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Safe Keeping

Barbara Taylor Sissel (Goodreads Author)

3.54 · Rating details · 861 ratings · 108 reviews

At the heart of every crime, there's a family.

My son is a murderer.... So begins this chilling and emotionally charged mystery from highly acclaimed author Barbara Taylor Sissel.

Emily Lebay had always thought of her family as ordinary. Sure, they've endured their share of problems, even a time of great trouble; what family hasn't? But when a woman's body turns up in the ...more

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Paperback, 320 pages

Published March 25th 2014 by Harlequin MIRA (first published January 1st 2014)

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Average rating 3.54 ·

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· 861 ratings · 108 reviews

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Jun 21, 2019 Kathy Gange rated it it was amazing

enjoyed

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Nov 26, 2013 Susan rated it it was amazing

Shelves: traveling-book, 2014-wom-flipping-the-pages

Do You Ever Really Know Someone??

SAFE KEEPING is by one of my new go to authors, Barbara Taylor Sissel. This is the story of the Lebay family. Tucker and Lissa are brother and sister. Their parents are Roy and Emily. Tucker has been in trouble with the police before. Now it seems he is in trouble again. The police have found a dead woman on the same stretch of the highway where they found one a year before. A year ago, Tucker was questioned as a person of interest in the police departments ...more

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Oct 09, 2014 Cheryl rated it did not like it

I picked up a copy of this book because it falls in the genre that I like. However it did not intrigue me. I got to page 56 and put the book down. I came back to a long while later and started reading it again as I was determined to read the book. Sadly though I only got a few more pages into the book and finally gave up on it. None of the characters or storyline were drawing me in and keeping my interest. Plus, I really did not like the way that they talked. Such a bummer as I thought this book ...more

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Dec 24, 2013 Pauline Tilbe rated it it was amazing

The characters drew me in from the first few pages. There was quickly a sense of hidden stories and conflict that was weaved amongst the family members. Tucker couldn't possibly be capable of murder and yet everything points to yes, he is. Roy's history makes him an imposing character but when needed, Emily stands her ground to put her family back together. The portrayal of Roy's PTSD was something I haven't seen written so well in other stories. This is a page turner for sure and kept me up ...more

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Apr 30, 2014 Deanna rated it it was ok

Shelves: netgalley

Interesting premise, but I never felt any connection to the characters. The characters themselves seemed to be lacking in emotion a bit...or at least, their emotions didn't translate well to the pages (more "telling" than "showing" was the case here, I think).

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Aug 12, 2015 Nenette rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Right after I finished the book, a question came to mind: what could be worse, death or incarceration? We're talking about either one happening to one's child. Both are unthinkable, unimaginable. Denial from the family is a natural reaction, as the mind cannot grapple with the idea of a kin, one of their own being capable of an evil act like murder.

I had hoped that the killer was someone else; maybe it was the mother in me. Yet, when the truth was exposed, it's true what's said that one can only ...more

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Jan 18, 2014 Elizabeth rated it really liked it

I don't believe I've ever read a book quite like "Safe Keeping." It was extremely emotional and the plot held my interest throughout. I just couldn't believe that Tucker was a murderer (not a spoiler because it's in the synopsis). I still don't believe it.

This family broke my heart. Emily, the mom, was such a tragic figure. She loves and supports her family so much that she's constantly hurting - and Lissa is the same way. She believes in Tucker no matter what. Even when everything is falling ...more

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May 14, 2014 Michelle rated it liked it

I think something must be wrong with me because I keep looking for more fucked up twists and even darker depravity. This one was just ok.

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Nov 15, 2017 Deborah Carr rated it it was ok

Shelves: book-club

2.5 stars. This book was just OK. I felt like there was just too much going on; Tucker being charged with murder, Roy's PTSD, Emily's many, many issues, and Lissa/Evan's baby situation. This book just tried too hard and didn't deliver. One of my biggest issues is that central to everyone's story was Tucker, and we learned the least about him. Very disappointing.

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Dec 05, 2017 Lori rated it really liked it

Really enjoyed reading this book. It was a page-turner, and the characters were relatable and believable.

