Another excellent story in this series as Reed and Ellery work on solving a crime which can upend his entire life. These stories are gripping with twists and turns that you will never see coming. It is detailed and personal. Reed is on a search to solve his mother’s murder and hopefully find his roots. What is exposed will indeed shake his world in ways he did not see coming. It is an edge of your seat read that you will not want to put down until you get to the very last word.

Ever since I read the ending of No Mercy, I’ve been waiting for the next book in this series. FBI agent Reed Markham got some news that left us all pretty gobsmacked so if you haven’t read that one…*clears throat*…POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD. Duty done. Proceed at your peril.

When it comes to Reed’s career, he’ll probably be remembered as the man who rescued a young kidnap victim named Ellery Hathaway. But there’s another case that has always haunted him…the unsolved murder of his biological mother in 1975. It went cold decades ago but there’s been a new development. In a shocking twist, Reed recently learned the identity of his real father & he has to wonder. Is this man the killer?

It’s time to face his past. His adoptive parents are less than thrilled as Reed makes plans to return to Vegas, the scene of the crime. Now all he needs is a partner.

Ellery Hathaway endured unimaginable horrors after she was kidnapped by a psychopath as a teenager. She’s always had a strong bond with Reed & grew up to become a cop. Unfortunately, her last case resulted in her being suspended so when Reed asks her to accompany him to Vegas, she’s all in. There are a couple of good reasons to leave town. First, she has way too much time on her hands. Second, her estranged father has suddenly reappeared & wants to talk. Yup, Vegas sounds like a great idea.

And they’re off. What follows is a twisty story full of all the challenges that go with trying to solve a cold case. Digging up old dirt, tracking down those involved & connecting with local law enforcement are just some of the difficulties they face. Cooperation is hard to come by & they’re forced to get creative. Meanwhile, Reed & Ellery continue to deal with (or dodge) interference from their respective families.

There are some great new characters in this outing. But it’s the further development of a few returning characters that make things really interesting. In particular, we get to see a whole new side of Reed’s adoptive mother & I had to stop & reassess my opinion of her.

One thing I noticed was the significant amount of time spent detailing Ellery’s history. I think it’s a hard call for authors writing a series…..just how much of the past do you include in subsequent books? For readers like me who’ve been following along, it yanks you out of the present & slows the pace as it’s ground that’s already been covered extensively. It’s a matter of personal taste but the good news is you’ll have no problem picking up the overall story line if you’re jumping in here.

This is equal parts family drama & cold case mystery. The pace ramps up to a pulse pounding finish but not everything is neatly resolved. Through all the adventures & respective personal issues, Reed & Ellery continue to circle each other as they try to define their relationship. There are sparks but also some big roadblocks so it will be interesting to see where the author takes them in the next instalment.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Minotaur Books, and Joanna Schafflausen for the opportunity to read the next installment of this wonderful crime/police procedural series. I think Schafflausen is the best at giving us enough information to remember what we read in previous books yet still make a wonderful stand alone if you haven't read the others. Which you definitely should.

FBI agent Reed Markham has been haunted by who killed his biological mother. He was adopted into a wonderful family and had advantages that he never would have with his poor, single mother, yet he couldn't rest until he knew what happened to her. Finally having a window to investigate, he takes Ellery Hathaway with him to Las Vegas to see if he can find out anything about this cold case before it's put away forever. However, his investigation takes him to look at his adopted family closer and Ellery's own estranged father makes an unwanted appearance.

Enough said - these are fabulous books and I couldn't put them down. I love these characters and was so glad to get back into their world. 5 stars for a must-read series!

This is the third book in a solid series about a young woman who survived being kidnapped and tortured and is now on suspension from her job as a policewoman. This allows her the time to help the FBI agent who rescued her as he hunts for his mother's killer. Sometimes stories don't go the way a reader would prefer. The bad guy isn't who you had hoped for. The story line veers in a direction you don't like. And the main character gets involved in a horrible and unhealthy relationship. While I can enjoy a series and continue to read it even if a single story isn't a favorite, my uncomfortableness with how the characters are evolving might make it difficult to continue. However, my feeling regarding this seem to be in the minority. Read the first two and see for yourself!

