 Author: Tom Threadgill Genre: Suspense/Thriller Release Date: February 4, 2020 Three years ago, a collision between a fast-moving freight train and a school bus full of kids led to devastation and grief on an unimaginable scale. But a fresh clue leads San Antonio police detective Amara Alvarez to the unlikely conclusion that one of the children may still be alive. If she's correct, everything law enforcement believes about the accident is a lie. With time running out, Amara must convince others--and herself--that despite all evidence to the contrary, the boy lives. And she will do everything in her power to bring him home. A fresh voice in suspense, Tom Threadgill will have you questioning everything as you fly through the pages of this enthralling story.
 Reviewer: Caroline Star This book was incredibly interesting! I'd never heard about the author (Tom Threadgill) prior to seeing this book, so I was really curious to see how his writing style would compare to other writing styles from Revell, given that there are a lot of suspense authors from said publisher. I wasn't disappointed whatsoever and ended up really enjoying Collision of Lies. Right off the bat, it is obvious that Collision of Lies is going to be one wild ride, as the premise draws a reader right in. Three years ago, a devastating collision between a freight train and a school bus full of kids led to destruction and grief on a mass scale. A fresh clue, however, draws Detective Amara Alvarez straight to the conclusion that one of the children are still alive, and if that's true, everything the law enforcement believes about the situation is a lie. Clearly, the stakes are high in this book, and it completely drew me in. Detective Amara and her coworkers have rich characters and backgrounds that I found relatable and believable as a reader, and it was definitely difficult to put the book down when I needed to as the plot was so enthralling and fast-paced. Starsky, for example, really endeared himself to me with his arrogance and hard exterior but soft core. There's also some subtle humor to the writing voice, as well as the characters, that was a breath of fresh air for me when the plot became intense. In general, I don't really have any problems with this story at all except for the cover. I personally found it rather bland, and it doesn't really quite suit the story, in my opinion. It would've turned me away from reading the story if I hadn't read the blurb first (I'm somewhat of a judge-a-book-from-its-cover girl, haha). Collision of Lies will definitely have lovers of suspense right on the edge of their seats as they read along with this exciting and intense page-turner. Recommended for readers over age 14. This book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing/Revell, through Interviews & Reviews.  Reviewer: Gee Dixon I have not read anything from this author before, and I am anxious to read the next one. It was full of suspense but very clean too. Amara is looking for a Detective position and, before long, realizes that she is in a case of three years ago. She is bound and determined not to quit until she finds out what has happened to 13 children that were presumably dead that may be alive. This book will keep you on the edge of your seat. A MUST Read! I received this book courtesy of Baker Publishing Group through Interviews & Reviews.  Reviewer: Paula Shreckhise Wow! Collision of Lies by Tom Threadgill is my kind of suspense story. With a strong main protagonist and a fresh, unique plot, this one captured my interest from page one. It was like watching an excellent police procedural without the usual cursing and questionable private activities of the characters. But it did not lack in any aspect. It was gritty at times, intriguing, and kept moving at a good clip. I didn’t want to put it down. Amara Alvarez is a detective in Property Crimes but longs to transfer to Homicide. By chance, she discovers something interesting about a horrific accident from three years ago. Then, one by one, the clues surface, and she can’t help but put them together. The story unfolded in a mesmerizing way, and the characters were well developed. A nice contrast to the intensity was the banter in the squad room, especially between Amara and her co-workers. The scenes with her pet Iguana were priceless. A sneak peek into the next book in the series calls for more interesting cases with Detective Amara Alvarez on the job. I’ll be looking up more books by this amazing author. A complimentary copy of this book was provided by Revell Publishers through Interviews and Reviews. I was not obligated to provide a favorable review. All opinions are my own.  Reviewer: Connie Brown Reading Collision of Lies was a pleasure. I found the story well developed and characters easy to get to know. I loved Amara Alvarez, the main character. She is a detective with aspirations to dig for truth. She is intrigued by some developments when she learns a child may be alive after a horrific school bus accident years ago. I didn’t want to put this book down and read it every chance I could. Excellent job Tom Threadgill! I received a copy of this book from Baker Publishing Group/Revell for the purpose of reviewing, through Interviews & Reviews.  Reviewer: Rebecca Maney "'Help me, Mom'. That's all it said." Three words. From the woman's dead son. Even a property crimes detective couldn't completely ignore the feeling that there was more to the message than a simple coincidence. But what? And why? Assuring the frantic parents that she would have "one of our tech guys take a look" at the phone, detective Amara Alvarez tried to put the bizarre incident out of her mind. End of story, except that it wasn't. And the story that followed would take Amara and many of her co-workers deep into a world that they never knew existed. . . . all because of a tragic train wreck in Cotulla, Texas that killed seventeen children on a school bus. This book is a journey, drawing its readers and characters onto a path that is both curious and intelligent; all while knowing that there is a last page, but definitely not knowing what will be written there. I received this book from Baker Publishing through Interviews and Reviews.  