Someone wants Georgie Brennan dead. And the more she digs for the truth, the fewer people she can trust.
Months after her husband, Sean, is killed by a hit-and-run driver, physicist Georgie Brennan discovers he lied to her about where he had been going that day. A cryptic notebook, a missing computer, and strange noises under her house soon have her questioning everything she thought she knew.
… questioning everything she thought she knew.
With her job hanging by a thread, her son struggling to cope with his father’s death, and her four-star general father up for confirmation as the next secretary of defense, Georgie quickly finds herself tangled in a web of political intrigue that has no clear agenda and dozens of likely villains.
Only one thing is clear: someone wants her dead too. And the people closest to her might be the most dangerous of all.
Praise for State of Lies:
“A voice you’ll want to curl up with, and a plot that won’t let you sleep.” —Tim Tigner, international bestselling author of Twist and Turn
“Don’t miss this thrilling ride.” —Kelly Irvin, author of Over the Line
“Siri Mitchell has created a story that will suck you in and not let go. With twists and turns, international intrigue, and danger galore, this book reads like a psychological thriller mixed with healthy doses of suspense.” —Cara Putman, author of the Hidden Justice series
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This is a wonderful novel of suspense. I did not want to put this book down. I was mystified every step of the way. There were lots of twists and turns. You were not sure who were the good people and who were bad through most of the story. I loved the characters and how they worked with each other. I received a copy of this book from Celebratelit for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.
An incredible read. Great tension and emotion. I loved the captivating story and that I learned something in the process. I did not want to put this book down. I will look for more books by Siri Mitchell.
My Thoughts on State of Lies:
State of Lies will leave you spellbound as you race the clock to finish the book before you become part of it forever. . . . or maybe that was just how I felt.
Wow. Just wow. This book was amazing. I constantly found myself wondering what would happen next. No cut and dried know who done it from the first-page type book. No, this one is so intense and twisted and full of suspense! Wow. Just wow. Cannot recommend this book enough.
Georgia Ann, Georgie is quite the lady. Love her character. I found myself so drawn to her and wanting to see how life turned out for her. She grew and became such a different person throughout the story. Her son Sam is also a favorite of mine with his firm holes. So cute and love his insistence that his dad is not fully dead.
I was so invested in this story. Really I didn’t want to put it down. My husband was like are you ready for bed? I just want to read just a little bit more. The baby wants to nurse. Sigh. Okay. So I would nurse the baby and then I had such a hard choice to stay in bed because this book was calling to me. And it was so hard to resist the siren call.
Siri Mitchell is an amazing author. I am now going to be following her and her pseudonym so that I can read them all! Definitely going to be a new favorite author I can tell.
Okay, so a few little bits that I have to say but don’t want to say too much. Someone is spying. There are cables that shouldn’t be where they are. Georgie’s house explodes! Say what? Yeap it explodes but don’t worry she gets out. And why does she get out? Because her husband taught her son to play a game of what if the bad guys come in the house! Oh yeah. It’s so good guys. Go read this book now!!
But maybe don’t read it if you’re home alone. And maybe don’t read it if there is a thunderstorm. Or if it’s dark. So read it during the day with the lights on and the doors locked. You’re gonna love it!
I have voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from Celebrate Lit. All views expressed are only my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way. All opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the FTC regulations.
This was a thrilling, political suspense from beginning to end and I loved it! I couldn’t read it fast enough! Great characters, steady plot, lots of twists and constant suspense!
I liked Georgie, the wife of Sean, who months after he’s killed begins to question his accident and starts investigating and looking for clues. As she starts asking questions she finds out there’s more to the story than she ever imagined, especially when people start getting killed. She was a strong, interesting character who kept pushing to get answers and wasn’t satisfied with just ignoring right and wrong. She was a great mother to her son and they try to adjust to their “new normal” without her husband.
Clean fiction with some implied (not graphic) sex scenes between a married couple and some killing/violence (not graphic) throughout the story.
Highly recommend! I absolutely loved it and couldn’t put it down!
I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.
Suspense is a wonderful genre to read in. I haven’t read any of Siri Mitchell’s historical fiction, but she started to write a suspense novel, and the synopsis sounded awesome, so I couldn’t wait to read it. The story starts out pretty just like a suspense novel with a high tension moment setting the rest of the action for the story. Then about 42 percent into the novel, the plot turned toward a little different direction. I did have a hard time putting the novel down. I wanted to see what would happen to Glorie as she tried to figure out with her father when he was in Iraq and with Sean. The ending did take a turn I didn’t see coming, so I was surprised that Mitchell went that way. I didn’t see it coming that way. The writing was good. I could see the characters and the setting as they played across my imagination. Overall, State of Lies by Siri Mitchell is a captivating written suspense with plenty of action and an unique storyline. It was a wonderful story to pass a couple of hours.
