Do you like trilogies or book series like I do? Sometimes a character will stick with you long after the story is over and you begin to feel about them as not only a living human being, but a friend. You don’t want to let them go. That is how The Scent of Lies makes the reader feel. I am adding a star rating system now for every review based on 1-5 stars:
*hated it; **I can’t recommend it; ***it’s mediocre and needs work; **** I really like it and recommend it: and *****a very high recommendation and will read more of this author.

The Scent of Lies is Book 1 of 4 in the Paradise Valley Mysteries series by Debra Burroughs. This is a romantic mystery, but unlike many of this genre, it is not heavy-handed romance with the mystery as a sideline. The emphasis is on the mystery, or mysteries in this instance. I find that very refreshing. There is nothing wrong with romance, but if you are going to call it a mystery, that should be the focal point. Ms. Burroughs has an excellent balance of both throughout the entire book.

Emily Parker is a young widow whose husband, Evan Parker, Private Investigator, was murdered in his own office 6 months ago. While looking for answers into his death, Emily discovers more questions. Was he really the man that she thought he was? When she is asked by a client of Evan’s, Delia, to investigate Delia’s husband, she is interested and encouraged by her close circle of friend’s to take over Evan’s P.I. business. Then Delia’s husband is murdered. To complicate matters, Emily is introduced to the sexy new police detective, who is convinced Emily’s first client is guilty of murdering her husband. Emily must fight for her client before Delia goes to prison for a crime she didn’t commit. Or did she? Emily fights to prove Delia’s innocence as she also tries to fight the budding attraction to the new police detective; who is trying to keep Emily alive long enough to see if she could be the one to mend his heart.

Ms. Burroughs has the beginning to a winning series with The Scent of Lies. The reader is immediately rooting for Emily, for her to solve the case, get the answers about Evan’s murder, and for the new romance building for her. She has several strong female characters and men that support them rather than feel threatened by their resolve. Not all of the answers are given, it is the beginning of a series after all. The reader is given enough to pique the interest to continue reading the series, but not a gratuitous major cliffhanger that makes the reader feel cheated at the end. I highly recommend The Scent of Lies. I will be reading the entire series of Paradise Valley Mysteries. I hope you’ll join me.

MY STAR RATING FOR THE SCENT OF LIES:
*****