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Review of  A Thin Film of Lies

by C. S. Lakin

The story tells of a homicide detective, Fran Anders, whose next case throws her into the lives of Mike and Alisa Jepson, a couple whose marriage is disintegrating fast. When leads coming into the precinct point at Mike Jepson as guilty of murder, Fran watches the damage wrought on this couple, yet is unable to ignore the incriminating evidence. When Mike ends up arrested and in jail, Alisa takes comfort in a friend—Dee Dee—who moves in with her but soon becomes her worst nightmare. Mike hires a PI who uncovers clues to who is setting Mike up, but Alisa is caught in a trap before Mike can protect her. Although Fran reaches out to Alisa during her crisis of faith, she is unable to stop events from barreling toward a crash. Yet, despite the tragedies to follow, Fran sees how God has used the Jepsons’ trials and pain to bring Alisa back into His arms, with hope that Mike might follow suit.
Fran is a dedicated, no-frills cop who takes her job seriously but with a wry sense of humor. She suffers from the unbearable heat, from unrelenting allergies, but does not suffer fools. As much as she wants to please her superiors, she knows her true boss is—God—and she answers first and foremost to his leading, which sometimes takes her beyond the call of duty, often to the ire of those around her. A middle-aged, divorced, single parent with two teens, Fran hopes someday to find a great man and remarry, but she’s not holding her breath. Right now, she just wants to be a good cop and mother, and use her faith to help those she encounters in her line of work learn there’s someone “up there” who truly cares for them.

 My Review:   Wow!  I started reading this book a few hours ago and I simply could not stop reading!  I was biting my lip with the sheer terror and suspense at times!  I was frantically telling Alisa to run at certain key moments in the story.    I was both fascinated as I read and appalled!!   To think that someone would go to such extremes to hurt another human being over a perceived injustice was hard to fathom.   I truly felt pain for the characters.  

 I would say that this story did draw on some of my own insecurities and fears.  It brought to mind instances where I felt a need for God and all I could say was, "Help me, God," just as several of the main characters did.   I admire Fran for her determination to minister to others, even if her boss at the police station does not condone it.   This is a novel to make you truly rethink your own values and relationships.    I love reading mystery and suspense novels and this was a superb piece of literature!   I will definitely be looking at some of C. S. Lakin's other novels.    

About the Author: Susanne Lakin

C. S. Lakin is a novelist and professional copyeditor who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. The first four books in her seven-book fantasy series, The Gates of Heaven, have been released (AMG/Living Ink Publishers) and she is also the author of 5 novels of pyschological suspense and YA sci-fi.

Please Note: A Thin Film of Lies is spiritually uplifting but does have some gritty characters. It was written for readers who enjoy mystery/suspense and like relational drama.

Connect with C. S. Lakin at http://www.cslakin.com 

I received a free copy of this book from Christian Women Affiliate's Book Review Crew in exchange for my honest review.