Physicist Georgia Brennan's life is turned upside down at the sudden death of her husband. After swimming through her grief, she realizes certain things about Sean's death don't quite make sense. Why are some of his personal effects missing? Why did he not tell her he was fired from his job a few months before he died?

Unraveling the clues, Georgia enters a world where politics, espionage, and family collide. Was Sean's death actually an accident? Is Sean even dead at all? As the clock ticks down towards her father's confirmation as the new Secretary of Defense, Georgia races to uncover the truth and expose the lies while keeping herself and her young son safe.

For a political thriller, this one wasn't bad for a non-thriller reader like myself. Most of the storyline was easy to follow, and it definitely kept you guessing as to what was actually going on and which characters could be trusted.

There were a few things which took away my enjoyment of this book. For one, there was zero Christian content, which was disappointing from a publisher like Thomas Nelson. I read Christian fiction because I like the faith elements. There were also some situations which could make readers uncomfortable. The very first scene was a married couple having sex, and there were two others like it in the book. While not graphic by any means, it did talk about things like positions, which is way more visual than anyone needs. There is a minor character who gets drunk and confesses to trying to seduce the main character's husband. That added nothing to the story and easily could have been left out. Certain words which can be used as curses were also in the text, though not as expletives. If any of these things bother you, this might be one to avoid. I do not plan on reading any other the author writes in this genre, though I still love her historical fiction.

On the other hand, if you like general market political thrillers and the things outlined in the paragraph above don't bother you, you might really enjoy this one. Please use your own discernment in all reading choices.

I received my copy of the book from the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC. This book was a yes from the beginning, it held my interest and kept me guessing. Great book and would highly recommend this read to friends & family.

In the book State of Lies, author Siri Mitchell writes about physicist Georgie Brennan whose husband is killed in a hit-and-run accident. But after some time goes by things just are not adding up. Then strange noises under her house, a cryptic notebook turns up and maybe her husband isn’t dead. Someone is trying to get her attention or are they trying to kill her? And is her father involved? Is there a conspiracy?
I would highly recommend this book. It was a great read with lots of twists and turns. Kept my attention. I received a complimentary copy of this e-book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you Netgalley for sending me this arc. I will be reviewing this book in the near future with an honest rating and review.

State of Lies is a suspenseful adventure that takes you deep into the heart of Washington DC. I love how the story draws you in from the beginning and doesn't let go. Siri Mitchell's story has everything that makes an epic novel- Adventure, romance, intrique and deception. I like how she wrote it from Georgie's perspective and we really got to know her. She developed her characters well and I liked some better then others. I like how real this story felt like it could be something that happened in real life. I could go on and tell you more details but it would give the plot away and it's worth reading. I will just say that this book is one of the best I have read.

State of Lies by Siri Mitchell

This was the first book that I have read by Siri Mitchell, but it definitely won’t be the last. There were many things that I liked about it. The plot was constantly unfolding and carrying the reader deeper into the story. The characters were likeable and complex. And best of all, the ending held a surprise!

The plot contained many twists and turns and was impossible to predict. I felt like I was living the story along with Georgie.

I really admired Georgie, and how she rose to the challenge of solving the mystery that threatened her family. The author managed to make me feel her confusion, hopelessness and desperation. I wondered along with her just who Sean, her husband really was. And as for Georgie’s parents, there was definitely more to them than I first suspected.

The story’s ending was something that I did not predict. Although it satisfied most of my questions, it still left some things unresolved.

The one thing that almost made me quit reading before I had hardly begun was the intimate scene between Georgie and her husband at the beginning of the book when Georgie and her husband. Though it was handled discreetly, I was still a bit uncomfortable with it.

Although this book is published by Thomas Nelson, there was no mention of God, the Bible or faith in it. Basically, it was a clean read, but free of any overt mention of faith.

I am grateful to the publisher for the free e galley to read. This is my honest review.

This is the first novel I have read by Siri Mitchell and it won't be the last. I hope she continues to write some suspenseful thrillers like this one. I am not usually one to get drawn into novels with a political theme, but this one definitely kept my attention. Just when I thought I was starting to figure out what was going on, a huge plot twist happened. I can honestly say I never saw that ending coming!! If you are in the mood for some page-turning action and suspense with a completely surprise ending, check out State of Lies.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson Publishers through Net Galley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I have to start this review off by saying, I was very happy that one of my favorite authors had written a new book. I was a little less enthusiastic when I read it was a thriller\mystery novel. That was definitely not what I was expecting considering most of her novels are either historical or modern day romances. Nevertheless, I was intrigued and Siri Mitchell doesn't disappoint.

