would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book

a young toddler out in the middle of the night barely any clothes on riding his little scooter in the dead of winter....

then a suicide
with the bodies starting to pile up can the police sort out the mysteries surrounding what the motives are

a pleasant read and i really liked some of the characters in this book, though i struggled with some of the place names as i dont really know that part of the world very well...

Lies Come Easy is a solid mystery with a look into local New Mexican culture. This was my first Steven Havill book and it definitely won’t be my last. Lots of intrigue and twist with interesting, complex characters.

Many thanks to Netgalley,, Poisoned Pen Press and Steven Havill for my complimentary e-copy ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

First let me say, this series of books would make an excellent television series. The characters are already so real to life that I'm sure there could be a HUGE online discussion on who could play each of the characters. I had never read any of this series before and didn't realize that I was reading book #23 until I started it. It didn't matter. There were a few areas where knowing the backstory might have helped but as a stand alone book, this one definitely would make readers happy.
Posada County is located on the New Mexico border with Mexico. The characters are a blend of ages, nationality, characteristics and everything else you would find in a border town community, again, very realistic. The law is enforced by the Posada County Sheriff's office, the National Forest Rangers, New Mexico State Troopers and FBI. These agencies must all work together to insure the safety and solve crimes. The story line gives many examples of how a small law enforcement agency operates to get the job done. While this is a murder mystery, it's much more about the people who live and work in Posada County.
The first crime in this book is one you'd see in the newspaper headlines. A Deputy Sheriff picks up a 2 year old little boy who is riding his scooter in the snow on the side of a busy highway. After a short while, they discover the boy's father put him out on the road because he was noisy. REALLY! This serves to introduce you to several of the characters who will to the rest of the book. There are many side stories that eventually blend together to become one that will keep you guessing for quite awhile.

The upside to this book is I now have 22 more books on my TBR pile.

Another great story in this series.

This is the 23rd in this series, and it shows no signs of deteriorating. I reviewed number 21 in the series, somehow managed to miss number 22 but this did not detract from this book.

As always there is a murder, or in this case 3 murders for Undersheriff Estelle Reyes Guzman to investigate with various other members of the Posadas Force to assist and despite being 84 now one of the original characters, Bill Gastner, the ex-sheriff is still on hand to give valuable advice.

The story begins when a young child is found wandering along a road late at night by one of the police. It turns out that he is the son of Danny Fisher who has been visiting his brother Al and had turned the little boy out on the road because he was making too much noise. His wife Penny, who works nights, is absolutely furious at him and we discover that they have a very volatile marriage. The next day Danny is found in his truck having apparently committed suicide but has he?

In what appears to be an unrelated matter a Forest Ranger, Myron Fitzwater has been reported missing when his truck is found deserted in the middle of the forest. However, it turns out that his girlfriend, Connie, lives in the small community of Regal as do the Fishers and when she is also found dead, again a potential suicide, the cases become linked.

The case is solved by our heroine Estelle and as in the previous book that I read in this series I was able to work out what had happened quite quickly. However, to a certain extent, the actual murders are not the main focus in this series.

For me, it is the description of this little area near the Mexican border, the people who inhabit it and the amazing landscapes that Mr Havill describes that makes these books so enjoyable. Each book builds up a little more detail about the main characters and their personal lives apart from their work. This was the first time I had been introduced to Estelle’s physician husband and her two sons. Her eldest son is an accomplished musician, and his girlfriend has just become pregnant. We also meet her youngest son and his girlfriend and the book sets the scene for future books. The author leaves us looking forward to the next book in the series, not so much for the murder that will be committed but more to find out more about the inhabitants of Posadas.

Dexter

Breakaway Reviewers received a copy of the book to review

This is the 13th (or strangely, according to one source the 23rd) installment of the Posada County Mysteries, and I probably would have enjoyed it more if I'd read the previous entries and had a connection with the characters. Lies Come Easy does function as a stand-alone, however, with the plot contained within the pages of the book, but I suspect that many fans of the series have developed a relationship with the characters. I know I feel that way about quite a few of my favorite series.

A short-staffed Sheriff's Department, a toddler left on a highway in frigid weather, a murder or two, an interesting setting near the border of New Mexico.

Read in August. Blog review scheduled for Nov. 19.

NetGalley/Poisoned Pen Press
Mystery. Nov. 20, 2018.

I can't believe how many of these Posadas County mysteries there are- and I've read every one! Don't worry if you haven't read any of them- you'll quickly find yourself immersed in the story of murder and mystery in a small town. Estelle is a terrific character. She's tough when she needs to be and sympathetic at other times. She's always smart. In this case, the discovery of a small boy walking alone on a snowy road leads to a cascade of other bodies. Is there a suicide? There's definitely a murder and there's definitely a missing man. Things are linked but how? Havill does an especially nice job with the little touches on his characters as even the minor ones are distinct. Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. Highly recommend this quick entertaining read that had even this veteran of the genre trying to work out the solution.

