Great Read! A solid mystery that has an ending that was completely unexpected. In reflection, all the insight into the characters throughout the book made the ending a perfect "fit". Aside from the mystery of the plot, there is an engaging story of marriages and friendships, with all the highs, lows and everything in between. Definitely recommend and I look forward to reading more from this author! Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for the ARC of this book.

"When Shea Walker, a sunny, easygoing mom, is found dead in a bathtub with a stomach full of booze and pills, the shocking discovery shatters the complacency of her comfortable suburban community".
Kat Burrows is stunned at the news that her best friend has been found this way - what could have led Shea to end up at a B&B tub, dead? The police and everyone else seem to think accidental overdose or even suicide is the answer. But Kat believes her friend wouldn't have ever been in that situation - even if she hasn't seen her in years.
The book continues, and shows what Shea, Kat, and the rest of their close group of friends lives are really like under the facades they each hide behind. Kat sets out to find the truth of what led to Shea ending up in that tub.
There are several plot turns, and Kat does manage to somehow convince several of the other women to help her piece together what could have really happened to their lovely, vibrant friend.
There were quite a few things that were somewhat far-fetched, to the point of unbelieviability., as far as Kat's investigation into the circumstances of She's death. Overall, it was good read. Would be a good book to take on vacation, and relax with.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This story is about six friends and neighbours where one commits suicide and the others are left shell-shocked. How can the friend who was the most bubbly and most joyful, who had a perfect zest for life, commit such an ultimate act?? What caused her so much pain that she thought death was a better way out?? And why didn’t they notice her pain??

This is one of the very good books that I have read this year just for the fact that the book does not pretend to be more than it is, and it has the right amount of friendship along with mystery.

The author, E C Diskin has done a great job showing us a truth as to how much do we really know our best friends, and sometimes a brutal act of one can uncover the layers hidden inside.

I especially liked the fact that even though there are mysteries within the mysteries, there is an underlying core of friendship which runs through the story. That made the book so much more interesting. There is warmth in the book that overshadowed the cold act and the book leaves us with a intense need, to meet and connect with our girlfriends.

A book which can remind us about the value of friendship, the kind which holds us upright during moments of strive, is a good book in my view and I thank Ms. Diskin for that.

I can find my niggles in this book but I don’t want to because this book is read as a whole story, not analysed by its individual parts

I am a pretty big sucker for any book that can combine a chick lit feel with added suspense; Liane Morarity does this brilliantly as does the Pretty Little Liars series that I loved when I was in high school. Depth of Lies, by E.C Diskin, fell under this umbrella. I devoured this novel.

It opens in the wake of tragedy. A group of friends have just lost one of their own, Shea, to suicide. As each friend traces their last moments with Shea, wondering how they could have missed the warning signs, Kat is hit the hardest. She finds herself desperate for answers and tracing Shea’s last days. Discovering shameful secrets and a web of desire, Kat’s idyllic suburban life is shattered and what happens behind closed doors is revealed.

The novel is told in an alternating narrative style going back and forth in time between Kat, in the present, searching for answers, and Shea’s last few months alive.
This style really kept me on the edge of my seat! I was compelled to continue reading so I could figure out what happened to Shea and I was concerned about Kat as she got closer and closer to the truth. Using this narrative style in a character driven novel is risky, but I felt as if Diskin accomplished it brilliantly. Characters are fully developed, their stories are told and a perfect balance is had between revealing the story and keeping the reader on edge.

Overall, I feel like if you enjoy a lighter style thriller that has the chick lit element, this would be right up your alley! I know I loved it as a break from my heavier serial killer thrillers that I have been reading!

This book is about a woman called Shea who is found dead in a bathtub. The book is organised into a series of character perspectives surrounding the events leading up to this and what happens afterwards, when her friend Kat goes about trying to uncover the truth that led to Shea's death. Kat doesn't understand why Shea would've committed suicide and partly blames herself for her death. However, there are many other characters in the book who are also to blame, directly and indirectly, and Kat is determined to find out exactly what happened.

First of all, the good points. The book is easy to read and has no obvious editing errors. The language used is simple and easy to understand and there is no technical jargon. The chapters are a nice length and keep you coming back for more. There is a good sense of build-up as the book reaches its climax and it's not predictable in that you probably won't guess the ending before it happens.

Bad points: I felt that the characterisation was poor. None of the characters have much depth and it is difficult to actually like any of them. I didn't feel like I knew any of the characters well, and the ending is disappointing in this way because many of the characters haven't been built up enough for the ending to work properly. You don't see the ending coming simply because the characters centred around the plot "twist" aren't developed enough throughout the book. It's not so much of a twist as just throwing in a minor character towards the end to surprise the reader. At least, that's how it felt to me.

To summarise, I wasn't "wowed" by this book and I would be sceptical about reading another one by this author.

