Review – Truth-Stained Lies

Cathy Cramer is a former lawyer and investigative blogger who writes commentary on local homicides. When she finds a threatening note warning her that she’s about to experience the same kind of judgment and speculation that she dishes out on her blog, she dismisses it as a harmless prank.

Then her brother becomes the principal suspect in the murder investigation of his ex-wife. Tried and convicted in the media, he is now scrutinized by the very society of bloggers and commentators of which Cathy is a card-carrying member. And it is up to Cathy and her two sisters, Holly and Juliet, to put aside their doubts and fears and learn the art of investigation. Because their brother is under the gun . . .and his 5-year old son is the killer’s next target.

I’ll confess . . . I read and reviewed Terri Blackstock’s second book in the Moonlighter’s Series, DISTORTION, first. It was so well-done that I had to have the entire series. And there was something niggling at the back of my brain; I’d seen TRUTH-STAINED LIES somewhere. Recently. Oh, yes . . . there it is, on my bookshelf!

Coming to the book (both of which are stand-alone, although if you read them as I did there are some potential spoilers in Book 2) with a pre-understanding of the principal characters was interesting. And it made reading the first book (despite the aforementioned potential spoilers) easier. It was like slipping on a comfortable pair of old slippers . . . it just felt right.

I’ve been a fan of Terri Blackstock since collecting her Cape Refuge series, and her craftsmanship has only improved over the years. With strong characters that nonetheless demonstrate the fatal flaws of original sin and the need for a Savior, Blackstock’s fiction is inspirational without being preachy. And her skills as a scribe will keep you reading to the soul-satisfying conclusion.

5 stars for a universal story with an eternal message