I have read several books by this author, my favorite being (Moon Over Tokyo). I guess I sort of credit that book and this author into introducing me into the wonderful world of romantic fiction. I don't have a very good track record with reading mystery novels with such complicated plots because I tend to get confused. This one wasn't confusing at all...that means that if I can get it, so can you.

Several months ago Sean Brennan left his family home with the intention of buying a part for the sink and never returned. Devastated by her husband's death, Georgie doesn't quite know how to put her life back together and rebuild her family with her young son who insists that his father isn't dead...only gone for a while and coming back soon. At first what seems like a child's delusion turns into a dangerous game when Georgie receives a message from her husband...who's supposed to be dead.

Investigating into this, the true mystery unfolds. The people who allegedly "killed" her husband is now after her and her son. But why? What information could Sean have possibly gotten that would cause such a mess. Who can she really trust and who is watching her every move.

This is a fast-paced mystery\thriller with plenty of twists and turns to keep it interesting and entertaining. If this is the way Siri Mitchell has chosen to go for her next novels, I would happily go down the yellow brick road with her.

This book is appropriate for ages 16+ for some mature content (non-sexual) and violence.

State of Lies by Siri Mitchell starts off as a family drama and soon escalates to a mystery. Sean and Georgie Brennan are a happily-married young couple who are parenting their young school-age son. While running an errand, Sean falls victim to a hit-and-run driver and is killed instantly. Life as Georgie knew it changes forever: she is now a single parent to her fatherless son and her job as a quantum physicist is in jeopardy. Her parents offer to help while her father, a four-star general, is about to be appointed secretary of defense. A few month's after Sean's death, Georgie comes into possession of his notebook which details names and codes she is unable to decipher. She then notices that she is being followed and fears that someone wants to kill her and her son. Soon, she can't tell her friends from her enemies. This is an edge-of-your-seat thriller and you won't be able to identify the bad guys from the good. Highly recommended. Thank you to Thomas Mercer and NetGalley for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another great book of suspense and surprises by Mitchell......After her husband's death, Georgia finds out her husband had lied to her about where he was going that fatal evening, Then she finds out other strange and untrue happening concerning him. Was her whole marriage filled with lies and untruths? What about her young son who still spoke of his daddy in the present, as he was not dead but in a "worm hole." So she begins searching for answers and finds her life is in danger.  Who was this person she was married to and what /how had he deceived her? What a book that will keep you turning the pages, eager to know the answers to this intriguing mystery......I was given a copy from the publisher via NetGalley  and I am very pleased to leave a review.

Wow! I loved this book! I have never read Sir Mitchell before but now I will definitely be watching for her books now. This story is told in first person of which I am not usually a fan but it seemed so fresh that I quickly became engrossed in the story.

Some things I really liked about this story were:
-I could keep up with all the characters. Many books have so many characters going every which way that I need a program to keep up. This was not that way, plenty of characters, but not too many or too confusing.
-I really did like that the story was told from one point of view. I could hear her voice.
-The story moved. It didn't get bogged down or go off on side stories. It gave the information and kept moving. There was always something new happening.

I was surprised that it was considered Christian fiction. There was no theme of that in the book. It was clean and there was a moral lesson. But I think the book would have been even better if that had been added.

The only thing I might change would be her name. For some reason Georgie didn't fit her. I probably would have named her Karina or Melanie or something with two or three syllables but not as homey sounding.
I would love to hear why the author named her that.
I recommend this book highly!
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley but the opinions stated are all my own.

What a thrilling book! I have always loved Siri Mitchell’s historical novels, so it was so much fun to read her latest suspense story. The writing is very well done, which allows you as the reader to easily devour the book. I could not put it down! There were definitely twists and turns that I did not expect, especially one pretty large reveal that caught me completely by surprise. I also appreciate the amount of research that the author put into the novel with regards to the character’s job as a physicist and the political climate that serves as a backdrop to the story. I do no think the Christian message was strong in this novel, but it is certainly still a clean story. I really enjoyed this book overall and recommend it!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Siri Mitchell's State of Lies kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time I was reading it. There is non stop action and it wasn't until the last few chapters that the culprits became known. I loved the plot and the cast of characters was quite well developed. This book was very realistic and could be pulled from today's headlines. So grab your favorite caffeinated beverage and prepare to miss a bit sleep as you enjoy the story!

I was given a copy of State Of Lies by NetGalley.com with no expectations. All thoughts are my own.

It’s been a while since I’ve read a novel by Siri Mitchell. Her first novels were contemporary Christian romance, and I enjoyed the writing and the humour. She then moved into Christian historical romance. I read a couple and enjoyed Flirtation Walk, but didn’t enjoy the other—I didn’t like the characters, and found the language bloated when compared with her contemporary reads. However, after reading the other reviews, I see mine was a minority opinion.