I received a complimentary copy of State of Lies by Siri Mitchell from Thomas Nelson Publishing, but the opinions stated are all my own.
STATE OF LIES is one of those books that grabs the reader from the beginning and continues to pull them in as the climax builds towards the end. Full of political intrigue, conspiracy, and danger as the heroine finds herself in the middle of a plot against the country she loves and those dearest to her. Suspense fans will find much to love here!
Don’t start this book right before bed. I did and then couldn’t put it down because I just had to know what would happen. It’s quite a bit of an emotional roller-coaster. Be prepared fro some good twists and turns as the story unfold. I immediately related to the protagonist, Georgie, who has been dealt quite a blow and is trying to keep her life on track and care for her son. I appreciated how the author left clues and bread crumbs here and there. Some were fairly easy and the heroine took a bit to catch on, but others were a little more difficult. Reading as she struggled with loss and finding not all is as it appears, was rough. Towards the end I literally did not trust anyone except for one person. Happily, in the end, I was wrong about a few people and right about others.
I have just a few minor issues with the story. I felt like the situation was fairly complex and the storyline didn’t always support it since there was really a lot going on and, as a reader, we’re only getting one part of it through Georgie’s eyes. I’m curious if there will be additional books about the other two situations or the fall-out that has to follow this story. My other issue is that the scenes between Georgie and her husband were perhaps a little more detailed than I expected and it surprised me. It means that I can’t give this one to my teen daughter to read.
In the end, was it what I wished for? I really enjoyed this story. It kept a constant undertone of suspense and danger, had a likable heroine to cheer on, a touch of romance, and a story that will hold readers’ attentions from beginning to end.
Content: Some fade-to-black love scenes between a married couple, violence.
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Celebrate Lit Publicity, which did not require a positive review nor affect it in any way.
What a thrilling book! I have always loved Siri Mitchell’s historical novels, so it was so much fun to read her latest suspense story. The writing is very well done, which allows you as the reader to easily devour the book. I could not put it down! There were definitely twists and turns that I did not expect, especially one pretty large reveal that caught me completely by surprise. I also appreciate the amount of research that the author put into the novel with regards to the character’s job as a physicist and the political climate that serves as a backdrop to the story. I do no think the Christian message was strong in this novel, but it is certainly still a clean story. I really enjoyed this book overall and recommend it!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
Normally, this author writes riveting historical fiction books. I was thrilled to see a suspense book come from her. It always makes me excited to see an author switch genres. This book is NON STOP action. You will want to make sure that you have a lot of time to read this book – for you will NOT want to put it down. In this book we meet Georgie. She has become a single mother after her husband is killed in a car accident. Now Georgie is a physist, and after some things don’t add up after her husband’s death – she looks further into his death. Layers of who she thought her husband was, and what happened come peeling back. Can she find out what happened without endangerng herself or her son? You will have to read it to find out. The author has well written characters, an intense intriguing storyline and so much more.
I received a copy of this book through Celebrate Lit blogging program. All thoughts are my own.
State of Lies is quite frankly one of the best books that I have read in a long time. The first night I started reading it, I stayed up reading until 3:30 am. I was so aggravated to have to sleep but sometimes you have to listen to your body, right? So, after sleeping a few hours, I got up, grabbed a steaming mug of coffee and happily finished reading this excellent novel.
First of all, I am very familiar with the location the author chose as her setting for this book so that was a happy coincidence but it was the fascinating storyline and the compelling characters that kept me reading as fast as I could. Just when I thought there couldn’t possibly be anymore intense moments, Ms. Mitchell proved me wrong by throwing another super intense moment my way but boy did I love each and every single one. I loved the importance of each character and how involved they are in this intriguing story, including the family dog.
This book is a real page turner and totally worth the read as you’ll discover when you read the story of Georgie, Sean and their young son. The things their family experience in this artfully written book will have you on the edge of your seat while you try to figure out what is going on and if things will ever be alright for them again This book deserves more than five stars and will definitely be on my top ten favorite books for 2019.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Let’s just start with the first chapter in this book. Can I say WOW?. Siri Mitchell gives us one of the best first chapters I have ever read before. It grabbed my attention as nothing else has in a long time. I picked it up to read when I only had a few minutes and boy was that a mistake. I could not stop thinking about the story and what was going to happen next.
In the first chapter, I got introduced to some of the intrigue, relationships, and mystery that Siri Mitchell weaves with great skill. It made me think in what-if scenarios (i.e. what if I was in Georgie’s or Sean’s shoes?). As I picked it up to finish the story, the book continued to unfold much like that first chapter. I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN. It was such a thrilling ride to figure out how all the clues fit together and seeing the ending. I mean Wow. This book left me giddy smiling to the point my husband asked me what was wrong. I, of course, had to explain the plot and told him he really would only understand if he read the book.
