Cover Image: The Truth We Bury

The Truth We Bury

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Member Reviews

I loved this book, finished it in a few hours. It's a great book filled with suspense and family secrets where relationships and emotions mix together.
The story, which starts with the murder of a bridesmaid, tells the tale of two mothers. Lily whose son, AJ, is accused of murdering the bridesmaid and Dru, whose daughter, Shea, is AJ's fiancée and his staunch supporter.
Both the mothers have had a difficult emotional past which have left scars, and this influences their decisions and outlook. Each mother is trying to protect her own child. Lily feels both pain and and love for her son AJ, with whom she has not been able to connect, since his childhood and especially, after his return from the war. She struggles hard to prove his innocence. Dru, on the other hand, just wants to save her daughter from what she believes to be a grave mistake.

Barbara's words show the angst which the mothers experience. This book is a wonderful play of emotions seen from the point of view of both Lily and Dru. There are a lot of twists and turns, a good whodunit and family secrets, which doesn't fail to thrill.
Barbara's books are always a pleasure to read and she does not disappoint with this book. A great Book Club read too.
Thank you for writing this book..

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An entertaining red. I didn't feel completely shocked by any of the twists and this made the pace a little slow, but I was engaged enough to want to know how it would all be resolved. Some things were wrapped up a little too neatly even though the complexities of the various issues seemed thoughtfully presented. Perhaps all the loose ends did not need to be tied up for the reader.

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Another great book by this author. I always devour her books.. Loved the characters and the secrets that were buried. Loved the ending! Wrapped up perfectly.

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The Truth We Bury draws you in with murder and suspense but it's the characters that really stand out. Two girls are murdered and the prime suspect is missing. This novel could have been cheesy or boring but Barbara Taylor Sissel manages to touch on universal issues like parenting, marriage, family secrets, and dealing with practical things even while chaos swirls around you etc.
The novel begins with Lily being questioned about her son AJ, a veteran with previous run-ins with the law. The cops finally inform her that a girl has been found dead in his apartment and he is nowhere to be found. She is insulted that they would suspect him of the crime. AJ's fiancé, Shea also has an unwavering belief in his innocence. Her mother Dru is more skeptical. Neither mother is a fan of the marriage. Around an increasing body count Dru and Lily now have to deal with canceling a wedding that is scheduled to happen the next week. This book made me laugh it even made me cry (emotional tears not sad tears) - and I don't cry easily. The murderer on the loose came secondary to the interaction between Lily and Dru's interactions with their children, each other and the past. I didn't put the book down until the last page.

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Book Reviews for Avid Readers
In Such Good Company by Carol Burnett. Published by Crown

The Truth We Bury by Barbara Taylor Sissel. Published by Lake Union
May 15, 2017 by cayocosta72, posted in Uncategorized

Lily Islay and Drew Gallagher’s lives become entwined when their children decide to marry. Lily seems to have it all, a beautiful home in a posh neighborhood, a wealthy husband and her marine corps son A.J. who is about to marry girlfriend Shea. Drew has been a single mother since her violent ex, suffering from PTSD threatened both Drew and their daughter, Shea. She hopes Shea will find her happily ever after with AJ, but when one of her daughter’s bridesmaids is murdered in AJ’s apartment, and he goes missing, she fears her daughter may be reliving Drew’s own worst nightmare – a violent, unpredictable man. Lily can’t believe her son would hurt anyone, and the two women become unlikely allies, trying to uncover the truth and find AJ.

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I tried to read this but couldn't do it. I think the premise and plot were good but too many conversations of the same thing over and over "have you heard from?, No have you heard from?" made it slow and boring.

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In this intriguing novel by Barbara Taylor Sissel, the murder of a young girl opens up a Pandora's box of betrayal, lies, and regret. All of the evidence points to AJ Isley, a young man with a tainted, violent past....the only people who are convinced of his innocence are his mother, Lily, and his fiancée, Shea. There are so many layers to this story, as it takes a path as twisty as the Texas hill country where the story takes place. The Truth We Bury is a great suspense, one which leaves the reader pondering and questioning as the story goes on, but also hooks the reader emotionally.

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