‘Ooooh how I absolutely loved this book!!… I devoured this book in one sitting!!… I cannot recommend this book enough!! Fantastic… Amazing book!!’ NetGalley reviewer, 5 starsIn a time of war, nowhere is safe… the house, Cat’s world shatters.
Was the killer a violent husband seeking revenge? A secret lover? Or is something more dangerous at play? Because Cat and her fiancé Thomas have a secret: they’re hiding a precious golden chalice, keeping it locked safely away from the plundering Nazis until the war is over. But someone wants that treasure, and no one will be safe until they get it…
Readers LOVE House of Lies!
‘Gripping and enthralling… Just when you think everything is resolved, you let your guard down, and think it might coast towards a happy ending… oh no, we’re off again, and it’s quite wonderfully done… I thoroughly enjoyed it… Wonderful.’ NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars
‘Hard to put down. I devoured it in two sittings. The story was so captivating it made you not want it to end. I love it!’ NetGalley reviewer, 4 stars
‘Wow, what an intense and great historical cozy mystery!… The setting and cast is amazing, I loved the entire atmosphere… If you love a good historic cozy mystery, you have to check this one out. You won’t be disappointed.’ NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars
‘Thoroughly enjoyed this.’ NetGalley reviewer, 4 stars
‘Loved this book… So enjoyable.’ NetGalley reviewer, 5 stars
‘Kept me turning the pages.’ NetGalley reviewer, 4 stars
‘This is my first read by Terry Lynn Thomas, and I have to say, I truly enjoyed it… A gripping tale… Will keep you turning the pages.’ NetGalley reviewer, 4 stars
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This book is the 3rd instalment in the Cat Carlisle SERIES and can be read as a StAnDaLoNe.
1. The Silent Woman
2. The Family Secret
3. HOUSE OF LIES.
Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery, Suspense.
Checkout the #blurb in the comments.
MY TAKE:
The story begins in a remote village in Northern England during the World War-II.
Cat and Thomas are engaged.. Thomas’s book writing service is a guise for the real undercover work he did.
During the raging war, safety and communication becomes difficult to manage.
It’s a time, where one lives with the worry of bombs, rationing and curfew.
Thomas feels guilty at his inability to do much for the war effort.
He assists Stephen Templeton- a historian who had devoted his life to smuggling artefacts out of the destructive reach of the Reich- by safekeeping various religious relics, documents and other items.
Cat and Thomas are keeping a secret, hiding a precious golden Chalice, a rare artifact from the plundering Nazis..until the war is over.
Cat runs a women’s refuse.
Lucy’s murder(a woman from the shelter) leaves many questions unanswered…
who is the killer
Is it revenge by a violent husband
Is it a secret loveror
Is it something more dangerous
Read the book to know more!!
A riveting read which throws light on social issues, the scenario during war time and is full of mystery and suspense. The book also tenders to the beautiful love between Cat and Thomas, in these testing times. It ends beautifully and gives the reader the feeling of having read and experienced, a well written script.
In “House of Lies” @terrylynnthomasbooks has written a captivating and intriguing historical fiction suspenseful mystery set during WWII. A third in the series, that read great as a stand-alone and I really enjoyed this one! Fantastic!
Our main character, Catherine ‘Cat’ Carlisle, a wealthy widow who uses her inheritance running a safe house for abused women, and who is also engaged to Thomas Charles, a local detective. Cat is in a very dangerous situation harboring these women from their abusive relationship. So dangerous that one of the ladies was found dead behind the house.
Thomas was also in a precarious situation where he was hiding a valuable and precious golden chalice until after the war to prevent the Nazis from stealing it.
Was the killer a violent husband seeking revenge? A secret lover? Or is something more dangerous at play?
Overall I found this read highly entertaining with lots of guessing on whodunnit with complex characters full of intrigue, danger, murder and betrayal – a real high drama for historical fiction thriller fans! Well done Terry Lynn Thomas! Everyone get this it’s such an amazing read!
This is a page turner right from the get go! It can be a bit intense at times but sometimes that’s what makes it a good read. It is the third in a series but can be read as a stand alone! Pick it up and start turning those pages!
This can’t be the end for Cat Carlisle? (I said screaming!!) It’s so wonderful reading about Cat and her mysteries!
I was given a copy of this book by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
4.5 Stars.
A good murder mystery. This story brought out the amateur sleuth in me. But I found out I make a lousy Sherlock Holmes! This is one worth reading. Thank You!
Let me say that the author, Terry Lynn Thomas did not disappoint! Her book “House of Lies,” the third book in her series, the , was another fine, enjoyable read. It could be read as a stand-alone, too. I’m a big fan of anything historical fiction. The author set the scene perfectly: 1941, during WWII. I was on an exciting, scary journey with the main character, Cat, as she strives to find a better life for herself.
Cat is a strong, lovable character; running a women’s refuge. She is giving women protection from abusive relationships; but things take a turn when one turns up dead. Is Cat risking her own life by helping them? To make things even more dangerous and tense, Cat and her fiancé, Thomas, have a secret. They are protecting a golden chalice from the Nazis.
