This was the first book I've read from this author and thoroughly enjoyed it. Great plot and perfect pace for a spy thriller. I can't wait to read the next one. ( )

Clint noticed the old van because it sounded like a sports car. He is on his way to Beth’s house.Beth is the love of his love. When he get there, she is nowhere to be seen. Where is she? Who has her? Do they know she does her own dialysis? Would they even care?

She has been kidnapped, ransomed for money.

An unrecognized code brought an alert to the CIA. No one could imagine how bad it was.

WTF is going on? And who’s behind it?

As Clint goes about his business, not knowing what to think of Beth’s absence, I want to scream and yell at him. What are you doing going fishing? CHECK IT OUT!

Helen Hanson has located this fabulous thriller on the coast of Massachusetts. I love when I am familiar with a story’s location. Adds that little bit of reality to the fiction. And I do love a good conspiracy, with Helen supplied in spades. Then add the dialysis Beth requires which makes the characters ring true. Wonderful job on 3 Lies Helen and I look forward to finishing the series.

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Two seemingly unrelated conspiracy theories link together in 3 Lies, a book that combines espionage, high treason, and a very messy marriage. Betrayed by his wife, and six months away from divorce, technological genius Cliff Masters has chosen to shun all things high-tech in favor of a simple life on a docked boat. All seems to be going well, until his new girlfriend goes missing. Speaking of disappearances, ten CIA contacts have recently gone AWOL. Just what is going on?

I wasn't sure what to make of this book at first. It seemed like I was being told two different—and very compelling—stories, each of which could have stood on its own. Then, slowly, bits and pieces began coming together. By the end, I could fully appreciate the intricacy of the author's construct and the seamless manner in which two conspiracies converged. For all its switching between Doug's and Cliff's points of view, never once did the story lose my interest. I fully intended to read half the book today before getting back to work. Instead, I burned through page after page, caught up in the rhythm and tightly controlled flow of the plot. The passage of time only registered when I realized that the sun was going down.

Part of the reason why I was so hooked is that the story toys with a reader's mind with well-managed dexterity. A few short scenes would have me decided that this character or that character was definitely on the "right" side, and then more information would surface that suddenly cast a dark shadow of doubt on his or her integrity. It was nuanced enough that it was difficult to discern whether I was being led to the truth or tossed a particularly pungent kipper.

Perhaps it was because I read through so quickly, but I never did fully understand which were the titular "three lies" that were told. It also took several chapters before I realized that "Hizonner" was a slurred version of "His Honor," an intentional bit of mockery made no sense until I tried to say it aloud. For the most part, however, the book read smoothly. It was detailed enough to lend credibility without losing readers in technical language. Through passing descriptions of a few symptoms, readers can feel the desperation of Beth's situation, even if they know nothing about acute renal failure or hemodialysis. As far as this story goes, my only real bone of contention is the tidiness with which each loose end was woven back in. There is something to be said for allowing the audience to conjecture. Life, after all, is never that neat.

My day off is now gone, but it was time well spent. 3 Lies is one of those stories for which you'll need a few free hours...and perhaps a healthy dose of suspicion.

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(Review copy provided by the author) ( )

Article first published as Book Review:3-Lies by Helen Hanson on Blogcritics.

Terror has its own vices, where belief creates a certain way of life. Money can even sabotage those intentions, twisting belief of reason to a belief in money. Even the best of intentions change for the ever-elusive dollar.

In 3-Lies by Helen Hanson, we follow the lives of Beth Sutton and her new boyfriend Clint Masters, as well as his faithful dog Louie. Beth is a kind and loving young woman, finding love at a time when her life is not at its best. On dialysis, she has not kept her diagnosis a secret from Clint, allowing him to know everything about her from the start. Beginning a relationship with secrets is in no way acceptable to her or her way of life. If he can deal this this than she understands, he can deal with anything.

Kidnapped in a bizarre scheme by a group of terrorists in an effort to blackmail the Supreme Court Justices, Beth is at the mercy of a group with nothing to lose. Bewildered by the action taken by her family, Clint is confused. They not only refuse to report her missing, they file a restraining order against him as a stalker. He struggles with the enormity of the circumstances as he feels her life leak away the longer she is away from both her medication and her dialysis machine. Without them, her system will shut down, and yet he is anathema to the family.

