Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Peacock & Rayburn #4

The Way She Lied

Rate this book

When psychologist Lisa Rayburn is offered the chance to evaluate the psychiatric release of Roman Guerrero—a man who confessed to slaughtering eleven people nearly a decade earlier—she's both tempted and wary. The ramifications of any decision regarding the man’s release might just outweigh the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work with such a fascinating—and mysterious—subject.

Was Guerrero the one responsible for what happened the night eleven people died in a Milwaukee restaurant? Nobody really knows, but the community is in an uproar over the possibility of a mass murderer being released into their midst.

While Lisa interviews Guerrero and struggles to stay objective, her friends—private investigator TJ Peacock and crime reporter/blogger Bart Kosik—push Lisa to join them in investigating the ten-year-old mystery of the Guerrero murders.

Hampered by patient confidentiality, Lisa can only listen to her friend’s theories of the case. But it isn't until their lives, as well as hers, are at stake that Lisa finally realizes she has to make a decision.

Question is: is she too late?



366 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 17, 2017

751 people are currently reading
466 people want to read

About the author

Marla Madison

12 books112 followers
Marla Madison currently works part-time doing arbitration for the the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service.

Hard at work now as an author, she is writing her sixth novel of suspense. Her first series, the TJ Peacock & Lisa Rayburn suspense series, has three editions out, the third, Girl Undone, has just been released. Marla is currently working on the third novel in her second suspense series which spotlights Detective Kendall Halsrud.

At home in Northwestern Wisconsin, Marla lives on Prairie Lake with her significant other, Terry, a beloved shelter-dog, Skygge, and Poncho, an opinionated feline from the same shelter who believes he is the boss of everything.

Some of her favorite things are playing duplicate and tournament bridge, golf, reading, pontooning, and taking long walks with her dog.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
295 (40%)
4 stars
238 (32%)
3 stars
138 (18%)
2 stars
44 (6%)
1 star
17 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
Profile Image for Jacquie South.
522 reviews10 followers
November 27, 2019
I don’t know why I bothered to read this all the way through. The writing was very stilted and the characters unlikable and unrealistic.
Only a small thing, but it annoyed me so much that one of the main characters was set to foster/adopt an extremely traumatised child, yet she spent hardly any time at all with him, fobbing him off constantly to his case worker who was living in their house like a live in nanny. What the ...???? Makes no sense.
Anyway ... wouldn’t recommend or read any more of this series.
Profile Image for Mai.
2,945 reviews6 followers
November 16, 2019
Interesting, compelling reading, but ultimately- for me, at least - a story with lots of things left unfinished. Including the big thing that started the whole book! Oh, the intrigue, oh the possible danger, oh the - yeah, it's not really important, so let's just drop it. I suppose the author might have planned to continue it in another book. I did just read this one, the fourth in the series, out of context, so perhaps things continue from book to book, but I found it ultimately very unsatisfying.
Profile Image for Joy Schmidt.
692 reviews3 followers
August 25, 2024
This took me awhile to get into the storyline. Lisa finds a young boy, barely alive, in a garbage bag on the side of the road. So I thought the whole book would be about that, but that part ended up feeling like a side story that never really got figured out. When I began this book, I didn’t realize this is part of a series, so maybe that storyline will continue in a later book. Having been part of a series, it felt like it wasn’t a stand alone story, as the characters have obviously been through previous things together. The author tried to catch the readers up on the past experiences, but I had a hard time keeping up with who was who. The main villains in the story were somewhat of a surprise to me, and how it all ended. If I read any more of this series, I’ll make sure I start at Book 1!
Profile Image for Nancy Silk.
Author 5 books82 followers
October 11, 2017
"Wow! What An Awesome Crime Mystery"

Roman Guerrero, after 10 years, is released from prison for the murder of 11 teenagers in a Milwaukee restaurant. Of course, there are a lot of protests about his release. Psychologist Lisa Raburn will evaluate him before his release. She and her love partner, Eric Schindler) plus her friends, private investigator T.J. Peacock and crime reporter/blogger Bart Kosik, investigate the 10-year old crime. It's not long before their lives are at stake as they forge into the truth about the killing ... and about the killer. Another well written, outstanding mystery/thriller from a great author. I love her stories. You'll love them, too!
Profile Image for Vivian.
798 reviews10 followers
December 5, 2019
Started out choppy but got better once the storyline picked up. The characters are from a previous series so I was unfamiliar with flashbacks. It was okay.

Lisa is new to forensic psychology. Nevertheless, she’s chosen to lead the case that would either release or keep a suspected killer in a mental hospital or moved to trial for murder and prison if convicted. In an unrelated case, she stumbles upon a black garbage bag that held more than just waste. Something she and her husband had wished for. Would it interfere with her responsibilities or is it all related?
Profile Image for Erika Stanton.
15 reviews1 follower
February 10, 2021
I finished this book because I'm a sucker for thriller mysteries, but it wasn't great.

Several points where the plot looped around itself, things were repeated, or just didn't make sense.

Doors were opened twice, characters were referred to incorrectly, characters would enter or exit with no context...

Usually a small issue like that I chalk up to editing and carry on. But this book had so many of them that I had to wonder about the writing style.

Plus, the ending felt rushed and the "twist" felt too out of nowhere to make sense.

Not a fan, and won't be reading others in the series.
67 reviews1 follower
February 18, 2024
With the murder of several teens and the owner of the Rib Joynt, Rubin,who was high on drugs was arrested after confessing and was put in a mental institution, but Lisa a phycologist evaluation of him thought different about his confession being true. She finally figures out with her friends Bart and TJ what really went on and who really killed those people, not before her and TJ’s life were in jeopardy, and after the girl who was about to kill them was killed her self. This book is a must read!!
Profile Image for JoAnne Pegg.
107 reviews
March 9, 2019
Untruths can hurt an innocent person.

This was a good book that I enjoyed very much. Mystery, suspense and thrilling plots made me just unable to stop reading until I finished it, all in one sitting. All people who like who dun its will like this book too. Gave it 5 stars because it kept me guessing until the end.
667 reviews26 followers
November 12, 2019
I enjoyed this book immensely! It has a great plot and kept me entertained throughout the book with no down time. I loved the characters and how they worked together to solve this plot. There was so many twists and turns to the story too. I am going to be following this author now. I am looking forward to reading more of this series too.
104 reviews2 followers
November 18, 2019
Pitch perfect book. 4.4 on the Richter Scale. Don’t get where exactly title came from except possibly Sylvia/Marcella. Nice twist with Roman at the end. Glad he didn’t get away whole. Wished there was more about Ben and Lisa for that matter. T.J. never captured my feelings. And Bart? Interesting character. Real hero’s—Richard and Eric for their loyalty. This book kept me going.
Profile Image for Ruth.
23 reviews
November 19, 2019
A great read!

I was drawn in from the very beginning. There are many aspects to the story. There are ways that you think the story will go and you continue to read and it is a different twist. There were some times that you would think one way and she wrote a different direction.It was a great book to the end.
Profile Image for Susan.
7,345 reviews70 followers
December 4, 2019
Ten years ago Roman Guerrero was sentence to a psychiatric ward for the murder of eleven people. Now he is up for re-evaluation and possible release, and Lisa Rayburn has been asked to do the evaluation. Meanwhile her friends TJ Peacock, P.I., and Bart Kosik, blogger, re-investigate the murders.
An interesting and enjoyable well-written story
Profile Image for Sandy.
1,005 reviews16 followers
December 24, 2019
The Way She Lied

Very entertaining and interesting storyline about a ten year old murder case. A therapist has to evaluate the person believed to be the shooter in the gruesome deaths of multiple victims and decide if he is mentally stable enough to the released from the facility where he has lived since confessing.
Profile Image for Mia Soul.
Author 8 books2 followers
November 7, 2019
I did not guess the ending.

Stayed up late to finish, something I rarely do for a book. Strong female characters, including the ones with flaws. The progression of events was engrossing yet did not reveal the surprise ending.
922 reviews11 followers
November 13, 2019
Exceptionally Entertaining Psycho Mystery!

Madison masterfully grabs readers' interest from the beginning and holds them through to the surprising end! Definitely well worth reading!
24 reviews
November 15, 2019
Fictional novel

This is my first read in this series... I found it well-written and although I’m not a big fan of fiction,the book was suspenseful and interesting... I would consider reading another of this author’s works.
94 reviews18 followers
November 30, 2019
Too many sub plots.
They never solved the case with the boy.
The Haymaker thing was pointless.
I didn’t really get the end bit with Roman.
I just wasn’t a fan, it took me too long to read and I never got into it.
26 reviews
January 17, 2020
Fantastic book

I recommend this book to everyone who likes murder mysteries. It is full of turns and when you think you have it figured out, something happened to change your mind. It keeps you drawn in until the very last. Wonderful book, I couldn't put it down!
1,471 reviews7 followers
April 24, 2021
Great thriller

This book has more twist and turns than a roller coaster. The main character Roman was really screwed up. It seems he he away with murder. Would like to read more about what happens to him.
Profile Image for Sharon Thomas.
667 reviews3 followers
October 16, 2023
Wow wonderful read

So much action. The person that confessed to the murder at the Rib Joynt is being considered for release. Lisa is chosen to evaluate him. Bart and TJ are researching the killing of those people in the Rib Joynt.
Profile Image for Michelle S. Golden.
8 reviews
January 22, 2024
good read

This is the first I’ve read in this series but it works fine as a stand alone. The author gives you enough backstory to keep up. Characters were well written and lots of action the whole way through.
Profile Image for Jessica Autry.
3 reviews
November 10, 2018
I finished all 4 of the books currently in this series in 2 weeks! The story never lagged and kept me wanting more!!
17 reviews
November 5, 2019
Great Read !

I enjoyed this book immensely. Will follow this author. My next read for this author will be Trespass. Thank you.
56 reviews
November 6, 2019
Not so obvious

Good reading. Wish I had read the books in the series before this one. I would have understood the characters so much more.
Profile Image for Bruce.
15 reviews1 follower
November 8, 2019
Great book

Shocking beginning about a small child ... But the story twists and turns with detectives and cops. Murder and mystery! No putting this book down !
32 reviews
November 10, 2019
Gripping

It is hard to keep track--lots of players here. Once you get them sorted out, it is a hell of a ride.
1 review
December 18, 2019
Loved it

Loved it
Recommend it to all who like mysteries!
Ending was a amazing and yet expected!
A great read for all!
111 reviews3 followers
December 30, 2019
At the beginning I struggled to follow who was who. So many different names confused me. However once I got into the story I thoroughly enjoyed it and would highly recommend.
4 reviews
January 3, 2020
Great storytelling

Hope there is a book 5 soon. TJ and Lisa make a great team...Bart and Shannon too. The kids are growing up.
375 reviews4 followers
February 2, 2020
A Truthful Lie!

Interesting plot dishes out in a very stylish and gripping manner by Marla. Truth sounds like a lie and vice versa. Enjoyed reading the thriller.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.