3 Lies - Helen Hanson

Title: 3 Lies
Author: Helen Hanson
Genre: Thriller
Published: 2010
Formats: Ebook

Available at:
Amazon
Amazon UK
Barnes & Nobel
Smashwords

3 Lies by Helen Hanson is twisting techno espionage thriller full of suspense, deceit and thrills. It was sent to me by the author and I had some reservations at first as I have been struggling to find any thrillers that really excite me recently. I didn't need to worry though as the author has created a vivid and well thought out story that grabs you right from the beginning and refuses to let you go until the last page is turned.

The story itself mainly follows Clint Masters who has taken a leave of absence from his own high-tech company whilst he awaits the divorce from his childhood sweetheart to become final. He is happy though as he has met a woman named Beth Sutton with whom things are going well until he arrives at her home one morning to find her missing. Clint investigates the disappearance even though her family keep telling him that there is nothing wrong. What he uncovers throughout his investigation is a plot involving multiple kidnappings, missing CIA agents and much more.

It is a well-written fast-paced novel that is full of intrigue, wit and likeable characters. The various twists and turns keep you turning the pages and wondering "who done it" right to the very end of the story. I always enjoy a thriller that doesn't come out and explain the entire mystery early on and I have to admit that I had no idea who the "bad guy" was until the end. So if you don't like novels that hide the truth from you and keep you guessing then I suspect this won't be for you. However, I would be surprised if anyone who normally reads books from the thriller genre would dislike this aspect.

In addition I felt that the author's own knowledge and history serves her well in describing and explaining the various technological issues that occur throughout the novel. It all helps to add depth to the story and none of it comes across as being unrealistic, which I have seen happen in some techno thrillers.

Overall I found the novel to be an exciting and suspenseful thriller. After a few other thrillers I have read recently it was nice to read one that was better than just being "okay". I would therefore happily recommend this to anyone who enjoys a thriller and I look forward to reading more from Helen Hanson.