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Murderous Lies

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Imprisoned for murders he didn’t commit, Max Kensington is exonerated after eight years when a new witness steps forward. He returns to his hometown and no one’s happy to see him, least of all his ex-fiancée, Rosemary Spelling.


Max’s return forces Rose to confront her feelings about the past. The day he killed her sister ruined Rose’s life, destroying her family and landing her mother in a mental institution.


When someone leaves a bloody threat on Rose’s porch, the police jump to conclusions, assuming Max is after revenge. Rose isn’t so sure. She begins questioning Max’s guilt, wondering if someone is trying to cover up what really happened to her sister.


All Max wants is his life back and a chance to regain Rose’s love. To get that, he has to catch the killer. His obsessive need for justice drives his actions, but the murderer seems a step ahead. When new bodies surface, evidence points to Max as the culprit. Now he could lose everything when the killer zeroes in on a new target…Rose.


Content Warning: Language, Violence, and Sizzling Love Scenes


Murderous Lies is a standalone romantic suspense / murder mystery


“Exciting cat-and-mouse mystery full of surprising twists and scorching second chances.” ~ Rachelle Ayala – Romantic Suspense Author

ebook

First published June 17, 2014

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Chantel Rhondeau

64 books177 followers

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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
Profile Image for Rachelle Ayala.
Author 323 books1,236 followers
June 26, 2014
From the first page, tension sizzled as Max meets Rose after being jailed many years for her sister's murder. Rose is not sure what to make of Max, but all the unresolved feelings make it hard for her to ignore him.

Add an overprotective sheriff and a town full of potential suspects, and we're off on a wild ride to figure out who REALLY murdered Rose's sister and who is after Rose right now.

The action is fast and nonstop, gluing me to the pages until the wee hours of the night. What I liked about this story was that Rose was brave enough to give Max a second chance even when evidence pointed to him as still being a danger to her.

The ending is a big surprise, but after looking back through the clues, it all made sense. Chantel Rhondeau does twisted villains so well. She'll have you looking over your shoulder at the ordinary people you think you know so well, but don't really. The stuff of nightmares?

Pick up this book, but start reading early in the day, because you won't be able to put it down! Guaranteed.
Profile Image for The Author Visits.
58 reviews14 followers
July 16, 2014
Note: A copy of this book was provided by Chantel Rhondeau in return for an honest review by The Author Visits team.

Murderous Lies, the latest installment from author, Chantel Rhondeau is my first foray into the romantic suspense genre. I enjoyed the adventure.

Max Kensington, falsely accused of a string of murders, is finally absolved of his crimes and released from prison. It’s been a tough eight years but returning home is no walk in the park, receiving a less than stellar reception from his ex-friends and neighbors. He has only one reason for coming home. Rosemary Spelling.

Rosemary Spelling has lost everything after the tragic murder of her younger sister. Her parents have divorced with her dad out of the picture and her mother now in a mental institution. Rose is trying hard to manage but having given up her college dream to pick up the pieces of her tragic life hasn’t been easy.

When Max and Rose do finally come face-to-face, it’s an emotionally charged exchange where old feelings come rushing to the surface, feelings that Rose cannot deny.

The pace picks up fast when someone leaves a threatening message at Rose’s door and Max is labeled the default suspect. Despite what hatred she does feel for Max, she soon realizes, her ex-lover may be innocent and soon partners with Max to find her sister’s killer.

Bodies start dropping but Rose is steadfast in her defense of Max. That is until she becomes the victim of a murderous plot. Then all hell erupts.

I enjoyed this swift novel. The plot had enough twists and turns to keep me reading and there is certainly something endearing about two people who love each other and are torn apart under the worst of circumstances, find their way back.

The climax of the story was rather brilliant. Chantel planted enough clues but I was certainly taken a bit by surprise at the unveiling of the murderer.

However, there were moments between Rose and Max that erred on the juvenile. Some of the dialogue left me feeling like Rose and Max were still two kids in high school trying to play in a grown-up world.

Chantel’s style has ebbs and flows, where the writing is superfluous when it needed to be tightened and bare when I wanted more. Still, she is seasoned with several books under her belt and I expect to see more maturity as time progresses.

Happily-ever-after in romance comes with a heavy price and in this case, both Max and Rose have paid plenty.

If you are on the lookout for a novel with plenty of romance and a good dose of suspense, I suggest you pick up Murderous Lies by Chantel Rhondeau. It’s a must read!
Profile Image for Nancy Stopper.
Author 16 books189 followers
June 23, 2015
 3 1/2 stars for Murderous Lies.  I really enjoyed reading Murderous Lies by Chantel Rhondeau. This is my first book by this author. I wasn't sure what to expect but was pleasantly surprised. The author creates a compelling introduction to the story, capturing the reader's interest from the first page and keeping them interested until the final shots are fired! The author crafts captivating suspense throughout the story and keeps the reader guessing until the villain is ultimately revealed - its not who you expect!

I love Max's confidence in his feelings for Rose, but his vulnerability after being release from prison was endearing. Rose's struggles with her feelings towards Max war with her feelings about her sister's murder. When Max insists on clearing his name once and for all, he and Rose reach an impasse you aren't sure they can overcome.

There were a times that the story got a bit kitschy and cliche, which is why my rating was a bit lower than it otherwise would have been. All in all it is an enjoyable read and a good addition to the Dangerous Encounters box set.  