Depth of Lies is a mystery with twists and turns. In the end, you will recognize that what you think you know about friends or family is just the tip of the iceberg for what is the truth.

This story has Kat returning to her previous community filled with friends who are all mourning the death of Shea, her best friend and neighbor. The death is untimely and most suspect it was a suicide. Yet, Kat cannot accept that at face value.

After the funeral is over, Kat begins her quest to find out what might have driven the vivacious Shea to end her life. The more she uncovers, the more questions there are until ultimately the truth of Shea's death is revealed.

Very interesting how the author describes the simple falsehoods humans present to each other daily and the destruction they can cause. I liked the use of the Then/Now timelines and felt it gave the story strength to use that format. I did find a few scenes quite unrealistic but it was something I was able to move on from and not harp on too much to ruin the overall story.

Kat has come back to Maple Park to attend her best friend, Shea’s funeral. She’s shocked and broken hearted over her friend’s death, which from initial impressions sounds a little like suicide. Kat can’t believe her friend would take her own life and is frightened that she perhaps missed the signs if Shea did. As she learns more of Shea’s last days, Kat’s determined to get to the bottom of what happened, and is stunned by some of the secrets she uncovers in the process. It makes her question how well did she even really know Shea or her friends of Maple Park?

I was sucked into this mystery. The surprising twists made me wonder with every chapter ‘what happened here?’ I really liked Kat even though I don’t know if I could’ve been as bold as she was in her mission to get the truth. She didn’t let uncomfortable situations stop her from asking difficult and embarrassing questions. I was disturbed by several selfish characters, Shea’s husband Ryan was one of them, although I can’t say that things were completely black and white with him. Much like real life, no one is all bad or all good, and the characters in Depth of Lies underscored that basic fact of life.

Kat is going through her own issues with her marriage, stemming from a move and job changes. I appreciated the more she found out about her friend’s actual lives, the more Kat appreciated her husband and the comparatively minor problems they had.

I will say I felt a little melancholy finishing the story, because I grew to like Shea (we get chapters from her perspective), faults and all. Even though I knew she ends up dead, I still wished a happy ending for her. In the beginning Shea’s death was a tragedy for sure, but I didn’t feel the sadness and anger at the loss until I got to know her.

Depth of Lies is the kind of story best read in one sitting. I was anxious to get answers in the mystery of Shea’s death once I dived in, and resented every time I had to set the book aside because of real life. I finally put it away until I had a chunk of time to read straight through. I’m definitely looking forward to E.C. Diskin’s next tale!

I love the whole "girl gang" premise of this one so I had to try it out. It was fantastic! I also liked that the characters were a bit older, not YA/NA aged, but they sure weren't described that way. Sexy empty nesters they were! Kept me guessing to the end. 4/5

How well do we really know our friends? When Shea Walker, a sunny, easygoing mom, is found dead in a bathtub with a stomach full of booze and pills, the shocking discovery shatters the complacency of her comfortable suburban community. It sends her friend, Kat, into a full blown investigation on what happened to her friend, Shea. Driven to find the truth on what happened to Shea, Kat uncovers a web of deeply buried secrets.

I did not want to put down this book. It keep me on my toes. Every time I put it down, I was thinking of the next time I can get back to reading it. This is a character driven novel as you will see it takes you through the complicated relationships of Shea, Kat and a few others. The story is told from Kat's perspective and switches to Shea's perspective from the last few months of her life. Those two perspectives give you, as the reader, great insight to the foundation of the story. At the end, there are twists and turns you will not see coming. This is my first novel read by E.C. Diskin and it will not be my last. Highly recommend!

3.5 stars

I received a free copy from NetGalley for my honest review.

The book covers the friendships of 7 women and the secrets they have kept from one another over the years that have affected their relationships. These women come together after one of them, Shea, is tragically found dead from an apparent suicide. This does not sit well with one of her friends, Kat, and she starts her own investigation to try and uncover what really happened to Shea in the months leading up to, and on the day of her death.

The author did a really great job of keeping you on your toes throughout the story. As you are trying to figure out who might have been involved in Shea's death, each chapter shifts the spotlight on a different character and you find yourself questioning who may have done something and why.

I didn't fully believe that Kat could have done a better investigation than what the police could have done, but it made for a suspenseful story nonetheless. It was more to show how Kat did not want to give up on Shea, and would stop at nothing at uncovering the truth - even if that was at the detriment to her other relationships.

It was a quick read, and if you enjoy suspense books you will not be disappointed.

Review copy provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I LOVED THIS! I enjoy the whole whodunit plot and I loved reading books that have that aspect. This book will make you question how well you know the people in your life, isn't that the best kind of story? This one makes you think long after finishing it. I can't wait to read more by this author.

