REVIEW: THE LIAR, BY NORA ROBERTS

 

 

When Shelby Pomeroy Foxworth is unexpectedly widowed, she is not just grief-stricken. She is stunned to learn the numerous secrets her husband had been keeping. Richard had maintained control over everything, so learning that she is now in debt for millions is almost unbelievable.

She has to sell the house and most of her belongings, and in the weeks leading up to her plan to return home to her family home in Rendezvous Ridge, Tennessee, she finds a mysterious safety deposit box at a local bank with startling contents. She now is beginning to realize that her husband was not at all who she thought he was.

She and her three-year-old daughter Callie finally leave Philadelphia, and embraced in the warmth and comfort of her family, she begins to start over.

But suddenly she is being followed by a PI…and a woman approaches her one day with more unexpected news. When will Shelby finally put the past behind her? And just when she almost believes that might happen, more danger lurks. Who is stalking them now?

I enjoyed The Liar from the very beginning, as I could empathize with Shelby; I loved her Southern family, with their wonderful sayings and their tendency to wrap themselves around her and support her unconditionally. I also enjoyed seeing Shelby meet Griff, a handsome man who is everything her husband was not. Or at least she hopes so.

Realizing that the pain of the past made it difficult to trust again was an obstacle. But would she overcome it? Would she realize her dreams of a home and a career of her own?

The story is filled with colorful and intriguing characters who felt like friends and neighbors, people I would want to sit with to enjoy a glass of sweet tea. And even the snarky characters, like Melody, would get a satisfying comeuppance of the kind that readers can enjoy. There was just enough suspense to balance out the romance and make this a delightful read. 5 stars.