Reviewer: Monica Huyser Collision of Lies is my first book by Tom Threadgill, but I am already anticipating my next one from this author. Collision of Lies hooked me from the first page. I liked how Threadgill layered in both the mystery and the characters. I found it easy to follow who the characters were and how they fit into the story even though there are quite a few characters in this book by the time the reader turns the last page. I was disappointed that there wasn't more of a spiritual element to this book. Yet, it is a clean read with some fascinating elements. I didn't feel like any of the characters were Christian Believers. I found the plot to move along for the most part fairly quickly, although I thought there were a couple of slower spots. Still, it was not a deterrent to me wanting to find out what was going on, and I kept turning pages to solve the mystery. I thought Threadgill wove a story with a mystery that kept me guessing. I had no idea what was going on with the criminals until I reached the end. It all seemed believable within the story too. I especially liked how he added humor into the character's conversations. I chuckled out loud a few times in this book. I did think the cover was nice, but after reading the story, it didn't seem to quite fit with the storyline's place in my mind. Also, I wish I had known a bit more about a few characters that weren't written about much in the ending. Maybe their stories will be followed up in the next book as there is a preview at the end that gives me that hope. I definitely am looking forward to the second book in the series after reading the preview. I received this book courtesy of Baker Publishing Group, Revell Division, through Interviews and Reviews. All opinions are my own.  Reviewer: Abigail Thomas When it was time to choose a new book to read, I searched for one that was different from any others I had been reading at the time. Collision of Lies by Tom Threadgill piqued my interest, and though I knew it would pull at my sensitive heartstrings, it was a story I wanted to read. I’m glad I did. This was a story I had a hard time putting down, though there were times I knew I had to. From the very beginning, I was hooked. Amara Alvarez has become a new favorite character for me. The humor that laces itself throughout the story, starting with her character and the characters she comes in contact with, is a delight. I enjoyed Alvarez’s honesty. She knew what she wanted - or didn’t want - and she didn’t hide it. The very first lines of chapter one give a peek into Alvarez’s character: Thirty seconds. If they were still arguing, she’d call the cops then. Let the professionals deal with them. The humor in this is that she was one of those professionals. It just so happened that it was her day off, and she didn’t want to be bothered. However, she does end up intervening, reluctantly though it may have been, and it sets up the rest of the story. A search for children who may or may not still be alive after their burials three years earlier. Tom Threadgill did a wonderful job making me feel like I was a part of the story. The characters were real, the story believable. It was as though I was on the clue search right along with Alvarez, Colby, and Starsky. I was invested in this story and needed to know how it was going to end. And though I would have preferred a different ending, I appreciate how the author chose to keep it real. Not everything can wrap up with a happily ever after. One thing that did bother me was all the missed opportunities to bring God into this story. Though He wasn’t completely disregarded, His name was brought up randomly. There were times He could have been relied on more since this story is Christian fiction. However, this would not deter me from reading more from this author. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone looking for a light suspense thriller with some humor. I’m looking forward to more adventures with Detective Amara Alvarez. This book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group/Revell, through Interviews & Reviews.  Reviewer: Martha Robinson
For a suspenseful mystery, that was extremely hard to put down, I highly recommend Collision of Lies, by Tom Threadgill. The focal point was a closed case that will tug at the heartstrings of every parent. Detective Amara Alvarez, with the San Antonio Police Department, agreed to see what she could discover when Marisa Reyes received the mysterious text, “Help me, Mom.” Marisa believed it was sent by her son Benjamin, while Enzo Reyes thought it was a hoax. The problem was Benjamin was killed in a tragic accident at Cotulla three years before. A train traveling at top speed collided with a bus stalled on the tracks. Twenty people died—including the 17 children on the bus. The accident was extensively investigated by every agency and was ruled a tragic accident. So who would send such a text to a grieving mother? Amara normally worked in Property Crimes but longed to be a Homicide Detective. With each new scrap of information she uncovered, more questions were created. The police chief assigned Texas Ranger Sara Colby to assist Amara with her secret investigation. Collision of Lies was well-plotted, with just the right mix of characters and official jargon. The setting—mostly southern Texas—was interesting, especially with all the Mexican dishes Amara, her family, and colleagues ate. The only problem I have with this novel is that for it to be considered Christian fiction, at some point, I expect one or more of the characters to speak or think about God and/or their faith. In Collision of Lies, there are only a few quick prayers. I will add that the jokes were all clean, and there was no bad language. For a quick, suspenseful read, you can’t go wrong if you select Collision of Lies, by Tom Threadgill. This book was provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group/Revell, through Interviews & Reviews. Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
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