Tangle of Lies

Tangle of Lies is the perfect title for this book, because that's what Liz Connor's life turns into: a tangle of lies. It all starts when her father calls her up, frantic because her mother is missing. Turns out her mother has been arrested for a murder committed in the course of an armored car robbery by an anti-war protest group... 30 years ago. The revelation of her mother's past and identity is just the tip of the iceberg, however. Thefts, a threatened abduction of her niece, and a house fire make it clear that whatever happened 30 years ago isn't over. And two men show up: ex-cop Caleb Adams who tells her he's writing a book about the robbery, and attorney Michael Gallagher, who says he was sent by her mother's cousin to help in any way he can. But everyone has a different agenda, and there's no way to know who to trust. The unraveling of the tangle of lies is fascinating--trying to determine whether the threats are related to the robbery, or to an inheritance her mother is entitled to now that she's surfaced, what really happened 30 years ago, and who's behind it all. Liz and Caleb are both on emotional roller-coasters, coming from opposite directions to forge a relationship despite the forces conspiring to keep them apart. I tend to be wary of books that include a concealed identity plot, because so often it ends up the same, but that wasn't the case with Tangle of Lies. There were perfectly good reasons for both Caleb and Liz's mother to conceal their identities, and the reactions to the revelations were realistic and understandable. I've been recommending this one.

Tangle of Lies by Patricia Potter Reviewer: Pamela Ackerson (author of Home of the Braves Trilogy) Romantic Suspense the way it should be Patricia Potter has taken a genre and made it her own. Ms. Potter is known for her exquisite historical romances and now she has taken the romance suspense and added her own special recipe. Tangle of Lies grips you from the very first page and doesn't let you go until the very end. Liz Connor, the main character, has you by her side emotionally supporting her as you turn each page, from the moment she hears that her mother has been accused of a murder that happened 30 years ago, to the struggle with a relationship that is bound to fail because of the tangle of lies that have surrounded her. Clear your schedule, you don't want to be interrupted once you start reading this book!

This has to be one of the best books I've read in the last year. The story starts with a bang and then races along, making you feel eevry moment of suspense and excitement. The romance was strong and believable, the suspense breathtaking, and the mystery unusual. I stayed up late finishing this one!

Liz Connor's world is turned upside down when she receives a call from her father that her mother has vanished. Soon, they discover that her mother has lived a lie, and is wanted in connection with an armored car robbery 34 years earlier. When her mother decides to not fight extradition and plead guilty, Liz is enraged and wants answers. Caleb Adams also has an interest in the arrest of Betty Connor. She used to be Sarah Jane Maynard, a peace protester who got mixed up with the wrong crowd and is linked to the death of his father - one of the armored guards. He relocated to New Mexico after his wife and son were murdered in a car bomb when he was a Boston police detective, but has never given up on finding the four people wanted in connection with his father's murder. When he offers to help Liz uncover the mystery, he does not count on falling for her. And once they get deeper into the relationship, he knows that the longer he keeps his past from her, the more it will destroy whatever relationship they might have. Lurking in the background is Tony Woodall, the unknown ringleader of the group who has been searching for their ill-gotten gains all these years, and finally has the chance to get it back, even if he has to kill again. He scares Sarah Jane (Betty) into silence by targeting her family. Author Potter offers another nail biting suspense that will keep you at the edge of your seat. The only drawback I found was the number of characters and the aliases they used - could be difficult at times to tell who they were.

In Santa Fe, high school Principal Steve Connor comes home knowing something is not right with his wife. Steve's daughter Liz agrees with her father something is off kilter. Liz calls family friend DA Robert Adams who tells her to come alone to his office. There Liz meets FBI agents who inform her that her mother has been arrested for the murder of two armored car guards during a hold up thirty-four years ago; her real name is Sarah Jane Maynard. The Feds want her three associates. Liz believes they captured the wrong person, but her father does not seem s shocked. In nearby Sangre de Cristo Mountains, former Boston cop Garrett Caleb Adams learns of the arrest of one of those who killed his father thirty four years ago so he arrives at FBI Headquarters in Albuquerque. He offers his services to Liz saying he is writing a book on the armored car robbery. Incidents occur to Sarah's family and cohorts die, but she insists she is guilty and does not want to see anyone again. Liz asks Cal to help them. They fall in love, but he knows that once she learns the truth, their relationship will end. This fast-paced investigative story line hooks the audience once readers get over the shock that kindhearted motherly Sarah Jane and her cohorts killed two armored car guards including Cal's dad. The cast makes the tale believable as the strong lead couple struggle to learn the whole truth while a solid support in Boston, Chicago, Kansas City as well as New Mexico enhance the tale. Though many will believe that the "survivors" get off too softly, fans will agree that Patricia Potter provides a fantastic suspense thriller. Harriet Klausner