All the Best Lies is the third installment in the Ellery Hathaway series and it was certainly worth the wait to dive into a new case with Officer Ellery Hathaway and FBI Agent Reed Markham.

FBI Agent Reed Markham is going to take on a case that will drudge up history that there are those who would like to stay that way. The murder of his birth mother Camilla. He’s always known that he was adopted into a loving family and that his mother died the way she did, but the case has been cold for a long time and now wants answers. He enlists the help of Ellery Hathaway once again, but with her suspension from the police force might make things a little more difficult but of course that is no bother to her, she has her own ways of doing things. And there is nothing that is going to stop Reed from finding out what happened all those years ago, even if it means stirring up trouble for his family. So, off to Las Vegas they go!

The story picks shortly after the last case that Reed and Ellery worked on together but in this installment we get to learn more about Reed and his family and the case of his mothers murder that has haunted him for years and the truths that he recently uncovered makes him question some things in his life. He need answers but without the backing and help from the FBI is going to make things harder for him and Ellery. Not only that Reed and Ellery have this chemistry between them that is palpable at times but with everything going on it keeps getting pushed aside for the case at hand.

I have enjoyed both Ellery and Reed and their complicated relationship from both previous books and I enjoyed them just the same this time around. Ellery is a tortured soul. She’s been through so much but somehow she remains strong for those around her and hides her self doubt and worries. Reed made a name for himself while working on a case that involved Ellery which is what brought them together. He seems to be a good guy. He loves his family, his job and he seems to genuinely care for Ellery. And I liked watching these two work on this case together. They make a great pair.

What lies ahead though is a story that is filled with tension, lies and truths revealed for both Reed and for Ellery. Her long lost father is back and this just stirs up emotions for her. Reed has to face some truths that can possibly destroy the life he thinks he’s always had. And it all of it kept me on the edge of seat to find out how it all ends. Plus, I had to know what happens between Reed and Ellery. Would they finally give in or not?! Would Reed finally find out what happened to Camilla? The story was full of dangerous and suspenseful moments leading up to a shocking conclusion and it was pretty fantastic.

While this is the third installment in the series it isn’t necessary to have read the first two books before picking this one up as if does give some backstory for both Ellery and Reed but I would certainly recommend reading them because it give the whole picture of how these two two met in the first place. And they were really good!

All the Best Lies is a suspenseful and addictive mystery with two characters that will have you rooting for them all the way and I am hoping that there will more books in the series. Finger crossed…

Suspended police officer Ellery Hathaway and FBI Agent Reed Markham are back in Joanna Schaffhausen's latest novel.

Reed asks Ellery's help in investigating a cold case, one that is intensely personal. Reed knew he was adopted as an infant, and when he was eighteen, his father told him the circumstances of his birth mother's murder and Reed's subsequent adoption by the Markham's.

In No Mercy, the previous book, a gift for DNA testing revealed secrets that made Reed question everything he thought he knew. His foundation begins to crumble.

Reed and Ellery head to Las Vegas to delve into the unsolved murder of Reed's mother, Camilla. A forty-year-old cold case presents multiple difficulties, and Reed is both determined and fearful of the outcome, which may destroy the family that raised him.

Schaffhausen does a good job of keeping the possibilities open, so there are several good options to keep the reader guessing. Reed and Ellery have complicated pasts to resolve, but the two combine their strengths to support each other.

This series has gotten better with each new addition. I'm really curious about where the next book will lead.

(I don't like either of these covers, but at least the second one has some connection to the story.)

NetGalley/St. Martin's Press
Suspense. Feb. 11, 2020. Print length: 336 pages.

Joanna Schaffhausen gives us another excellent read in All the Best Lies, the third book in her Ellery Hathaway series.

