Maeve Conlon's life is coming apart at the seams. Her bakery is barely making ends meet, and one of her daughters spends as much time grounded as the other does studying. Her ex-husband has a new wife, a new baby, and a look of pity for Maeve that's absolutely infuriating. Her father insists he's still independent, but he's slowly and obviously succumbing to Alzheimer's. And now, her cousin Sean Donovan has been found dead, sitting in his car in a public park in quiet Farringville, New York, shot through the head.
There was never much love lost between Maeve and Sean and she's not exactly devastated by his death, but suddenly the police are poking around asking the family questions. It's just one more hassle Maeve doesn't have time for, until she realizes that her father, whose memory and judgment are unreliable at best, is a suspect in the murder. Maeve is determined to clear his name, but is she prepared to cope with the dark memories and long-hidden secrets that doing so might dredge up?
Maggie Barbieri will mesmerize readers with Once Upon a Lie , a gripping novel about family, justice, and the choices we make that define who we are.
**
From Booklist
Barbieri takes a sabbatical from her Murder 101 series to bring readers this first volume in a new series featuring Maeve Conlon, a single mother raising two teenage daughters and running a successful bakery. Maggie is not as upset as one would expect when she hears that her cousin, Sean, has been murdered. The two never got along very well. But when she learns that her father, a retired cop who has Alzheimerβs, is the prime suspect, she feels that she must do something. Although her father sometimes wanders from his assisted-living facility and canβt remember where he has been, Maggie is sure that he could not be the murderer. Determined to clear his name, she embarks on an investigation while juggling the demands of daily life, her daughtersβ soccer games, her business, and her interactions with her ex-husband and his trophy wife. Digging into her cousinβs life and death means that she must face some very unpleasant memories and secrets from her past. Darker than Barbieriβs series books but not without humor, this well-plotted story will appeal to both chick-lit and mystery readers. --Barbara Bibel
Review
β[A] riveting tale of ordinary cruelty and complicated heroismβ¦All the characters are sharply drawn, particularly Maeve, whose dark humor and stoic attitude mask an unshakable moral core. The details of Maeve's connection to Sean and Michael unravel with excruciating slowness, and Barbieri skillfully avoids tipping her hand until the last possible moment, leaving readers both breathless and unnerved by the novel's conclusion.β β Publisher's Weekly (starred review)
β[Barbieri] takes readers on a dark ride through the life of an abuse survivor. This in-depth look at the daily thoughts and feelings of the heroine is intriguing. The story hooks readers until the shocking end. This reviewer is looking forward to more from this talented author.β β RT Book Reviews (4Β½ stars, Top Pick)
βAn excellent, edgy thriller. Maggie Barbieri breaks new ground with this provocative new novel showcasing one burnt out mother's desperate determination to protect her family's future by facing down her past. Secrets, betrayals, stunning revelations. This book has it all.β β LISA GARDNER
βWow. What begins as a wry and witty suburban mystery soon becomes a darkly powerful tale of family secrets, loss, and revenge. Surprising, sinister, and quietly disturbing.β β HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN
β Once Upon a Lie 's Maeve Conlon is a terrific heroine--funny, smart, brave and, above all, real.β β ALISON GAYLIN
β Once Upon a Lie is a clever, spicy, humorous and insightful story of what can happen when long-suppressed memories and dark secrets are kept buried too long. Maggie Barbieri digs deep beneath the serene surface of suburbia where forbidden things happen and delivers a surprising, suspenseful and satisfying story.β β MARY JANE CLARK