Behind Her Lies (An Elise Close Psychological Thriller—Book One) - A riveting psychological thriller packed with unexpected twists

By Molly Black

“I binge read this book. It hooked me in and didn't stop till the last few pages… I look forward to reading more!”
—Reader review for Found You
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Celebrity therapist Elise Close is no stranger to families with skeletons in their closets.

But when she crosses the threshold into the Nolan household on Boston's exclusive Beacon Hill, she may be entering a crypt of secrets and lies.

Hired to treat their son's sudden engagement-induced turmoil, Elise discovers a psychopathic person and cunning agenda that could ruin the family's legacy.

But with sleepless nights and overmedication, distinguishing friend from foe becomes a perilous game. Can Elise maintain her grasp on reality long enough to protect a legacy?

Or will she be undone by ghosts of her own making?

BEHIND HER LIES is the first book in a highly anticipated new psychological suspense series by critically-acclaimed and #1 bestselling mystery and suspense author Molly Black, whose books have received over 2,000 five-star reviews and ratings.

Future books in the series are also available!

“Molly Black has written a taut thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat… I absolutely loved this book and can’t wait to read the next book in the series!”
—Reader review for Girl One: Murder
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“I loved this book! Fast-paced plot, great characters and interesting insights into investigating cold cases. I can't wait to read the next book!”
—Reader review for Girl One: Murder
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“Very good book… You will feel like you are right there looking for the kidnapper! I know I will be reading more in this series!”
—Reader review for Girl One: Murder
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“This is a very well written book and holds your interest from page 1… Definitely looking forward to reading the next one in the series, and hopefully others as well!”
—Reader review for Girl One: Murder
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“Wow, I cannot wait for the next in this series. Starts with a bang and just keeps going.”
—Reader review for Girl One: Murder
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“Well written book with a great plot, one that will keep you up at night. A page turner!”
—Reader review for Girl One: Murder
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“A great suspense that keeps you reading… can't wait for the next in this series!”
—Reader review for Found You
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Sooo soo good! There are a few unforeseen twists… I binge read this like I binge watch Netflix. It just sucks you in.”
—Reader review for Found You
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• Language: English
• Publisher: Molly Black
• Release date: Jun 12, 2024
• ISBN: 9781094397870

Book preview

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B E H I N D

H E R

L I E S

(An Elise Close Psychological Thriller —Book 1)

M o l l y   B l a c k

Molly Black

Bestselling author Molly Black is author of the MAYA GRAY FBI suspense thriller series, comprising eleven books; of the RYLIE WOLF FBI suspense thriller series, comprising six books; of the TAYLOR SAGE FBI suspense thriller series, comprising eight books; of the KATIE WINTER FBI suspense thriller series, comprising eleven books (and counting); of the RUBY HUNTER FBI suspense thriller series, comprising five books (and counting); of the CAITLIN DARE FBI suspense thriller series, comprising six books (and counting); of the REESE LINK mystery series, comprising six books (and counting); of the CLAIRE KING FBI suspense thriller series, comprising seven books (and counting); of the PIPER WOODS mystery series, comprising six books (and counting); of the GRACE FORD mystery series, comprising seven books (and counting); of the CASEY BOLT mystery series, comprising five books (and counting); of the JADE SAVAGE mystery series, comprising five books (and counting); of the TESSA FLINT mystery series, comprising seven books (and counting); of the CLARA PIKE FBI thriller series, comprising five books (and counting); and of the ELISE CLOSE psychological thriller series, comprising five books (and counting).

An avid reader and lifelong fan of the mystery and thriller genres, Molly loves to hear from you, so please feel free to visit www.mollyblackauthor.com to learn more and stay in touch.