This time, the focus is on FBI Agent Reed Markham, determined to find out the truth about who murdered his mother, Camilla Flores, 19, forty years ago in Las Vegas while he lay in his crib only steps away. Ellery Hathaway, currently suspended from the police department (while internal affairs investigates her shooting of a man attempting to kill Agent Markham), goes with him for moral support and as a second set of eyes to review this long cold case.

At first, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is very willing to help, but the more questions Markham and Ellery ask, the less helpful the police become. Someone doesn't want the truth to come out, and Markham and Ellery unexpectedly find themselves in mortal danger.

I've been anxiously waiting for the chance to read another book featuring these two complex, flawed characters and All the Best Lies was everything I hoped it would be. Schaffhausen is skilled at writing police-procedurals with plots that intrigue and surprises until the very end. I highly recommend this book! (I think readers might enjoy it more fully if they have read one or both of the previous books in the series.)

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review. All opinions expressed here are my own.

I read the first book in the Ellery Hathaway series, The Vanishing Season, and really enjoyed it. I wanted to make sure to continue the series, but somehow missed book two, No Mercy. That didn’t stop me from picking up book three in the series, All the Best Lies, and I found that I enjoyed it just as much as The Vanishing Season!
In the first two books, Ellery is more of the focus, where as in All the Best Lies, Reed gets a bit more attention. If you wanted to just read this book and skip the first two, you could because Joanna Schaffhausen gives you enough background information that you wouldn’t be confused. But if possible, you should start the series from the beginning so you don’t miss any of the smaller details that add so much more to the books.

Reed gets a huge surprise that rocks his belief in his parents and adds one more layer to this series. We are shown a part of the police system in the 70’s that was fueled by cops taking advantage of sex workers. And we also get other looks at corruption in the police department of yesteryear and today.

While Reed is looking into the 40 year old murder of his mother, Ellery sees similarities to another murder that happened a year before his mom’s, so she starts to follow those leads too, thinking they may be connected. Ellery gets enough information that we have a good idea of what happened, but that case isn’t completely finished in this book, leaving a bit of a cliffhanger. I know this may upset some readers, but I was fine with it, and look forward to how Schaffhausen deals with it in the next book.

There is also the relationship between Reed and Ellery. Reed was the detective who saved Ellery from a serial killer when she was a teenager. Ellery has a lot of issues because of the torture and rape that happened to her. But in All the Best Lies, they try to take their relationship to a more intimate level. Schaffhausen does a wonderful job writing about the problems that can happen in a situation like this.

I can’t wait to see what Schaffhausen comes up with in the next book in the Ellery Hathaway series! And if you enjoy this type of book you may want to check out the Archie Sheridan and Gretchen Lowell series by Chelsea Cain. It’s a series that I always recommend to people who like detectives chasing after serial killers, but this series has a twist.

Number 3 lives up to the previous two and I am sincerely hoping for at least one more! The personal relationship in #allthebestlies is developed a bit more between Ellery and Reed while they travel to Vegas and California in search of a cold case killer which helps fill in backstory on Reed. We also get to met Ellery’s family a bit. This book follows the same style as the previous two which works really well in producing a fast moving, thrilling page-turner. I read this in one day and am ready for more! Thanks #netgalley for this ARC.

Reed Markham, an agent with the FBI is intent on solving a cold case that is as old as he is – the murder of his own mother. For this he has to travel to Las Vegas, NV to review the old case files. He asks his friend from back east, Ellery Hathaway, a cop who has been suspended, to come and help him.

Reed soon realizes that his own adoptive father, a Senator from Virginia, is somehow involved. As he delves into the old files, sparks begin to fly and he realizes he has stirred up a hornets nest and someone doesn’t want him to find out the truth.

This book was excellently written and keeps you wondering who the murderer is right up to the end. I recommend this book to all suspense / mystery lovers.

