I’m a huge fan of Nora Roberts’ writing and have read most of her books
(including her “In Death” series under her
J.D. Robb
nom de plume).
I had purchased the audiobook of her 2015 romantic suspense novel “The
Liar” as soon as it came out, but somehow it got lost in the shuffle in my
Audible library. Coming across it again recently – and finally getting to
listen to it with my husband – was a treat!
The things we enjoyed most about this book are that it's:
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Authentic. One of the things we’ve always loved about Nora Roberts’
writing is her thorough research. This makes her characters and
locations very believable, so it’s easy to be transported into the
world she creates for each of her stories.
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Detailed. Roberts’ characters, for the most part, are fully formed. She provides
enough detail and history and weaves in enough backstory to make us
feel as if we know each character personally. We feel like
they have lives beyond just what’s in the story.
-
Well-paced. One of the hallmarks of Roberts’ writing is her excellent pacing. She
doesn’t rush through the telling, but she also never lets the story
drag. She doesn’t use adjectives for their own sake, like many other
authors. Her descriptions are all well thought out and help move the
story forward.
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Dialogue-driven Roberts is an acknowledged master of dialogue. Like all her
books, “The Liar” is told largely through conversations. I’ve always
appreciated her very sparing use of speech tags (e.g., “he said,” “she
asked,” “they exclaimed”). She gives every character a distinctive,
recognizable speech pattern, so readers can easily identify who’s
saying what without naming the speakers every time. For example, Viola
speaks straightforwardly and with authority, but also with the
slightly formal, slightly flowery language of a proper Southern lady
when she’s addressing someone outside the family; whereas Forrest, a
cop to the core, speaks tersely and uses adjectives sparingly.
There were a couple of things that felt a bit off. Melody’s character seems
a bit forced. She’s surprisingly one-dimensional for a Roberts character.
She never shows even a hint of remorse and it’s hard to feel any sympathy
for her. Also, my husband thinks Griff seems too good to be true. He always
has time for Shelby and Callie. He always does the right thing. He doesn’t
make even a single misstep. In a true romance, we need to follow the lines
of both characters. But although Griff is the romantic foil, this is
Shelby’s story, and in some ways he’s a supporting player. We never learn
much about his backstory or any of his previous relationships. Fortunately,
neither of those issues prevented us from thoroughly enjoying this
book.
Although I also own the Kindle version, I much prefer the
unabridged audiobook of “The Liar”.
Narrator January LaVoy does a fabulous job of giving both the male and
female characters distinctive voices. In many audiobooks, it can be hard to
tell which character is speaking without speech tags, but that was never a
problem with this one. LaVoy also makes the men sound like men and the women
like women – a skill narrators often lack. Even more impressive is her
totally believable voicing of three-year-old Callie. Her excellent narration
brings an added dimension to the storytelling. This audiobook will keep you
happily engrossed for 16 hours, 31 minutes.
Main Characters in “The Liar” Include:
Shelby Pomeroy Foxworth – a young wife and mother who grew up in rural Tennessee; former Homecoming
Queen
Richard Foxworth – Shelby’s snobby, cold, jet-setting husband
Callie Rose Foxworth – Shelby and Richard’s three-year-old
daughter
Viola MacNee Donahue – Shelby’s vivacious, ambitious,
straight-shooting and wise grandmother, owner of Viola’s Harmony House Salon
and Day Spa
Forrest Jackson Pomeroy – local cop and Shelby’s big brother
Ada Mae Pomeroy – Shelby’s mom
Emma Kate Addison – nurse and Shelby’s best friend
Matt Baker – Emma Kate’s boyfriend and partner in The Fix-It
Guys
Griff Lott – Matt’s partner in The Fix-It Guys; originally from
Baltimore
Melody Bunker – Shelby’s main nemesis in high school; second
runner-up in the Miss Tennessee pageant; manager of the Artful Ridge artisan
craft gallery
“The Liar” Synopsis
This novel is broken into three sections: The False, The Roots and The
Real.
The False
Pretty redhead Shelby Pomeroy Foxworth learns that her husband, Richard, is
missing and presumed dead. Richard Foxworth was everything Shelby wasn’t –
urbane, suave, worldly, wealthy, sophisticated and well-traveled. He quickly
swept her off her feet and into an unfamiliar world of glamorous jet-setting
and an expensive lifestyle. When she met Richard, he had been attentive and
flattering, but that didn’t last long. After their daughter Callie was born,
he became increasingly insulting to Shelby and had little time and even less
affection for their sweet, pretty, vivacious daughter.
Shelby discovers that everything she thought she knew about Richard was
false. The man she had married, the father of her darling Callie, had been
not only a liar but also a successful con man. Shelby had never suspected
that Richard hadn’t purchased the fancy house in Philadelphia, elegant
clothes and all the other trappings of their wealthy lifestyle outright. And
he had racked up $3 million in debts that now fell squarely on Shelby’s
slender shoulders.
The Roots
Shelby sells all of Richard’s belongings and most of her own, as well as
the huge, fancy house he had purchased (without consulting her) and the
expensive custom furnishings she had always hated. Then she takes Callie
back to Rendezvous Ridge, Tennessee, Shelby’s beloved hometown, determined
to raise her daughter surrounded by three generations of Shelby’s
close-knit, loving and supportive family.
Shelby moves back into her parents’ home and starts to build a new life for
herself and Callie. She makes up with her best friend, Emma Kate, who has
been angry at Shelby ever since she had taken off with Richard and seemingly
ignored her family and friends back home. Emma Kate’s boyfriend and his
business partner, Griffin Lott, have a fledgling construction and remodeling
business. Griff falls hard for Shelby and Callie. He quickly wins Callie’s
heart, but Shelby is reluctant to put her own on the line again or risk
Callie’s getting hurt.
As this section progresses, Shelby, Callie and Griff find themselves
increasingly in danger. Shelby’s policeman brother Forrest tries to protect
them while he figures out and tracks down who is responsible for murder,
both attempted and successful. Things comes to a frightening head.
The Real
The last section consists of the final chapter and an epilogue. Telling you
anything about them would be a major spoiler, so you’ll just have to read
“The Liar” to find out what happens. It’s a worthwhile ride!
Nora Roberts' “The Liar” Book Review by Margaret Schindel
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