This story was an excellent one woven with complexity and very likable characters. The suspense and romance both added to the story and gave it a lot of depth. I would highly recommend this book and am looking forward to more books put out by this author!

I voluntarily received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and Revell. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

In Living Lies, the author transports readers to small town Georgia where things aren't as they seem. When a teenager is found murdered, the question becomes why and who. The chain of events launched by the discovery of the body threatens to put Lane Kent's precarious world in danger. Her battle with depression has almost taken her life, and now she'll do anything to convince everyone else she is fine. Charlie Lynch has arrived in town just in time to be assigned to the murder, but finds himself intrigued by Lane and her young son. What ensues is a spiraling story of intrigue and romance well worth the read.

Dark, disturbing, and deliciously
Deceptive Living Lies will be among the Books of the Year! From Natalie Walters comes a gripping psychological thriller filled with unexpected twists. That will blow readers away!!

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, this review is my personal opinion.

Natalie Walters did a great job on her first novel. From chapter one, Living Lies grabs you and makes you want you to read more and more. She takes us to Walton, Georgia a small and secure town; until the murder of a young girl shatter the security of the people. The main characters of this book are interesting, first we have Lane a widow with a four years old son, through the story we learn about her depression and the guilt she has dealing for all her life and after her husband dead is has been more hard for her to receive forgiveness and love of God. And we see how she finds light, redemption, a new chance to live and love. We also have Jack, he is a former Marine now working as a deputy and is on a charge of solving the case of the murder of Sydney. He is trying to start a relationship with Lane and to have roots in a place.

If you like a good clean Christian mystery that will keep you guessing until the end, this book is a great choice. Can wait to read the serie!

Thanks to Ravell for the ARC of this book.

I received a copy of this book through #netgalley for review purposes. This was my first time reading anything written by Natalie Walters, and I definitely look forward to reading more of her books. This is an overall well-written Christian suspense book. As the author has dealt with depression in her family, she writes with knowledge on the topic as her main character struggles with this mental illness. My only slight disappointment was the fact that her character repeatedly says that she is never going to get better. While there is some truth to that, I do feel that with proper counseling, support and through God's help that depression will have less control. The author might believe that, but I am not sure that she totally comes out and says that. #livinglies

I usually enjoy cozy mysteries over a suspense novel, but I read Living Lies because of endorsement of a favorite author. Living Lies did not disappoint as the reader is quickly into the storyline taking place in Walton, Georgia. Lane Kent, a single mom widow, finds a body in woods after contemplating suicide of a bridge. Charlie Lynch, the newest deputy in town, rescues Lane and he is quickly drawn to her. The story holds many surprises that make you want to keep reading into the night as Charlie and Lane fight their own issues and work to solve the murder case. I will be looking forward to Natalie Walter’s next book about Walton, Georgia.

I truly enjoyed reading Living Lies, as it had all the elements I crave in a book--characters I can relate to, a storyline that keeps me turning pages like my life depends on it, and that satisfied-but-"I want more!" feeling as soon as I'm done.

I thought the mystery plot was well developed, woven throughout the story in such away that I was constantly guessing what would come next while enjoying every bit of the journey to the end. And the romance thread was incredibly sweet--I loved seeing the relationship between Lane and Charlie grow.

Perhaps the one thing I appreciated most about the book was the mental health aspect. It is such a hot topic these days that when I start to read a book that's headed in that direction, I tend to brace myself because there's no telling what's ahead. Mental health is either painted positively or negatively, and even though this book was published under a Christian house, I was still nervous. It's a topic that hits very close to home! However, I thought the author did an excellent job of broaching the subjects of suicide and PTSD in a poignant yet sensitive way in that didn't she gloss over them, sweep them under the rug, or exploit them. I felt every bit of the struggle as well as the hope and redemption to come and that was refreshing. We need more positive reflections in fiction, just like this!

I'm looking forward to subsequent books in this series, for sure.

