Never Tell a Lie: A Novel of Suspense [Hardcover]

Hallie Ephron (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 6, 2009

It all started with the yard sale . . .

Eight months pregnant and nervous about the future, Ivy Rose doesn't recognize the woman approaching her and husband David as they attempt to rid themselves of the decades-worth of junk cluttering up their suburban home. The woman says she's Melinda White—their former high school classmate, now pregnant also—and asks if she might revisit the old Victorian house she recalls playing in as a child. David takes her inside. But Melinda never comes out.

With her husband a suspect in the bizarre disappearance and probable murder of the near-stranger he claims not to remember, Ivy must now dive into a deadly whirlpool of deceit, betrayal, and terrifying alternate histories in pursuit of a shocking truth—a truth that could destroy everything . . .

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. An innocent yard sale jump-starts this stunning stand-alone thriller from Ephron, author of Amnesia and four other mysteries written with Donald Davidoff under the name G.H. Ephron (and one of the Ephron writing sisters), as well as two nonfiction books. Ivy and David Rose, happily married high school sweethearts, are trying to clear out the junk the previous owner left in their glorious Victorian in Brush Hills, Mass., before the birth of their first child. Among the bargain hunters is Melinda White, a high school classmate who's also pregnant. Considered an oddball in school, Melinda worries about more bad luck after nearly knocking over a large mirror. When Melinda disappears and no one can remember seeing her leave the sale, the evidence suggests the couple murdered her. Ephron doesn't miss a searing beat as she plunges the Roses into an abyss of suspicion. A surprise toward the end provides the perfect twist to this deliciously creepy tale of obsession. (Jan.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

The award-winning mystery reviewer for the Boston Globe makes her debut with a light suspense novel featuring a hugely pregnant 33-year-old suburbanite. Ivy Rose and her husband, David, have just put the finishing touches on their newly rehabbed Victorian, and Ivy, intent on clearing out the junk left by the previous owner, decides to throw a yard sale. She is somewhat taken aback when a woman she has not seen since high school turns up. Melinda White is also pregnant and eager to bond with Ivy, who senses in Melinda’s increasingly intrusive questions vestiges of the lonely outcast she had been in high school. Ivy is immensely relieved when her husband rescues her, taking Melinda into the house for a tour. Days later, the police show up looking for Melinda. As evidence mounts that Melinda has been murdered, seemingly by David, Ivy is forced to do some detective work of her own. Despite the sinister undertones, Ephron never delves too deeply, instead offering a briskly moving plot and an entertaining portrait of a suburban community. --Joanne Wilkinson

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow; 1 edition (January 6, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061567159
• ISBN-13: 978-0061567155
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (84 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #751,790 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Hallie Ephron loves suspense, and she tries to write novels that are one part Patricia Highsmith, one part Alfred Hitchcock, and one part uniquely her own wry take on the world. She creates suburban-based thrillers that draw you in and keep you turning the pages. Her new novel, COME AND FIND ME, is available March 23, 2011.

Her novel NEVER TELL A LIE (William Morrow), now in paperback, has been turned into the movie "And Baby Will Fall" for the Lifetime Movie Network. Publishers Weekly gave the novel a starred review and called it "stunning" and a "deliciously creepy tale of obsession." Others have called it "Hitchcockian" and "unputdownable." It has been translated into 7 languages. It was nominated for the Mary Higgins Clark Award, and won the David Award for Best Mystery Novel of 2010.

Hallie is also the author of two books about books and two books about writing. She is an award-winning book reviewer for the Boston Globe where her On Crime column of crime fiction book reviews appears.

Hallie lives near Boston but grew up in Los Angeles, the third of four writing Ephron sisters (Nora, Delia, and Amy) and her parents were screenwriters Henry and Phoebe Ephron who wrote classic movies like The Desk Set and Carousel. After careers as a teacher, educational consultant, and high tech marketing copywriter, Hallie tried her hand at writing fiction.

