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!

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 with Kay, take nothing for granted and trust no one. Enjoy.

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 Viva 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.