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Hard Truth: A Novel
 
 

Hard Truth: A Novel [Kindle Edition]

Mariah Stewart
4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)

Kindle Price: $7.99 includes free wireless delivery via Amazon Whispernet
Sold by: Random House Digital, Inc.
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Product Description

TELL THE TRUTH AND SHAME THE DEVIL

Two children who mysteriously disappeared twenty-one years ago are the last thing on Lorna Temple’s mind when she returns to her Pennsylvania hometown to sell the old family property in the wake of her parents’ passing. But instead of memories, the fields where Lorna grew up yield something utterly chilling.

All those years ago, when nine-year-old Melinda Eagan vanished on her birthday, her foulmouthed older brother, Jason, quickly became the lone suspect. Yet when he went missing, too, the case turned cold. But Jason, it seems, never got far: His bones have been moldering on the Temples’ land for two decades. As far as the local police are concerned, the book is closed on Melinda’s murder–and Jason’s death is justice served. But Lorna refuses to let the dead rest uneasily. She turns to private eye T. J. Dawson to dig up the dirt of the past and see what lies beneath. Only there’s someone out there who hasn’t forgotten–and who won’t be the least bit forgiving about being exposed as a killer.

In matters of crime, there are many versions of the truth.


From the Paperback edition.

About the Author

Mariah Stewart is the bestselling author of numerous novels and several novellas. A RITA finalist for romantic suspense, she is the recipient of the Award of Excellence for contemporary romance, a RIO (Reviewers International Organization) Award honoring excellence in women’s fiction, and a Reviewers’ Choice Award from Romantic Times magazine. A three-time recipient of the Golden Leaf Award and a Lifetime Achievement Award winner from the New Jersey Romance Writers, she has been inducted into their Hall of Fame. A native of Hightstown, New Jersey, she lives with her husband, two daughters, and two rambunctious golden retrievers amid the rolling hills of Chester County, Pennsylvania. She is a member of the Valley Forge Romance Writers, the New Jersey Romance Writers, and the Romance Writers of America.

Product Details

  • Format: Kindle Edition
  • File Size: 268 KB
  • Print Length: 400 pages
  • Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0345476670
  • Publisher: Ballantine Books; Reissue edition (September 27, 2005)
  • Sold by: Random House Digital, Inc.
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B000FCKFEY
  • Text-to-Speech: Not enabled
  • Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #117,403 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
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Customer Reviews

14 Reviews
5 star:
 (6)
4 star:
 (3)
3 star:
 (4)
2 star:
 (1)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.0 out of 5 stars (14 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Book 2, September 30, 2005
Lorna was only nine-years-old when her best friend, Melinda Eagen, vanished on her birthday. Everyone believed that either her mean brother, Jason, killed her or her abusive/alcoholic mother, Billie, did. However, no body or proof was ever found. Shortly thereafter, Jason disappeared too.

Twenty years later Lorna returns to Callen, Pennsylvania. Her siblings have lives elsewhere. Lorna has no husband or children and can take her business with her anywhere, compliments of her computer and being self employed. So when Lorna's mother dies, she is the logical choice to appraise the house, the contents, and all the land before selling everything. Things get complicated when Jason's remains are excavated from some land Lorna's mother had sold off a year or so ago. The local law has only circumstantial evidence and old rumors that point to Billie as the killer. But that does not keep them from arresting Billie. Then several more bodily remains of boys show up buried on that partial of land. Did Billie kill them all? Or is there a serial killer nearby?

Lorna is a lot like her mother and refuses to simply assume Billie is guilty of murdering one or both of her kids, not to mention several other unknown boys. So she hires T.J. Dawson, former FBI profiler and P.I., to investigate the matter. Needless to say, the killer is not happy with Lorna.

*** Not much suspense or tension in this story, but still well done and worth your time to read. I am looking forward to the third in this series. ***

Reviewed by Detra Fitch of Huntress Reviews.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars fabulous romantic investigative thriller, October 25, 2005
Nine years old Melinda Egan vanished without a trace. Not long afterward her older brother Jason, a nasty youngster, also disappeared. The locals assume they just ran off.

Years later, a section of the Stiles farm is sold. To the shock of the new owner, human bones are found that are later identified as those of Jason. At about the same time Lorna Stiles has returned home to settle her late mother's estate. She is totally unsatisfied with the police investigation because she demands to know what happened to her best friend Melinda. Her friend Regan Landry introduces Lorna to former FBI Agent T.J. Dawson, a private investigator, who agrees to look into the murders especially the disappearance of Melinda. As Lorna fears a family member is a serial killer who used or perhaps still using the Stiles farm as a personal cemetery, T.J. soon believes his job is to keep Lorna safe from this murdering psychopath who he feels still lives.

Mariah Stewart is simply amazing as she has over the past few months consistently kept the quality level of her thrillers stratospherically high though she has released several novels. Her current tale, HARD TRUTH, is a fabulous romantic investigative thriller that never slows down from the moment the first corpse is found until the climax. Fans will want to read the previous tale COLD TRUTH and look forward to the next story DARK TRUTH as this is an author who provides fantastic serial killer tales that keep the audience's attention throughout.

Harriet Klausner
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars Not Hard Enough, March 17, 2006
The story starts promisingly enough, with Lorna returning to her home after her mother dies to sell the family home which she and her siblings agree they can't keep. Instead, a dead body is discovered, which dredges up her memories of a friend who disappeared, because it's the brother's body which has been found. More bodies are unearthed, which promises an intriguing mystery, especially after she hires hunky PI T.J. to investigate.
Sadly, the story fizzles out after that. Especially after Lorna is joined by her friend Regan and her romantic interest Mitch. It becomes more Nancy Drew-ish rather than a hard-hitting thriller. Romance is hinted at but is so restrained it becomes boring. The story becomes simplistic and the conclusion is unconvincing. Disappointing considering that I really enjoyed Mariah Stewart's previous trilogy -- Dead Certain, Dead Wrong, Dead Even, which was more hard hitting and less amateurish.
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More About the Author

Mariah Stewart is the bestselling author of ten novels and three novellas. A RITA finalist for romantic suspense, she is the recipient of the Award of Excellence for contemporary romance, a RIO (Reviewers International) Award honoring excellence in women's fiction, a Reviewers Choice Award from Romantic Times magazine, and a two-time recipient of the Golden Leaf Award for contemporary romance. A native of Hightstown, New Jersey, she lives amidst the rolling hills of Chester County, PA, with her husband, one geriatric gold retriever and one rambunctious mixed breed rescue dog. She's currently neglecting her garden and working on her next book. In past lives, she's been a teacher and an insurance executive, but firmly believes she's found the perfect job: sitting in her sunny office in old sweats and J. Crew flip flops, making up stories and the characters who live in them, and getting paid for it. Could life be sweeter?

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who she felt needed to know we were asking about Melinda. Lorna slipped the last of the dinner plates into the cupboard. I wonder who would be that interested, after all these years. Well, hopefully by this time tomorrow, &quote;
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