I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from NetGalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion

There have been many headlines lately on the surprises the availability of DNA tests to the public have brought to light. It was only a matter of time before an author worked the headline into a story. Luckily for us, it's Joanna Schaffhausen. If you have not read the first books in this series, it is well worth your precious reading time to do so, but it will not take anything away from this book. This major mystery starts with a cold case murder and then adds the surprising DNA results to build suspense. BUT, our team must deal with some unexpected twists and some very big attitudes before they get to the bottom of what happened in that hotel room 40 years ago.

This is another great Ellery and Reed story! I wasn’t able to put it down. I needed to know what was going to happen next!

In the search for his mother’s killer, Reed and Ellery find one dead end after another and find themselves in the crosshairs.

Such a great read! Can’t wait for the next story and see where things go.

Joanna Schaffhausen always waits until the very end for a twist that the reader never saw coming.

FBI Agent and author Reed Markham has been by Ellery’s side since the first book and now it is time to tell his story. His biological mother was killed when he was an infant and now with his sister pushing for the whole Markham family (Reed’s adoptive family) to take DNA tests, for fun, Reed’s life has been thrown for a loop.

In 1970’s Las Vegas, Camilla Flores was found murdered and her son unharmed. The neighborhood was bad and though she had friends, they couldn’t help when evil loomed around the corner. Her friend, a police officer, tried to help. His partner was sympathetic but time went on with no conclusions and they eventually married and forgot about Camilla. Camilla’s neighbor tried to help with the baby but after the murder, she left town and the baby was eventually put up for adoption. Fortunately for Reed, the Markham’s were able to adopt him and raise him in their growing family, but even they kept a secret that they hoped would never come to light. Now that Reed knows the truth of his parentage, he won’t stop investigating until he understands who attacked his mother, his father’s involvement, and what secrets the neighbor knew.

The boundaries between Reed and Ellery have always been murky, but this time, Reed needs her help instead of the other way around. She isn’t going to judge and get in the way, she will fight for and with him in just the same way that he has for her and with the two of them focused on the same thing, there will be no stopping them, that is until a bullet almost ends Reed’s life, but still, Camilla will get the justice that she deserves.

Thank you to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

FBI agent Reed Markham has been notified the cold case of his mother's murder case is going to be closed. Reed takes over the case to try and finally get some answers as to why and who murdered his mother. Reed asks Ellery to go with him in his quest to find answers, one of the questions being just how well does Reed's father know his mother. Reed's journey provides a lot of answers to past questions but also raising a few new ones.
I love all the characters in this series, especially Ellery. Publicly she is one bad ass cop but under the tough exterior is a woman fighting a lot of internal demons. The relationship between her and Reed is complicated as he is the one that found her years ago locked in a closet by a serial killer.
Joanna Schaffhausen does a great job of weaving together multiple storylines that have a very satisfying ending.
Great read sure to be loved by many.

The first thing I did when I finished reading "All the Best Lies" was to check if there is a book #4 coming out. Not because the story ends on a cliffhanger, but rather, the ending was very satisfying and I would have been happy enough for the series to end right there. But yay!-- According to the author on her review of the book, book four has been handed in and book five is happening!

Of the three books in the series, "All the Best Lies" is the best yet. Fast-paced and well-told, this was a really nice break from some of the heavier books I've been reading. While it is possible to read this book before reading books 1 and 2, I highly recommend that the first two books are read first to really enjoy the series. And if you like books one and two, you will likely enjoy this one as well.

Ellery and Reed travel to Las Vegas to investigate the murder of Reed's biological mother. The case has been cold for 40 years, and while the characters doubt their ability to solve the case, as the audience you know we will find out what happened! ;)
I have really enjoyed the character development of Reed and Ellery from the very start. There is romantic tension with moderate drama. The secondary cast of characters are also well-written. I am happy to finally meet more of Reed's family!

Joanna Shaffhausen has a wonderful blog on her website (https://www.joannaschaffhausen.com/) that is updated with interesting stories and tidbits.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this providing me a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I am already looking forward to book #4!