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Lisi Cabrera.
173 reviews3 followers
January 3, 2017
Let me start by saying that my eyes hurt because I couldn't put this book down until I found out who the murderer was. I loved how I suspected different people throughout the story. Poor Max sent to jail for a crime he didn't commit & wasn't released until almost 8 years later when someone finally stepped up with testimony that cleared him. Then there's poor Rose who loved Max but lost her trust in him when he was charged with killing her sister. Will Rose finally believe in Max's innocence? Will Max find out who the real murderer is? Will Max & Rose get back together? Read to find out.
Profile Image for Barb VanderWel.
1,819 reviews30 followers
April 5, 2018
I love this & I can't wait for more.
I will be also leaving a review on Goodreads @ Amazon.
And letting everyone know about it.
So i gave it a 5 Stars.
Profile Image for Veronica Whiteman.
146 reviews2 followers
January 29, 2023
Max is not a murderer

Great story well written Like the characters. Android the thrill of a mystery and romance all wrapped up together. Fantastic
Profile Image for Anne Kulasa.
86 reviews1 follower
May 6, 2017
Wow!!! This was one Intense, Suspenseful, steamy book!!! I couldn't put it down. Max and Rose had this amazing love and bond that even being falsely accused of murder of her sister, time spent in prison and then released couldn't break it. Now that Max is back, murders are happening again, and again they are looking at him, but Rose will not let him go down. Together they fight for their love and to find the true murderer. There are so many twists and turns, you don't know who it is until the very end. I also loved Gizmo. I really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it and anything written by Chantel. You will not be disappointed.
Profile Image for Cynthia.
3,201 reviews104 followers
February 9, 2017
Lies

Max was convicted for killing his girlfriend's sister 8 years earlier. Someone finally admitted they know he didn't do it. He is out and wants to find out who. Rose finally believes he didn't do it. She still loves him and helps him find out who did.
Profile Image for Alicia.
822 reviews16 followers
July 13, 2017
What a truly amazing novel!! I was hooked and engaged from the very beginning.

With such an in-depth plot that takes many twists and turns, and strong character development, the reader is easily caught up in the story and has a hard time disengaging if necessary.

"Murderous Lies," is a definitely a "not able to put down read." I put it down once, when it was so late at night I could barely keep my eyes open. But I was right back at it as I soon as I awoke. I couldn't wait to see how it ended...

This is the first novel I have read by this author, but it definitely will not be my last. Whether you read it as a stand alone novel or within the Dangerous Encounters box set, this is a true must read that will not disappoint.
Profile Image for Rebecca Austin.
3,170 reviews3 followers
July 4, 2015
Max Kensington is back in town after being in jail for murders he did not commit, including the murder of his high school girlfriend's sister, Sage Spelling.

Rosemary Spelling knows in her heart that Max did not kill Sage, but when murders start happening in town when he shows back up, she must decide what to do.

Max and Rosemary are still in love but realize they can not move ahead with him branded as a murderer. Will Max and Rosemary be able to find out the truth before either one of them get killed or is the real murderer already one step ahead?

This was a great read and I somewhat figured out who did it before the book ended but definitely got a shock at the end! Loved the chemistry of Max and Rose!!
2,985 reviews8 followers
October 16, 2014
Another great book by Chantel! When Max gets released from prison, he immediately goes to find Rose. Max was accused of murdering Rose's sister, but he gets acquitted when new evidence comes to light. Rose had given into the town gossip that Max committed the murder, but after being with him again she is not so sure. I just loved this book, and Max and Rose were great together. Even though it was a quick read, there was great character development. Very enjoyable!
Profile Image for Breanna  Eichhorn.
1,253 reviews12 followers
June 23, 2015
I have to say that this is one of my favorite books. I was hooked from the first page. It's very well written and the characters were very well developed. This is one book that I know I will be able to read again and again. This is my first book by Chantel Rhondeau and it wont be my last.
Profile Image for Chantel Rhondeau.
Author 64 books177 followers
May 18, 2014
Coming July 11, 2014, my latest stand-alone romantic suspense mystery. I loved writing Rose and Max's story, and look forward to sharing!
95 reviews
March 28, 2017
Test of love

Hear trending story of betrayal small town gossip and love tested by difficult circumstances. Ones emotions range from sadness joy and finally relief with the belief love conquers all
Profile Image for Cristine Hand.
115 reviews1 follower
August 31, 2017
OMG!!!! I can't believe what happened in this book!!!! If you love romance, mystery, a lil thriller, and twists and turns, you'd definitely gotta read this. Rose and Max, Max and Calvin, Max and Jimmy, Bill and Kelsey all these interactions between the characters is very interesting and intriguing. Also Merduerous Lies had some suspense in it too. I fell in love with the characters. I even liked one of the bad people but didn't know it. Absolutely love this book and definitely will be rereading this book again. I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Choco.
254 reviews
March 15, 2018
From the first page, tension sizzled as Max meets Rose after being jailed many years for her sister's murder. Rose is not sure what to make of Max, but all the unresolved feelings make it hard for her to ignore him.

Add an overprotective sheriff and a town full of potential suspects, and we're off on a wild ride to figure out who REALLY murdered Rose's sister and who is after Rose right now.

The action is fast and nonstop, gluing me to the pages until the wee hours of the night. What I liked about this story was that Rose was brave enough to give Max a second chance even when evidence pointed to him as still being a danger to her.

The ending is a big surprise, but after looking back through the clues, it all made sense. Chantel Rhondeau does twisted villains so well. She'll have you looking over your shoulder at the ordinary people you think you know so well, but don't really. The stuff of nightmares?

Pick up this book, but start reading early in the day, because you won't be able to put it down! Guaranteed.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews