Member Reviews
Only a 2 star review for this title from me. I didn't really enjoy the book as I struggled to like any of the characters in the story. I therefor found it really difficult to get into the book and sadly didn't find it entertaining enough to finish. The style of writing was professional and the plot had potential thus my 2 star review. Others might find it entertaining but it was a no from me.
Thank you to the publishers for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Tell Her No Lies is a great Christian suspense that is complicated and multi-layered. Nina Fischer lives at her family home where she has her own apartment on the third floor. She has a photojournalist background and carries her camera everywhere. She has a trust issue and the camera helps. Nina and her friend Aaron are putting together a photo/video exhibit and the deadline is coming up. Working on the project late one night in her darkroom, she becomes hungry and travels downstairs to get a snack in the kitchen only to hear a noise in her father's study. Her father's body is on the floor. She tries CPR but he is gone. Police detective King of the San Antonio Police Department takes her in for questioning. Her dad is a judge, an important man. Her friend, Rick, a civil law attorney can't represent her but his firm calls someone for her. Nina is let go and then the rest of her family is questioned. Her family is an odd group. Nina and her sister Jan are really the nieces of her dad and mom. Her dad's sister is a druggie and alcoholic who left the girls in a tent city in Florida when they were young and they were put in the foster system, only to be rescued by her uncle and aunt, who raised them. Her aunt, whom she calls Grace, is a romance author and travels frequently. Her parents have a son, Trevor, who is a college professor. Jan is a sniper in the Army and her husband is in the Army. They have a seven year old daughter that lives in the Fischer home. This is a strange household but it seems to work for them. Their dad always expects the best from them and he gives the best. He is a fair judge, a Christian man, always doing the right thing. Or is he? Why would someone want to kill a beloved judge?
As Aaron and Nina investigate who might have killed her dad, they find out that things are not always how they seem. People are not who they appear to be. People start to die as Aaron and Nina talk to them. On the other hand, Rick is possessive of Nina. He is trying to get into politics and thinks that Nina would be a great wife for him. He does love her but he loves himself more. Aaron and Nina are close but have not taken a step beyond friends. The two guys are jealous of each other. There is friction everywhere. Nina is attacked and Detective King tries to get her to stay out of the investigation but she thinks that she is protecting her family.
This is a wild ride with corruption, greed, hurt and surprises. Aaron helps Nina see that she can trust God when others have caused her pain and grief. Nina has to forgive others in order to move forward in her life. Great suspense!
I received a complimentary ARC from Thomas Nelson Publishing through NetGalley. The thoughts and opinions stated are mine only.
I was very excited to read this book by Kelly Irvin. I love her Amish fiction novels and was curious to see how this one would be! I was not disappointed. "Tell Her No Lies" is an exciting story with some good twists and turns to keep you wondering what is going to happen next.
In the story, Nina is the only other person home when her adopted father, a local judge, is murdered in his study. Not only does she find his body, but she has to deal with the aftermath and telling the family. Then, to make it even more devastating, she is a suspect in the police investigation. While trying to clear her name, she discovers that he was not all he claimed to be. Her upright, outstanding father had some issues that he was hiding from his family, including a gambling problem. While trying to save his reputation but still clear her name, she finds herself continually in danger. With the help of her friend Aaron, who has loved her for years, and Rick,who has been her support for even longer, she must find her way through the muddle and deceit that was left behind. But, can she trust the men who are helping her if she can't even trust her father. And, more importantly, how can she learn to trust God?
I thought this was a great story. I am excited to see what else Irvin comes up with!
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley. All opinions are my own!
Lots of dead bodies show up in this mystery/thriller. Nina searching for answers after finding her father murdered is understandable but not be truthful with the police made things harder. There are lots of twists and turns along the way to finding the murderer. I really liked Aaron as he tried to walk his Christian faith. Enjoyable read! Recommended!
Nina has found her father dead in his study. She is accused of his murder. With the help of the two most important men in her life can she figure out who the killer is. Both men love Nina but they have different reasons why. This was a good book. I was intrigued the whole time trying to figure and who and and why.
Nina develops and takes photos; also working at the homeless shelter in town. She is involved with both Aaron and Rick - but to what extent? Even Nina is confused.
Nina goes downstairs for a snack in the late night and she hears her adoptive father, "Nina, help me." His pajamas were stained red and he was in terrible shape. Nina calls 911 and administers CPR. It is too late. She calls her best friend, Aaron, to come over since she is alone in the house. Nina's adoptive father was a district judge...Although Judge Fisher had money, he was tight with it. Actually, the judge and his wife, Grace, were Nina's ( and her sister, Jan's), biological aunt and uncle. Rick is woken up by his dodgy boss, Peter, to find all of this out yet he takes a bit of time to get ready -but - he truly loves Nina.
