In her second mystery, Harriet Tyce has established what runners might call a comfortable pace. She has written a thriller somewhat similar to her first novel, BLOOD ORANGE, but different enough to establish for readers that she is not a one-trick pony. Her characters in both novels are female members of the British legal system facing life crises and tribulations.

Tyce writes of what she knows: For nearly a decade she worked as a criminal barrister in England, the English equivalent of trial lawyers. In both BLOOD ORANGE and THE LIES YOU TOLD, the British legal system is the foundation upon which the novel is built. Sadie Roper, the focus of this latest effort, is a barrister, coming back to England after living in America. It is not a triumphant return. Rather, it is the result of a confluence of life circumstances, a failing marriage and a long-running family dispute that is turning the life of Sadie and her daughter, Robin, into a test of wills between Sadie and her late mother. That test begins with an elaborate act of posthumous spite.

"The hectic pace of Sadie’s new life in London is aptly portrayed as she struggles to balance her work and her child’s life. The courtroom scenes are skillfully written and realistic."

Sadie’s mother prepared a will that only allowed her sole heir to receive her estate if the heir has her daughter go to Asham Girls School, which Sadie attended. However, Sadie hated her time there; the peer pressure, bullying and parental competition were neither enjoyable nor rewarding. Living in America, Sadie had no intention of enrolling Robin there, and her husband Andrew’s successful business career eliminated any financial incentive to attend the school.

That rapidly changes when Sadie’s marriage falls apart as she learns that Andrew has been having a secret affair and has decided to wage war upon their marriage. The financial battle is destroying Sadie’s independence, and she must return to her career as a criminal barrister, which she can do only in England. In need of a place to live and the small trust income from her mother’s will, Sadie and Robin go back to London and the despised Asham Girls School.

Sadie and Robin find Asham to be as they feared: fiercely competitive, loaded with juvenile cliques and scheming parents. During their first days at the school, it is difficult to determine who is more uncomfortable: mother or child. But Sadie has other worries. She must find work after being gone from the criminal bar for a decade. Fortunately, her longtime friend Zora, a solicitor, is seeking a barrister to assist in a noteworthy criminal trial that is due to begin shortly. The son of a well-known English judge will stand trial against the allegation that he engaged in sexual conduct with one of his students. Sadie accepts the challenge to assist in the preparation and defense of Jeremy Taylor.

THE LIES YOU TOLD weaves three storylines --- the pressures of school, a trial and marital problems --- into one seamless tale. The hectic pace of Sadie’s new life in London is aptly portrayed as she struggles to balance her work and her child’s life. The courtroom scenes are skillfully written and realistic. Early on in the novel, readers are warned that one final danger will face Sadie and Robin. But how, why and where the menace will strike lacks just enough detail to keep you guessing. Be prepared, as the final pages finish off a well-structured and thrilling story.

The greatest compliment a reader can pay to a mystery writer is one that I gladly offer Harriet Tyce: Please keep writing. I cannot wait for your next thriller.