3.5 Stars - Well, this story is about a woman, Shea, who died in her bathtub in an Inn. Police says it was a suicide but her best friend, Kat, couldn’t accept it. So she takes it upon herself to find out if it was really a suicide or someone killed her. And let’s don’t forget that she felt a bit guilty for ignoring Shea’s phone call a day before she died.

I think I’m in the minority here! First of all, I was really struggling at the first 40% but it got better after that. Second, I had a problem with Shea and Dee’s characters. Every couples have their own problems but being blind or pretend not seeing your husband’s betrayal or seeing it, confront it and then forgive him for several times is not acceptable for me!

But I liked that the author wrote the story in such a way that with those issues I couldn’t stop reading it and with entering each character, she gives you some reasons that you think yes, she/he is the guilty one. And I should confess, I couldn’t guess the right person till the end.

The story alternates between the past and the present almost chapter to chapter. Told in dual POV, 3rd person. It’s a stand-alone novel. Overall, I enjoyed it but not as much as I liked but hope you like it more!

Thanks to E.C. Diskin, Netgalley and Thomas & Mercer for the advanced digital copy in exchange an honest review.

There were many things I loved about this book and I enjoyed the story very much. What I loved the most was how everyone was a suspect. Honestly, you just didn't know who to trust because someone was always hiding something. the plot was full of twists and turns that kept my mind racing, and I couldn't figure out what was going to happen next. When i finally got my answers, I was happily satisfied. the characters were well developed and the story kept me intrigued the entire time, not at all bored with it or where it was going. The only thing that bothered me, as with all books, was useless information. There were a lot of characters that I had invested, even a second thought to, only to find that there were meaningless and just a prop, but not a useful prop. same with the scenery. It was gorgeous but too much and i dont feel it offered as much to the story. over all I would def recommend this to others.

Plot was interesting;it was well-written.Story is told from POV of Shea and Kat and both narrations are handled efficiently.At point it did seem like so many characters were thrown in just so that one can have more people to suspect..For me, that was bit of downer;however story is still worth a one-time read.

DNF it 100%, couldn't get in to it at all .and I Tried more then once to read it .

You've established a close circle of friends, celebrated and commiserated together over life's ups and downs for so many years ... but do you really know them? You've lived with your husband for such a long time, raised children together, laughed and cried together ... but do you really know him? Depth of Lies is the story of a group of friends who, when tragedy strikes, begin to learn that all is not as it seems. The reader is gradually let in on all the secrets, both firsthand, from the point of view of the victim, and also alongside her group of friends as they investigate and discover what has transpired. I could not put this book down. Highly recommended. Thanks to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the ARC.

Shea, a seemingly happy mother in her 50s drowns in the bathtub of her hotel room on the Lake Erie Island of South Bass in the village of Put-in-Bay — 5 hours away from her Chicago home.

Is it an accidental death, fueled by the popping of some pills paired with the consumption of too much alcohol? (It is Put-in-Bay, after all)

Was it suicide? Perhaps her family and friends were ignorant to some secret torments she was actually suffering.

Or, was it something more...sinister?

The search for the answer to these questions propels the plot of Depth of Lies by E.C. Diskin.

At the core of this novel was a compelling plot and a truly intriguing mystery that left me guessing until the very end (I know, it’s cliche, but it did).

In a style reminiscent of the long-ago hour drama Desperate Housewives, Diskin wove an intricate fabric of relationships, creating multiple threads of suspicion and leaving readers truly perplexed.

Impressively, despite all of the potential perpetrators Diskin presented — and the still-present possibilities that the death was an accident or a suicide —  the plot still felt largely believable, leaving readers feeling more like they are getting a backstage tour of a complex community and less like they are dodging obvious red-herrings.

When the truth was revealed, it was done so in a highly effective way. I read the concluding chapters in bed, in the dark, as my heart raced and my palms grew clammy.

Any time a book can elicit this amount of physical reaction, it is definitely appreciated.

Additionally endearing (for me at least) was the fact that this book was set on Put-in-Bay, known not just for its natural beauty but also for its raucous nightlife.

While I myself have never over-indulged on this island, I have friends who have spent more time appreciating the pristine beauty of the gleaming, white hotel toilet bowl than the aesthetics of the island landscape.

#NoJudgement

#YouKnowWhoYouAre

So, this is an obvious 5 cocktail read, right?

Well, Houston, we have a problem.

Despite the strength of the plot and my personal connection to the setting, I was significantly unimpressed by the way in which the story was told.

The writing itself was graceless and utilitarian. Events were described in chunky and simplistic terms, giving readers little insight into the characters’ emotions — resulting in a definite dearth of overall depth.

The novel as a whole was exceptionally light on description. What did Rudolph’s — the bar in Put-in-Bay look like? No idea... because this was never shared with readers.