Hallie is happy to talk to readers. She can be reached through her web site www. hallieephron.com and she blogs on www.jungleredwriters.com

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Secrets can be toxic..., December 24, 2008

By 

C.E. - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Never Tell a Lie: A Novel of Suspense (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

Wow! I finished this novel in and afternoon, it was a quick read that was well plotted and mastefully crafted. I was sucked in after the first page, looking at the Rose's perfect life get shattered by a terrible missing persons case.

Ephron does a great job of bringing the reader into the Ivy and David's world, peeling back layers of the past as things get more and more mysterious about the missing Melinda.

Reading this book was a treat, and I didnt want to put it down until I found out what happened and how the story ended. It reads in a very visual style, and I have no problem imagining this book turned into a movie very soon. It fits well into the vein of "Single White Female", "What lies Beneath", and "Basic Instinct." Mash all that up together and you get a hint of what is in store.

I am really impressed with this book and will look forward to other things that Ephron writes. She infuses her characters with flaws, tained morality, and questionable decisions. But to top it all off, they are also given humanity and written in such a way as to be the couple that lives next door. Well written, well plotted, and above all else...the suspense is doled out in just the right dosage. Enough to keep the adrenaline high and then BANG! a wonderful conclusion that still leaves you turning the story around in your head after the book is closed.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars OK Mystery with some serious issues, January 1, 2009

By 

barry (Boston, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Never Tell a Lie: A Novel of Suspense (Hardcover)

(What's this?)

I usually agree with the reviews by PUBLISHERS WEEKLY. A starred review by them is ususally a treat for me. They are totally off here. This novel is in no way worthy of 5 stars. The book is an easy read and delves only slightly into the psychological depths of the characters. It is more a plot driven story. It flows lightly along like your standard romantic suspense novel. Only difference is the main characters are already married. But it is that light.

The premise is interesting. Ivy and David Rose are a couple very near the due date of their first child who are having a yard sale to get rid of much junk left in the house by the previous tenant. We are told early on that Ivy and David are the perfect couple and very happily married. We are supposed to just accept this. The story progresses when an old high school classmate Melinda White appears at the yard sale. Both Ivy and David hacve conversations with her. She says she used to play in the house and David takes her in for a tour.

The title of the book NEVER TELL A LIE certainly has meaning throughout the story. Melinda is reported missing and David tells the police about giving her the tour of the house and that she then left. Ivy verifies that she saw Melinda leave. Thing is, she didn't. The suspense does start here and develops quite nicely as clues the police find seem to link Ivy and David to the disappearance. Some story lines don't ring true though and belief must be suspended like with the fact of Ivy going along with the fact that she supposedly saw Melinda leave. She knows she didn't and never questions her husband about it. Is this believable?

Ignore this and the story does move along nicely for a while in regards to the suspense. You want to read on and see what happens. Problem is the story becomes very formulaic. We were told at the beginning that Ivy and David were the perfect couple. Surprise, surprise when the mystery that evolves starts to put cracks in the relationship. Much deceit and betrayal seems to be present. I could accept all this and give the book 4 stars as a light mystery a little sparse on character development but intriguing for the mystery and suspense.

But I have one huge problem with this book and it is an ethical one. This is surprising when talking about such a casual suspense novel but as we learn more about the lives and actions of our main characters we find actions that are certainly questionable and beyond redeemable. The story was interesting but I just could not like the main characters. We were supposed to excuse certain actions for certain reasons and that was not ok with me. There is a certain darkness within this novel that put a bad taste in my mouth. Read it and judge for yourself.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Really wanted to like this but....., February 20, 2009

By 

golfgirl "Barb" (California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Never Tell a Lie: A Novel of Suspense (Hardcover)

I had not read a suspense novel in years and I took a chance on this one based on a positive newspaper review. I was immediately hooked and couldn't put it down....until I started noticing 'tells' about 1/4 of the way through. I was hoping that there would be a 'twist' and that I would be surprised by the ending....but my initial thoughts as to 'whodunnit' were correct. Having said this, however, it was a fast, fun read and I don't feel like it was a big waste of time. Just wish I hadn't figured it out so quickly.