NEVER TELL A LIE

NEVER TELL A LIE
by Hallie Ephron
Harper Collins Publisher
ISBN: 978-0-06-15671505
January 2009
$24.95
288 pages
Fiction/mystery/suspense


“The truth shall set you free.” What about the times that the truth can actually cause you more problems? And yes, those times do exist.
Ivy and David live the life they have dreamed of living. They have the perfect house, an interesting old Victorian. He has the perfect professional life. And she is finally pregnant and hopefully, will be able to carry this particular child to full-term.
Everything is fine until they decide to have a yard sale. Who would expect that to be a problem? An old high-school acquaintance shows up, Melinda, and asks for a tour of the house. Since Ivy is busy and heavily pregnant, David cooperatively obliges. However, no one saw Melinda leave their house and she disappears, completely. The police question both Ivy and David, and hence, the small lies begin.
Since David was the last one to see Melinda, he is the obvious suspect to be investigated by the police. Then the strange things begin to happen to Ivy. A large crate-like basket, left after the garage sale by her neighbor, has Melinda’s bloody blouse in it. Also, the neighbor saw Ivy looking in the basket with sunglasses on during the early evening hours. Ivy knows that she wasn’t there at that time and finally decides that she has to discover more about Melinda and what happened to her.
I was impressed about how this story developed. It was logical and resembled a puzzle with the borders first being placed and then fitting all the pieces in bits together. The story is quick and can easily be read in one day. It also has an undeniable need to continue reading. There is actually a throbbing pace which speeds up as you are closer to the conclusion. This I would categorize as a cozy. This is not a book for anyone who is pregnant and especially not for those with risky pregnancies.
I enjoyed the pacing, the quickness, and the characters in this novel. It was believable and enjoyable.
Hallie Ephron resides near Boston, Massachusetts. She is has written 1001 BOOKS FOR EVERY MOOD and WRITING AND SELLING YOUR MYSTERY which was nominated for both an Edgar and an Anthony award. She is also a reviewer for the BOSTON GLOBE.