Copyright © 2024  by Molly Black. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior permission of the author. This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictionally. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

BOOKS BY MOLLY BLACK

ELISE CLOSE MYSTERY SERIES

BEHIND HER LIES (Book #1)

BEHIND HER SMILE (Book #2)

BEHIND HER SECRETS (Book #3)

BEHIND HER  GATES (Book #4)

BEHIND LOCKED DOORS (Book #5)

CLARA PIKE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER SERIES

REMEMBER THE FEAR (Book #1)

REMEMBER THE DEAD (Book #2)

REMEMBER THE LIES (Book #3)

REMEMBER THE SILENCE (Book #4)

REMEMBER THE PAST (Book #5)

PIPER WOODS FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER

SOMEWHERE SAFE (Book #1)

SOMEWHERE SANE (Book #2)

SOMEWHERE WHOLE (Book #3)

SOMEWHERE FAR (Book #4)

SOMEWHERE WRONG (Book #5)

SOMEWHERE HIDDEN (Book #6)

TESSA FLINT MYSTERY SERIES

BARELY SEEN (Book #1)

BARELY HEARD (Book #2)

BARELY FORGOTTEN (Book #3)

BARELY MISSING (Book #4)

BARELY ALIVE (Book #5)

BARELY THERE (Book #6)

BARELY SILENT (Book #7)

CASEY BOLT MYSTERY SERIES

BROKEN (Book #1)

FLAWED (Book #2)

BLEMISHED (Book #3)

DAMAGED (Book #4)

TWISTED (Book #5)

GRACE FORD MYSTERY SERIES

NEARLY MINE (Book #1)

NEARLY SAFE (Book #2)

NEARLY FREE (Book #3)

NEARLY GONE (Book #4)

NEARLY HIS (Book #5)

CLAIRE KING MYSTERY SERIES

ONCE HE SEES (Book #1)

ONCE HE LONGS (Book #2)

ONCE HE TAKES (Book #3)

ONCE HE FEELS (Book #4)

ONCE HE KNOWS (Book #5)

MAYA GRAY MYSTERY SERIES

GIRL ONE: MURDER (Book #1)

GIRL TWO: TAKEN (Book #2)

GIRL THREE: TRAPPED (Book #3)

GIRL FOUR: LURED (Book #4)

GIRL FIVE: BOUND (Book #5)

GIRL SIX: FORSAKEN (Book #6)

GIRL SEVEN: CRAVED (Book #7)

GIRL EIGHT: HUNTED (Book #8)

GIRL NINE: GONE (Book #9)

GIRL TEN: WANTED (Book #10)

GIRL ELEVEN: VANISHED (Book #11)

RYLIE WOLF FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER SERIES

FOUND YOU (Book #1)

CAUGHT YOU (Book #2)

SEE YOU (Book #3)

WANT YOU (Book #4)

TAKE YOU (Book #5)

DARE YOU (Book #6)

TAYLOR SAGE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER SERIES

DON’T LOOK (Book #1)

DON’T BREATHE (Book #2)

DON’T RUN (Book #3)

DON’T FLINCH (Book #4)

DON’T REMEMBER (Book #5)

DON’T TELL (Book #6)

KATIE WINTER FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER SERIES

SAVE ME (Book #1)

REACH ME (Book #2)

HIDE ME (Book #3)

BELIEVE ME (Book #4)

HELP ME (Book #5)

FORGET ME (Book #6)

HOLD ME (Book #7)

PROTECT ME (Book #8)

REMEMBER ME (Book #9)

CATCH ME (Book #10)

WATCH ME (Book #11)

RUBY HUNTER FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER SERIES

IF I RUN (Book #1)

IF I TELL (Book #2)

IF I LIVE (Book #3)

IF I FORGET (Book #4)

IF I RETURN (Book #5)

CAITLIN DARE FBI SUSPENSE THRILLER SERIES

COME GET ME (Book #1)

COME FIND ME (Book #2)

COME TAKE ME (Book #3)

COME CATCH ME (Book #4)

COME SAVE ME (Book #5)

REESE LINK MYSTERY SERIES

BEYOND REASON (Book #1)

BEYOND REACH (Book #2)

BEYOND REPAIR (Book #3)

BEYOND DOUBT (Book #4)

BEYOND NORMAL (Book #5)

CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

EPILOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

I walk into my office lobby, seeing the brass sign on the wall, Elise Close: Family Therapist, thinking that I’m crossing this threshold for the last time.