The whole book flowed at a believable rate, not rushing, but letting you get a feel for the thoughts and emotions of the characters. After reading the first chapter I was hooked. The rest of the book kept that same momentum for me, and I highly recommend reading this book. I give this book a 5 out of 5 Stars (If I could give more I would), for the great attention-grabbing first chapter, how Siri Mitchell weaved in a military/political/mystery/romance with such easy, and for the strength of the characters in not giving up in the face of overwhelming odds. Thanks for the wonderful read.
I received this book from Celebration Lit in return for my honest feedback. The thoughts and opinions expressed within are my own.
It will keep you guessing
I made a big mistake! Then I made it all over again! First, I took advantage of a short window of time before heading off on a team outing to get started reading State of Lies. All day long as I was with my team, while I was supposed to be building relationships and having fun, I kept thinking about the story. Sure, I was doing the other things as well, but still. The story was lingering in my mind and I was wondering what was coming next.
When I finally had a chance to read again that evening, it wasn’t quite enough time. And I’m not one who can stay up all night reading. Knowing I had a long day coming, with lots of driving, I forced myself to put the book down with about an hour to go in it, and I went to bed. I’d like to say I fell asleep right away. That would be a lie. There I was, trying to stop thinking about what I had read and what was going to happen next. Arrgghh!!! (In a good way, of course!)
What a wonderful story!
I loved the quirky physicist, Georgie, who wore t-shirts with pithy science jokes. Her scientific bent helped her to ferret out the mysteries her deceased husband Sean had left behind.
Some of the author’s chick-lit snark did make its way into this story and kept it from becoming overwhelmingly intense. Flashbacks provided a touch of romance and more question marks about the mysterious man she married.
As Georgie delved into the past, seeking answers about what really happened in Operation Desert Sabre and Bosnia, tidbits of history were shared – just enough that I learned some new things and not so much to make it a history lesson.
Here are a couple of things to note:
While other books Siri Mitchell has written are Christian fiction, and while publisher Thomas Nelson is a “Christian” publisher, this story is not Christian fiction. I wouldn’t even put it in the “Inspirational” genre. It is a great book, it is clean, it simply doesn’t have any spiritual references or a particularly Christian message (that I can recall).
As I mentioned, the story is “clean”. Don’t be turned away by the opening lines. I am pretty conservative in what I feel is appropriate in terms of sexual innuendo in the books I read, and this one stays well on the side of okay. Another scene later in the story gets closer to that line but, again, it remains clean.
There is drinking. Georgie’s friend, Jenn, drinks quite a bit. It is neither encouraged nor discouraged, it simply is. I know this is a problem for some readers, so if that is you, heads up.
If you enjoy suspenseful stories with a political bent that keeps you guessing, I can highly recommend State of Lies.
Read my review of State of Lies by Siri Mitchell at AmongTheReads.net
I was given a copy of this book. I was not required to give a favorable review nor was any money received for this review. All comments and opinions are my own.
What an amazing book! Everything a suspense story should have is in here. Siri Mitchell twists a cunning tale with who dun it questions, heart pounding moments, and a heroine who finds a way through it all. I felt like I was along for the ride trying to figure out who the bad guys were and why they did it. Georgie knows when to take care of a problem herself and when to ask for help. Until friend and foe can no longer be separated, when she has to question everyone’s motives and if what they say has any basis in truth. How far up does the problem reach? Raised on the truth, Georgie has to push through no matter the cost. Siri Mitchell created a world I would love to join. Her characters feel like neighbors I would love to meet. They are well developed, with both strengths and flaws making them that much more realistic. This book is a ride you do not want to miss! I can’t wait for Siri Mitchell to come out with her next suspense book, she has knocked this one out of the park! I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Feelings. State of Lies by Siri Mitchell, published by Thomas Nelson, evoked many different feelings in me.
I read in awe as Mitchell wove an intricate, tightly woven net around me, the reader, with her amazing thriller. She certainly seems to be familiar with the inner workings of Washington, DC, which made for an awesome, fast-moving, spy story.
Those were the great feelings. By the end of the book, I was living in profound sadness. I was absolutely crushed by the discovery of who the “real” bad guys were. I had picked a couple of different insidious government agents instead.
The most unexpected feelings were the surprise and disappointment as I started the book reading about a bedroom scene (even though it was between a married couple- do we really need that much detail?) I double-checked to see if I was reading the correct book. While the book was free of language, I was disappointed for this kind of book coming from what is known to be a “Christian” publisher. There was no mention of God in the book, either.
