Synopses & Reviews
How many lies does it take to get away with murder? Magazine Editor Laurel Imperiole is vacationing in Florence, Italy, with Aaron Gerrard, Chief of Detectives of New York City's 13th Precinct Identity Theft Squad. A chance encounter brings Laurel to a startling realization: she's just bumped into a dead man: Jeff Sargasso, an art dealer and husband of a close friend who supposedly died in the World Trade Center on 9/11. When he vanished, Sargasso had been brokering the sale of a priceless masterpiece that was lost during World War II to CEO Alfred Hammersmith and billionaire Miayamu Moto. Hammersmith perished along with Sargasso on 9/11, and it is believed that the access codes to the $15 million deposit--ten percent of the asking price--died with them. Could Sargasso have faked his own death to steal the money? The painting's whereabouts are unknown. Laurel enlists the help of private detective Helen McCorkendale, and together they follow the threads that lead from Florence, Italy, to New York. On the way, the women tangle with Israeli Mossad agent Lior Stern and several stop-at-nothing collectors. All are determined to have the painting for themselves. Ignoring Aaron's advice, Laurel puts their volatile relationship in jeopardy. As Helen and Laurel search for Sargasso, the painting and the money, they find themselves enmeshed in a sinister skein of lies that could end in death.
Review
"Stoler masterfully weaves her complex tale, both complex and intriguing, into a thrilling ride. A thrilling ride so great, that I couldn't stop reading until I finally reached the end. If you enjoy a faced-paced novel, filled with intrigue and twists, I recommend this well written account."
--My Bits and Bleeps Blog
Review
Laurel Imperiole, a magazine editor from New York, is vacationing in Italy with her new boyfriend, Detective Aaron Gerrard. As they are leaving the art museum she bumps into a businessman. As she and the man go their separate ways, she is bothered by a strange feeling that something is not right. Then it hits her. This businessman is her good friend's husband, Jeff Sargasso. But that can't be right; Jeff died in the Towers during the 9-11 attacks.
Still, she is convinced she is right. Jeff had gone to the towers that morning to make an art deal that would rock the world. A Japanese tycoon was interested in selling a painting for one hundred and fifty million. To insure the sale went smoothly, the buyers had to put up fifteen million dollars. That was Jeff's part; to insure the transfer of the fifteen million once everything was on schedule. Instead, he was killed and the fifteen million dollars went into limbo along with his body; he was identified as one of the more than a thousand individuals whose bodies could not be recovered.
Laurel believes that instead Jeff has taken the money and reinvented himself as an Italian art dealer. She recruits her good friend Helen to help her discover the truth; Helen is a private investigator. Detective Gerrard starts an investigation from the police side of things, and soon the FBI is also involved. Then there are the Israeli undercover agents that seem to have an interest also. Who will discover the truth first?
Kathi Stoler's debut novel shows promise of an entertaining new voice in female detective stories. The characters are crisp and intriguing, and the plot twists come fast and furious. The audience is transported to Italy and New York, learning about the byzantine world of high-end art transactions. This book is recommended for mystery readers.
--Sandie, Booksie's Blog
Review
"Cathi Stoler takes readers on a suspenseful transatlantic journey of deceit, betrayal and heroism. There is a new crime writer on the block, with a fully realized cast of characters and all the mayhem they can bring."
--David Simon, Creator of Treme and The Wire
"Cathi Stoler establishes herself as an author to watch."
--Camille Noe Pagán, author of The Art of Forgetting
"Telling Lies is a gripping, suspenseful read packed with memorable characters and deft twists and turns."
--says Judith Kelman, Winner of the 2002 Mary Higgins Clark Award for Best Suspense novel
"A priceless painting stolen during WWII, a man missing on 9/11, and a love affair gone awry--add up to a thriller not to be missed!"
--Robin Hathaway, Author of Sleight of Hand
"Don't be surprised if you find yourself booking a trip to Italy when you reach the last page of this satisfying thriller."
--Peggy Ehrhart, author of the Maxx Maxwell mysteries
Synopsis
A chance encounter at Florence's Uffizi Gallery plunges Laurel Imperiole and Helen McCorkendale into an investigation of stolen Nazi art. Could Laurel really have bumped into Jeff Sargasso, an art dealer and friend who perished in the World Trade Center on 9/11? Searching for answers back in NYC, Laurel and Helen thread their way through a sinister--and possibly deadly--skein of lies.