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Apr 01, 2014 Ashley rated it liked it

Shelves: author-female, mystery

When another missing woman is found murdered it once again casts a dark shadow over the Lebay family. How could it not? Jessica was murdered in the same manner and found in same location as Miranda whose body was found only a year earlier. Jessica, like Miranda, had a close association with Tucker Lebay and they had fought on the night she went missing. Miranda’s murder had never been solved and now Tucker once again is considered a “person of interest.” He, of course, proclaims his innocence When another missing woman is found murdered it once again casts a dark shadow over the Lebay family. How could it not? Jessica was murdered in the same manner and found in same location as Miranda whose body was found only a year earlier. Jessica, like Miranda, had a close association with Tucker Lebay and they had fought on the night she went missing. Miranda’s murder had never been solved and now Tucker once again is considered a “person of interest.” He, of course, proclaims his innocence but his family has their doubts. Tucker has always been in trouble, always been a little “different” and emotionally detached, can’t hold a job and runs with the wrong people.

Is Tucker innocent? Can his family ever trust him? Will this broken family ever mend? These questions form the foundation for Barbara Taylor Sissel’s “Safe Keeping.”

The story is thought-provoking and the emotional turmoil of the family as they struggle to believe in Tucker despite mounting evidence. They also struggle with determining their own responsibility in Tucker becoming the man that he is and who finds himself a suspected murderer. Were there warning signs? Could they have prevented this? Is he really even guilty? The questions felt endless and in the end it all wraps up neatly although readers still may not feel satisfied. It’s hard to share too much without spoiling the story.

While I enjoyed the story, especially once Emily (mother) and Lissa (sister) began to unravel the shocking truth about Tucker there were certain aspects of the book that I struggled with while reading. I had little issue with the story itself as it indeed a great journey but there are aspects of Sissel’s writing style that caused me to cringe on more than on occasion. She has an apparent love for the use simile as they are constant throughout the book and do not always create a pleasant image (e.g.: “as pale as a milky eye). At times I couldn’t understand if she was trying to create a negative image or if it was simply poor choice of imagery. I also have a personal disdain for the phrase ”in my (his/her) mind’s eye” which Sissel also uses frequently. The phrase originated in Shakespeare and feels sorely out of place in a contemporary fiction novel.

Do you share my disdain for poor similes and “mind’s eye” phrases? If so, there will be moments in this book that make you cringe. If you don’t and you’re all about the story then pick it up and give it a read. It’s a good book and the truth about Tucker is worth discovering.

Review by Ashley LaMar
Closed the Cover ...more

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Feb 06, 2014 Carla rated it liked it

****** This is a First Reads, Thank You Goodreads *****

I think 2 1/2 stars would be more accurate in my rating to be fair.

The story surrounds a family in Texas; Emily, the matriarch, who has her own pains and regrets in life as she blindly carries and sweeps her family's clean or bakes her way in a false stepford smile; Roy, the patriarch, wounded in war, came back with ptsd, did damage to his family in more ways than one, the night terrors sometimes keep in the day, questions was it all worth
****** This is a First Reads, Thank You Goodreads *****

I think 2 1/2 stars would be more accurate in my rating to be fair.

The story surrounds a family in Texas; Emily, the matriarch, who has her own pains and regrets in life as she blindly carries and sweeps her family's clean or bakes her way in a false stepford smile; Roy, the patriarch, wounded in war, came back with ptsd, did damage to his family in more ways than one, the night terrors sometimes keep in the day, questions was it all worth the pain; Emily, the daughter, the oldest, the one who has kept things running, married right, keeps the company going along with her husband, blindly loyal; Evan, Emily's husband, the son that never was, the silent strength; Tucker, the son, the lost child, the one who in one of his father's moments became an enemy and never grew out of it, and the one who is now the suspect in a murder - again.

