Suburban Calm, Digital Storm

Mickey Gibson, a former cop turned digital asset hunter for ProEye, juggles single motherhood and remote investigative work. Her life is a blur of childcare, financial stress, and digital sleuthing. She's tough, resourceful, and still healing from a painful divorce. Her world is upended when she receives a call that will drag her from the safety of her home office into a dangerous, real-world mystery.

The Call That Changes Everything

A woman named "Arlene Robinson" from ProEye calls Mickey, sending her to inventory a foreclosed mansion, Stormfield, under the pretense of a routine job. The call is oddly specific, referencing details only an insider would know. Mickey, eager for a break from her screen and enticed by a promised bonus, leaves her kids with her parents and heads out, unaware she's being manipulated into a deadly game.

Mansion of Secrets

At Stormfield, Mickey discovers the decomposing body of an elderly man hidden in a secret room. The police are called, and Mickey is quickly entangled in suspicion. The property's history is murky, and the supposed ProEye assignment is revealed to be a fabrication. The dead man's identity is unclear, and Mickey realizes she's been set up by someone with intimate knowledge of her life and work.

A Corpse and a Con

Detective Wilson Sullivan investigates, and Mickey's story doesn't add up. ProEye denies sending her, and "Arlene Robinson" doesn't exist. Mickey is now a suspect in a murder, her job is at risk, and her trust in herself is shaken. The mysterious caller contacts her again, revealing she orchestrated the setup to force Mickey into investigating the murder. The caller, later known as Clarisse, claims she needs Mickey's help to find the killer.

The Web of Lies

Clarisse, a master of disguise and deception, keeps Mickey on a string, feeding her cryptic information and pushing her deeper into the case. Clarisse's motives are unclear—she claims to want justice for the dead man, but her methods are manipulative and her identity is hidden. Mickey, torn between fear and curiosity, begins her own investigation, using her digital skills and cop instincts.

The Mysterious "Arlene"

Clarisse is revealed as a chameleon: scam artist, blackmailer, and survivor with a traumatic past. She's obsessed with Mickey, both admiring and resenting her. Clarisse's own mother is kidnapped, and she's drawn into a parallel hunt for both the truth and her mother's safety. The narrative shifts between Mickey's and Clarisse's perspectives, each woman haunted by her past and driven by a need for control.

Framed and Suspected

Mickey's professional and personal life are threatened. She's fired from ProEye after an anonymous tip (likely from Beckett, a corrupt marshal), and her children's safety is at risk. She's surveilled, threatened, and forced to make alliances with people she can't trust. The police, FBI, and other shadowy figures close in, each with their own agenda regarding the dead man's hidden fortune.

The Dead Man's Identity

The corpse is identified as Harry Langhorne, a former mob accountant who turned state's evidence, entered witness protection, and vanished with a fortune. His past is riddled with abuse, betrayal, and secrets. The murder is linked to old mob grudges, but also to a new generation of players—his children, former WITSEC neighbors, and those he double-crossed.

The Mob's Long Shadow

Langhorne's children, Francine and Doug, and their WITSEC friend Rochelle, are all damaged by their upbringing. Abuse, exploitation, and betrayal have left them traumatized and dangerous. The search for Langhorne's hidden treasure—a fortune stolen from the mob—draws in Clarisse (revealed as Francine), Rochelle, Doug, and a host of criminals and law enforcement, all willing to kill for the prize.

Dangerous Alliances

Mickey and Francine (Clarisse) form an uneasy alliance, each bringing unique skills and wounds. They're joined by Sam Trask, a retired FBI agent whose own son, Nathan Trask, is a criminal kingpin seeking the treasure. The lines between hunter and hunted blur as betrayals mount, and Mickey must decide whom to trust as the body count rises.

The Hunt for Francine

Francine's backstory is revealed: she and Rochelle were trafficked by their fathers while in WITSEC, with the marshals complicit or willfully blind. Francine's mother, Agnes, is kidnapped by Rochelle as leverage. Doug, Francine's brother, is caught between loyalties. The hunt for the treasure becomes a reckoning with the sins of the past.

The Past Unburied

Earl Beckett, a corrupt marshal, is exposed as Langhorne's accomplice and murderer. Sullivan, the detective, is revealed to be Mark Gosling, seeking justice for his own sister's abuse and death at Beckett's hands. The web of abuse, cover-ups, and revenge is laid bare, implicating law enforcement, criminals, and victims alike.

The Treasure's Twisted Trail

Langhorne's treasure is hidden behind layers of digital misdirection: shell companies, cryptic clues, and a final code referencing his childhood home. Mickey and Francine decode the clues, leading them to a house in upstate New York. There, they discover the true treasure: a trove of stolen masterworks, hidden in plain sight, and a digital NFT trail as a red herring.

Betrayals and Revelations

A deadly showdown at Stormfield pits Mickey, Francine, Doug, and law enforcement against Beckett, Enders, and their criminal allies. Betrayals are revealed, shots are fired, and Rochelle is killed. The survivors must reckon with their choices, their losses, and the possibility of redemption. The treasure is returned to its rightful owners, and finder's fees provide a new start for Mickey and Francine.

The Trap at Stormfield

Beckett and Enders are arrested after a violent confrontation. Sullivan is wounded but survives. Doug and Francine reconcile, and Agnes is placed in safe care. The cycle of abuse is broken, but not without scars. Mickey and Francine, both changed by their ordeal, contemplate their futures and the possibility of healing.

Justice, Loss, and New Beginnings

With the case closed, Mickey and Francine reflect on their journey. Mickey, now free from fear and with financial security, embraces motherhood and a new sense of purpose. Francine, after a lifetime of running and hiding, finds a measure of peace and connection. The two women, once adversaries, become partners—ready to face whatever comes next, together.

Characters

Mickey Gibson

Mickey is a former cop and detective, now a single mother of two and a digital asset hunter for ProEye. Scarred by betrayal and loss, she's tough, resourceful, and fiercely protective of her children. Mickey's journey is one of reclaiming agency and trust—forced out of her comfort zone, she must confront her own fears, outwit dangerous adversaries, and rediscover her investigative instincts. Her partnership with Francine is both redemptive and transformative, allowing her to move beyond survival into a new sense of self.

Francine Langhorne / Clarisse

Francine, operating under aliases like Clarisse and Julia Frazier, is the daughter of mob accountant Harry Langhorne. Traumatized by childhood abuse, exploitation, and betrayal, she becomes a master manipulator, scam artist, and digital sleuth. Her obsession with Mickey is rooted in both admiration and envy. Francine's arc is one of seeking justice, closure, and a sense of belonging. Her alliance with Mickey is fraught but ultimately healing, as she confronts her past and chooses connection over isolation.

Wilson Sullivan / Mark Gosling

Sullivan, real name Mark Gosling, is a detective with a hidden agenda: avenging his sister's abuse and death at the hands of corrupt marshal Earl Beckett. He's driven, secretive, and morally complex, willing to bend rules to achieve justice. His partnership with Mickey and Francine is uneasy but crucial, and his journey is one of confronting the limits of vengeance and the possibility of redemption.

Earl Beckett

Beckett is the embodiment of institutional betrayal: a US marshal who exploits, abuses, and ultimately murders those he's sworn to protect. His partnership with Langhorne and Enders, and his manipulation of the system, make him a formidable antagonist. Beckett's downfall is a reckoning for decades of hidden crimes, and his exposure is a victory for the survivors.

Nathan Trask

Trask is a global criminal, son of a respected FBI agent, and a symbol of inherited power gone wrong. He seeks Langhorne's treasure to maintain his reputation and dominance. Trask's arrogance and violence are his undoing, as Mickey and Francine outwit him and facilitate his arrest. His presence raises questions about legacy, corruption, and the cost of unchecked ambition.

Doug Langhorne

Doug is Francine's brother, scarred by abuse and manipulation. He's physically strong but emotionally fragile, caught between loyalty to his sister and his love for Rochelle. Doug's actions—killing Bruce in self-defense, protecting Francine—are driven by a desperate need for family and belonging. His arc is one of survival, loss, and tentative hope.

Rochelle Enders

Rochelle, a fellow WITSEC survivor, is both victim and perpetrator. Abused and exploited, she becomes hardened, vengeful, and ultimately violent. Her relationship with Doug is her only solace, but her actions—kidnapping Agnes, killing Bruce—are driven by pain and a warped sense of justice. Rochelle's death is both a tragedy and a release.

Agnes Langhorne (Leland)

Agnes is Francine and Doug's mother, a passive figure who fails to protect her children but is herself a victim of abuse and neglect. Her kidnapping and rescue are catalysts for Francine's reckoning with the past. Agnes's presence underscores the novel's themes of generational damage and the possibility of forgiveness.

Sam Trask

Sam is Nathan Trask's father, a man of integrity and regret. He aids Mickey and Francine, providing resources, wisdom, and a model of principled action. Sam's relationship with his son is fraught, but his support is crucial to the protagonists' success. He represents the possibility of goodness within corrupt systems.

Bruce Dixon (Daryl Oxblood)

Bruce is a former WITSEC child, friend to Francine and Rochelle, and ultimately a victim of the cycle of abuse. His murder by Doug (in self-defense) is a tragic consequence of the past's unresolved wounds. Bruce's story highlights the long reach of trauma and the difficulty of escaping one's origins.

Plot Devices

Dual Protagonists and Shifting POV

The novel alternates between Mickey's and Francine's perspectives, allowing readers to experience the story's psychological complexity from both inside and outside the law. This structure deepens empathy, blurs moral boundaries, and highlights the ways trauma shapes identity and action.

False Identities and Deception

Characters constantly assume new identities—Clarisse, Julia Frazier, Wilson Sullivan/Mark Gosling—mirroring the novel's themes of self-invention and survival. The use of digital manipulation, voice analysis, and psychological games keeps both characters and readers off-balance, foreshadowing betrayals and reversals.

The Treasure Hunt as Psychological Quest

The hunt for Langhorne's fortune is both a literal and metaphorical journey. Clues are hidden in codes, digital breadcrumbs, and childhood memories, forcing characters to confront their pasts. The treasure's true nature—a collection of stolen art, not just money—underscores the emptiness of material gain without healing.

Generational Trauma and Cycles of Abuse

The novel explores how abuse, neglect, and betrayal echo across generations. WITSEC, meant to protect, becomes a crucible of exploitation. Characters must break the cycle through courage, alliance, and forgiveness, or risk perpetuating the damage.

Foreshadowing and Red Herrings

The narrative is rich with foreshadowing—cryptic calls, hidden clues, and shifting alliances. Red herrings (the NFT trail, the digital fortune) keep the protagonists and readers guessing, while the true solution lies in the overlooked details of the past.

Moral Ambiguity and Redemption

Characters are forced to make impossible choices, and the line between victim and perpetrator is blurred. The novel resists easy answers, instead offering the possibility of redemption through connection, honesty, and mutual aid.

Analysis

Simply Lies is a modern thriller that uses the conventions of the genre—a murder mystery, a treasure hunt, and a web of deception—to explore deeper themes of trauma, trust, and the search for identity. At its core, the novel is about the cost of lies—those we tell others, and those we tell ourselves. Through the parallel journeys of Mickey and Francine, Baldacci examines how the past shapes the present, how systems meant to protect can become instruments of harm, and how healing requires both courage and vulnerability. The book's intricate plot, shifting perspectives, and psychological depth invite readers to question the nature of truth, the possibility of justice, and the meaning of family. Ultimately, Simply Lies suggests that survival is not enough; to truly live, we must risk connection, confront our wounds, and choose, again and again, to trust.

Last updated: July 20, 2025