Heather’s Bookshelf: Lies
Author: Seeley James
Released: 12/20/22
Genre: Adult Action/Adventure
“I hold my head in my hands. I am insane. I’m sitting on a rooftop thousands of miles from home doing mental gymnastics to wriggle out of a promise using the delusion of a deity as my advisor.”
“Lies” is #13 in the Sabel Security Series but can be read as a standalone book. This review will be done as a standalone, though I have also read and reviewed The Rembrandt Decision #12 in the series- review can be found here.
“Lies” follows Jacob Stearne, decorated veteran, who has been assigned by the US president to find a new technology and bring it back. The tech (kind of like an uber efficient battery) was made by a group in Latvia, but not everyone is so excited about a green energy alternative.
Unfortunately for Stearne, his investigation becomes even more complicated when he is accused of murder by the local police after a misunderstanding and as he happens upon a young girl, Symone, forced into sex trafficking and from a tragic background. Along with help from Symone, some past acquaintances (including his ultra wealthy/powerful boss Pia Sabel), and the physicists that worked on the tech, Stearne seeks to find the true killer and clear his name. Will he be able to find the truth amongst all the lies?
Trigger Warning: violence, murder, adult language, reference to sex trafficking, reference to school shootings/gun violence, assault, sexual situations, animal violence
Overall, I enjoyed this story. This tale pics up right after the last Pia Sabel book, making reference to it and previous adventures, though it can be read independently. The story is told through different POVs, but mostly Stearne, who I found to play a little too well into many of the alpha male stereotypes. While often seemingly arrogant, he keeps to his values and has an inherent desire to help those in need (as long as it follows with his ultimate goals). I found the interaction between him and Mercury inconsistent. Sometimes it felt oddly timed, super random and odd. At other times, it provided a little comic relief and filled in some character development for Stearne. The ancillary characters best developed were Marisa and Symone. Though not as prominent in page time as some of the other characters, Marisa had clear motives and her emotions jumped off the page. Symone also jumped off the page, annoyingly so in the first 1/3 of the story. However, she soon finds her stride and purpose with background information adding to her development and the understanding of the character. There’s a who-dun-it element to this that I really enjoyed and the action scenes push forward the pacing to keep you engaged. The ending wraps up “Lies” while also keeping open a clear purpose for the next sequel.
I received a copy of this story in exchange of a fair and honest review.
OVERALL REVIEW:
An action-adventure sequel, that can be read as a standalone with strong ancillary characters and an intriguing who-dun-it aspect
Want to learn more about the author?
Check out my interview with Seeley James
Interested in checking out the book for yourself?
Find it for purchase here
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