Reed and Ellery continue their dance of courtship which neither seems to understand and recognize. Reed enlists Ellery's help as he opens the cold case of who killed his birth mother. They travel to Las Vegas to pursue the truth, and uncover one new problem after another as they try to identify the people and circumstance surrounding the violent death. Reed's DNA report throws him for a loop as he discovers that his adoptive father and birth father are the same person. He begins to suspect his father as a prime suspect in the death of his mother. The reader learns the information as Reed and Ellery investigate, and is drawn into the story. Despite the many surprises that appear throughout the narrative, the biggest surprise is revealed at the end, after the killer has been identified. I became so engrossed in this book that I laid in bed and thought about it instead of sleeping. I had to finish it, and even then I kept thinking about it.

All the Best Lies by Joanna Schaffhausen is a highly recommended mystery/procedural. FBI agent Reed Markham and his friend and suspended cop Ellery Hathaway take on a very personal forty year old cold case in this third book in the Ellery Hathaway series.

Reed Markham's birth mother, Camilla Flores, was stabbed and beaten to death in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 1975, while her baby, Reed, was in the apartment. Her case was never solved. Reed was adopted by Virginia state senator Angus Markham. So when his sisters ask him to take a mail-in DNA test, just to see if he has some distant biological connection to them, he was hesitant, but did it. Instead of a distant link, Reed learns that adoptive father is actually his biological father. Reed wants to look into his mother's death because now he suspects that his father may be involved.

Reed enlists Ellery Hathaway to help him with the investigation. Ellery has her own reasons to want to leave town, not the least of which is that she is currently on suspension from the police force. Reed and Ellery have a complex relationship, but they work well together as an investigative team. They are also tentatively moving toward a closer personal relationship.

While this third book in the series can be read as a stand-alone novel, a more complete picture of the relationship between Reed and Ellery will result in reading them in order. They are both complex, flawed characters and have both chemistry with each other as well as a complicated relationship. I have read The Vanishing Season, book one, but not the second, No Mercy. I sort of wish I had read the second book before diving into this one, but Schaffhausen does do a very good job explaining their past while keeping the current investigation/mystery moving along.

The writing is excellent and the plot moves along quickly as does the character development. As the two dig deep into the past and try to find out what really happened, it becomes clear that not everyone is telling the truth and there are hidden motives. The clues are followed and Reed and Ellery work well together questioning people and following clues in this intriguing procedural/mystery. Be prepared for several surprises as the investigation unfolds and an ending which ties everything together.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Macmillan Publishing.

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Amazon and Barnes&Noble after publication

This is the third in the series featuring FBI agent Reed Markham and police officer Ellery Hathaway. As a young teenager, Ellery was kidnapped, raped, and tortured; she was rescued by Markham. Now an adult, Hathaway has formed a close relationship with Markham.
They team up to solve the brutal murder of Hathaway’s mother, some forty years ago.

I couldn’t put this book down. Its intriguing plot and strong character development compelled me to keep reading on and on. It earns a rare five stars from me.

Although I don’t feel that I missed anything by not having read the prior two novels in this series, I definitely want to go back and read them.

The third book in the series takes off where No Mercy ended. FBI Agent, Reed Markham, found out more than he bargained for with his recent DNA test. Now he’s reopened the cold case of his mother’s (Camilla) murder many years ago in Las Vegas. On administrative leave from the Boston PD, Ellery Hathaway has joined him on the case. So many secrets abound in both of their lives. Those secrets slowly surface as they get closer and closer to finding out what really happened to Cammie. Ellery and Reed also draw closer to each other as well as the story progresses. This is a well done Police Procedural and I’m hoping for more in this hard to put down series.

Joanna Schaffhausen is able to bring together a cast of characters that are fascinating and will have readers wondering if the story is partly true as the author drives the story with characters who pop off the pages.

The Villain is perfect for this story to the point readers will know who it is pretty quick. Yet the authors ability to tell a story is what drives the readers wondering what will happen.

The author uses her make people aware what happens in the past can and will effect you in the future.



Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy of Joanna Schaffhausen All The Best Lies.