This week, I selected “Lies That Bind” by Valerie Davisson. It is part of her Logan McKenna series but stands alone very well.
The story features the Collins and Ellis families between the 1930s and 2020. Canadian smugglers make money bringing illegal alcohol to the coast of Oregon. Jacob Ellis is a good husband and father hoping to build a better life for his family. Frankie Collins is ruthless. He has convinced Jacob to help pick up a shipment of booze.
Along the way, one of the men gives Jacob a small pouch containing a large gold nugget. He warns Jacob not to tell Frankie, but Frankie has seen the exchange and is determined to take it.
Later that night, Frankie murders Jacob and takes the nugget. He returns to Depoe Bay, Oregon, claiming Jacob had planned to walk home but never arrived. True to his character, Frankie rapes Jacob’s wife, Irene, warning her to say nothing. That one violent encounter resulted in a pregnancy, but fear keeps her silent.
Frankie founds the Collins Hotel, married Rowena Fitzgerald and had a son. Irene gave birth to Mara, claiming she was Jacob’s child.
Years later, Mara works at the hotel and Frankie’s entitled son, Emerson, rapes her whenever it suits him. By the time Mara gives birth to Archer, Emerson has already married Charlotte, a petite southern belle from a good but poor family. Archer grows up, marries and fathers Wade and Suzi.
Eventually, Archer’s schizophrenia becomes evident and he’s often hospitalized for treatment. No one would imagine that his condition is the product of incest.
By the time Wade graduates from college, he has fallen deeply in love with Charlie Collins. She’s the granddaughter of the hotel matriarch Charlotte Collins. Grandmother has long groomed Charlie to take over the hotel, even though Charlie has made it clear she and Wade will be working in the poorest regions of Africa.
Charlotte hates Wade with a passion no one can understand, so he keeps his distance. Charlie’s older sister Amanda has always hated Charlie. Many times, her “pranks” could have killed Charlie, so she does her best to avoid Amanda.
When Charlotte is away for a few days, Charlie brings Wade to the hotel. One evening, Charlie is swimming laps when she’s struck by debilitating cramps and vomiting. She barely makes it to the side of the pool when a hand grips her head and pushes her under.
Logan McKenna checked into the hotel late the night before and plans to go for an early swim. She discovers Charlie’s body in the pool. Logan has recently purchased the Ellis home from Wade Ellis. It has been empty for a long time and needs work, so Logan has hired a contractor to make the place livable. Until then, she planned to stay at the hotel. Now she must make do with cots and a cooler at the house.
Logan is curious to learn that a previously unknown half-sister, Olivia, will be visiting from New York. She doesn’t look forward to the meeting but decides to give the woman a chance.
Statements from Charlotte and Amanda make Wade Ellis Detective Monson’s prime suspect. Logan doubts his guilt. Because Olivia is a lawyer, she jumps in to help protect Wade and find the real killer.
When Logan and Olivia uncover generations of cruel lies, they uncover a killer who is willing to do anything to keep family secrets and control the Collins fortune. After an unexpected confrontation at the old house, the lies and secrets are revealed, offering all involved some long-sought information.
AT A GLANCE
Book: Lies That Bind (Logan McKenna Mystery, Book 6)
Author: Valerie Davisson
Publisher: Vaughn House Publishing
Year published: 2020
Number of pages: 310
Cruel attack reverberates across generations
