to be true, she sets him up to fail and when Quinn is under suspicion for murder, the inevitable happens, and Sam allows her distrust to manifest itself. Consequently, Sam's betrayal sets the tone for her character throughout the book and she never manages to be as likable as her sister Savvy.

In terms of the setting and secondary characters, the small town nosiness and gossip mongering contributes greatly to the Southern atmosphere and characterization. We get to catch up on Zach and Savvy, as well as Logan and Brody, who are developing into potential heroes for their own books, and Bri's character is particularly intriguing. Looking forward to her book next.

Midnight Lies is scheduled for release on September 24, 2013. An advance copy of the book was provided to me for review by the publisher and NetGalley.com

[dawn772 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This romantic suspense had plenty of action but there were too many ups and downs in the relationship. I'm not convinced they will have a happily ever after. It was also pretty easy to guess who the bad guy was. Dr Quinn's ex-wife is murdered and his cop girlfriend Sam isn't sure he is innocent.

[aimeef_14 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This was a book that I could not put down. It grabbed me from the beginning and held me the entire time.

[sable677 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I was lucky enough to receive a copy of Midnight Lies through LibraryThing, and I was so glad that I did. Midnight Lies is the first book that I have read by Grace, and I found that I really enjoyed it. Grace does a great job at blending action, suspense, romance, and mystery. The book begins with the murder of Quinn's ex-wife and the falling apart of Quinn and Samantha's relationship as the result of Quinn being a suspect. Grace does a great job at giving the reader both sides to the fallout, and since both Quinn and Samantha have things in their past that make it hard on them to trust you can't help but root for these two. The character development for both leading characters is well done, and both characters really grow as the book progresses. Midnight Lies is full of many twists and turns and does a great job at keeping the reader guessing. Despite being part of a series, I think this book can be read as a standalone however Grace really makes you care about not just the main couple but her secondary characters as well so you will want to read more books in the series. Overall Midnights Lies is an amazing read that I would most definitely recommend.

[dd196406 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Another interesting entry in the series about the Wilde sisters of Midnight, Alabama. The characters are interesting, and, of course, devastatingly gorgeous, and the plot has some unexpected twists and turns. Enjoyable read!

[emilymcgee-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I am a long time Ella Grace aka Christy Reece fan. She writes captivating stories that I tend to devour in a day or two, schedule permitting. Midnight Lies definitely delivered the same heart-stopping suspense and mind blowing action, in and out of the bedroom :)Quinn and Samantha start out with a no-strings relationship that comes to a quick halt. With Quinn being accused of murdering his ex-wife, the trust between him and Sam is tenuous at best, and they just cannot muster through the rough patch together. Sam jets off back to her hometown to be with her sisters. The triplets, Savannah, Samantha and Sabrina have recently been through the ringer with news of their parents murder just coming to light. Samantha is back in Midnight, Alabama to heal and start a private investigation agency with her sisters. To her shock Quinn follows soon after, to rekindle their relationship but also do a little healing of his own. These two have been through more than one person should, and two scared souls don't always equal a whole one. Sam and Quinn know they have a mountain of problems to deal with but they can't seem to get past their doubts in one another. To me, Quinn is such a peculiar character. His mannerisms and dedication to getting Sam back are a sight to behold. With all he has been through he still refuses to admit defeat. Sam has been dealt just as crappy a hand as Quinn, and eventually resolves to re-dedicate herself to their relationship. Ms. Grace is known for taking two broken hearts and making a healed one. Her heroines are just as kickass as their heroes. I have to admire Samantha for standing by Quinn throughout the ordeals in this book, she refuses to let him run. Quinn is one of those men that love to misplace guilt onto themselves. I have this image in my mind, Quinn is packing all of this guilt into a suitcase and Samantha is next to him unpacking each bit. The twists and turns in Midnight Lies had me setting aside my e-reader a couple of times. Ella Grace writes intense story lines that are frightening because they seem too real to be fiction, but it's hard to swallow that kind of reality. Midnight Lies sucked me in until I was completely submerged in the characters' lives. When I had to take a break I felt bereft, like I was just on a rollercoaster and then it came to a screeching halt and my head is still spinning. The Willdefire books have bits of overlap so information that I thought would be solved in this one is actually for the next book. I was guessing the whole time where this story was going to end up. Suffice to say I did not have a clue until the last couple of chapters. Midnight Lies is a magnificent suspense/contemporary romance book and while you're waiting for it to come out go pick up Midnight Secrets for Savannah's story!Happy Reading!*ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for a honest review*

