September 2024

I cannot remember the last Tami Hoag novel that I read. It’s been a while since Tami has had a new book out; she had been dealing with some health issues. But she is back and definitely still has her sharp writing chops. I thoroughly enjoyed BAD LIAR, which is set in Louisiana, and you can feel the humidity coming off the swamp as the book opens. There’s a man’s body at the dead end of a quiet road. His face has been shot off, and his hands have been blasted off, which will make recognizing him tough. And that’s just the start of the day for sheriff’s detective Nick Fourcade.

But the day does not start much better for Nick’s wife, sheriff’s detective Annie Broussard, who is just back on the job after recovering from a work-related accident. Her morning is tied up with a woman who is anxious to find her grown son. He had been a drug addict, but his mother swears he is clean now and enlists Annie to help her find him. Just how does one look for a wayward son?

These stories, as well as that of the small town where BAD LIAR is set, will keep you guessing. Tami drives the action in many different directions. Motives and opportunities abound, but when you learn the history of the town and its people, you will see that heroism is not always what we think it is. I do not want to share more lest I give too much away. But do know that in Tami’s hands, you are reading the writing of a real pro. I will say that the character development, as well as the plotting, is what made this book a Bets On selection.