Can lightning strike twice and it still be a mistake? Tucker is the suspect again in a murder of woman, another one he knew, another one found where the last one was, in the same fashion of death. Why does this keep happening? Can't people see what the rest of the family can? That he is good, that he is kind, that he has emotional problems that make him wonder off for days, but he is also the type of person the would spend his paycheck on saving a dog that was run over on the side of the road that he found. This is where the nightmare only begins for the Lebay Family, with their family history with each other and with the small town secrets that slowly creep up there are a bit of twists and turns.

Why only 2 1/2 stars - I didn't connect with any of the characters. I struggled to keep reading and finish the book, which thankfully I did, because finally 250 pages in is when the action began and it got exciting - sadly that left only 50 pages to wrap it up, which was plenty. There was a disconnect that not only I felt with the characters, but they had with each other, everything seemed very surface - a facade of love, of care, of a marriage, of a relationship with each other, I don't know if that was the author's intent.

...more

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Feb 27, 2014 Domonique rated it it was amazing

Shelves: first-reads

I absolutely loved this book! It was so good I just had to keep reading it, I finished it in just a few days. I have to say, the story really did tug at my heart strings, how one simple act so long ago could have such a huge impact on a family and change them in so many ways. Obviously, when the Dad got back from the war and did what he did to his son( I won't reveal to much because I don't want to give it away), that entire event scarred the son, Tucker, in a way that no one could have ...more

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Feb 27, 2014 Sharon Huether rated it really liked it

Shelves: mystery, first-reads

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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May 06, 2014 Natalie rated it did not like it

lost interest after 30 pages or so. I could not even keep the characters straight in my mind. sorry, but I do not know how this got the reviews it did.

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May 20, 2014 Eileen rated it it was ok

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Aug 11, 2017 Alicia rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Emotionally moving

"Safe Keeping" by Barbara Taylor Sissel

What happens when you think your son may have murdered two women, yet at the same time you are almost convinced he could not have done it. Are you making justifications that he is always pestered by the cops, he has lied in the past, but not always, yes he has struggled at everything he has tried to do and just appears to have little or no ability to really succeed. Is this a result of how he was born? How he was raised? A traumatic event Emotionally moving

"Safe Keeping" by Barbara Taylor Sissel

What happens when you think your son may have murdered two women, yet at the same time you are almost convinced he could not have done it. Are you making justifications that he is always pestered by the cops, he has lied in the past, but not always, yes he has struggled at everything he has tried to do and just appears to have little or no ability to really succeed. Is this a result of how he was born? How he was raised? A traumatic event that happened to him when he was four? All of those things?

"Safe Keeping," is about one family who is going through this exact struggle. Their son is different from others. He always has been since he was about four. But is that a result of a traumatic event he suffered that a psychiatrist said he had recovered from? Or did the effects of that event continue to carry over to continual PTSD that led to his multiple issues as many others have argued? His father says his mother was too soft and easy on him. His father said he tried to be tougher to provide more guidance and discipline. In the end, both parents realize maybe communicating as a family might have been the best way. But who really knows what role nature and nurture play in ones development. What time does i
genetics play? His sister never really struggled with much. She feels she knows her brother better than either of her parents and that there is no way her brother committed these crimes. Yet she also says ther is much she doesn't know about him either.

But as the family members do their own soul searching; his sister some of her own searching to clear him lead to family issues that were never fully discussed or addressed, individual fears are brought forth, and speaking to outsiders often brings about more questions than answers.

As the LeBay family goes through the arrest of their son of the murder of two women and the family tries to prove him innocent or accept his fate, more situations arise that bring about both doubt and the potential of guilt.

In this twisting turning novel that starts out with the first sentence, "my son is a murderer," the reader is engaged from that point on and the author carries them through until the end.

Rating: 4.7
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
...more

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May 15, 2018 Nancy Osberg-otrembiak rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

If Barbara Taylor Sissel ever stops writing my world will collapse. In the span of just a few months I've gobbled up five of her books (will be finishing the fifth one tonight or tomorrow!)!!!!
I am not one to write a synopsis of a book when I give a review because I hate when story lines are given away. In fact I rarely read the synopsis on the book itself! So I'm not going to tell you anything about what I read in this book.
I am going to tell you, that as a reader, I am not easily impressed ...more

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Oct 25, 2017 Jool rated it really liked it

An interesting plot - what would you do if one of your family members was accused of not one but two murders - or even more? 34 year old Tucker is that person who has been accused. His mother and his sister and her husband stand behind him 100 percent. The only thing his father says, a Vietnam veteran who lost a leg in the war and struggles with PTSD - doesn't care what happens to Tucker, except that he "get the hell out of the house".

This is something I have wondered about; what if a beloved, ...more

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Nov 08, 2017 Mrs rated it it was amazing

Awesome book! I absolutely LOVED it. I had kind of a hard time getting into it at first, but once I hit about chapter 3, I was hooked.

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Jul 28, 2017 Sheila rated it liked it

Shelves: zz-kindle

A family must deal with their son/brother being accused of murder.

Did he really do it?

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Apr 08, 2019 Jessica Killingbeck rated it it was ok

I couldn't get into this book because I didn't like any of the characters. Everything felt very wooden and two dimensional.

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May 28, 2018 Anne-Marie rated it it was ok

Short book but incredibly boring

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Apr 15, 2019 Naomi rated it it was ok

ok but characters were all annoying

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Jul 27, 2019 Flewts rated it really liked it

This was well-written but kind of depressing. How does a family deal with a son accused of murder, twice... and a father with PTSD and the trauma he caused within his own family?

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Oct 01, 2019 Jennifer rated it really liked it

this book kept my interest. I had connections from my childhood with some of the story.

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Jan 12, 2014 Andrea Corley rated it it was amazing

Shelves: stb-traveling-books, z2014-wom-flipping-the-pages, z2014-c2c-challenge, x-march-2014-reads, a-5-star-read

For a more in depth review, please visit my blog, Chorley Chronicals!

I have really come to love the writing of Barbara Taylor Sissel, and must say that Evidence of Life was one of my favorite books that I've read, so when I saw that she had a new book coming out, I did everything I could to find out how I could get my hands on a copy of Safe Keeping. I knew that Barbara Taylor Sissel was in with one of my Goodreads groups, Sisterhood of the Traveling Books, so I checked there, and sure enough, For a more in depth review, please visit my blog, Chorley Chronicals!

I have really come to love the writing of Barbara Taylor Sissel, and must say that Evidence of Life was one of my favorite books that I've read, so when I saw that she had a new book coming out, I did everything I could to find out how I could get my hands on a copy of Safe Keeping. I knew that Barbara Taylor Sissel was in with one of my Goodreads groups, Sisterhood of the Traveling Books, so I checked there, and sure enough, she had Safe Keeping circulating, so I added myself to the list, and boy was I ever excited!

Who wouldn't want to read this book after reading such an amazing Synopsis? And after reading the book, I can't say that the Synopsis has let me down. I have found that with many books, that the story just doesn't quite live up to the Synopsis, and that in fact, the Synopsis is the best part of the book, however, that is so not the case with Safe Keeping. The story was expertly and emotionally written, making the reader feel what the other side of a murder investigation might feel like! It dives into the emotions that the family of the accused feel! How, as an accused murderer's mother or sister, might you feel? Would you stand by your son's/brother's side? Would you give everything that you had to prove his innocence? Would you believe in his innocence with all of your being? I felt a variety of emotions while reading this book.

I must say that Sissel really threw me off with this story! I thought that I had figured out what was going to happen, just to find out that I was totally wrong. There was quite a surprise ending and left me with my mouth hanging wide open! I was pulled in from the very first few words, and Sissel never let go until the last word on the last page! I found it to be a quick and easy read, however, very emotional throughout. It certainly was a page turner, and I enjoyed each and every page this story contained!

The characters were all such fierce characters, that believed in what they believed in, and were all willing to sacrifice anything for that belief. What this family goes through will leave you reeling for days and certainly will tug at all of your heart strings.

