ISBN: 9781250011701
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: 2/17/2015
Format: Other
My Rating: 4 Stars
In the acclaimed Once Upon a Lie, Maggie Barbieri introduced Maeve Conlon, a single mother and bakery owner hiding dark secrets behind her cookie-cutter suburban life.
Now, Maeve’s moving on with everyday life when the unthinkable happens: her father dies of a massive heart attack. Maeve’s mother died when Maeve was very young, and growing up, it was always just her and her father. But on the day of his funeral, Maeve learns a shocking secret. She might have a sister she’s never met. Maeve knows her father would never have kept something like that from her…Unless he thought he had to.
Meantime, someone keeps sneaking around Maeve’s bakery. At first the signs are subtle, but then it becomes vandalism, and then it grows even more frightening. Could it be related to Maeve’s search for her missing sister?
Maeve soon realizes it’s time to take matters into her own capable hands. But administering her personal brand of justice is a dangerous undertaking, and between the ever-watchful eyes of her family and the lingering attention she's attracted from local police, Maeve will be forced to decide just how much she's willing to risk in the name of justice.
My Review
A special thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Witty and talented Maggie Barbieri returns, with her second installment of suspenseful and humorous (Maeve Conlon series), with LIES THAT BIND, where Maeve discovers some dark family secrets. In Once Upon a Lie (Maeve Conlon #1) , we met Maggie, a single divorced bakery owner with two teenage daughters, and a former husband now married to a younger woman with a baby, and her retired cop father, Jack with Alzheimer’s, and a childhood of abuse from a cousin, now dead. The drama has not slowed down, as Maeve still harbors dark hidden secrets within the walls of her suburban life and bakery, The Comfort Zone. Her dad, Jack dies of a heart attack and she is sorting out his affairs, when she discovers a shocking secret, she has a sister? Why would her father keep something like this from her? She has to find information from his friend. Someone has to know the whereabouts of her sister. Of course, she is not thrilled with the Haggerty sisters, (some bad blood, and ill will since childhood) who happens to be hiding this information and she hates they know something she does not. She begins to search for her sister, and not stopping with blackmailing a cop to help with the search (Jo’s new husband has a wandering eye and she is pregnant). There is always drama at The Comfort Zone, the bakery, when she learns her landlord is growing pot, raising the rent; she hates her daughter’s boyfriend and dislikes her secretive attitude, someone broke into the bakery and leaves a severed finger in the freezer, and her three thousand dollars has been stolen. (her insurance settlement). She begins working with Cal, her ex-husband in trying to solve their daughter’s issues while continuing her search for her sister. She learns her sister, Aibhlinn was disabled and was placed in Mansfield, a mental hospital in the 60s, and was closed years ago, due to abuse and poor conditions. While she continues her search, she joins a support group, and of course, more drama and suspense. To make things more interesting the cop investigating her breakin, has a fondness for more than Maeve's muffins. Maeve is a fearless, witty, edgy, and rebellious character, hiding behind her suburban lifestyle (she colors outside the line, which I love) with sarcasm and dark humor, making for an engaging read. This was my first series by the author, and enjoy her style for an entertaining, mystery suspense series which will keep you laughing for hours. I will say, I missed Jack (as loved his character); however, it was fun catching up with his past and his friends. A good exploration of life in the 60s with families of disabilities with limited choices and an emotional story of strong family bonds. Looking forward to reading more by this author, who seems to have real life experience with her own cop father!
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