Lie to Her by Melinda Leigh @MelindaLeigh1 #ChristinaTraister @BrilliancePub

the setup…
Sheriff Bree Taggert and investigator Matt Flynn are called to a strange crime scene where the victim was bound and smothered with his face plastic wrapped and carved with one word. He was also a reptile collector, making the scene dangerous for law enforcement as well. The closest clue to a suspect was his robust activity on a dating app. As they’re pursuing that angle, another victim is discovered the next day in an almost identical manner, this time with a different word carved on his forehead. As they close in on a suspect, Bree receives a strange warning, causing her to wonder if she’s on the right track.

the heart of the story…
I am a fan of misdirection and there’s a lot of that here. But first I had to get around the snakes. My fear of them is beyond description so I had to claw through my own repulsion to stay focused (just a heads up!). We get the killer’s point of view early on and I’ve learned to pay close attention to subtle clues and doing that paid off, somewhat. That killer is clever and therein lies the misdirection at times.

the narration…
I’m still loving Traister’s storytelling skills and how she creates character distinctions. I’ll always opt to listen to this series.

the bottom line…
This was a gnarly, cleverly designed mystery that kept me thinking throughout. Bree and her family continue to bond and grow stronger, even including Matt as part of that unit, along with their menagerie of pets. The danger was a bit close to home this time, heightening the tension dramatically. I’m enjoying the balance between the character development, mystery, romance and excitement, all woven together to create a pretty compelling listening experience.

Book Info

• Release Date: January 17, 2023
• Series: Bree Taggert #6
• Narrator: Christina Traister
• Audio Length: 9 hours, 41 minutes
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio

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(Thanks to Brilliance Audio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)