MINM Review: Depth of Lies by E.C. Diskin

A page-turning, engrossing exploration of the secrets, lies, and imperfections that sometimes hide behind suburbia's carefree facade. 
Ms. Diskin effortlessly alternates between "the present", and a timeline that ticks like a time bomb, ratcheting up her novel's sense of urgency toward its satisfying resolution.

Violence: Mild

Profanity: Mild

Sexual Content: Moderate

Explicit Language: Mild

Animal Cruelty: None

Thrilling Action: Mild-to-Moderate

Red Herrings: Moderate

Twists and Turns: Mild-to-Moderate

Suspense: Moderate-to-High

Plot Development: Moderate-to-High

Character Development: Moderate

Pages: 288 (Paperback)

Best for Crime Fiction Readers:

  • Who enjoy tales of domestic suspense.
  • Who enjoy reading about one or more amateur sleuths.
  • Who appreciate a third-person, conversation-rich narrative style.
  • Who don't mind reading about drug and/or alcohol consumption in their crime fiction. For example, one character uses marijuana for medicinal purposes.
  • Who are open to a change of pace from the quirky, idiosyncratic characters who often inhabit crime fiction. The characters in Depth of Lies are - at least publicly - a fairly "conventional" (but by no means uninteresting) group of 50-something, recent empty nesters.  The story takes place in and around Chicago, as well as on a small, western Lake Erie island in Ohio. 
  • Who appreciate, in their mystery fiction, "breaking down" and analyzing a complex case along with the characters.

MINM Overall Rating: 4.5/5

Depth of Lies by E.C. Diskin book cover image

Publisher's Blurb:

“A brilliant examination of the shadows lurking in every relationship and what happens when you step into the darkness.” —Mindy Mejia, author of Everything You Want Me to Be

When Shea Walker, a sunny, easygoing mom, is found dead in a bathtub with a stomach full of booze and pills, the shocking discovery shatters the complacency of her comfortable suburban community.

Kat Burrows, Shea’s longtime friend and former neighbor, is hit hardest. How could a woman she thought she knew so well come to such a sordid end? What could lead happy, well-adjusted, responsible Shea to accidentally overdose on alcohol and narcotics? Or, worse, drive her to suicide?

Compelled to uncover the truth of Shea’s final months, Kat delves beneath the orderly surface of her familiar world to discover a web of thwarted desire, shameful secrets, and shocking betrayal that suggests a scarier explanation for what happened to Shea. As her carefully constructed reality begins to crumble, Kat must question every reassuring assumption her life is built upon to solve the mystery…and summon the courage and resourcefulness to survive it.