Lie to Her

Written by Melinda Leigh

Narrated by Christina Traister

Lies from the heart lead to a dangerously intimate case for Sheriff Bree Taggert in #1 Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh’s novel of revenge and fatal deceptions.

When a digital marketer is found murdered in his backyard—hands bound and face smothered by plastic wrap—Sheriff Bree Taggert and criminal investigator Matt Flynn respond to the call. Their investigation focuses on the man’s dating-app profile and the word liar carved into his forehead.

One day later, the killer strikes again.

Both victims are players in the internet dating scene. In their wake, they leave a trail of hurt—and angry—women. But Bree and Matt aren’t convinced the motive is as simple as it appears. Everyone they interview seems to be lying or hiding something.

As the list of suspects grows, the killer’s rage escalates, and he leaves a personal and deadly warning for Bree. They must act fast. Because someone Bree loves is targeted as the next to die.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio
• Release date: Jan 17, 2023
• ISBN: 9781713607953

Melinda Leigh

#1 Amazon Charts and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melinda Leigh is a fully recovered banker. After joining Romance Writers of America, she decided writing was more fun than analyzing financial statements. Melinda’s debut novel, She Can Run, was nominated for Best First Novel by the International Thriller Writers. She’s also garnered Golden Leaf and Silver Falchion Awards, along with two nominations for a RITA and three Daphne du Maurier Awards. Her other novels include She Can Tell, She Can Scream, She Can Hide, She Can Kill, Midnight Exposure, Midnight Sacrifice, Midnight Betrayal, Midnight Obsession, Hour of Need, Minutes to Kill, Seconds to Live, Say You’re Sorry, Her Last Goodbye, Bones Don’t Lie, What I’ve Done, Secrets Never Die, and Save Your Breath. She holds a second-degree black belt in Kenpo karate, has taught women’s self-defense, and lives in a messy house with her family and a small herd of rescue pets. For more information, visit www.melindaleigh.com.

Reviews for Lie to Her

[hcnewton · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.---WHAT'S LIE TO HER ABOUT?The first crime scene Bree and her department are called to in this book centers around a man incapacitated by a stun gun and then had his head wrapped in a thick layer of plastic wrap to smother him. If that image doesn't stick in your head for a while, you probably didn't pay attention. During the autopsy, when the wrap is removed, it's revealed that the word "Liar" had been carved into his forehead.The rest of the crime scene was clean, leading Bree and Matt to conclude that this was a well-planned as well as very personal crime. The question is, was this enough for the killer? Or did they have a list of victims?Sadly, it seems to be a list—another victim is discovered soon after. It doesn't take the Sheriff's Department long to focus on the dating app usage of both men and the women in common from their history.It then becomes a race against time as the killer may have other targets—and they just might have added Bree to their list.CHIEF DEPUTY TODD HARVEYI've had a section with this title for a few books now, and I might be on the verge of dropping it. Leigh's starting to do right by Harvey! Sure, he had to go through some trauma in Dead Against Her to get to this point, but he's coming back from it (it seems Bree's having a harder time with it than Todd is).Yes, he is still largely there to serve as a conduit for exposition—but in this novel he had both an independent personal story, and conducted part of the investigation on his own, trusting his gut and skills. It's satisfying to see.THE TIME FRAMEWe're told (repeatedly) over the course of this book that it's been almost a year since the murder of Bree's sister, bringing her to town and to her new career as Sherriff.It's only been a year? That's a lot of serial killers, multiple murderers, and so on for one smaller community. Not to mention all the havoc wreaked on the lives of the county as a whole. But if you just focus on what's happened to Bree's family and close associates? It's a testimony to her that anyone's still around her (multiple kidnappings, serious wounds, assaults, and attempted murders).Hopefully, things slow down for them (in series-time, not in the release of books).SO, WHAT DID I THINK ABOUT LIE TO HER?So, what did I think about Lie to Her?Like with many police procedurals (or mystery novels in general), our main characters spend a lot of time pursuing dead ends. The reader isn't given the killer's identity here like it so often happens, but most readers will be able to tell that's what is going on. By the time that Bree, Matt, and Todd are convinced it's X and head out to make an arrest, the reader will likely have figured it out, though, and know they're wrong—if only because of how many pages are left. Minor spoiler: Leigh gets our heroes on the right track much quicker than I expected, though.I mention that because I didn't spend as much time being frustrated with our investigators as I so often get—they're pursuing the leads they have in a way that makes sense, and it's not the case (for most of the novel) that the reader has more information, either. Leigh keeps the story moving at a good enough pace that the reader stays engaged while knowing that the wrong target is being chased.The mystery itself was pretty satisfying, with a good motive and an interesting plan for the killer. The observations about the motive and method after the killer is stopped helped justify some of the story choices.The personal storylines were just as satisfying—nothing exciting, just good and steady development.The Bree Taggert series continues to be a reliable procedural and one I think mystery fans will appreciate. Lie to Her works as a jumping-on point for those who don't feel compelled to start at the beginning (as do any of the novels in the series), and I'd recommend giving this a shot if you haven't tried the series yet.

[jmoura01 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Sheriff Bree Taggart and her love interest, criminal investigator Matt Flynn are on the hunt for a killer who’s struck twice within two days. This is book #6 in the series about Sheriff Bree Taggart. It’s the first one I’ve read, though, and I think that’s a good thing. I normally try to avoid getting into any series that consists of more than 3 books. But I enjoyed getting to know Sheriff Taggart and her family and now I do want to read the series from the beginning. This was a good, suspenseful story. It pulled me in from the start and kept my interest throughout. The pace and tension increased toward the end to the point where I couldn’t put it down. Thanks to Montlake and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. #LietoHer #NetGalley.

[inishowen_cailin · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A fast-paced mystery that kept me guessing. I thought I had a good idea of what to expect from this suspenseful thriller but the author teased me with twists that surprised me. The tension levels and suspense are high, particularly in the book's final quarter when the lives of characters I didn't want anything to happen to were in danger.I have to admit I didn't have an awful lot of sympathy for the male victims at the beginning of the book and it wouldn't have been too much for me if the author had decided to do away with a few more like them. Although, maybe resorting to murder is slightly overstepping the mark but hey, that's the joy of fiction. Bree and Matt are much more professional in their outlook and waste no time looking for evidence, motive and suspects. And there are plenty to choose from. The victims have left a string of angry women behind who feel used and discarded so it's no surprise that they are some of many on the suspect list.I have read a few of the books in this series but each one is easily enjoyed as a standalone. If you like mysteries and thrillers with more emphasis on solving crime than romance then you will enjoy this series. There is a romantic element but it's in the background and very low-key.

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The sixth Bree Taggert mystery is centered around on-line dating. The first victim is a man who was a serial dater, He was found in his home with his wrists and ankles zip tied, with plastic wrap all around his head, and the word liar carved into his forehead.The next day there is a second victim who was also zip tied, wrapped in plastic wrap, and with the word cheater carved into his forehead.Bree and her boyfriend/chief investigator Matt are soon deep into investigating the various dating apps and women who dated both men. And it seems that everyone is lying. Meanwhile, the killer has his own plans for a victim who lies close to Bree's heart.I enjoyed this police procedural. I also liked seeing the relationship with Bree and Matt deepening. Bree has changed so much since she came home to solve her sister's murder and became the instant mother to her sister's two children. She is learning to let people into her life.