BW6: Hallie Ephron

photo credit: Lynn Wayne

I'm a sucker for psychological suspense novels so when I read this description, I simply had to get Never Tell a Lie by suspense novelist Hallie Ephron: 

"Eight months pregnant and nervous about the future, Ivy Rose doesn't recognize the woman approaching her and husband David as they attempt to rid themselves of the decades worth of junk cluttering up their suburban home.  The woman says she's Melinda White--their former high school classmate, now pregnant also--and asks if she might revisit the old Victorian house she recalls playing in as a child.  David takes her inside. But Melinda never comes out.  With her husband a suspect in the bizarre disappearance and probably murder of the near stranger he claims not to remember, Ivy must now dive into a deadly whirlpool of deceit, betrayal, and terrifying alternate histories in pursuit of a shocking trust--a truth that could destroy everything...."

Somehow the book got buried in my stacks and forgotten until William Morrow publishing sent an email asking if I wanted to review her latest book which is coming out in April -- There was an Old Woman which sounded equally intriguing:

Once upon a time, there was a neighborhood in the Bronx that time forgot. Its tiny shotgun houses were built in the 20s on waterfront land that was once part of Snakapins Amusement Park which, in its heyday, was reachable only by ferry. Today its resident enjoy views of a salt marsh and, in the distance, the Manhattan sky line.

Ninety-something Mina Yetner’s father was an entrepreneur who built the houses. She grew up in the one where she still lives. Next door is Sandra Ferrante, a much younger woman, a lonely woman with a serious drinking problem.  Mina doesn’t like to get into her neighbor’s business, but when Sandra is pulled from her home and taken by ambulance to the local hospital, she leaves Mina with a message to convey to her daughter.

“Don’t let him in until I’m gone.”

Seriously intrigued, especially after reading an excerpt of the first chapter, I said, "Of course" which subsequently reminded me of the other book and off I went to look through the stacks to find Never Tell a Lie.  Now you know what I'll be reading this week. *grin*  The book has also been made into a movie called And Baby Will Fall and is showing on Lifetime network on February 8th. Sounds like a good time to do a Book to Movie comparison.


Ephron comes from a family of writers including her parents who were Hollywood screenwriters and her three sisters Delia, Amy and Nora who passed away last year.   She will be presenting at a series of writing workshops as well as doing a few book signings this coming year.  Be sure to check out the schedule for when she'll be coming to your town. Hop over to her website and check out her other books including her Dr. Peter Zak mystery series Amnesia co-written with Donald Davidoff.

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