Book Review: "Lies That Bind" by Ashley Farley

You've got to love a book that hooks you from start to finish. Ashley Farley's newest book, Lies That Bind did just that for me, so much so that I read the entire book in just a few hours.

For 10 years, Eva has wondered whether her daughter, Reese, is still alive. Eva's husband was driving Reese home from college over Thanksgiving when they were in a single-car accident and he was killed, but Reese was nowhere to be found at the scene of the accident. Did someone kidnap her? Did she flee the scene for some reason? These are questions Eva has wanted to know the answer to for far too long, but she's never given up hope.

Maggie is moving from Oregon to Richmond, Virginia, where her new husband will be working. She got married on the rebound after the end of a long-term relationship, and her family all thought she did so far too soon. Eric is a good provider and seems like a stable man, but shortly after she arrives in Richmond she discovers that what seems too good to be true often is. What Eric wants more than anything is for Maggie to have a baby, but she's not ready—she wants to pursue a career as an investigative journalist. Quickly, though, Maggie realizes Eric will stop at nothing to ensure he gets what he wants.

One snowy day Maggie meets Eva, who lives across the street from her and Eric. Maggie is utterly transfixed when she hears about Reese's disappearance, and when Eric's controlling behavior becomes physically abusive, she decides to go undercover to track Reese's whereabouts. Her investigative work takes her from Virginia to Ohio to Washington, DC, as she tries to figure out what happened the day of the accident, what possibly could have made her flee, and more importantly, what would have kept her away all these years?

While the plot of Lies That Bind isn't necessarily unique, it builds on lots of twists and turns and secrets, so I'm going to stop my summary here. Farley has created some complex, flawed, fascinating characters, and there's lots of emotion and thought-provoking events to be had. I really couldn't get enough of this story. This isn't a thriller, although there are suspenseful elements, but more than that, it's just a great story.

I first became familiar with Farley after her last book, Life on Loan, which also completely captivated me, but in a different way. Lies That Bind has definitely cemented my status as a fan.

I'm so grateful to be part of the blog tour for Lies That Bind. Kate Rock Book Tours and Leisure Time Books provided me with an advance copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!