For a week or two, anyway.

It’s Thursday afternoon, and as from tomorrow, I’m taking a well earned vacation. My assistant’s already on leave, and I’ve come in to wrap things up. Just a few more admin tasks to do, and a notification on my answering machine that I’ll only be available for emergencies. Then, I can climb in the car and go home, to the modest house I own in Dover, Delaware, a ten minute drive from the office, and plan my beachfront getaway.

It’s then that I see the woman in the lobby.

Huddled in her gray pashmina, and with sunglasses hiding her eyes, the blond woman is clearly waiting for me, because she scrambles to her feet as soon as she sees me.

My first impression is that she’s cold. The lobby is drafty, especially in early winter, and because I mostly work by appointment, people don’t often spend time sitting here.

Then she removes her shades, and I revise my impression.

This woman isn’t cold.

With a flicker of unease, I see that she’s afraid.

She steps forward, so fast that one of her boot heels twists underneath her and she stumbles. I dash forward to grasp her arm and prevent a fall.

Are you Doctor Elise Close? she asks, while fumbling for balance.

I am, I say, gently releasing my grip as she steadies herself.

Her arm is as tense as steel. Nerves are twanging from her. The knuckles clutching the ice-blue pashmina are white with stress. Framed by platinum curls, her face looks drawn.

I’m used to stressed patients, but this is more than what I’m accustomed to. Something is very wrong here.

What’s your name, please? I ask. Do you have an emergency?

Can we speak inside? the woman replies. Her voice is hoarse and grainy, a tone that makes me think of smoldering cigarettes and late-night whisky bars. I guess that in better circumstances she would have a raucous, throaty laugh.

Of course we can.

What does she want, I wonder. Why has she arrived on my doorstep, and  where is she from?

More importantly, how can I help her?

Resonating with the woman’s stress, my therapist’s brain is already racing ahead, trying to come up with solutions to problems I don’t yet know about. Other people’s trauma cuts deep. My instinct is to try to heal it, to take away their pain.

I key in the access code in, push the glass door wide and lead the way, closing it behind us.

The office is comprised of only two rooms. In the mornings, my assistant sits in the lobby, keeping the admin and the scheduling up to date, answering inquiries, and responding to media requests.

I keep a very discreet profile, and my current business model is mostly through word of mouth. At this stage, the less I advertise, the more motivated people have been to use me.

I head straight through to the bigger office beyond the lobby, closing the door even though there’s no assistant at the desk to overhear. It might give her more peace of mind.

Sitting to face her, I wonder if I’m what this woman expected. Slim, serious looking, with thick brunette hair, I know clients are often surprised by my ordinary looks and petite build.

I never wear much make-up, and I don’t dress according to corporate standards, either. Today, my color scheme is dark blue and brown. Plain top, smart jeans, good boots.

My solemn face and calm bedside manner hide a sense of humor that can sometimes be dark and other times irreverent. I try hard to keep both hidden away from my clients.

The woman turns her eyes away from me to take in the room. Giving her some time to settle, I wait.

At the back of the room is a coffee table with a jug of water and a box of tissues, and an armchair, for those times when I do consult clients in my own rooms.

On one of the office walls, I have put up a few watercolors of soothing beach and mountain scenes. On the others are my framed qualifications. My psychology degree, my Masters, my PhD, and a few other courses. All hard won, and earned at a huge cost in money and time. I’m thirty-eight years old now and still vividly remember the pain of those student loan repayments. The moonlighting, tutoring, house sitting, dog walking, working in restaurants and sleazy bars, all done on top of my day job. The exhaustion of going to bed in the small hours and having the shrill alarm rip me from sleep at five a.m.

Then, of course, there has been the distressing realization that despite all this investment in knowledge, the more I thought I knew, the more I don’t. With some clients, you might as well tear up the textbooks. I wonder if she’s going to be one of them.