Now arrives Detective King. He is tough and relentless with Nina. After all, she was the only other person in the house when her father died, she stood to inherit, and there was no forced entry. Grace tells Nina that her father had another life. That when he was "hunting with his buddies" he actually was at his Las Vegas condo gambling away. He never told Grace. However, Grace was a successful novelist who made a great deal of money, herself, so it went unnoticed for a while. Grace did file for divorce a bit ago. Nina's sister,Jan, shows up - King interrogates her. Well, she has been in the armed forces for 7 years as a sniper...
Melanie, the reporter that Aaron does camera work for, tells him that she thinks that the judge's death is job-related. Meanwhile, Nina hears noise in her father's study (a day later) and a man entirely in black punches her hard in the face more than once - again, Aaron to the rescue.
It is early in the story, yet the spoilers start coming out throughout the investigation of the judge's death. Everyone, particularly Nina, is interviewed at least twice by our friend Det. King. Events occur that the reader will find surprising! Liz, (Nina & Jan's quite estranged biological mother) appears at the judge's funeral. And the surprises and shocks keep coming....
A truly entertaining book! The characters are portrayed especially well. (Even if you do not like them all !) Many questions are answered as the story rolls out yet some are waiting at the end. I HIGHLY recommend this read for all !!!
Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a lively and fun read!
This is a book that I didn't want to put down and rarely did. When Nina's adoptive is murdered, Nina is the prime suspect since she was the only other person home at the time. We learn with Nina that her father was not the man that she believed him to be. Ryan, the boy that she grew up with, is pushing for a relationship while she still is drawn to Aaron, her best friend. Both Nina and Aaron prefer to see the world through a lens, but events don't always allow that. I received a free copy of this book from the author. This book is why I like to try a new author. This is an excellent Christian romantic suspense mystery. Since Nina is dropped in the middle of mystery, we are as well. To me, that is a sign of a good mystery. This is the first book that I read by this author. I am glad that I picked up this book and highly recommend it.
The beginning of the novel was promising, when she heard some noises in her creepy old house and found her father murdered, it was very creepy and atmospheric. However, as I read more and more of the story, I just couldn’t get into it. I really wanted to like this book, the book cover and the description really seemed up my alley, but I was left very uninvested in the whole premise and the characters. There was a romance in the mix which I enjoy, even though, I know now, this is a Christian book. Personally, I’m usually not a fan of books that talk about religion. In the end, there were some action scene that kept me going, but otherwise this book just wasn’t for me. The writing was decent, and I was happy to see the main character developed into a good person considering her upbringing.
Wow - what a great ride! This was my first book by Kelly Irvin and will not be my last. While the title and cover had drawn me, it was other advanced reviews that lead me to seek out this book for myself So glad I did!
Nina Fischer is a night owl, up late listening to music while she does work in her dark-room. And is the only other person at home when her father is murdered in his study. When she finds him, she calls the police and starts CPR, but that doesn't change the likelihood of her being a suspect in the detective's mind. When she is connected with 2 other murders in town, suspicions rise even further. Nina and the 2 guys fighting for her affection have to find a way to determine who really committed these murders and clear her name.
This story had a lot of character development and growth. It had great suspense with a lot of twists and turns. I didn't know who did it until the very end! This is considered romantic suspense, but unlike most romantic suspense where a guy and girl are thrown together in a life-threatening situation and fall in love hard and fast in a super cheesy way, the romantic elements in this book are deeper-rooted and realistic. I'm not one for romance (especially cheesy romance), but I found the romance elements of this one to be sweet.
All in all, this was an excellent book that would appeal to a broad range of audiences. With the romance element and the suspense element, it caters to both of those audiences. Though it was fast paced, it was never so intense that it would give a person nightmares. I thoroughly enjoyed the story-line and writing style. I definitely look forward to more books from this author.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
It took me awhile to care much about the main characters, but eventually I was rooting for Nina to figure things out and begin to trust.
Matthew King, the detective, was just a little too obnoxious to ring true for me.
We knew from almost the beginning who the “bad guy” was, but it took Nina way long enough to figure things out.
3.5 stars
Tell Her No Lies was a story that got better as I continued to read. The story started without much backstory and I felt like I had to try to figure out what was all going on, which was a little frustrating. Once I got further into the story, I started to really enjoy it and I liked suspense aspect as well.
Even though there was romance in Tell Her No Lies, I didn't feel like it was a main focus and maybe that is why I didn't care about the romance between certain characters.
All in all, Tell Her No Lies was a good suspense novel, but not a favorite.
