By: C.J. Stone
Narrators: Gail Shalan, Chris Devon
ISBN: 9781666627824
Publisher: Dreamscape Media
Publication Date: 01/26/2023
Format: Audiobook
My Rating: 4 Stars 🎧
In the aftermath of her father’s death and the crash that killed her mother and five-year-old sister, Jess is determined to take care of her surviving brothers, teenage Frankie and nine-year-old Tom. But as the three siblings struggle through grief, ever-present questions loom: Why did their dad take his own life? Where was their mother going?
It’s not only sorrow and unanswered questions that torment Jess and her brothers. A sinister presence lurks in the family home, strange noises in the night, disturbing visions, household items moving. Are they being haunted, or is the threat they all feel more real?
Jess is committed to finding out the truth, but will she risk exposing her own dark secrets?
My Review
"Simmering menace and long-buried family secrets are at the heart of this gripping psychological family drama mystery—Just how far will they go to protect those they love?"
LIES THAT BIND by CJ Stone is a complex multi-layered thriller told from the POV of Jess Evans and her younger brother, Frankie.
Jess is twenty years old and the first in the family to attend university. Her life is uprooted when she receives a call from her seventeen-year-old brother, Frankie, that he has found their dad hanging from the rafter in the garage with an electrical cord.
They are devastated and have no clue their dad was suicidal. Was it murder?
She rushes home and also receives the horrific news their mom and younger sister, Lily (five years old)—were also killed in a car accident. Tom, their nine-year-old younger brother, was injured but alive. Where was their mom going, and what was she running away from?
There is an investigation but they do not pinpoint any foul play. But Jess insists something is not right. She now must take care of her orphan brothers and leave university, but how will she support them? Your heart goes out to her. She is overwhelmed. Their family has been torn apart.
Then the boys start seeing ghosts in the house, Frankie is acting out and getting into trouble, and Tom is having nightmares. Jess thinks someone is following her.
Soon she realizes something more sinister is going on. Her past secrets will surface when her parents' long-buried secrets are unraveled. When someone from her mom and dad's past surfaces that is out of prison, they all are in danger.
A heartbreaking portrait of a family coping with grief. The kids had no idea about the secrets their parents were keeping and how far they went to protect their family.
Centered around a family that has endured unspeakable tragedy, the story explores the strength of familial bonds. THE LIES THAT BIND keeps readers on the edge until the final twist unmasks secrets of the past.
The author delivers suspense, creepy and atmospheric vivid settings, and plot twists.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Gail Shalan and Chris Devon, with an engaging performance. If you like hidden family secrets, this one is for you.
Thank you to #DreamscapeMedia and #Netgalley for a gifted ALC.
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 3.5 ⭐Stars, rounded to 4
Pub Date: Jan 26, 2023
About the Author
CJ Stone is a pseudonym of Rob Sinclair, author of multiple bestselling thrillers; most notably the James Ryker series, and the Sleeper 13 series.
His books have sold more than a million copies worldwide. Having made his name writing breakneck thrillers featuring globe-trotting spies, ruthless assassins and continent-spanning conspiracies, CJ Stone came about as a result of Rob's desire to diversify into other areas of thriller writing, in particular psychological suspense and domestic thrillers.
He continues to write under his real name, with a bright and distinct future of twisty thrillers planned for CJ Stone.
For more information about CJ Stone, visit his website by clicking here: www.cjstoneauthor.com
