Determined to find the truth hidden among long-closed cases, Butler and Walsh call on friends and colleagues to help them survive the crosshairs that got their friend killed. They must uncover the truth before lies can bury them.
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-61153-370-5
eBook ISBN: 978-1-61153-383-5
Large Print ISBN: 978-1-61153-618-8
Distributed by Ingram and IPG
Endorsements
Chanticleer Clue Awards Long List – 2025 (winners still to be announced)
“Luellen’s sizzling legal thriller … brings to life a real rogue spy operation of which most readers aren’t aware. … This is a winner, packed with governmental misdeeds and threats of violence.” –Kirkus Reviews
“Simply outstanding…Someone Had to Lie neatly toes the line between true crime and fiction.” –Midwest Book Review
“Luellen builds Someone Had to Lie around James and Erica—a solid, clearly in love, dedicated duo whose combined smarts make them formidable investigators. They are reliable, appealing narrators, and readers will be invested in more of their adventures in future series installments.” —The Booklife Prize
“Jack Luellen crafts an intriguing tale, interwoven with proven facts about the deadliest drug in our society, Fentanyl. Someone Had to Lie takes the reader on an educational journey into the biggest cartels and Narcos in the world and provides a behind the scenes glimpse of cartel operations through his lead character James Butler. Gripping storytelling! A must read!”
–Leo Silva, Author of Reign of Terror, Former DEA Supervisory Special Agent
“A wonderful follow-up to Someone Had To Die, Jack Luellen is masterful at blending historical facts and figures – to include the nation’s ongoing fentanyl crisis – into another page-turning James Butler saga. A great read!”
–Steffan Tubbs, Public Affairs Specialist, Drug Enforcement Administration, and former award-winning journalist and radio talk show host
“Someone Had to Lie is gripping, gutsy, and unapologetically current. It’s a solid choice for readers who love political thrillers, legal intrigue, or true crime vibes with just enough fiction to keep the pages flying. If you liked The Pelican Brief or Narcos, this’ll be right up your alley. It’s a thriller that makes you think about who’s pulling strings in the shadows.”
–Literary Titan