Do I only read ultra-clean books? Actually, no. But I felt like this one, coming from the publisher it does, masquerades as something it’s not. Is it a great, emotive read? Absolutely! Is it one I wholeheartedly endorse? No. Not without warning. Please don’t make me think I’m getting cake then serve me a cookie.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and CelebrateLit through NetGalley. This did not affect my opinions which are solely my own.
This book is unlike any Siri Mitchell book you’ve already read. Get ready for a high-stakes plat that bobs and weaves before hitting you with an unexpected one-two punch.
While I enjoyed the twists and turns of this story (and little Sam), I had a difficult time believing Georgia, a quantum physicist, was truly as clueless as to what was truly going on for the first half of the book. The woman is a genius but can’t put two and two together?
However, there are so many moving pieces and possible suspects, the mystery moves along quickly. And the ending? Didn’t quite see that coming.
The domestic suspense does get violent in places, and Georgia and her son are often targeted. Also, as others have mentioned, this book has zero spiritual content in it so it would be better categorized as a clean read than Christian suspense.
Overall, an enticing and engaging story about a coverup and how deep the involvement goes. It will definitely keep you guessing.
Content warning: While not descriptive, there are a few intimate scenes in the book with Georgia and her husband.
Disclosure statement:
I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors, including NetGalley. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
I expected this book to be Christian fiction, but I did not see any of the usual elements of faith in this book. It was a good suspense thriller, with undertones of politics and espionage, but I would not categorize it as CHRISTIAN fiction in any way. Georgie is a young wife and mother, a physicist dealing with the sudden death of her husband Sean. But all is not as it seems and the reader is hard-pressed to figure out what is really going on. The first third of the book is very fast-paced as the stage is set for Georgie to try to unravel the threads that will lead to the truth. Then the plot slows down and the story becomes a bit difficult to follow. Georgie knows that her life is in danger as she struggles to reveal the truth about Sean and her father who is about to be confirmed at the U.S. Secretary of Defense. The short chapters made the book easy to read, but the convoluted plot made it slow going for me. There was definitely a web of intrigue, but it was hard to understand what was really going on. The book is a suspense novel and it is an intense read, with lots of action happening quickly. This was my first book that I have read by this author, so I don’t know what her other books are like. I would like to try another one just to see if this is her normal style. Readers of suspense may enjoy this book, but it was just too hard to follow for me.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
Wow! Don’t start this one in the evening if you want to get any sleep at all! I couldn’t put this one down until I was finished. The tension, suspense and intrigue in this incredible book will grab your attention off the top and not let go until the end. Georgie is a physicist, a career that would certainly leave me in the dust, even though I did well in high school physics. Her brain works in clear lines with everything having an answer that must be found. With this in mind, she doggedly pursues the truth after her husband, Sean, is killed in a hit and run. Too many things just don’t add up. Her tenacity in this search for what is right puts both she and her son in danger.
Espionage, treason, Russian spies and murder are just some of the excitement in this page-turner set in the Washington, D.C. area. The author has done a fabulous job of taking us behind the scenes in political circles, in Iraq and Bosnia. Who really is telling the truth and who can she trust with their safety?
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, finding myself trying to figure out what horrible thing could possibly happen next and hoping for a happy ending. My nails, however, did not fair so well. I certainly will be watching for more suspense/intrigue from this author!
I received a copy of this novel through NetGalley and CelebrateLit. The five star rating is in no way solicited and all comments, impressions and opinions are my own.
State of Lies tells the story of Georgie Brennan who becomes a single mother when her husband is mysteriously killed. She finds that things are beginning to not be what they seem. Her husband leaves clues that she is determined to find out what they mean. She soon to finds out that she herself may be in danger.
State of Lies was one unpredictable read for. It was a thrilling, scary, but yet a fun roller coaster ride I did not expect. This story is one that kept me on the edge of my seat. It was full of action, adventure, mystery and suspense. My head was constantly spinning with all of the twists and turns.
I am giving State of Lies four and a half stars. I recommend it for readers who enjoy a well written, suspenseful filled and clean novel. I look forward to more books like this one by Siri Mitchell in the future.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
This book grabbed me right from the beginning, and kept pulling me in, with my heart in my throat, and fear for those I cared about. Whom do you trust here, and I felt like I was watching the evening news, yes, this story could be true.
A little boy and his Mom dealing with the loss of their beloved Dad/Husband, and why?
Be aware you will be up late trying to find out the answers here, and the bombshells keep dropping right up to the end, even locked doors won’t keep out the evil.
I received this book through Net Galley and the Publisher Thomas Nelson, and was not required to give a positive review.
State of Lies is my first book by this author. An intriguing premise to the novel, and the thrilling storyline will keep readers guessing. However, this book felt more like a secular read to me than the typical Christian fiction I read. I think fans of suspense will still enjoy this novel.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.