Welcome to one of the September 23rd stops on the tour for Tell Me Lies by Gail Chianese, organized by Silver Dagger Book Tours. Be sure to follow the rest of the tour for more features, guest posts and a giveaway! (More on that at the end of this post.)
Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means there is no additional cost to you if you shop using my links, but I will earn a small percentage in commission. A program-specific disclaimer is at the bottom of this post.
Tell Me Lies
Camden Point Mystery Book One
by Gail Chianese
Genre: Paranormal Romantic Mystery
Page Count: 346
Add it to your Goodreads TBR!
You’d think with a guardian who’s a ghost, she’d see everything coming. But nope, that’s not how it works. That’s not how any of this works.
Private investigator Lexie Smith has a mostly perfect–okay, satisfying life. A successful, if not super lucrative business with her best friend. A wonderful, loving companion named Bear–sure, he’s a little furry and he drools, but nobody’s perfect. A house on the beach and a wisecracking supernatural “intern” named Vinnie, who knows everything there is to know about crime and her nonexistent love life. Things are good, even if the cases are somewhat tame, until a dangerous assignment forces her to turn to the last man she can trust: Rafe Barandas, local police detective and the man who broke her heart years before.
After a decade in New York, Rafe has returned to his small hometown, burned out on big-city politics and crime. He’s looking forward to the quiet life, until he’s thrown together with Lexie (and, unknown to him, her phantom familiar) to solve what starts out as a simple B&E but quickly escalates. Leaving Lexie the first time was a huge mistake. Now that he’s got another chance, he’s determined not to blow it, so long as the job doesn’t get in the way.
As Lexie and Rafe get closer to solving one case, old hurts come back to haunt them and a new threat emerges. Can they put past lies and mistrust behind them long enough to thwart a cunning foe who seems to know every step they take and will stop at nothing, even murder? Or will one of them pay the ultimate price before they take their second shot at love?
“Gail Chianese explodes onto the paranormal romantic mystery scene with a slow-burn, second-chance romance that readers of the genre are sure to love!”
–Elicia Hyder, bestselling author of The Soul Summoner series
“In Tell Me Lies, the characters are fresh, the plot is complex, and the readers will definitely savor the piquantly sweet sex scenes. But it’s the side-splittingly hilarious banter that is the frothy icing on this multi-layered whodunit.”
–Josie Brown, author The Housewife Assassin’s Handbook series
Amazon US | Amazon CA | Amazon UK
Apple | B&N | Google | Kobo | Books2Read
Tearing her eyes away, Lexie glanced at her watch, eleven forty-five. “Detective Barandas, so nice of you to finally grace me with your oh-so charming self. No more ladies in distress to help?” Lexie casually closed out the programs on her computer, scooted her chair back, and crossed her legs while resting her hands in her lap. She couldn’t help ribbing him. The talk at the local hair salon, just a few doors down, was non-stop Rafe Barandas and his never-ending good deeds.
Leaning back against Kat’s desk, Rafe crossed his feet at the ankles, mimicking Lexie’s casual demeanor. “Where’s your Siamese twin? Didn’t think you two were ever separated.”
“Oh, you know on occasions we go our own ways.” She caught the sarcasm leaking out with her words and changed topics. “Did you catch our bad guys yet?”
He crossed his arms and settled in. “Working on it. At this time, you two are the only witnesses. Wanted to check in with you and see if there is anything new you might want to share with me. See if anything came to mind after you left, anything in those pictures you took.”
“I take it you haven’t checked your messages this morning?” Lexie picked up the envelope and handed over the set of pictures she’d made especially for him.
Rafe went through the short stack, studiously examining each print. Confidence rolled off him in waves. As a teen he’d had an air of self-assurance that reached out and called to all the females within a twenty-mile radius, as an adult it was an overpowering pull, demanding you to look, to notice, to appreciate.
She ran her index finger around the rim of her diet soda can, looking at him from the corner of her eye as if not looking at him full on could lessen the pull. “Find anything last night that will help determine the identity of those two men?”
“Nope and these aren’t much help either, but thanks for sharing. You seem pretty confident both are men. Why?”
He was testing her, but the twinkle in his eyes gave him away. She would let it slide. For now.
“The way they ran, their stances when they stopped, and unless the shorter one is a woman in her seventh month of pregnancy, that’s one heck of a beer-belly.”
He tapped the deck of pictures against his muscular thigh. “Good observation. Notice anything else? Either of them say anything, any unusual patterns in their walk, tattoos?”
She closed her eyes, brought the full memory of last night back, and let it play through her mind. “Both of them were dressed in head-to-toe black, complete with ski masks and gloves. The shorter one said something like ‘come on’ when the taller guy stopped and turned towards us. I think he heard us, but didn’t see where we were hiding. I couldn’t catch much of the voice, it was more an impression of what he said.”
A tic next to Rafe’s eye, along with the clenched fists crossed in front of his chest, gave his emotions away.
“Are you sure they didn’t see you? We don’t know what we’re dealing with here, and you could be in danger if they think you could ID them.”
His concern touched her in a way she hadn’t expected. Sure it was his job to worry about the citizens of Camden Point, to keep them safe, but she’d swear she saw another emotion flash across his eyes. Something deeper.
Amazon US | Amazon CA | Amazon UK
Apple | B&N | Google | Kobo | Books2Read
Gail currently lives in beautiful Connecticut, but originally hails from sunny California. She is the mom of three amazing kids, the wife of a 27 year Naval officer and the rescuer of three furbabies.
In her spare time (what little of it there is), she likes to ghost hunt with her hubby, geocache with her family and lock herself away with a great book. Currently, she’s attempting (keyword there) to learn to knit. Wish her luck, she’ll need it. And, she’s dreaming of the day when she can take her next trip. Where will it be? Only time will tell. Check her out on Instagram to see her words of wisdom, her travel destinations (past and future), what she’s read, and maybe enjoy a chuckle or two: https://www.instagram.com/authorgailchianese/
Her books have been nominated for the National Readers Choice Award and EPIC eBook Awards.
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Bookbub | Amazon | Goodreads
One lucky tour follower will walk away with a $10 gift card to the book retailer of your choice! Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway.
a Rafflecopter giveawayDisclaimer: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Thank you Jenna and Westveil Publishing for hosting my release!
You’re welcome!