Amazon Maggie Toussaint's website Category:  Mystery/Suspense Publisher: The Wild Rose Press ISBN-10:  1601540310 Type: Fiction Pages: 259 Copyright: January 21, 2007 ISBN-13: 9781601540317 It's too late for Hannah to win her father's love. Caught in a web of deceit, she must risk her life and her heart to learn the truth about her father. It’s too late to win her father’s love. Instead, Hannah Montgomery must deal with the remote mountain cottage she inherited. The caretaker of the property, wounded ex-CIA agent Jake Sutherland, promised his dying partner that he’d help Hannah get settled. But Hannah is very unsettled by the hidden letters from her father, letters which put Jake and Hannah on a collision course. As secrets from her father’s life are revealed, Hannah’s deep-seated quest for the truth challenges Jake’s loyalty and honor. To make matters worse, the double agent who betrayed Jake and killed her father tracks them down. Caught in a web of deceit, Hannah must make a choice. Will she risk her heart – and her life - to learn the truth about her secretive father? Excerpt Without warning, the black sedan loomed large in her rear view mirror. Her fingers tightened around the steering wheel. Not now. There was no place to hide. Worse, there was a bad turn right in front of her. She decelerated into the curve. But the black sedan kept on coming, as if she wasn’t even there, as if the sharp curve wasn’t dangerous. As the sedan closed on her, she noted the front license tag was missing. Virginia, Maryland, and D.C. required front plates. The hair on the back of her neck electrified. Suddenly, the sedan swerved over in the oncoming traffic lane, alarming Hannah further. What was the driver thinking? If someone approached from the other direction, there’d be a three car pile up. Hannah glanced anxiously in her side mirror. The windows of the sedan were tinted so dark she couldn’t tell if the driver was male or female. It was a nameless faceless menace. Like the trolls under her childhood bed. Her gut told her this was a bad situation. Her father had warned her time and again to listen to her gut when faced with danger. Her gut said to get the heck out of here. She stomped on the accelerator just as the sedan whipped towards where her rear bumper had been. Tires squealed as the sedan veered off the road and then back. Hannah didn’t wait around to find out if they crashed. She hurried home. She flew through the brick fence posts surrounding her neighborhood, roaring up the quiet streets, and the sedan faded from sight. Inside the locked garage, she shut off the car. Her heart hammered wildly. She pried her fingers off the steering wheel, slowly flexing her stiff joints. God. What had just happened? Had someone tried to run her off the road? The sedan’s maneuvers had been deliberate. No amount of hormonal hysteria on her part would account for the other driver trying to ram her rear end. If she hadn’t listened to her gut, the cars would’ve collided. There on that curve, at that speed, it was likely an inexperienced driver would’ve lost control of the car and spun off into the ravine. The data was easy to interpret. Someone wanted to harm her. But who? And why?

MyShelf.com
When Hannah Montgomery learns of her father's death, she struggles with the emotions of the loss of her father’s love while she was a child. When she arrives at the remote cabin cottage she inherited from her father, D.C. Montgomery, she discovers Jacob “Jake” Sutherland, the cabin’s caretaker. He’s suffering from a leg injury – the result of a bullet he received while on a mission – the same mission where Hannah’s father died.

Jake tells Hannah that he promised the dying D.C. that he would help Hannah get settled.
Though Hannah is attracted to Jake, she soon realizes that Jake is evasive about the work he did with D.C. Jake has good reason to be secretive. As an ex-CIA agent and D.C.’s partner, Jake knows D.C. was assassinated by a double agent. Jake still has CIA connections and, once Hannah is settled, is determined to track down D.C.’s killer.

That evening, Hannah discovers a letter written by her father – one that informs her that he never stopped loving her. The letter opens up old emotional wounds for Hannah, but also her curiosity: Her father has secreted two more letters for her to find.

Over the next few days, while searching for the missives, the relationship between Hannah and Jake grows. Then Hannah’s life is threatened and Jake is determined to discover who tried to kill Hannah. Is it someone at Hannah's work who wants her dead, as she believes? Or could it be the double agent who killed D.C.?

House of Lies by Maggie Toussaint is an exciting romantic suspense. Poignantly written, it touches on the emotional aspects of parental abandonment and the courage necessary to face the truth. The romance between Hannah and Jake is exceptionally well-developed and Hannah’s mother, Libby, is a sensitive character who added much to the story. I truly loved House of Lies and look forward to reading more novels this highly talented new author.


Fallen Angels Reviews
Hannah Montgomery has regrets but a major one is never knowing her father as a daughter. Finding out her father has died from a stroke has her remembering the little times she did get to have with him. As any daughter she goes back to find out what her father was really like but never thought that she would meet his work partner, ex-CIA agent Jake Sutherland. She thought her father worked in the export/import business, but the more she’s around Jake there are secrets of her father that start unraveling before her. As the days go by Hannah must realize her own feelings towards Jake. Can she trust him when he keeps reminding her of her late father sharing the same traits as he, the lies, secrecy and most of all the over protectiveness?

Jake Sutherland knows that having a family is the worst thing for a CIA agent. Like Hannah he has one regret, that he failed his partner in the line of duty. He swore while her father was dying in his arms that he would find the killer and protect his family. One thing nobody told him is that he had to protect Hannah from himself. Upon seeing her he knows that he must have Hannah but hesitant to do so because of his career and beliefs. Can Jake be there for her when the killer comes around ready to complete the killing they started?

This is the first I’ve read from Maggie Toussaint and have to say it won’t be the last. House of Lies has it all from secrets, a vindictive killer that won’t stop at anything and a man who wants more than ever to have his dreams of a woman love him come true. Life as a CIA agent is hard and Jake Sutherland is one man who knows how hard it was for Hannah’s father to leave his family behind. I loved that even though she is attracted to Jake, Hannah tries everything she can to tell herself to deny the attraction. Now Jake here is a guy who is sexy and mysteries yet I couldn’t stop feeling sorry for this guy who had no family. Maggie Toussaint did a remarkable job in this book bringing the characters to life. The secrets unravel and most of all bringing the killer out that will test Jake’s willpower to keep Hannah away. Great job.

Reviewed by: Lena C. Four angels


Sweeter Romantic Notions
When Hannah's father dies and leave her his home in the mountains, she is reluctant to go to it and take care of the necessary arrangements. Unresolved issues with her secretive father have put her emotional turmoil and she is definitely not prepared for the obstinate and enigmatic Jake Sutherland. Jake promised Hannah's father that he would keep his daughter safe and that's exactly what he plans on doing right before he moves on with his nomadic lifestyle.

Neither one of these stubborn people planned on having to figure out the many puzzles surrounding them, nor did they plan to unexpectedly find solace in one another.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was choc full of excitement and intrigue and the plot was very well written. I felt like I was pulled into the world the author created. I especially enjoyed the amazing amount of detail that was put into the character development. From the occupations of the main characters, to their favorite hobbies and everything in between, I loved the subtle and very accurate description of the characters' emotions and thought processes. The information didn't seem overwhelming. It was concise, but so true to the characters and the situations they were in. I was highly impressed by this.

I would definitely give this book as a gift. This genre isn't usually one of my favorites, but I enjoyed this book very much. I was engrossed in the characters and loved how strong the heroine was. I would highly recommend it to anyone.
(Note: the highest rating at SRN is I would give this book as a gift!)