Hard one to score, so I’m going for the middle. I loved Georgie as a character and wanted to root for her and her son Sam as some mysterious threat closes in around them. The mystery is detailed and kept me guessing as to how it would turn out. I also appreciated that there’s no x-rated cussing. However, I also had a lot of objections too.

18+ only

First off, it’s from a supposedly Christian publisher, but it contains three sex scenes (one pretty explicit about them doing it in an alley against a wall…) Yes, we know married folks have sex but we absolutely don’t need to be in the room with them when they do it, and we don’t need to enter the shower with them either.

Second, there was zero faith. The son has some mention of bedtime prayers, but they don’t go to church and there’s no turning to God in any way for hope or wisdom during repeated serious life crises. But we know about a former neighbor’s devout Tibetan Buddhist decor and we hear about the Iraqis being depended on for compass direction in their daily prayer life. Why is a woman in serious crisis NOT looking for some sort of faith connection? When literally everyone in her life has betrayed her in some form or fashion?

Last, the story is very dark in many ways. So little hope, so many murders, so much death and loss and betrayal. It even ends on Halloween with Dracula and Elvira costumes taking a hand in a crumbling bungalow scene in the very nail-biting ending showdown.

So—brilliant concept, fast-paced plot, and sympathetic lead; but so much missed opportunity for any sort of spiritual message, and a depressing air about the whole story.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free reading copy. A favorable review was not required. This review is based on a final published copy.

2.5
Missing stars for the thumb's width of emotional range, but gets a whole star back for being mercifully brief.

Stories don’t have to be explicitly Christian to be both entertaining and valuable to Christians. Stories are about life, and as Christians, we should be constantly entering into the conversations about life – and seeing what God is doing in those spaces. But even though State of Lies isn’t necessarily written for the Christian market, you can rest assured that the content is clean. Tough, but clean.

I loved our protagonist, Georgie. I love that she is a genius – literally – and yet dealing with all these things that are way outside her expertise. She’s a quantum physicist dealing with parenting, losing a husband, intrigue, and conspiracy. It was fun to get inside her head.
As suspense, this book hit the nail on the head. I was “suspended,” haha. There were so many twists and turns that I didn’t expect, and the ending? Wow. I’m being super vague right now because I’m avoiding spoilers. You’ll get a better idea from the synopsis below. But if you like suspense, you have to read this book.

To feel how Georgie must have felt throughout this story (and you could feel it)…it was something completely out of my experience. And yet the feelings of fear, betrayal, wondering if you can trust again…these are things we can all identify with. As I’m reflecting now, I keep asking, “how would I serve a friend in that situation?” How can we “be Jesus” to friends and family members that are experiencing loss or betrayal?

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

A suspenseful thriller you will not be able to put down until the very end. State of Lies has enough twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat! Great story and I can't wait to read more by this author.

Amazing suspense that will keep you turning the pages if you dare to stop biting your nails. Hooked to the very end!

A twisted mystery full of new turns you never see coming. Georgies life is anything but simple, but how complicated it truly can be,I never saw coming. This was a novel I couldn’t put down & that I didn’t preemptively figure out mid way through. This is a great read for a true mystery fan.

Georgie's husband has died, and she has to deal with the loss, as well as trying to raise their young son. Nothing is as it seems, from the very beginning of the book, and entertaining until the very end. Highly recommended.
TB

A masterfully written domestic suspense novel!

I love the main character! Georgia Brennan is totally bombarded with heart stopping, terrifying information. I don’t know how she managed to hold it all together. As the story progresses and each tidbit is revealed it only brings up more questions about what is true, and who can be trusted.

I was completely sucked in and stayed up way later than I should have for two nights in a row. I don’t know how much of this book should be considered suspense and how much is psychological thriller. It is completely filled with incredibly well crafted twists and turns.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All of the opinions expressed are my own.

State of Lies by Siri Mitchell is a captivating read. I have read other historical fiction works from this author and I was intrigued to read a contemporary mystery from her. This novel was so beautifully written. There were so many twists and turns. This is a must read for anyone who loves a great mystery. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

Normally, this author writes riveting historical fiction books. I was thrilled to see a suspense book come from her. It always makes me excited to see an author switch genres. This book is NON STOP action. You will want to make sure that you have a lot of time to read this book - for you will NOT want to put it down. In this book we meet Georgie. She has become a single mother after her husband is killed in a car accident. Now Georgie is a physist, and after some things don't add up after her husband's death - she looks further into his death. Layers of who she thought her husband was, and what happened come peeling back. Can she find out what happened without endangerng herself or her son? You will have to read it to find out. The author has well written characters, an intense intriguing storyline and so much more.

I received a copy of this book through Celebrate Lit blogging program. All thoughts are my own

Thrillers and suspense novels are my go-to reads these days, and I definitely enjoy a good one involving spies, espionage, and so much danger that you don’t know who you can trust. State of Lies definitely has all of that covered and more.

