Recognizing a Liar

Returning, whether it means going back or giving back, is never easy, at least not in this volume of three Miriam bat Isaac novelettes. But if, like Miriam, you thrive on uncovering the guilty longings, secrets, evil deeds, and lies of others, then this book is for you.

Take liars, for example. All three stories in The Deadliest Returns involve liars. Most of us lie once in a while. We’ve all told a white lie to protect someone’s feelings or stretch the truth to avoid a conflict or doing something disagreeable. Lying isn’t ideal in any situation. But when it becomes a way of disguising or engaging in criminal behavior, then it’s Miriam’s business.

Fortunately, though not infallible, Miriam has ways of recognizing a liar: Does the suspected liar embellish statements with extensive, unnecessary details, tell dramatic or otherwise unlikely stories, appear anxious, or get defensive when the statement is challenged?

Once you can identify these signs, you’re ready to assist Miriam in these cases. In the first, “The Bodyguard”, her brother, an erstwhile gladiator, returns home to serve as the  bodyguard to the son of a legionnaire. In the next one, “The Beggar”, an old man disguising himself as a matronly beggar, returns to Alexandria to find the lovechild he left behind. And in the third, “The Black Pearl”, Miriam sails to Ephesus to return a black pearl only to have it disappear.

To test whether you can recognize a liar, just click here.