This was the first book I have ever read by this author and it will not be my last. I loved all the suspense in the story. There were many twists and turns. I am looking forward to many more stories by this author. The characters have many secrets and it is fun learning each one. I received a copy of this book from Revell for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

Lane Kent moved back to her hometown of Walton, Georgia with her five year old son following the death of her military husband. She suffers from depression and guilt. Lane suffers in silence, as she learns many others do, as well.
Lane meets Charlie, the new deputy sheriff when he finds her on the wrong side of the guard rails of a bridge. Who is this woman, he wonders, and was she about to jump?
Lane discovers the dead body of a teenage girl and the investigation is on! Lane sees more and more of Charlie. Lane's son, Noah, likes Charlie. Lane won't allow herself to have a relationship, as she feels she is to blame for her husband's death. Her and her illness. To add to the stress in her life is the fact that her father is a politician, and the family must keep up the act and public front of a wonderful family, when all she feels is criticism and disappointment from her parents. Then, there's the threat her father holds over her head.
Wonderful gripping story!
I was given an ecopy of this to read by the publisher, Revell and Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

The book is sure to please mystery buffs with secrets, lies and a murder. The author does a great job in keeping the story moving at a fast pace. I loved learning about paintings and all that is involved in an art gallery.

Lane is a good character who comes from a very influential family. It was hard for Lane to pretend everything was grand when she suffers from depression. I appreciate how the author writes about anxiety and depression with honesty and compassion. So many people suffer from depression and it is hard to find the right treatment. I loved Lane'swill power to deal with it in a positive manor. Her family seems to want to hide it from the world, which puts Lane in a difficult position at times.

The story is dark at times with realistic views of PTSD and depression which I think enhanced the story line. The last thing Lane needs in her life is to stumble upon the body of a young girl in the woods. This is where we meet the charismatic Deputy Charlie Lynch. He is fierce with a background in the military. He takes to Lane right away and has compassion for her and her adorable son. His intelligence is obvious when he realizes Lane is hiding something. Will she trust him with her secret?

I loved the setting of a small town and how neighbors look out for each other. The mystery of a painting really increases the speculation of who is involved with the murder and how it ties into a possible drug problem. Who is Miguel and why does he feel that Lane needs protecting? I found Miguel to be a lost soul tossed aside by society due to PTSD. My heart went out to him and I wanted someone to give him a helping hand.

I was impressed with the details of drug smuggling and new ways they are able to transport drugs undetected. The town is in an uproar when someone lets slip who they think killed the young girl. You could feel the chaos and rumors as the crowd gathers at what they think is the killer's home. The author brings us a story that keeps you guessing right up to the end. I have found a new author to add to my list who writes with intensity, honesty and an element of faith.

I received a copy of this book from Revel Publishing. The review is my own opinion.

This Book!

This Author!

Wow, let me tell you, I wasn't big on reading Christian fiction suspense before my son became a police officer.
Suspense is not a new genre but quite a few of the Christian fiction authors are jumping on the bandwagon of writing the hottest read genre now and I'm enjoying it quite a bit.
I find it hard to believe this is the author's debut book. She definitely writes like she has quite a few books under her belt.
I am also so glad to see she brings depression front and center in her book. It's an issue that so many of us deal with on a personal issue or know someone that is affected by it.
My hope is that people reading this that are affected by this will not feel ostracized by their condition but will discuss it in their families and get the help they need or get someone suffering with it the help they need.
This book is just incredible, it is written and flows like a well greased cog.
The pieces fit together like a well put together puzzle.
One thing I noticed is the book has a small town feel and neighbors helping neighbors and just caring for each other.
I had to keep reading to find out what happens and it had me guessing all the way to the end.
I am really looking forward to the next book in series.

Published May 21st 2019 by Fleming H. Revell Company.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you.
All opinions expressed are my own.

FTC Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Reads and a complimentary electronic copy from NetGalley. A positive review was not required. These are my honest thoughts.

What an important book for mental health awareness!

I was quite impressed by the author’s handling of depression, suicide, PTSD, and the support (and lack of support) various characters encountered and lived with. I’m eager to see how Mrs. Walters builds on these topics (or introduces us to new ones) in book two of her Harbored Secrets series.

The only characters I truly despised were the leading lady’s parents. Their controlling personalities were written so well that I struggled to get through their scenes because of previous personal experience with that type of people. Not fun memories! But I must applaud the author for nailing it, even if it made the book a bit challenging to get through. (The second half was easier for me to fly through, and I doubt this issue will slow down most readers.)

Plot twists aplenty kept me riveted to my seat and flipping the pages quickly, particularly in the back half. The pace was fairly decent for a suspense novel, though it read much more like a police procedural than the thriller sort of suspense book the cover implied I was getting into. As much as I enjoyed this book, there were spots where characters randomly thought about (and for too long on occasion) about potential romance, and this ground things to a halt in a few scenes.

The faith thread was sprinkled in very lightly. When it showed up, it was strong. I would have liked this to have been a more important aspect of the plot rather than almost as an afterthought.

