Readers’ Favorite
Review of Dust of Lies: 5
Star Reviews by 4 reviewers
Reviewed
by Deborah Lloyd for Readers' Favorite
When
the old jail in Barber, Arkansas, was being demolished, Kay watched the event.
She was the only reporter for the local weekly newspaper and planned to write
an article about it. She and her husband Darrell moved to the small town a few
years earlier to care for his elderly mother, and this job kept her busy. Kay
spotted some writing on a piece of stone wall; it was a mysterious poem and appeared
to be decades old. The jailed man named a woman as the cause of his problems.
Kay was intrigued and felt compelled to figure out what the cryptic message
meant. Her professional quest soon became enmeshed in her personal life. In
Dust of Lies, written by G.K. Davenport, a complex tale is unraveled. Using a combination
of true historical facts and modern-day fictional characters, an engrossing
plot unfolds.
The
author’s storyline engages the reader from the first page to the last.
Historical facts are illuminated through complicated current relationships. As
Kay works through old information, she has to determine who is telling her the
truth, and who is lying. The author skillfully places clues within the context
of Kay’s discoveries as to who is trustworthy – and who is not. This
entanglement between the past and the present is at the heart of the story.
Another interesting aspect is the natural settings that are essential to the plot
– from the Ozarks to the Texas plains. Author G.K. Davenport has penned a fascinating
historical mystery, peppered with facts and fiction, in Dust of Lies. For those
interested in a unique mystery, this book is not to be missed!
Reviewed
by Pikasho Deka for Readers' Favorite
Dust
of Lies is a southern mystery novel written by GK Davenport. Kay writes for the
Barber Gazette. While witnessing the destruction of an old and abandoned county
jail, she stumbles upon a block of plaster on which a poem is inscribed.
Convinced that the poem had a story behind it, Kay dives headfirst into solving
the mystery. Kay's investigation leads her to the door of her mother-in-law Viva,
a woman with secrets who reveals far less than she knows. Viva’s old friend
Bessie helps Kay discover that the famous outlaw Jesse James's illegitimate son
Jesse Cole, a.k.a., Cowboy might be the key to solving the puzzle. As Kay and
Vivo follow the breadcrumbs spread throughout the past, Kay unearths secrets
about her husband Darrell's family that may change their lives forever.
Dust
of Lies is an enrapturing tale of lies, betrayal, and lost treasure soaked in
history and rich in suspense and intrigue. The characters feel flawed yet
human, with well-thought-out backstories provided by GK Davenport that make
them realistic and compelling. Even though the pacing of the plot is a bit slow
for my taste, the character-driven narrative makes up for it as I found myself thoroughly
absorbed by the characters as well as the story. I particularly enjoyed the
dynamic between Kay, Viva, Bessie, and Granny, with each of them having
distinct quirks and personalities. I adored Dust of Lies, and I would recommend
it to readers who love southern-flavored novels.
Reviewed by Lesley Jones for
Readers' Favorite
In Dust of Lies by GK
Davenport, Kay and her husband Darrell moved to Barber, Arkansas a few years
ago to care for his elderly mother, Viva. As a reporter for the Barber Gazette,
Kay is sent to report on the demolition of an old prison. She discovers a
century old poem written by a young man called Ezra Hacker who committed
suicide, blaming a teenage girl, Ora, for his fatal decision. Kay faces strong opposition
when she begins to ask questions about the poem from many people, including
Darrel, who want to forget the past. But she is determined to solve the mystery
behind the poem and Ezra's chilling message. Her investigations reveal the
town's shocking links to legendary outlaws and buried Confederate gold. Kay's
search for the truth takes her from Arkansas to Texas on a historical journey
revealing dark secrets that involve the people closest to her.
Dust of Lies by GK Davenport is a gripping
novel that captured my interest from the beginning. I loved the intriguing
layers to the plot and how they were revealed gradually. The relationship
between
Kay, Darrell, and Viva was
brilliant and the development was perfect. The storyline was a flawless mixture
of historical events and fiction and there were also many strong sub-plots that
were masterfully entwined to support the main story. The author also had an
exceptional ability to create fantastic backstories for the main characters
which highlighted their values, thoughts, and beliefs. The novel is filled with
extraordinary female characters who possess strength, determination, and
courage. There are brilliant areas of conflict throughout which made the novel
even more compelling and the constant plot twists were outstanding. I cannot recommend
Dust of Lies highly enough, a fantastic read.
Reviewed by Deborah Stone for
Readers' Favorite
Dust
of Lies by G. K. Davenport is about a mystery uncovered by Kay, one of two
reporters at the Barber Gazette in Barber, Arkansas. While covering the
demolition of an old county jail, Kay uncovers secrets from the past that many
would rather she leave buried in the rubble. Some encourage her to uncover the
truth and others warn of the dangers if she proceeds with her inquiries. Somehow
these warnings seemed more like threats. Kay’s mother-in-law, Viva, begs her to
find the truth about the past, but she isn’t telling everything she knows. The
search becomes entangled with family history and Darrell, Kay’s husband, is not
happy with her intrusions into the past, so she and Viva move forward without
him.
Local lore and historical facts
begin to merge, but it is getting harder to tell the truth from fiction. Always
up for solving a problem, Kay forges ahead and finds allies and enemies in
unlikely places. While her investigation takes her to Texas and back, she is
never out of sight of those who monitor her progress. Who can she really trust?
Who knows more than they are telling? The biggest question is, who is willing
to harm her if she doesn’t stop?
Dust
of Lies by G. K. Davenport is a journey through truth and lies, trust and fear,
hope and hopelessness. G. K. Davenport unravels a convoluted family story that
branches out to include historical figures, some benign, some
infamous. Each twist and turn takes the reader deeper into the maze of lies
where truth is hard to recognize. When you think you know where G. K. Davenport
is taking you and you have figured out how this all ends, you will discover
that the journey isn’t over yet. Filled with probabilities and possibilities of
the past, this well-written novel offers intrigue, danger, mystery, and a few
surprises along the way. G. K. Davenport’s style of writing and command of the
English language makes this a very enjoyable read
and well worth your time. While you try to unravel the mysteries.
Copies
of Dust of Lies can be found on https://4rvpublishing.com/ gk-davenport.html, from bookstores
and from other online stores.
