Tell Me No Lies

Sloane Kincaid, an expert in authenticating gemstones, receives a request to verify a collection of rare sapphires. The gems are linked to a decades-old theft that resulted in multiple deaths. Lindsay Danner, a gem cutter, becomes entangled in the investigation when her ex-husband is murdered. She must work with Sloane to uncover the truth about the sapphires while evading those who want the gems' secrets to stay buried. The investigation takes them through Arizona's remote landscapes as they piece together clues about the stolen gems. Their growing attraction competes with their need to stay focused on survival as dangerous figures from the past resurface. The novel explores themes of trust, deception, and how past crimes continue to influence the present. Through the metaphor of gem cutting and authentication, the story examines how people choose to present themselves and what lies beneath carefully crafted surfaces.

Readers appreciate the chemistry between protagonists Rand and Lindsay, with many highlighting their witty dialogue and emotional tension. Several reviews note the balance of romance and suspense elements. Positive reviews focus on: - Fast-paced plot that maintains momentum - Background details about jade and artifact smuggling - Strong character development throughout Common criticisms include: - Slow start in the first 50 pages - Too many secondary characters to track - Some find the jade industry details excessive Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: 3.95/5 (2,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.2/5 (180+ ratings) Barnes & Noble: 4.1/5 (40+ ratings) One frequent reader complaint mentions the book's initial publication as a Silhouette romance novel, feeling misled by its later repackaging as romantic suspense. Multiple reviews note the story improves significantly after the opening chapters, with one reader stating "Push through the setup - the payoff is worth it."

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🌟 The book's primary setting, Wyoming, features heavily in many of Elizabeth Lowell's romantic suspense novels due to her personal connection to the American West and its rugged landscapes. 💎 The storyline involves amber artifacts, and Baltic amber has been prized for over 8,000 years - ancient Romans would pay more for a small amber figurine than they would for a human slave. ✍️ Elizabeth Lowell is actually a pen name for Ann Maxwell, who has written more than 50 novels under various pseudonyms, including A.E. Maxwell and Annalise Sun. 🏆 The novel was published in 1986, during a period when romantic suspense was experiencing a major revival in popularity among readers, helping establish Lowell as a leading voice in the genre. 🔍 The book's themes of trust and deception reflect common elements in romantic suspense novels of the 1980s, when the genre was moving away from "damsel in distress" storylines toward more complex psychological narratives.