I then read and enjoyed The Miracle Thief, the first of two general market historical novels released under the pen name of Iris Anthony. I thought it was a wonderful story, and was pleasantly surprised to find it actually had more Christian content than many of the Christian novels I read (and I’m not sure what it says about the publishing industry that the Christian publishers weren’t prepared to publish a novel featuring miracles, but a general market publisher was).

And now Siri Michell is back, and writing in a fourth genre: romantic suspense.
State of Lies is published by Thomas Nelson, part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, and is like many current Thomas Nelson books: well-written with a great plot and characters, but no overt Christian content. Despite that, it’s a great read.

Georgia Brennan is a physicist in Washington, DC. She’s married to Sean, a historian, is the mother of six-year-old Sam, and the daughter of a US Army general who might just be the next secretary of defence. Life is great.

Sean is killed in a car accident on his way to pick up a part he needed to fix the kitchen sink.
Months later, when Georgie goes to fix the sink, she realises Sean was lying. That starts Georgie following a trail of lies and leaves her questioning everything she knows to be true.

The novel is Georgie’s story, written in first person point of view. She is an intelligent woman, which is something I always like to see in fiction. She is a strong character with a strong voice, a voice which drives the narration forward without slowing the pace.

State of Lies is a brilliant thriller, with political and military links as befits the Washington DC setting. It’s well-written, with excellent characterisation, and just the right balance between red herrings and genuine clues … along with plenty of surprises. I like to be able to figure some things out when I read a thriller or suspense novel, but I also like to be wrong occasionally.

I hope this is the first of many suspense novels from Siri Mitchell. Recommended for fans of the Criss Cross series by CC Warrens, and the If I Run trilogy by Terri Blackstock.

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.

: I was emotionally invested from the first chapter of this fast-paced, intriguing story. I instantly felt the love this playful couple had for each other. Georgia would forever sear these moments in her memory. From the opening the reader is entertained by how this healthy, loving, married couple steals time away from their busy schedules to love one another before their son wakes up from his nap. The author writes in first person through Georgia eyes as the couple is interrupted by an alarming sound. Georgia can see her phone, it’s her mother.

After the phone call Sean goes through Georgia’s to do list. He says he must go out and get a part to fix the sink. Out the door he goes. A few hours later two men in uniform knock at her door to tell her Sean has been in a horrific accident. He was dead. This couldn’t be happening. Surly they had the wrong house.

Georgia is a brilliant physicist doing her best to cope these last eight months. It helped she had the support of wonderful friends and neighbors like Jim and June who became her surrogate parents and grandparents to her and Sam.

Georgia starts to tackle fixing the sink her husband had worked on the night he never came back. She discovers the faucet didn’t need a part. Her husband had put a part in his pocket when he left that night. Sean (a one-time special forces soldier - working on a secret investigation) had lied to her. What was in his pocket? Where did he really go? More questions arise the day Georgia overhears her son, Sam playing a crazy game in the other room.

She questions Sam. “You said Dad told you your hockey bag would be a good place to hide?” “Yes.”

“When did he say that?...”When we played the “Bad Guys Game.”

Sam explains the game ..”Curious what, did your Dad say about hiding in the couch?”

…”it was pretty good. Not as good as some of the other (hiding spots) but if you’re in the living room when the bad guys come, it’s good…You stay there until the bad guys leave?”

Georgia’s internal warning bells go off. She contemplates all the weird things that had been happening in a new light. Sean thought their family was in danger. There was no other reason to teach their son that game. She grabs the police report. The street where the accident took place wasn’t near a hardware store in any direction. She starts to investigate things through scientific methods she uses on her job. She looks for things that are in plain sight. When she looks at this situation that way, it’s a game changer.

Just when you think you’ve got things figured out a new piece of information changes everything. This is a political/psychological thriller, following military operations gone wrong, that will have you burning the midnight oil. The authors life experiences as a military wife and business sense shine through this complex, compelling story.

I’ve read a few of the authors other novels that were historical romance books with a natural spiritual thread running through them. She didn’t have any spiritual aspect interwoven in this novel that I could see. It still it was a fun, page-turning read that would work well for a book club pick. There is so much to talk about!

Wow! I had read one of Ms. Mitchell’s contemporary romances and enjoyed it, but State of Lies blew me away. It was dramatic without being unbelievable. There was enough character tension and action to keep me on the edge of my seat and enough mystery to keep me guessing throughout the story. There were unexpected twists and turns along the way that I definitely didn’t see coming. I look forward to reading more suspense novels by Ms. Mitchell.
I received a complimentary issue of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Well hello Siri Mitchell! When one of your favorite authors decides to venture out of her usual genre it can be a little unnerving. Will it be any good? Should I give it a try? In the case of 'State of Lies' the answers are yes and yes.

