Only One Lie by Audrey J Cole Book Review

About the Book:

Seattle, 1942. News of the war is interrupted by the kidnapping of young Max Ellis, heir to the wealthiest banking family on the west coast. When the boy’s parents comply with the ransom demands, the kidnapper is found dead and their son remains missing. For newlywed Vera Chandler, the story hits close to home—her husband Hugh is just six months into his job as the Ellis’s private pilot.

Within days, Hugh is deployed to the Pacific as a navy pilot, while Vera’s flying instructor and best friend joins the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron. Left alone, her parents’ words haunt her: If you really wanted to serve your country, you wouldn’t have dropped out of nursing school.

In an exchange for a favor Vera can’t refuse, she is pulled into the Ellis family affairs by the desperate mother of the missing child. The Ellis family, Vera learns firsthand, is as dangerous as they are rich. Soon, she is in a race to save the child’s life, and it could be the only way she can save her own. 

My Review:

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. It is a compelling story with a good combination of character development and suspenseful plot. I found Vera an engaging character. Even in childhood, all Vera wanted to be was a pilot and a detective. Now, as an adult, she finally has the opportunity to fly.

How women were involved in flying during WW II is one informative aspect of the novel. Another was the disparity in pay between men and women. And then there is the power a wealthy family could exercise, even with the police. A more subtle issue deals with relationships, such as the loyalty of family or of women in love with flying.

Vera is a great amateur sleuth. I liked her character and the strength she showed. Cole did a good job of creating deceitful and dangerous characters too. As the novel nears its conclusion, the suspense intensifies and is truly a page turner.

I have read many of Cole's novels and I think this is the best one yet. It has great characters, an engaging plot and page turning suspense. I highly recommend it.

My rating: 5/5 stars.

 

About the Author:

Audrey J Cole is a USA TODAY bestselling thriller author. She resides in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two children. Before writing full time, she worked as a neonatal intensive care nurse for eleven years. She's also a pilot's daughter. You can find out more at https://www.audreyjcole.com/. 

Rainier Publishing, 320 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review. Images used only for the purpose of this review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)