What Lies Beneath (Lancaster Falls Book 1)

Lancaster Falls, Pennsylvania is a small town… so small that everyone knows everyone else’s business. The Chief in charge and the mayor are not on the up and up. And it’s up to Sawyer, a local who grew up in the town and is now a cop who recently returned from the city, to decipher what lies beneath in this little town. A skull is found… could it be the remains of an old friend who mysteriously disappeared years ago? Then there’s the stranger renting the cabin in the woods. I love a good mystery… filled with intrigue and questions and secrets. And I love a good mystery with two hot main characters who start out with a strong dislike to each other, crashing into each other and then softening and opening up. There’s so much going on in this little town and you’re instantly drawn into it and you feel the frustrations and anger and the tensions boiling as Sawyer tries to stand up and do what’s right. It's mystery after mystery and small town lies and secrets and terrible things happening to good people... But it all comes to a head (or should I say skull) when remains are found. Whose they are is another mystery. Meanwhile Sawyer and Chris (the reclusive author) are building something that could be the real thing. I’m not usually a fan of cliffhangers and it’s only because I’m so damn impatient. This is a doozy of a cliffhanger...just a warning. But the next installment is coming in the fall and I for one can’t wait!

I liked this book, even though there were a few glaring errors, but--it is a big fat CLIFFHANGER. It is the cliffhanger of cliffhangers. If it had a name, it would be Cliff McHangerson. Even this wouldn't have made me leave one star, but--the author didn't warn anyone. If they happen to add this in the blurb, I'd be happy to revisit it. The thing is, I probably would have still read it because the second book was already out......and my review would have been much better.

This is an excellent mystery, beautifully developed romance, and at times tragic story in a small town in upper Pennsylvania that has secrets and corruption and hopes, like all small towns.Sawyer Wiseman was born and raised here and returns as a member of a small police force after spending eight years on the Chicago force, including a tragic stint undercover which forced him to leave under mysterious circumstances. While not much happens in Lancaster Falls, he is told to check out a probable interloper who has moved into an abandoned house on the top of a hill next to a reservoir which has been a source of mystery for the town.The person who lives in the cabin is Chris Lassiter, a super hot author who was sent to the town after his agent bought and refurbished the wreck of a house to try to get Chris over his major writer's block. When Officer Sawyer comes knocking on the door, each of their gaydar goes haywire but Sawyer's antagonism put a kibosh on any kind of hook-up. Until, of course, it happens.The story here is full of local characters, history, tragedies, and bizarre but understandable circumstances. The romance between Sawyer and Chris is over the top and beautifully handled.I could not put this one down, and I am eagerly awaiting the other two installments because I know who one of the MC's is going to be and I'm jumping for joy to get his side of the story. Get this one.

What is it with some authors that they cannot finish a book before publishing it? This is the first story I read from this auther and although I like the story and the characters, the fact that it is not complete has completely put me off him. All these unfinished books should come with a clear warning!

I have liked this author in the past, but this incomplete novel is largely inert. The first sixty percent of the book is about a writer having writers block and a town policeman not hearing from the corner about the identity of bones he has found.Disappointing mystery and the romance isn’t much better. Won’t be buying the next installment.

Chris Lassiter is a best selling author of horror. His books have been made into movies. He's in the middle of a world class writer's block, when his agent suggests going to Lancaster Falls to get his muse back. He's having trouble getting words on the page, so he goes for a walk. On his walk he finds something that will shake up his muse, as well as the whole town.Sawyer Wiseman grew up in Lancaster Falls and became a cop in Chicago. Torn down by troubles in Chicago, Sawyer comes home to a town still struggling with the loss of one of it's own. During the day he's dealing with an uncooperative Captain and during the night he's dealing with nightmares.What I liked about this story:This is a well thought out mystery. Yes it doesn't get solved in the first book but the author was very clear about the mystery spanning the trilogy; so I was prepared and not bothered by this. Chris and Sawyer have great chemistry. They start off slow but things heat up well. The supporting characters are all well written and play their own parts. I liked the small town feel that's written in this book.What I didn't like:This book needed a better editor. There are too many run-on sentences and over usage of the comma. Too many issues where there is a comma before the and's, but's, or's when it isn't grammatically correct.Example of both in one sentence: "It was one cabin, that was all, but this was how small towns worked, and I was used to it and ignored it, because if everyone calmed down and thought about it, who in their right mind would want to build a leisure complex here?"This is especially funny as the author wrote in the book: "She exhaled noisily after that run-on sentence, and when Sawyer glanced at me, I nodded." These two examples don't go together either.Incomplete sentences: "Stunning, maybe."Sentences that started with And, But, Or. This isn't grammatically correct and easily spotted. Why weren't they corrected?Simple spelling issues that should have been caught: "cold ACAC".This could've easily been a 4 star book IMO.Looking forward to book 2. Recommend for anyone who likes low key mystery and romance.

So why 4 *s? Because I want answers - now! Patience when waiting for books/stories/films/tv series is not one of my greatest characteristics, so that I read this not knowing it was going to be part of a trilogy with the final one not out until spring 2020 is a tad annoying! It also tells you that this was good.Having read a few of this author's previous books, had not been overly impressed, so gave this a go by dl'ing the sample. Liked it and thus bought the book. It's good - a cold case murder mystery in a small town (far too hot for my liking) in rural America and a love story between the local cop and a horror writer. Great premise.Won't give too much of the tale away, but both MCs were well-drawn and likeable, though I did want to know more about both of them. Sawyer had been through a lot and this showed in his actions, though his about-turn where Chris was involved did seem a bit out of character. That said, their relationship was believeable, and not just because of there being little other choice in the back-water place they were in. Chris also needed more back story at times - though I'm not sure if we'll get it as from the hint of book 2, it's not from Sawyer or Chris' perspectives.All-in-all, I did want more back-story for both MCs, but the pace and other people in the tale were well-done. Kota has to get a mention for not being a completely annoying dog-character (some of them are so OTT) and this book did remind me of TA Moore's Digging Up the Bones series (go read if you haven't). If you like a bit of murder-mystery with your romance, this is a no-brainer!

Wow, what a start. Chris and Sawyer falling in love in the midst of cold case murder mysteries, Iffy local political machinations, domestic abuse and sink holes. Oh and a wonderful Kota ( Jack) doggy. The secondary characters are so charismatic and obviously some are main characters for the next books. That’s just book one! The underlying theme of these books seriously gets its hooks into your brain. However in this first book Chris and Sawyer are happy. I know it’s a trilogy, the timing of the other two books are given, But! It’s so hard to wait.

An author struggling with the third book in his horror trilogy relocates to an isolated cabin, attempting to find his muse.The local police lieutenant, back from the harsh reality of city policing, visits the author and, there it starts.Unfortunately, the discovery of human remains in a nearby dry lake bed begins a difficult case for Sawyer as he battles not only his own demons but the corruption running the town.Chris falls heavily for the gorgeous cop and begins his own road to recovery.A fantastic start in this tangled tale of death, corruption, love and recovery.

Loved this book, normally I steer clear of thrillers, but this one I was hooked from the start. The interplay between the main MC's Chris and Sawyer and the mystery around the small town, it's mysteries and the other characters is really intriguing. I look forward to the next book with anticipation.

Great main characters with lots of sexy heat building between them. Excellent suspense being built up throughout the story. Very witty author in Chris and a sexy, smouldering cop with a sensitive,humorous side in