Mystery

Jeff and Lisa each shared a secret past from their childhoods. The author uses passing references to their past to tease you into needing to read on in order to learn what those secrets are. Jeff wants to get ahead in life....to succeed. When he receives an offer and a big promotion from his job at the ad agency, he is ecstatic... but, he has to leave Cleveland and move to Florida. Florida isn't exactly kind to Jeff and Lisa. Almost as soon as they are moved in their home is broken into, and Jeff starts to receive blackmail message from a co-worker. We learn that the police are working on two major cases: a rash of break ins where the women's underwear is stolen; and a string of murders that reaches across the country. This event marks the beginning of a nightmare that seems to never end. Their lives spiral out of control, and a serial killer now stalks the streets of the town. A suspect is being looked at for both crimes and then we see a major twist occur. The story is diffidently a 'turn on a dime" mystery with a very satisfying ending.... but I have found this to be the case with all of Rick Mofina's books, and this is another one to add to them. ( )

The Lying House by Rick Mofina is a highly recommended thriller.

Jeff and Lisa Taylor left Cleveland, Ohio, and move to Miami, Florida, after Jeff receives a big promotion. Lisa left a good job and family behind, but she knows that Jeff's job means they will be able to start a family, something she has always wanted. They have a huge house in an expensive neighborhood, and will soon have a security system installed - but not before they have someone break in and holds a knife to Lisa's throat. The attack shakes up Lisa to the core of her being, while Jeff is trying to hold it all together and make his mark at his new job. Lisa may want to move back to Cleveland, but Jeff knows it would be a bad idea. They have a neighborhood watch group, which Jeff joins. A neighbor, a former law enforcement official, runs it.

As Lisa continues to feel like she is being watched and Jeff is dealing with a former colleague from Cleveland who is threatening him, the tension increases in this taunt thriller. You will trust no one and suspect everyone. Even Lisa and Jeff seem unreliable as both of them have dark occurrences in their childhood that still traumatize them. The narrative alternates between thoughts of Lisa and Jeff, and the investigations by the police and an FBI special agent. The story also has a tie-in to a serial killer who may be connected to the scumbag who threatened Lisa.

The writing is quite good and Mofina keeps you guessing as he ratchets up the tension and the suspects with each chapter. Careful readers are going to catch on to what is really going on early, but Mofina keeps the action multiplying and the plot interesting enough to keep you reading to see if you are right. Developments in the plot will have the pages flying by in this fast-paced thriller.

Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of MIRA Books.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2019/11/the-lying-house.html ( )