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own and I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*
Kelly Irvin is a new-to-me author but this book certainly left me wanting to read more! It was fast-paced and packed with plenty of suspense from cover to cover. I liked how the romance was weaved into the story in a way that was more believable and not forced or cheesy. It didn't take me long to devour the entire book.
Confession: I am not a huge fan of Hallmark romance. It's not to say I don't watch any of the movies (especially around Christmas time), but the the truth is I prefer romance that isn't shallow or cheesy. It drives me nuts when I read a book where two people that met 10 minutes ago are already head-over-heels in love, or when the good guy rolls into town and everything is sunshine and daisies right up through them walking down the alter together (after the girl dumps her bad-guy boyfriend of course). I felt that the romance was more believable in this story. The history the characters shared added more layers to their development as individuals as well as added depth to their relationships. Their interactions breathed reality. This is the type of romance I more thoroughly enjoy.
Another thing I really liked in reading the story was that while a "bad guy" was revealed to the reader early on, Nina and the other characters were left in the dark and had to work to fit the pieces of the puzzle together. I won't share too much detail on this so that there is no spoiling, but this can be difficult to pull-off and I believe Kelly succeeded in it flawlessly. It certainly added to my emotional involvement in the story, since I was afraid of Nina ending up in dangerous situations or giving up information to the wrong side. It made reading the book go faster because I couldn't bring myself to put it down!
While this was my first book by Kelly Irvin, I'm quite positive it won't be my last. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and will certainly be looking up more by her. The story-line was believable and the pages basically turned themselves. I'd recommend this one to fans of Terri Blackstock and other romantic suspense.
*I received a free copy of this book from the author through JustRead Publicity Tours. I was not required to share a positive review. Thoughts and opinions expressed are mine alone.
Nina Fischer carries a camera wherever she goes—so she can view life through a filter. Safely. After her mother abandoned her to the streets, Nina has kept people at a distance, including her uncle, who adopted Nina and her sister. Wealthy and proud, he is a good man, a fair judge, and someone many in San Antonio admire.
But when he is murdered, and the detective assigned to the case accuses Nina of the crime, she knows she must act. She’s determined to use her journalism background to find the real killer. The two men in her life want to help, but can she trust them? She’s known Rick since they were children, but now he’s an attorney whose political aspirations seem more important than Nina’s tragic loss. And then there’s Aaron, a news videographer; using their friendship could break the biggest story of his career.
Following the evidence leads Nina on a journey of discovery into her father’s shocking masquerade as a law-abiding, family-loving Christian. Unlocking these secrets could prove fatal, but it’s the only way Nina will ever be able to trust love again.
Nina is a complex person. She has trouble trusting anyone and you better not lie to her. There is a lot of twists and turns in this book that I didn't see coming. Who killed the judge was a real surprise. I will say I didn't care for Rick from the beginning of the book. I did like Aaron. He seemed more concerned about Nina than about anyone else. If you like a good mystery, this is it.
I was given this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated in any way.
Tell Her No Lies is the first book I have read by Kelly Irvin and I firstly want to say how pleased I am that she has attained her dream, as she mentions in her note at the end of the.book, of publishing suspense.
I have read lots of psychological thrillers, suspense, crime, and mystery books. This kept my interest throughout and it was so refreshing to read a book which did not contain swearing to distract and stunt my reading.
I look forward to other suspence books by Kelly Irvin.
Being a Christian I was keen to see in what ways a book marketed as Christian genre differs from mainstream or general adult fiction. I was pleased to find that Kelly Irvin in a very honest and earthed way includes the thoughts many of us have about God as we search for Him, question His ways, and try ro make sense of our lives,and things that happen to us all, whether we are Christian or not.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and recommend it to others that like thrillers with twists.
This is the first book I've read by this author. When it comes to choosing a genre, suspense isn't my first choice. This story shows, how addictions of any kind, can ruin a family. Two sisters, raised by an aunt and uncle, a homeless mother with an addiction. Tragedy strikes when Nina finds her uncle has been murdered and she is the prime suspect. This book has quite a few characters and a lot going on, which makes for an interesting plot line.
Thanks NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for an advanced reading copy.
Even the most admired families have secrets to hide . . . Unlocking these secrets could prove fatal, but it’s the only way Nina will ever be able to trust love again.
As children, Nina Fischer and her sister were adopted by their estranged uncle after their mother went to prison for dealing drugs. One night, Nina finds her father Geoffrey Fischer murdered in his study and has to prove her innocence since they were the only ones at home. While cleaning out her father’s things, she stumbles upon a box of old letters and photos revealing secrets Geoffrey worked so hard to stay hidden. When her biological mother shows up at her father’s funeral and asks to be welcomed back in the family, Nina is more than determined to find out the truth about her past.
