Jill Shannon is no stranger to trauma. She's had her fair share of in her life and is really a victim of not only outside circumstance but those of her own wrong or bad decisions. Despite her many flaws, I couldn't help but feel some degree of sorry for her. Alex Shannon is a good man, at least he tries to be. He desperately wants to do the right thing for the people he cares about while balancing his job as a police officer. In spite of all his good intentions his marriage is on the rocks, and he knows that Jill is hiding more than just one secret. Alex is on the case of a serial killer who is using the internet to lure his victims into meeting him. There is almost too much going on in this book. It does a great job of keeping you guessing, and you'll change your mind at least a dozen times before the final reveal, which you'll probably get wrong:) I have never read this author before, but this will not be my last read by her by any means. Overall, it was a really a well written, action-packed thriller with interesting and believable characters. ( )

I could not put this book down. It kept me interested until the last page. Jill Shannon has a successful career in computer programming and is married to a detective in cyber crimes, Alex. Unfortunately, she is having an affair with her boss. When he unceremoniously dumps her and threatens her career, reminders of her sexual and physical abuse by her step-father resurface. Jill had vowed never to be a victim again. She goes to confront her boss and accidentally pushes him down the stairs at his cottage and he hits his head and dies. Jill finds herself in a position where she receives a promotion. When at a conference she is a victim of a date rape drug by a reporter. She again takes matters into her own hands. What happens next spirals out of control. I was gripped by the story and loved the ending. A great read. ( )

With Deadly Lies, Chris Patchell manages to create a mostly unlikable main character that kept me interested and made me care what happened. Jill is outwardly nice to most people, but her internal dialogue and her private actions show an entirely different side of her personality. When she gets into trouble, it's difficult to feel empathy for her situation. Yet, learning about the childhood events that shaped her evokes unexpected sympathy. I found myself in this ongoing loop with her character, seeing aspects to like and even admire, and then cringing at some of her choices and actions.

The pace starts as a slow burn, gradually escalating until we get to an explosive ending. Some unexpected twists caught me totally off guard.

The content takes on secrets, lies, and deceit. Throughout this story are the underlying questions of how well we know the people we love, and how far we're willing to go to protect them and ourselves.

This is a provocative start to the series. I'm looking forward to finding out where Jill takes us next. ( )

In her debut novel, Deadly Lies, author Chris Patchell weaves a fast paced riveting psychological thriller that takes the reader on an exhilarating roller coaster ride full of drama, gripping suspense, and intriguing twists and turns that will keep the reader guessing and sitting on the edge of their seat.

As Jill Shannon's career begins to rise in the corporate world, her five year marriage to Alex Shannon a detective for the Seattle Police Department is stagnating. As Alex conducts an investigation into the murder of a local teen, Jill doesn't expect the ripple effect that could expose her hidden secrets and lies, and destroy them both.

This riveting and complex multi-layered story follows Alex's investigation of an ex-girlfriend's murdered sister, as well as his involvement in solving a series of killings that could be linked to someone he loves. As Alex digs deeper into the investigation, the reader also gets a glimpse into the victimization of Jill as a teen, and her passionate need for revenge not only against a rapist but against those involved in a sex-video ring. Jill is plagued by an abusive past, and as her world turns upside down, she gets caught up in a web of secrets, lies, and deceit that leads her to take justice into her own hands with deadly results.

Deadly Lies is one hell of a thriller that cleverly weaves together a clandestine affair, secret meetings, and cyber sex crime. With every riveting twist and turn in the story, the intensity and suspense mounts until the climax ending that will leave you completely spent.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Partners In Crime Virtual Book Tours.

http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2015/06/deadly-lies-by-chris-patchell-... ( )

Deadly Lies is a great book. Chris Patchell has a wonderful talent for making believable characters, particularly the male ones, and creating dialog and conflict that resonate. The arguments between erstwhile Detective Alex Shannon and his ambitious wife Jill really strike home. Patchell's deft treatment of emotion and shifting mental states makes me believe that she's got a great future in writing ahead of her. Deadly Lies is both thrilling and engaging---a book that's not easy to put down until you're done, and once you are done---you're not going to forget it easily. Even if you try! This has "movie" written all over it. If it's not been optioned yet, it soon will be. But don't wait for the movie, you need to read Deadly Lies right away. ( )