[jsprenger_4 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I have not read Ms. Grace's first book, but once I started this book I couldn't put it down. This romantic suspense will pull readers in, and keep them guessing. Although the distrust between the two main characters, Samantha Wilde and Dr. Quinn Braddock, is tiresome (why I gave it 4 stars), it is still is entertaining. I don't usually read romance, but I did enjoy this book.

[stacey68-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent book. I could not put this book down. I will be reading the first and third books. I had forgotten good romantic suspense can be. While some of the plot is predictable, it still had some surprises.

[conkie_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Midnight Lies is the 2nd title in the "Wildefire Series." The series evolves around a set of identical triplets: Savannah (book 1), Samantha (book 2), and Sabrina (book 3), whom collectively run the newly formed Wildefire Security Agency, in Midnight, GA. Having explained that, this book can be read out of order, or as a stand-alone. The author does a creditable job of weaving background information (from book 1) throughout the storyline; enough so that the reader does not feel like they are being spoon fed in "catch up" mode.What I wasn't impressed with was, how quickly after meeting with their first client, that part of the Wilde sisters' storyline was relegated to the back seat; only to crop up, whenever one of the sisters needed it to move the plot forward. The other less-likable aspect of this book's story, was the answer to "who's behind these murders" was easily discernible mid-way through. By the book's end, I finished feeling the storyline was interesting, but marred by inconsistent writing/editing/plot-line execution.

[vmpgirl · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I snagged a copy of Midnight Lies by Ella Grace in LibraryThing's Early Reviewers giveaway. I will start by saying that I did not read the first book in this series, Midnight Secrets, but I felt like it read fine as a standalone book. All in all, I thought the book was ok. The distrust seemed to drag on for me a little too long and I really didn't feel like there was much suspense to it. It should probably be considered contemporary romance and not romantic suspense.