In this Christan based thriller you will read about love, secrets, and murder. It's filled with action and romance, along with several twists.
Thanks to #NetGalley for this ARC of #TellHerNoLies
Pub Date: 13 Nov 2018
I got about 40% of the way through the book and by that time I just felt it wasn't going to improve much more, which is sad to say. The characters just didn't seem finished and neither did the background as a whole. Backstories weren't cohesive and I agree with some of the other lower star reviewers who said that everything just felt disjointed because it did. The way the character speak just isn't how normal people talk at all. The writing came across more like a script to a TV show than a well developed book. I couldn't sympathize or relate to any of the characters, and most of them actually annoyed me. Plus, the religious elements felt more like plug-ins then actually being worked in in a way that made cohesive sense. It's sad because I'm always happy to see more Christian authors writing something that isn't a strictly romance novel but even the romance in this book fell short. If Aaron was such a Christian man all along he wouldn't have been dating around while he was supposedly so in love with Nina the whole time, that's not right. And the whole story of Nina's sister being so committed to the military, to the expense of her young daughter and her relationship with her husband just didn't sit well with me. Maybe it would've improved later, but the pacing and way the book sort of stuttered through the plot didn't make me want to keep reading. There's a good story potential to this book, I just wish it hadn't turned out the way it did.
2.5 stars
The story focuses on Nina Fischer, who was adopted years ago by her uncle. She finds him murdered in their house, and in trying to figure out who is responsible for his death, Nina uncovers some of her uncle’s secrets.
Irvin is best known for her Amish-themed novels, but this one is a romantic suspense. There are a number of characters, and it sometimes felt like there were too many. Nina is fully developed, but that isn’t the case with some of the other characters. While enjoyable, the story could have been a bit better, and tighter, with a few less characters to follow. There were enough twists to keep a reader engaged and guessing for a good part of the story. I would’ve enjoyed a bit faster pace, particularly as this is a romantic suspense, but the pace was steady, in general. It’s not my favorite Irvin book, but it was an okay read overall.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley, but I wasn’t required to leave a positive review.
This was a new to me author and I'm so glad I read this one! I felt like this was a nice new voice for romantic suspense. It was also a good opportunity to remind readers that addictions come in many forms and with many consequences. I always appreciate when a book has a message that goes a little deeper.
I did feel like there were a lot of characters to keep track of in this story. It wasn't terrible, but I think if Irvin had added even one more name I might have lost track. I also felt like King got a really bad rap in the book. I know that was the intent, but that is to say, I guess I felt bad for him.
My favorite character was definitely Aaron. He had his faults and he wasn't perfect, but I did really like him. I also loved the opening scene with Nina in her darkroom. I took photography in high school and it was always such a joy to watch a picture develop and it brought back good memories!
Overall this was a great book. It was a unique storyline and had a good message. It wasn't overtly Christian other than a few prayers. Honestly, I wouldn't have complained if it had had more of a spiritual theme. I felt like the characters could have relied more on God than themselves and each other and it would have made me love the book.
I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. This is my honest review.
Thank you NetGalley, Kelly Irvin and Thomas Nelson for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.
Nina and her sister were plucked from their absentee mother at a very early age and were placed with their well off aunt and uncle, who were like parents to them. Nina loves her adopted father, even if he doesn’t support her career choices. One night, while getting ready for a show, Nina hears something downstairs and investigates only to find her father dead on the floor and she is the only one in the house. She becomes the prime suspect and the two other men in her life try to help her, but for their own very different reasons. Which one can she trust? While cleaning out her father’s things, she finds letters from her biological mom and realizes that there was more to her father’s life than he let on. Suddenly everyone around Nina starts to die and she knows she has to find out who is calling the shots.
I felt like I was just dropped right into this novel and I didn’t enjoy that because I didn’t feel like I knew what was going on at all. I was thrown off by the beginning and really didn’t feel like I got my bearings at any point during this novel. I unfortunately didn’t feel like I could connect to any of the characters and found that the novel was too confusing for me to full understand what was going on. I enjoyed some of Nina and Aaron’s relationship and the ending of the novel, but otherwise I didn’t understand most of the characters choices and felt like the book was just not for me.
The writing was good and if I could have connected with the characters, I feel like this would have been a great novel. There was just a lot going on and I felt myself getting confused and having to go back and reread parts of the novel. The ending though was a surprise to me and I enjoyed the last 10% of the novel much more than the rest of the book. I also really enjoyed Nina’s ex-boyfriend Rick because I love a character that we can hate and not feel bad about it. Overall, I didn’t enjoy the entire novel but parts of it were superb.