Bad Liar

Tami Hoag’s latest novel in the Broussard and Fourcade series, Bad Liar, is a suspenseful crime thriller and police procedural that pulls on the heart strings at times. Multiple cases are keeping the sheriff’s detectives in Partout Parish, Louisiana busy.

A murder victim that will be hard to identify has been dumped on a country road. Lieutenant Nick Fourcade’s only lead becomes the missing hometown hero who came home to help the family business after the death of his father. Meanwhile Nick’s wife and detective Annie Broussard, takes on the case of a missing son who has been in and out of jail and rehab facilities for the last ten years.

Nick is intense, somewhat overprotective at times, and has mentored others in the department. Annie feels she needs to be useful to mankind, is good at reading people, loves her job, but occasionally experiences situational anxiety. She also tends to speak her mind and does what she thinks is right.

The author has written a novel that quickly pulls readers into the story once they get past the first chapter which seemed disjointed as it moved rapidly from scene to scene. The gripping narrative gave excellent insight into the challenges the police and secondary characters faced. Hoag balances the unflinching reality of small-town challenges, addiction, domestic abuse, and murder with family, obligations, loyalty, and the desire to help others. The story is twisty, atmospheric, and is sprinkled with local dialect. It’s heartbreaking at times, and riveting throughout. Hoag brings to life compelling characters who are emotionally rich, and she does the same for the steamy Louisiana bayous. The world-building is well-done and added to the unsettling atmosphere. The pacing picks up substantially during the last third of the novel.

Hoag does an excellent job of showing how family and friendship dramas and loyalty can have far-reaching effects on others. She also does a good job of making readers consider the terms retribution and justice. A dialect glossary has been provided at the end of the novel.

Overall, this was an intense, engaging, and emotional thriller filled with surprises around each corner. If you enjoy police procedurals and crime thrillers, then I recommend that you check out this one. While this can be read as a standalone novel, reading the earlier books will provide more background and show how the characters have grown over time. I am looking forward to finding out this author writes next.

PENGUIN GROUP Dutton – Dutton and Tami Hoag provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for September 24, 2024.