'State of Lies' is filled with plot twists and turns that keep you guessing and rethinking your theories. By the end of the story I was about 50 percent correct in my assumptions. And I was totally amazed at what I had made wrong guesses on.

I really hope that Siri continues writting her signature historical fiction but I also want to read more suspense from her as well. Maybe a combination of both??? Anyway, if you are a fan of Siri Mitchell or of suspense (of the political nature) then I am quite sure you are going to enjoy this one.

I received a copy of this book to facilitate my review.

This intriguing, suspenseful book didn’t start out as I expected. I almost quit reading after the first scene. I don’t care for bedroom scenes, even between a married couple. I think the author could have conveyed their relationship in another way so I would not recommend this to young readers. I then reread the info about the story that had piqued my interest originally. That made me decide to give it another chance, since I had committed to review it. Protagonist Georgie Brennan’s job and circumstances certainly drew my interest. Now alone with a young son, what is she to do? As more is uncovered about her husband Sean’s disappearance (even from the morgue), more questions emerge as well as threats to her life. In the meantime, her dad’s past draws questions too. And why are so many people involved being killed? The author certainly knows how to portray the inner workings of the military and political elements, and her characters come alive on the page. I received a copy from Celebrate Lit. All opinions are my own.

Filled with international espionage, domestic terrorism, and danger coming from every page, readers will not want to miss a page of State of Lies!

Georgie Brennan has had months to deal with the death of her husband after a hit and run accident and still aches from the loss. When Georgie discovers that Sean lied about where he was going the day he was killed, she starts digging deeper into the man she thought she knew best and realizes maybe she didn’t know him as well as she thought she did. She finds a missing notebook with cryptic messages; strange noises around the house worry her with each passing day and her job as a physicist is in jeopardy as she continues to dig into her husband and what actually happened to him. During her struggles she relies on her family, her son is struggling to deal with the death of his father and her own father, a four-star general is being considered for secretary of defense. Her life is threatened more than once, along with everyone she cares about and she is running out of people to trust.

With danger around every corner, this was a great read that surprised me with how much I enjoyed it. This was the first book I have read by Siri Mitchell but will for sure not be the last. The story was fast paced and solid throughout with a storyline that was riveting and engaging throughout. So many aspects of this story were spot on for me; the characters, each and every one, even the minor characters reacted exactly as I felt they should making the story exceedingly enjoyable. Those minor characters had some of the best scenes for me, not something you see in every book. One of the things I enjoyed most about this book was the way Mitchell tastefully addressed the subject of sex within marriage. So many times, especially in a book from a Christian publisher, sex is a topic not even touched. It was refreshing to see this addressed in this way that would keep me from wanting to read or recommend to anyone. One other point to me is even though this was published by Thomas Nelson, a Christian publishing house, not much at all was mentioned or even hinted at to make a reader aware of that fact. I know many readers don’t want to be preached at but even a hint would have been nice. I have to say though this story was good enough that even that didn’t take away my enjoyment of the story. It was obvious the author had real knowledge of military and DoD that flowed throughout the story and deep within the bones of the characters. Overall this was a great read that I highly recommend to fans of political thrillers and wanting a fun, fast-paced, and all in all great read.

I received a complimentary copy of this title from the publisher. The views and opinions expressed within are my own.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, I'm a big fan of mysteries. One of the things I love most about mysteries is the guessing game I get to play with myself. When I’m not reading the book, I am thinking about it in a way I can’t with other genres. I look back at the clues, try to decipher underlying intent, question the motives of every person, just to try to predict an outcome. If I had more patience, I could let the book progress on its own and be told the ending as the author intended, but where’s the fun in that???

State of Lies is unique for many reasons, but the first that comes to mind is it unpredictability. As the story builds, and clues are uncovered, it’s not shocking the reader for shocks sake. Instead, the revelations feel plausible and inevitable, but not foreseen, meaning Siri Mitchell did a wonderful job constructing the plot.

Also, the pace was fantastic. I didn’t once feel like the action stalled or that I could skim a section. Conversely, the characters didn’t suffer for the relentless storytelling. The characters had great depth and interesting quirks even though so much of the tale revolves around the suspenseful plot. Sometimes, books can be about one or the other, but it’s refreshing to read a suspense writer who gets people too.

I’m usually not a huge fan of political thrillers, but I loved the conspiracy theory angle brought to this story. While the novel wasn’t consumed by it, the deep state vibe gave the whole plot a more sinister feel. Any person who is a fan of mysteries or suspense books will love this addition to the genre. State of Lies would be the perfect book to read with a blanket and a cup of cider on a rainy autumn afternoon. Trust me, you won’t be able to get off the couch before you finish.

*Special thanks to Siri Mitchell, Thomas Nelson, and TLC Book Tours for a copy of State of Lies in exchange for an honest review.