I understand you do family therapy for whole families at a time? the woman asks. Friends of friends recommended you.

Yes, that’s correct, I say. That’s my specialty.

I’m Mrs. Nolan, the woman says after a pause. Margaret Nolan.

Finally, she makes eye contact with me. Her eyes are blue and wide. Her face, beautiful, despite the shadow of fear, and well maintained enough to be ageless.

Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Nolan, I say. How can I help?

I pick up a gold ballpoint pen and reach for my leather bound notebook, ready to make notes if I need to. All my focus is on what she is saying – and what she isn’t saying.

We may have need of somebody like yourself, so I decided to fly down here and meet you myself. I consider myself a good judge of character, you know? Now that her nerves are settling, confidence is reasserting herself. She’s speaking with more sureness. So, what exactly do you do?

I work with any family situation that needs intensive therapy and with all family members who want to be involved. I do individual and group therapy, and I work on site if needed.

So you come and stay with the family?

Yes, I can do, and I find it gives good results. I explain what sets me apart and what has created a reputation that I never expected. It's launched me into a lucrative career. I never thought I'd have this success or this financial stability. The thought of losing it sends me into an anxiety spike.

When I’m in a family’s home, I’m on call twenty-four-seven, I continue. That way, we can do late night sessions, early morning sessions, and address any stumbling blocks or conflict points as they happen. Whatever you need, I’ll do it.

For how long?

You mean, how long do I stay?

Yes. She raises her gaze to meet mine, her eyes framed with thick, silk lashes.

As long as I need to. Usually for a week or two. Then we continue with maintenance appointments if they’re required.

Some clients ask me about myself at this stage – am I married, how do I handle my personal life? I tell them I've had a few longer-term relationships, one engagement that didn't work out, and I've been single for a couple of years now, with no complications or commitments. Theoretically, I'd love to be in a happy, committed relationship, but at this point in my life, with the work I do, I've accepted that probably I'm going to be single for a while.

They’re usually happy with that answer.

But I don’t think Mrs. Nolan is thinking about me right now.

I wait to hear what she will say next. Her pearly nails are tapping on the desk. She nods to herself.

I’ve got a situation that I need some help with.

Can you give me more detail? I ask.

She hasn’t asked what my fee is, and I guess that means she either already knows it, or she doesn’t care how much it costs. This is typical of my target client – or rather, the type of client that I’ve started to attract.

If she takes me on, this job will be another tightrope, another rollercoaster ride. Every assignment is make or break. The pressure is intense, because my reputation depends on getting results. In the surprisingly small, well networked community of ultra-wealthy individuals, people talk when they are happy, but they talk ten times as loudly when they are not.

Mrs. Nolan’s voice drops as she replies.

It’s my son, Henry, she says.

What about him? I ask. Body language tells me as much as words in a situation like this. Her body language is screaming anxiety.

He’s twenty-eight years old. My youngest. Her face warms briefly, easing the strain. He’s getting married in a few months’ time.

I wait to hear more details, nodding encouragingly.

I never thought I’d be here, asking for help in a situation like this, Mrs. Nolan muses. But our family dynamic has changed, totally, since his fiancée has moved in.

How long have they been engaged? I ask.

Mrs. Nolan shrugs, her slim shoulders moving expressively under the pashmina. It’s been a whirlwind relationship. They dated for a couple of weeks and then the next thing, he proposed, and she moved in. It was a shock to us all.

Immediately, I wonder who ‘us all’ are. It sounds as if a complete family, or even an extended family, might live in close proximity.

And it’s changed things for the worse?

"It’s changed him for the worse, she retaliates. He’s become – I don’t know. So withdrawn. Moody. He doesn’t feel like part of the family anymore. He’s lost focus on everything, even his business. He used to be passionate about it and he’s not, now. I don’t know why."

And has he spoken about it at all?

Mrs. Nolan looks down. She gives a tiny shake of her head.

"At this moment, it’s difficult to speak to him. He’s not being very communicative. I think something’s wrong. This marriage is a huge life decision for him, and