Overall, I had very high expectations for this book after reading Evidence of Life and I must say that I wasn't even in the slightest bit, let down after reading Safe Keeping. I think that Barbara Taylor Sissel has an amazing talent, and feel so honored that I can be one of her followers and have the opportunity to read her works of art! I enjoyed every minute of reading this book! As with her previous book, I found Sissel leaving me thinking of what I would do in the same situation, which is something that I really love about a book! I love the thought that goes along with these types of stories! I am endlessly amazed by Sissel's writing and can't wait to see what else she comes up with! ...more

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Jan 24, 2014 Cheryl rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2014-read

Safe Keeping by Barbara Taylor Sissel
Published by Harlequin MIRA
Publication Date: March 25, 2014
ISBN-10: 0778316165
ISBN-12: 978-0778316169
Number of Pages: 320
Review Copy from: Author/Harlequin
Edition: TPB
My Rating: 5

Synopsis (via GR):
My son is a murderer.... So begins this chilling and emotionally charged mystery from highly acclaimed author Barbara Taylor Sissel.

Emily Lebay had always thought of her family as ordinary. Sure, they've endured their share of problems, even a time of great ...more

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Aug 10, 2014 Victoria rated it really liked it

Shelves: lit-fic, family

This is such an engrossing novel - I read it in just one sitting! This family drama reels the reader in from its very first setence as a mother contemplates the fact ther her son may be a murderer. A hook like that just keeps the pages turning and turning! Split mostly between the voices of Tucker’s mother, Emily, and sister, Lissa, a small Texas comminutiy is haunted by a killer who has left two women strangled in the woods. And though there are other possibilities, the best lead an main person ...more

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Jun 29, 2014 Home. Love. Books. rated it really liked it

To read this review and others like it check out my site at www.homelovebooks.com

This book opens up very powerful, with a mother realizing there is a real chance her son is a murderer. That's got to be a really hard thing for a parent to consider, and you can tell that is something the whole family has a hard time considering. I was actually a little bit surprised at how much I enjoyed this book, it reminded me of one of those slow building crime/suspense movies, the book was just like that, a To read this review and others like it check out my site at www.homelovebooks.com

This book opens up very powerful, with a mother realizing there is a real chance her son is a murderer. That's got to be a really hard thing for a parent to consider, and you can tell that is something the whole family has a hard time considering. I was actually a little bit surprised at how much I enjoyed this book, it reminded me of one of those slow building crime/suspense movies, the book was just like that, a slow build the entire way through, and I really liked it.

So the whole book you are really wondering, is Emily right, did her son kill these women? But then again Emily isn't even sure that Tucker, her son killed them, in fact she is steadfast in her conviction that it just isn't possible that he baby could do something like that. His sister Lissa is just as sure that her brother couldn't have done the things that the media and the police believe he did.

The story is told from two different POVs the women of the family, Emily and Lissa. And both of them are just so torn up over what is happening but they believe in their son. These women keep uncovering different possible suspects as to who could have been responsible for the murder, and I have to admit that even I was unsure of who did it while I was reading, it wasn't until the very end when the book outlined everything that I was sure.

The family dynamics in this book are just so heart-wrenching. The father in the book, Roy, he's a seriously damaged man. He is suffering from some serious PTSD from war, he's dealing with constant pain from missing a leg, and he suffers from bad flashbacks. He doesn't make anything easy for anyone in the family, but especially from Tucker. Emily I felt so bad for, nothing really turned out the way she thought they would when she was young. Her marriage is hard, her son is always seeming to need money or attention, and the family just can't catch a break. I really felt for this family.

If you are looking for a mystery, especially one that is more based in family dynamics then the specifics of a crime, then this is a book you should check out. I enjoyed it. ...more

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About Barbara Taylor Sissel

Barbara Taylor Sissel

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Barbara Taylor Sissel writes issue oriented, upmarket women’s fiction that is threaded with elements of suspense and defined by its particular emphasis on how crime affects the family. She is the author of seven novels, THE TRUTH WE BURY (coming July 25, 2017) FAULTLINES, CROOKED LITTLE LIES, SAFE KEEPING, EVIDENCE 0F LIFE, THE NINTH STEP, THE VOLUNTEER, and THE LAST INNOCENT HOUR.

Born in ...more