[winterlillies · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Ella Grace’s MIDNIGHT LIES is the second book in her Wildefire series. It’s not necessary to read the first, MIDNIGHT SECRETS in order to enjoy MIDNIGHT LIES. Grace does touch upon a few events that occurred in Secrets, but I don’t see them as spoilers.Samantha Wilde and Quinn Braddock can’t keep their hands off each other and sparks flew the moment they made eye contact. For Samantha the relationship with the ER doctor works just fine because she often works odd hours due to her job as a police officer. Quinn can’t believe he’s found a woman worthy and one that makes him believe in love. Quinn receives a call from his ex-wife and he loathes her calls, but when she mentions she’s willing to give him an item he’s been wanting, he figures it will be a quick visit. Unfortunately, he doesn’t anticipate finding his ex murdered and becomes the number one suspect. Samantha is devastated when she learns of Quinn’s predicament because it just proves you can’t ever know a person. Years ago, her own mother was killed by her father and she knows first hand about secrets. Still she works to prove his innocence, but when Quinn wants nothing to do with her, she heads home to Midnight broken hearted. Quinn realizes his mistake and tries to make amends, but she doesn’t want anything to do with him. When a local Midnight resident is found murdered, Quinn is once again a suspect and it’s up to Samantha to stand by him and prove he isn’t a killer.Character development is good though at times Samantha came off as ditzy. She’s supposed to be a trained police officer and yet she’s able to be captured by the killer. When she tries to out run him and fails, I wasn’t surprised. I expected her to be more adept with regards to being able to spot the killer. I mean she does have a law enforcement background and opened up a security agency. Why disregard her personal instincts? As for Quinn, he’s had a difficult childhood and when his past is explained, you wonder how he survived. I wanted to know more about his time in the military and in Iraq other than the brief info we are given. Also, we’re told he’s a good doctor, but I would have liked to have seen him in action at the hospital. The real treat of MIDNIGHT LIES is the relationship between Samantha and her sisters. I loved getting to know Savannah and her husband Zach. We don’t get much of Sabrina, but I can’t wait read to her story. Plus there’s a few Midnight town residents that are a real hoot!I liked Grace’s MIDNIGHT LIES, but the constant ping pong relationship between Sam and Quinn drove me crazy. One moment things were great and the next, she was calling it quits only for things to be peachy again. I wanted Quinn to finally open up and share his feelings with her. I realize he was being cautious because he made a wrong choice with his first wife, but after being accused of murder twice, I would have expected him to be more willing to communicate. Sam’s indecision of loving him to not wanting him and getting jealous because he gives another woman the time of day, grew old. It just became frustrating especially since it was dragged out. It felt at times as if Grace needed them to go through the motions to fill the plot. As for the identity of the murder, I had my suspicions on who it would be. I had two theories regarding that person. Some things regarding Quinn’s past didn’t make sense and even when everything is revealed, I still had questions. I’m just happy my theory played out.Overall, Ella Grace’s MIDNIGHT LIES was a satisfactory read. I’m looking forward to the third book series and in the meantime I’m going back to read MIDNIGHT SECRETS.

[amdrane2 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I've been looking forward to reading this from the moment I finished the first book in this series and wasn't disappointed. I pretty much devoured it in one setting though I didn't find it as exciting as the first. This book started out great with Quinn being accused of murdering his horrible ex-wife and Samantha trying to clear his name. Once she leaves to go back to her hometown of Midnight, Alabama it kinda dragged for a bit while the new relationship of Quinn and Samantha was being established only to pick back up and thrill my socks off. Can't wait to read Sabrina's story then hopefully we'll get a couple more books about their friends and fellow private investigators, Logan and Brody. The only thing that I didn't like was having Savannah's name being shortened to Savvy. We call my niece Vanna, but I guess everyone is different when it comes to nicknames. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC

[grammyellen · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is the second book of a series and although I did not read the first one I enjoyed this one. Samantha Wilde is a policewoman and having an affair with Quinn Braddock a doctor. Quinn's ex wife is murdered and the police think he did it. Samantha wants to believe in his innocence but finds it hard. He is exonerated and follows her to her hometown where another murder happens and Quinn is the prime suspect. This time though Samantha is behind him 100%. The story line was gripping and keeps the reader on theirs toes throughout. The characters are well rounded and very likable. A good balance between dialogue and description, that helps the book unfold seamlessly. This is the first book I have read by Ms. Grace and I am quite sure it won't be the last.

[bookbeat · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Samantha Wilde, an Atlanta police detective, has become involved with Dr. Quinn Braddock who has his own secrets and shares very little personal information with her. When his ex-wife is murdered and the police question Quinn, Samantha allows doubt to creep in, destroying their relationship. Devastated, Sam leaves the Atlanta police force and moves back to Midnight, Alabama to work with the new security agency she and her sisters have opened. When Quinn learns that Samantha worked day and night to prove his innocence, he regrets how he treated her and goes to Midnight to try and make things right. Little does he know that the evil has followed them both to Midnight. Once again, Ella Grace has a winner with her second installment in the Wildefire series. I just hope Sabrina’s book will be out soon!