True, this is a modern thriller, not a woefully long classic, so I don’t expect chapter-long descriptions of shimmering wheat that the wind that sweeps gracefully through or anything. But, at the same time, much of the book is set on or around Lake Erie, so there is actually much to describe. Adding description judiciously could have done much to connect the readers with the setting, which would have increased their investment in the book as a whole.

I also found the character development to be a bit wanting — which is a serious issue in a thriller as, at least for me, my overall enjoyment of the book hinges significantly on whether or not I give a fuck about the characters.

And I pretty much didn’t give a fuck about the characters in this novel — because I didn’t feel like they were real people.

When the book opens, we are presented with a relatively large cast of characters, but none are described with much depth.

Aside from weakening my connection to the book, this was a problem for me as I struggled to keep track of these characters using the limited information I had been given.  

Does Kat own the beach house? Or is to Tori? And who’s Evelyn again? Wait. Which one is the one with cancer?

In fairness to the author, this is a known challenge when dealing with a large collection of characters. I experienced similar difficulty when I first started reading Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty, a book that I ended up quite enjoying.

Remembering the experience I had with Moriarty’s book, I expected Diskin to continue to return to her characters’ backstories, presenting more information as we moved through the novel. Unfortunately, she really didn’t. We did learn bits and pieces about these characters, but not enough to make any of them feel like real, authentic individuals.

There was a major missed opportunity here, as this necessary character development could have been accomplished through dialogue, but it wasn’t.

While there was a lot of dialogue, which I can jibe with if it sounds realistic and believable, the verbal interactions described felt stilted, forced and inauthentic.

All in all, the dialogue was largely one-note, and the characters didn’t have distinctive voices that differentiated one from the other.

As I finished the book, I found myself exceptionally conflicted.

On one hand, Diskin’s plot was honestly quite good. This is one of the few books that legitimately left me guessing throughout. I really wanted to highly recommend it. I mean, it’s set in Put-in-Bay. I should love this.

But, unfortunately, the seriously lacking writing style and deficit of character development were such significant flaws that I simply couldn’t be as enamored with this book as I wanted to be.

In the end, I give it 3 out of 5 cocktails.

It is definitely not a novel I would urge all readers to go out and pick up, but it is one that fans of thrillers will likely find enjoyable — particularly fans of thrillers who have ever ventured to Put-in-Bay.

Well this was a nice little surprise. Intruiging from the start and a cracking read. 4.5 stars from me.

When Shea Walker is found drowned in a bath with a stomach full of pills and booze, her friends are shocked and in a state of disbelief. Shea, a middle aged woman, was always the life and sole of the party, happily married with grown up kids, she seemingly loved her life and had no reason to take her own life, as it appears.

The community and her group of friends are shook to the core, no more so than Kat Burrows, her longtime friend and neighbor who had moved away from their suburban neighborhood in Chicago to Texas a few months previously. She comes back for Shea’s funeral and as she meets up with all her old girlfriends and their husbands, she can’t believe that her friend Shea would have taken her own life and decides to find out as much as she can about Shea’s final hours and the circumstances leading to her death.

As she delves into the circumstances she slowly and surely finds out that all was not what it seemed with her friends and community that she lived with for over 20 years. She finds an underworld below the surface of suburban bliss filled with lies and deceit.
Shocked by how little she really knew about her friends and neighborhood, as her head is spinning as it’s filled with revelation upon revelation, can she put them all together and figure out what really happened to her best friend Shea, a woman who also has plenty of secrets, secrets that she never shared with Kat in all the years she knew her?

Well this was a cracking read. A tale at its core of a mystery that needs to be solved but is so much more. The female group of characters are very vividly written and each given plenty of air time to develope. It’s a bit like the onion scenario as our main character Kat returns and delves into what may have happened, later upon layer of secret and deceit is peeled away.
The thing I really liked(apart from the excellent cast of characters)was there weren’t any red herrings per say but plenty of secrets and plenty of characters with secrets that you were left wondering if they were somehow involved in Shea’s death or the circumstances that lead to it. Very clever as you aren’t being led or misled by the author but rather things are hinted at ever so subtly and it’s up to you to decide if it’s relevant.

The story is quite intricate in its telling but every story arc added to the story and didn’t feel like it was added in for mis direction or anything like that. It feels a very lean book with every chapter having a place in the story.

The story is told in both the present, from mostly Kats point of view and in the past from Shea’s point of view. This works excellently and the Shea passages are especially well told as we slowly unravel what may be happening but the cards are cleverly and subtlety kept close enough to the chest that crucial pieces of information aren’t revealed until absolutely necessary.

The book zips along at a great pace and is eminently readable. It didn’t seem to sag at all. The authors writing style reads extremely well off the page and you feel her editor had the tightest of reigns on this one, which makes the book all that much leaner and better.

My first read by this author, I am mightily impressed and will seek out her other work on the back of this book. Highly recommended.


Thanks to NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer and E.C. Diskin for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.