Once Upon A Lie by Maggie Barbieri. Publisher: Minotaur Books, December 2013

Maeve Conlon’s life is coming apart at the seams. Her bakery is barely making ends meet, and one of her daughters spends as much time grounded as the other does studying. Her ex-husband has a new wife, a new baby, and a look of pity for Maeve that’s absolutely infuriating. Her father insists he’s still independent, but he’s slowly and obviously succumbing to Alzheimer’s. And now, her cousin Sean Donovan has been found dead, sitting in his car in a public park, shot through the head.

There was never much love lost between Maeve and Sean and she’s not exactly devastated by his death, but suddenly the police are poking around asking the family questions. It’s just one more hassle Maeve doesn’t have time for, until she realizes that her father, whose memory and judgment are unreliable at best, is a suspect in the murder. Maeve is determined to clear his name, but is she prepared to cope with the dark memories and long-hidden secrets that doing so might dredge up?

WOW! When her cousin is found shot to death, Maeve doesn’t feel any emotions, that is, until the cops start looking at her father, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. To prove her father’s innocence, Maeve will have to lean on the past to clear his name.

This book gently pulls you in and then bam, you are in for the thrilling ride as suspense and intrigue plays throughout this riveting tale of family and secrets yet to be disclosed. This is a brilliantly-told, action-filled drama that I could not put down. Maeve is a strong, yet vulnerable heroine whose sense of justice stems from her heart. The urgency in protecting her family is evident as each chapter led into a new discovery that had me emotionally vested. The author takes you on a journey of revenge, betrayal, loss and understanding that culminates in a conclusion that befits this gripping tale. I hope we get to read more thrillers from this talented author.

FTC Disclosure – The author sent me this book, in hopes I would review it.