Georgie is a brilliant scientist, but she is a bit too trusting of those closest to her. When her husband suddenly dies, she’s left to deal with being a single mother to a 5-year-old son who adored his father. But she’s also very much under the thumb of her parents: former beauty queen but still charitable and social media darling/southern belle mother and her war hero/soon-to-be US Secretary of Defense father.

Something is nagging her about the “accidental” nature of her husband’s death, and once Georgie starts looking at the clues of what he was working on right before he died, she grows suspicious. Did what he uncover put him in the crosshairs of some very dangerous enemies, and are they closer to home than she realizes?

I loved Georgie’s intellect and resourcefulness, and I could totally connect with the government shutdown aspect of the story since I lived through it earlier this year—although I was one of the excepted employees that worked during it and was paid later instead of being furloughed completely. She was very loyal to her family and friends, and that loyalty led to some very dangerous times during the book. As Georgie uncovered the things that led to her husband Sean’s death and an even bigger hidden scandal that could rock the top levels of government, her world grew smaller and smaller as she found that she couldn’t trust anyone.

I give State of Lies a 4.5 out of 5. This was highly enjoyable, definitely a page turner. I will definitely read more from this author. Siri Mitchell gives a realistic look at the modern day workings of Washington DC, all while writing a fast paced, well-plotted suspense. I really enjoy books where you really don’t know who the bad guy is for a portion of the book, and this one kept me guessing.

Wow! That was a roller coaster ride. I believe this is the first book I've read by Siri Mitchell. It does keep you on your toes. It was "clean" so no language or anything questionable that stood out. I thought this was a Christian book but there was not one thing I could recall that would indicate that it was faith based.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley on behalf of the Publisher and was under no obligation to post a favorable review.

I haven't read a book by Siri Mitchell in quite some time, but she is on my favorite list for a reason. This book did not disappoint. I was hooked from the start and eager to solve the mysteries. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

An unexpected genre by Siri Mitchell...beautifully written w/ just the right number of twists and turns...Another masterpiece. Five Stars!!!

A fun read that never seemed to go the way I thought it would. I recommend this book to any and all who like a fast paced book that will keep you guessing the whole way.

Who can you trust?? Georgie has to figure that out. This was a brilliant thriller that kept me guessing until the end.
Many thanks to Thomas Nelson Fiction and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Georgie's husband is dead, or is he? He's dead, it happened, no move on. Sure, except when things don't line up. Who's playing head games with her? Or could Sean be... alive? Georgie is a physicist so she isn't a woman prone to flights fancy. However, she can't ignore this. What has happened, who is lying to her and why? I found this novel to be a fast read, with neat little short chapters. It kept me motivated to reach the answers to the many burning questions. It's a bit more of a cross-over novel, less faith-based, so that could make it perfect for getting a new person into Christian Fiction. Now, you could argue that this kind of story has been done over and over, but I think that this book was still interesting.

Celebrate Lit provided me with this copy. My review is left freely and contains my thoughts and opinions of this book.

This was an unexpected surprise. It was really fun because I used to live in the area that the story took place so I could really put myself right in the action. It was nice to see a suspense/thriller that captured all the intensity and intrigue without all the violence and gore that tag along in similar plots. The plot was a page turner that had elements of politics which is always interesting. There was such a pull to the novel that you didn’t want to let go. There are twists and turns and surprises that unravel that make the story a must read. Despite this being categorized as Christian suspense, I believe this can be read by all who love suspense and thrillers, especially those who want a great suspense without all the cringe moments. Well written, interesting characters within a page turning plot, I’d recommend checking this one out.

STATE OF LIES is one of those books that grabs the reader from the beginning and continues to pull them in as the climax builds towards the end. Full of political intrigue, conspiracy, and danger as the heroine finds herself in the middle of a plot against the country she loves and those dearest to her. Suspense fans will find much to love here!

Don't start this book right before bed. I did and then couldn't put it down because I just had to know what would happen. It's quite a bit of an emotional roller-coaster. Be prepared fro some good twists and turns as the story unfold. I immediately related to the protagonist, Georgie, who has been dealt quite a blow and is trying to keep her life on track and care for her son. I appreciated how the author left clues and bread crumbs here and there. Some were fairly easy and the heroine took a bit to catch on, but others were a little more difficult. Reading as she struggled with loss and finding not all is as it appears, was rough. Towards the end I literally did not trust anyone except for one person. Happily, in the end, I was wrong about a few people and right about others.

I have just a few minor issues with the story. I felt like the situation was fairly complex and the storyline didn't always support it since there was really a lot going on and, as a reader, we're only getting one part of it through Georgie's eyes. I'm curious if there will be additional books about the other two situations or the fall-out that has to follow this story. My other issue is that the scenes between Georgie and her husband were perhaps a little more detailed than I expected and it surprised me. It means that I can't give this one to my teen daughter to read.

In the end, was it what I wished for? I really enjoyed this story. It kept a constant undertone of suspense and danger, had a likable heroine to cheer on, a touch of romance, and a story that will hold readers' attentions from beginning to end.

Content: Some fade-to-black love scenes between a married couple, violence.
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Celebrate Lit Publicity, which did not require a positive review nor affect it in any way.