To top it all off his best friend is after him to come back into the business and his soon to be ex-wife has just announced to him that he is going to be a father. Yet none of this makes sense, or compares to the terror he feels at Beth’s disappearance. Not entirely sure of his feelings for her prior to the event, he is now more than ever convinced that he loves her and there is the possibility that he will never see her again.

In a separate situation within the CIA, a young agent Doug Bryant has stumbled on an old code file, one that seems to bring some disturbing information about agents gone missing. Due to his discovery, his clearance is elevated and he is now in the ranks of those with need to know priorities. As he delves into the files themselves, he finds missing funds, missing ships, and a spy in their midst. What is going on with this missing group of agents, and how will he be able to help with his lack of experience?

As both investigations begin to intermesh, the CIA in in the dark about the missing person occurrences, those that deal with the disappearances of the friends and family members of several of the Supreme Court Justices. As every move Doug makes is blocked, he finally finds some of the information he needs to go forward. But who does he trust? He thinks he knows but how can he be sure?

When the leads bring him and his lead together with Clint, they begin to see the scheme as it unfolds. Murder and kidnapping, are just a few of the capabilities of this group of individuals they are tracking. Can they get the information and find Beth in time? When the clues all come together, will they be able to stop this plot from going forward. In a race against time, with lives at stake will Doug and Clint decipher the clues in time?

Hanson has developed a diabolical plot, ones that seems both real and deadly. Her characters, from Beth to Clint, from Doug to the other captives, deliver on the reality of people with whom you can relate. They are human with both strengths and flaws. Overcoming obstacles, and yet at times showing such human emotions, sadness, sympathy, jealousy, and spite, it is easy to imagine the interaction. I was impressed how Hanson was able to take two separate occurrences and draw a line between the two, intersecting and bringing them to fruition in a way that is both believable and impressive.

I would recommend this book for the suspense and thriller seeker. It also delivers on romance, action and adventure, and just a bit of stepping outside of who you are. Once started, I could not put it down. The writing is genuine and the feelings are heartfelt. This would be a wonderful book for your library. I look forward to reading more from Helen Hanson, she has an artistry that is hard to deny.

This book was received as a free download from the author. All opinions are my own based off my reading and understanding of the material. ( )

Clint Masters is moving on with his life. He has taken a leave of absence from his high-tech company, CatSat, and in just a few more months his divorce will be final. He's happy and part of this happiness is due to his relationship with Beth Sutton. Things are going well until he returns to Beth's home one morning to find that she has disappeared. He knows things are not what they seem when he finds that her dialysis machine is still in her home and that her uncle, the Supreme Court Chief Justice, has come up with an unbelievable story to cover her absence. Just when it doesn't appear as if things could get any worse, his soon-to-be-ex appears and tells him she's pregnant and it’s his child.

3 Lies is filled with action (not the bang-bang shoot'em-up kind although there is a little of that as well), suspense and deceit. While Clint attempts to find out the truth behind Beth's absence, he discovers that she's actually been kidnapped. He then discovers that there is a family member or friend missing that has ties to each of the Supreme Court justices. The justices are told not to inform the authorities but they are never asked to change their votes or positions on any upcoming cases. To make matters worse, Beth has not had dialysis in several days and her life is truly endangered by this fact alone. He also has to contend with his ex, who has decided she wants a reconciliation. Is it too little too late even if there's a child involved? Things really get interesting when the CIA launches their own internal investigation into an old code that shows up one day, a possible computer worm, and 10 missing agents with loose ties to the Middle East. Not everything in this story made sense to me, such as why the Supreme Court Justice is residing in Boston while supposedly being active on the court in Washington DC? Does he commute daily or is he a telecommuter? I wondered about this but it doesn’t really distract from the overall story. Ms. Hanson fills this story with numerous twists and turns that kept me wondering how does this tie in and hoping and praying that Beth, and the other hostages, get rescued in time. 3 Lies raises the question of who can we really trust? Can we trust the government or her agents? Can we trust family and friends? How far will a person go to protect themselves and their vested interests no matter how perverted? If you're into suspense thrillers, then I suggest you add this to your to-be-read list. ( )