Content: one expletive, drugs, alcohol, tattoos, dysfunctional family, depression, suicide

Note: There is violence associated with the suspense genre. Nothing I wouldn’t expect.

I really enjoyed Living Lies. The author was able to pull off the mystery/suspense plot very successfully. It kept me guessing up to the end! Ms Walters also introduced the reader to the crippling agony that depression can have on a person's life. Most people don't realize that depression is much more than being sad. The romance was a little too predictable for my taste. Overall though, Living Lies delivered a good story. I would read another book by Ms Waters.

This book intrigued right from the beginning with the main protagonist’s struggle with mental illness. Walters’ way of using mental illness as a huge part of the plot intrigued me. Often when I’ve read books that included mental illness, it was part of the antagonist’s journey but Walters uses it as a defining factor in the protagonist’s journey. Her struggle with trying to hide it, especially from the man she starts falling for, while also trying to defend the man who becomes the main suspect in a murder leaves her in a tough spot. I found the suspense a little lacking at times with entire scenes where you could easily forget that they were trying to solve a murder, but everything else that was going on captivated me enough to not mind too much.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this debut novel. I thought Walters included some great real life trauma and issues that many people deal with daily. It is always nice to read books where the characters aren't perfect. I truly hope that anyone who reads this book will realize help is out there. I also hope that it gives readers empathy for those they meet dealing with depression or PTSD or really anything!

I couldn't stand Lane's family, but I adored Charlie's!

I loved the suspense in this book! I truly got caught up in trying to figure it out. I was also thrilled that there was a romantic side to the story as well. I'm looking forward more from Walters!

I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. This is my honest review.

3.5 stars out of 5

Living Lies by Natalie Walters was an enjoyable read by a promising debut author. The first few chapters had me questioning how a debut writer could write such a captivating beginning that hooks in a reader so nicely. Unfortunately for me, I felt the overall mystery didn’t have enough plot twists/red herrings and that it was heavier on romance than I prefer. But with that said, I will definitely read more books by this author, in hopes that she will focus more on the suspense than romance (sorry, there only so many times I can read how handsome and muscular Charlie was with a nice jawline and of course about a dozen times how good he smelled!!).

Criticisms aside, I did want to mention that the author did a stellar job with her theme on depression and PTSD, with a nice Christian angle. It was presented with realism, empathy, and was the shining moment of this book. Also, she did a great job with all her primary and secondary characters and they were developed nicely in the small Southern town. It’s these kinds of things that make you want to read this author again.

*I received this book free from Netgalley and publisher Revell in exchange for an honest review.

Please check out my other reviews at: https://wadeurspider01.wixsite.com/website

A great first book. Suspense is difficult to balance but Natalie Walters was very successful in this endeavor. Featuring an unlikely heroine in a small town.

I really enjoyed the beginning of this book. I love the fact that the author addresses mental illness in several ways. I liked the main characters and thought they were true-to-life.

Where the story went downhill for me was mostly the interaction between the main character and her family. I know rich and political families all have issues and expectations. I just felt like the storyline between them wasn't realistic. I know there has to be conflict to drive a storyline, but I felt like a lot of the conflict was driven by unrealistic choices and logic by the characters. Things that could've been settled easily were drug out for conflict's sake.

Also the plot with the villain and events relating to that just didn't seem to fit for me. I did really enjoy the author's storytelling, and really loved the first half of the book. But after that my interest waned. I figured out who the bad guy was long before the end, and kind of rushed through the rest of the book.

I would check out more books in this series because I did enjoy the writing style. For a debut novel this author has done really well. I am sure her writing will only improve from here. I do recommend this Christian mystery!

This was a really solid debut novel and a great start to a series. I'll definitely be checking this out. I requested a copy based on the front cover and for a change, judging a book by its cover was the right move!

This is one of the most interesting books I've read this year. the author, Natalie Walters addresses issues such as mental illness and especially the stigma attached to those who experience this and deal with it each day.

This was the kind of book that makes you want to take a day off work just so you can finish it, the kind of book where when your train gets to its stop you wish you were going to the next one along on the line just top get 5 more minutes in.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This is no way influenced my opinions.

This is an exciting suspense novel from a new-to-me author!
The main character, Lane, is dealing with lots of hard issues, including depression.
Because of her chance happening across a dead body, she finds herself caught in the middle of a murder mystery, and is drawn to the new detective in town, Charlie Lynch.
This is spellbinding, and intense, the whole way through. It faces some hard issues head on, and then a bit of romance is thrown into the mix.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story, and look forward to reading the next one in the series!
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255