#BookReview – “White Lies” by Jayne Ann Krentz

Blurb

Relationships are challenging enough for most single over-thirty women. For level-ten parasensitive Clare Lancaster, they're a minefield. The elite few who know her secret call her a human lie detector, and any falsehood, no matter how subtle or well hidden, sets her blood racing. Over the years, Clare has come to accept that someone with her extraordinary talents is unlikely to find a suitable mate. And she's even resigned herself to the fact that everyone, to one degree or another, hides behind a facade.

Including her recently deceased brother-in-law. When Clare finds the body of Brad McAllister, the golden child of Stone Canyon, Arizona, the posh residents turn a suspicious eye in her direction. As Archer Glazebrook's daughter, Clare is shielded from the law, but not the gossip. It seems that meeting the half sister and family whom she did not know until seven months ago was a mistake. Now her father summons her from California to play a role in his business empire, and Clare doesn't intend on making the same mistake twice.

But after meeting Jake Salter, Archer Lancaster’s “business consultant,” she is convinced that things aren’t what they seem. Salter’s careful conversation walks a delicate line between truth and deception, revealing and resisting. Something sparks and sizzles between them—something more than the usual electricity between a man and a woman.

Caught in a dizzying storm of secrets, lies, and half-truths, Jake and Clare will plunge into an investigation that demands every bit of their special gifts. Together, they must overcome their mutual distrust in order to unravel a web of conspiracy and murder.

Review

The Arcane Society series moves to the modern era in this installment.

Clare Lancaster has a bad habit of finding dead bodies at the most inopportune times. A few months ago, she met her long lost father and instantly connected with her half-sister, Elizabeth (Liz), whom she helped to escape from an abusive relationship. After Liz’s ex, Brad, winds up dead, suspicion falls on Clare. She’s a human lie detector, meaning she can sense when someone is lying, but she doesn’t quite know what to make of Jake Salter, a man who hides every lie in a truth.

Jake works for her father as a business consultant, but he’s more than a man with a flair for how to handle money. As an undercover agent for the Jones and Jones paranormal investigation firm, he’s in Arizona to stop the bad guys who are once again trying to recreate the founder’s formula.

The Arcane Society is a large, wide-spread, and mysterious group of psychically-enhanced people that date their origin a few hundred years back to a powerful alchemist, Sylvester Jones. The leading family in the society is the Joneses, and they have more than their fair share of secrets, the most important of which is Sylvester’s formula.

Clare, Jake, and her family all have special gifts and belong to the society. Clare’s return to Arizona causes a slew of problems, especially for Jake and his investigation, but their chemistry is off the charts.

Each book is this series is a standalone, but it’s a good idea to read all of them in order to better picture the world and learn about all the secrets the Arcane Society has. This book briefly referenced “The Perfect Poison” to explain how the Jones and Jones agency came to be, so it was fun to read a little bit about Caleb. I wish Ms Krentz would’ve mentioned exactly how Jake and his cousin Fallon are descended from the couples in the historical books, but it’s not hard to figure out if you match their psychical talents to those from the past (to do so, you gotta read the other books).

There were a few typos, but I really enjoyed this book. It’s fast-paced and more story-driven than the historical books in my opinion. I look forward to reading more.

4 Stars

Note -- Even though this book is considered number 2 in the Arcane Society series, it’s technically number 4 if you read the books in chronological order (not publication date). Personally, I read all of the Amanda Quick (historical) books first, then the Jayne Anne Krentz (contemporary) books, and lastly the (futuristic) ones by Jayne Castle. For readers who don’t know, these three authors are the same author, and she uses different names for each time period.

Disclaimer – I bought this book for my own enjoyment. I am not paid or compensated in any way, shape, or form for this honest review. I will not change or alter this review for any reason unless at my discretion.