Three days before Christmas, Posadas County, NM Undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman receives a call from one of her deputies. A toddler was found walking with his bicycle on the side of the road wearing only a t-shirt and diaper during a snowstorm. The boy's father is arrested for child endangerment but is out on bail when tragedy strikes the family again. Posadas County law enforcement is also called to help search for a missing employee of the U.S. Forest Service. Now Estelle a full workload when she'd rather be spending time with her husband and two grown sons who are home for Christmas, but she is determined to solve the crimes as well as spend quality time with her family.

"Lies Come Easy" is the 23rd Posadas County mystery. The books could be classified as procedurals, but they are so much more. I have grown to love this series and all the regular characters, especially Estelle and retired sheriff Bill Gastner. I like each of these characters individually, Estelle for her kindness and quiet leadership and Bill for his wisdom and sense of humor, but the rapport between them when they're working on a case together is magic. Although the cases in this book and how things come together are interesting, what's lacking in this book is the teamwork between Estelle and Bill. There are some wonderful moments with Bill and Estelle and her sons, but the way they used to work together when investigating a case is greatly missed. I realize Bill is older now and couldn't be climbing and hiking along with the younger officers, but I wish he could have done some brainstorming and armchair detecting to help Estelle with her investigation.

Lt. Jackie Taber plays a large role in this book working on the case and I like getting to know her better. As always, Estelle has to balance the demands of the job and her strict work ethic with spending time with her family. In the end, Estelle finds a way to do both. It was nice seeing how far both Francisco and Carlos have come in their lives and how much more they have planned. Although all the crimes were solved, the ending seemed very abrupt and at first I wondered if I was missing part of the book. In spite of the flaws, "Lies Come Easy" is a good book that is part of a great series. I always paying a visit to Posadas County and catching up with Bill and Estelle.

I received this book from NetGalley through the courtesy of Poisoned Pen Press. The book was provided to me in exchange for an honest review.

I have read every book in the series and with every new book I am once again visiting one of my favorite places - “Posadas County”. The mysteries are complex and so well thought out as Mr. Havill weaves his story. In this book, it’s a snowy night when a deputy notices a toddler riding a scooter on the side of the road. He learns that the father left the toddler along the road and this begins a series of consequences that will soon lead to at least one murder. Undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman is preparing to welcome home her sons for the holiday season and now finds herself conducting a murder investigation. Soon another murder will take place while a forest range tech is missing. Are these events connected? If so, how? The small Sheriff’s department is working overtime to investigate crimes in several areas while sifting through witness testimony. Former Sheriff Bill Gastner (who played a more prominent role in the earlier books) makes an appearance and is always available to add his words of wisdom. Mr. Havill has very cleverly “aged” the characters as they grow and evolve as the books continue but has kept the small-community flavor intact. I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to give an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

While the writing and plotting are strong, this was not my favorite installment in the Posadas County series. I have always enjoyed Undersheriff Bill Gastner and missed his sardonic voice in this book. That said, the plot was extremely strong and, even if I wasn't exactly kept guessing about whodunit, I was nonetheless compelled to keep turning the pages.

Lies come easy is a detective story set in a very small fictional town in New Mexico. It’s quite easy to read and I kept wanting to come back and continue reading. I think the story flows well and it has nice relatable characters. I liked how a series of apparently unrelated events are connected in some sort of unexpected way, but not unexpected enough that you can’t guess it or, more importantly, believe it. This is the only book I’ve read from this series and I don’t think you need to read them in order to understand this book. I do want to know more about some of the characters, so I guess I’ll have to read some of the previous ones.

I have to admit that I love books featuring strong female characters, and Estelle Reyes-Guzman knows how to do her job well. This particular book also happens to be well gender balanced.

On the down side, there are too many descriptions of vehicles for my taste. Also, I felt like there was either a chapter missing or a chapter too many.

All in all, it’s a nice enjoyable book.

I enjoyed this book quite a bit...I wish I could mark it with three and a half stars, but it just doesn’t quite make it to four stars.

This is the latest offering from a series called Posadas County Mysteries. I had not heard of them before this, but as a longtime reader of Tony Hillerman and JA Vance, I am pleased to find another series about law enforcement in the rural Southwest. And as someone who would love to move closer to family and friends in Taos, I love the New Mexico setting.

As for the story, this novel felt fairly typical for this genre; a crime occurs within Undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman’s jurisdiction, and turns into something more complicated as she begins to investigate. The story is full of details about her life and family, and the close relationships between the people who live in small town New Mexico villages.

The story was well-written and engaging—I had a hard time putting it down and finished the 264-page ebook in less than a day.

The only reason I didn’t give it four stars is that there wasn’t anything in particular that made this book stand out from other books that I have read in this genre. So it will remain in my head as a thoroughly enjoyable read by an author who has written numerous books before this. Havill will definitely become one of the authors to whom I will return over again, whenever I am feeling in need of a well-written, quick and enjoyable read.