[darkand27 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is the second installment in the Wildefire series and it was just as fantastic as the first book. This time around, we get Samantha and Quinn's story. As with the first book, I couldn't stop reading until the wee hours of the morning. The mystery definitely kept me guessing (I didn't figure it out until close to the end) and the sex was scorching hot! The small town southern flavor makes this a delicious offering to the table of romantic suspense. I enjoyed seeing Savvy and Zach again as well as Aunt Gibby, Inez Peebles, & Faye. I can't wait to read the next installment which I'm hoping will be Sabrina & possibly Ian's story. I would also love to hear more about Logan and Brody who seem to be clamoring for their own stories to be told. I guess I'll be throwing a penny into the beautiful mimosa-tree fountain in downtown Midnight to wish for just that.I received this book from the publisher and the Early Reviewers Program on Library Thing. No compensation for my review was given.

[carrielynn819-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

An ARC was given in exchange for an unbiased review.


I have actually read the first book in this series. Just like the first book, the story had depth and mystery. I enjoyed taking the journey of
solving the mystery with the main characters [even though I figured it out shortly before the author revealed].

Both the hero and herione were likeable. The author has written these characters with depth ant made them seem more real and able to give us readers insight into individual personalities.

The story has severals layers portrayed, but that did not overshadow the storyline or detract from characters. I'm sure more will come to light in the next book.

And let's not forget the hot sexin' that happens.

4 stars.

Looking forward to Sabrina's story.

[snarkymom · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

MIDNIGHT TALES – TAKE TWOEditI was offered a chance to read & review “Midnight Lies” – which is the middle book of a trilogy. Repeat after me… MUST. READ. IN. ORDER. I figured I’d pick up a copy of “Midnight Secrets”, the first book – and BOY OH BOY (should I add a 3rd BOY there since I have three boys??) am I glad I did! Now I just can’t wait for the final book – which is going to kill me, because while Midnight Secrets has been out since April, Midnight Lies doesn’t publish until September 24th… which means I probably have quite a wait to finish this series. Dammit.First off – Ella Grace is a pen name for writer Christy Reece, who is an awesome romantic suspense writer. While the Midnight Tales / Wildefire Series is ALSO romantic suspense, Christy/Ella decided to separate the Wildefire series from her others since they were “different”. Basically I have found that ANYTHING written by her, under ANY name, is a sure-fire winner!Both books are around 450 pages, and since they are published by Random House, they are hyper-priced at $7.99. Midnight Lies is $7.19 in paperback, and you can purchase Midnight Secrets in an used format for even less. Unless you are irrevocably tied to your e-reader… this would be a good instance to go for the cheaper option. (At some point we e-reading folks can only hope that these publishers will start to understand that the concept of being paperless should be LESS EXPENSIVE. But again, what do I know? I’m not in the publishing industry. I’m just a Mom .)“MIDNIGHT LIES” is second in the Wildefire series, which features triplet sisters whose lives have been shaped by their parents’ murder/suicide when they were ten years old. This book is available for pr-eorder and releases on September 24th. The good news is that this is a great book. The bad news? The third one isn’t coming out, too! Oh, and let’s just be honest – LOOK AT THE COVER. It’s worth the purchase price alone! Yum!Samantha has fallen in love with an ER doctor, Quinn – who told her from the beginning that he did not want a permanent relationship. He’s accused of murdering his ex-wife and in a moment of hesitation, realizes that Samantha has some doubts as to his innocence. What follows is a heart-wrenching story of realigning expectations and going after what you want – even if it doesn’t want you. Like Midnight Secrets, there is a “mystery” involved regarding the murder of Quinn’s ex-wife (& some subsequent murders) and we get caught up with Savannah and Zach, along with Sabrina (the third sister)… along with the quirky characters that live in Midnight (garlic, anyone??).While this is the second book in a series, it can be read as a standalone without too much confusion. However, I have to admit that I figured out “whodunnit” pretty early on. Skill? The Man would tell you NOT because he is often irritated by that habit of mine, but hey – he still loves me. Again, I would say that there is something weird about the fact that Random House has the digital issue priced HIGHER than the paperback. If you’d like a chance to sell back the book – buy it in print. (Then apologize to a tree.) But this is a DEFINITE THUMBS UP!!