I am so glad I discovered Terry’s books. Terry is an excellent writer and I look forward to reading her other mystery series ( ) and any other book by her. I have no doubt I will enjoy those, too! So, if you are a historical fiction fan, I recommend the Cat Carlisle Mystery Series to take you back to 1941.
~This book was given to me by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.~
I love to read and this was thoroughly enjoyable.
Loved it
Good story and love the descriptive background
Perfect quarantine reading. Good story, believable characters…..entertaining without breaking one’s brain.
Hard to put down. Really enjoyed
Edge of your seat reading!
Cat and Thomas – what wonderful characters. I have enjoyed reading as these two have grown and progressed. I love the supporting characters of the stories and how Cat was able to help abused women find their way into a life of hope. These are people with heart, strength of character and courage.
This was a well written and great book about a woman’s discovery about her grandmother’s remarkable journey.
The third book in the Cat Carlisle Series is another stunning and magnificently written masterpiece by Author Terry Lynn Thomas! This is such an amazing, edge of your seat series that combines historical fiction with a mind blowing mystery included. Cat Carlisle, yet again gets herself involved in the murder of a young lady that has been staying at Saint Monica’s under the guise of an abused wife. Cat’s gut instinct tells her that Lucy Bardwell is not what she seems. What secret’s will Cat uncover? Will Cat once again find herself in a fight for her life? Along with the man she loves, Thomas Charles, Cat will uncover the secret’s of those involved but this time it may hit close to home! Author Terry Lynn Thomas, my new go to author, continues to mesmerize me with her amazing novels!
Cat runs a shelter for battered women, a cause that is near and dear to her heart. Charles is hiding a priceless chalice from the Nazis and works for the constable. When a murder occurs in the woods behind Cat’s house Charles becomes increasingly concerned for her safety and is determined to find the murderer.
Cat and Charles are both very interesting characters and I love them together. Cat’s passion for helping women in need is clear, regardless of her personal safety. Their success in their personal, as well as their professional lives is very important to her. No doubt that this stems from the years she spent with an abusive husband herself. Charles is smitten with Cat. He is her protector and will do anything to keep her safe.
I do not ordinarily read books out of order in their series, but this one caught my attention, so I threw caution to the wind. Jumping into the middle of the series did not affect my overall enjoyment of the book. I was intrigued with Cat and her past and I plan on starting from the beginning of the series to learn a bit more about her.
This book is a quick and easy read with many puzzle pieces that I enjoyed watching come together!
You guys, I’ve been so excited to read this book! I mean, just read that synopsis! Amazing! AND what’s even more amazing is (well, not really, I expected to say this but I’m feeling *melodramatic*) that I absolutely loved this book! I mean, it kind of hits all of the buckets for my favorite things in books so… Yeah, it’s just realllyyyy good!
Honestly though, I think the best part of this story is just how many different subplots are seamlessly interwoven into the main plot. It takes skill to pull this off so successfully! I mean there was the mystery aspect (and I’m a sucker for a good mystery book), to societal issues aspect, and then just all of the character development! Yet even amongst all of these seemingly difficult aspects the book is still a soothing read. I keep talking about “soothing” books lately because those are the ones that are holding my interest in these trying times. I want a book that feels like an escape where I can just relax into the story, and House of Lies was just perfect for that!
Now, I want to point out that I read this book as a standalone. Yes, I know, I’ve been doing this a lot! But, I really like all of these series that I have been coming across lately that I can read the latter books as standalones (and then become obsessed and go back and read the rest). Let me just add in my new favorite phrase again, it takes skill to write a series where each of the books can be read as a standalone. You have to balance the character development and the plot just right to make it work and Thomas is most definitely successful at that!
The House of Lies by Terry Lynn Thomas
War time is tough. For Cat Carlisle, who runs a women’s refuge home for beaten women, it is extremely turbulent. It seems nowhere is safe.
Cat and her fiancé, Thomas, also have a dangerous secret. They are helping to hide a golden chalice from the Nazis. But someone wants the chalice. A woman is murdered behind Cat’s house. Is it a jealous husband or lover? Is someone seeking revenge? Is it related to the chalice?
Delve into this mystery and see how the story unfolds. There are so many elements at play that you will want to stay up all night reading to figure it out.
“House of Lies” is a third book in the series, but it can easily be read as a standalone. Just like with the first two books in the series, this third installment was full of intrigue and good old English mystery with Agatha Christie’s quality to it. However, it wasn’t just the mystery itself, but social issues raised that made the story even more compelling. Domestic violence, mental health, rigid society rules that can easily ruin one’s life – all of these aspects made “House of Lies” a truly riveting read. And of course, in the thick of all this, is Cat Carlisle – a character you will absolutely love for her strong personality, selflessness, and desire to help the ones in need. Meticulously researched and well-written, this third book in the series is a perfect happy ending to the trilogy I actually didn’t want to end. Highly recommended to all fans of the genre.
I didn’t finish reading this. Just wasn’t a reading I was enjoying. Many others may really like this but I could not get into the plot.