Sacrament of Lies Paperback - 2003

“One is sucked into the story on the first page, but rushing to the end is futile. The writing is so skillful and the wordplay so exquisite that one wants to savor each paragraph the way the characters savor their Sazeracs. Perfection from start to finish.”—Library Journal (starred)

“[A] well-paced novel that manages to be both taut with suspense and fluidly lyrical.”—Publishers Weekly
“Immensely readable and smart.”—Richard Ford

“Elegant and frightening...Dewberry combines a Faulknerian sense of history's power with a clever murder mystery. The result is an unsettling story of ambition, repression and madness set in the gothic capital of America, New Orleans ...impossible to put down.”—The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
“A whodunit with a central question that's more Henry James than P.D. James: Is Grayson going mad, or is she the only sane one in the bunch?”—The Washington Post

“A powerful novel of secrets, love and evil...should not be missed.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune
“[A] Hitchcockian gem.”—Publishers Weekly

“A page-turner...Keeps the reader guessing until the end.”—Tim Gautreaux, author of The Next Step in the Dance
“Packs an unexpected punch.”—The Denver Post

“Ms. Dewberry has fashioned a neat, fast-paced, immensely readable and smart murder mystery, set against the lurid intrigues and vivid backdrops of Louisiana politics—which means sex, death, money, ambition, and of course moral loss. What could possibly be better?”—Richard Ford, author of A Multitude of Sins

“The book ends with powerful and terrifying impact.”—The Bloomsbury Review
“A delicious blend of nail-biting action and sensual imagery. Dewberry lets it simmer then build to a boil.”—The New Orleans Times-Picayune
“In Sacrament of Lies, the line between certainty and madness is as thin as a razor and equally as dangerous. Elizabeth Dewberry has given us a rare gift, a literary thriller that will keep us up all night. This book is riveting.”—Ann Patchett, author of Bel Canto

“[A] compelling page-turner.”—Library Journal (starred)
“An enimently readable literary thriller...a very distinctive narrative voice.”—Booklist

“An intense mystery novel with a wallop...[a] straightforward story about a murder—at least that's what the novel's narrator, Grayson, believes—in a contemporary Louisiana setting of squalid politics, sex and betrayal. That, of course, adds up to a delicious gumbo, and Dewberry's richly told tale assures it has plenty of spice...It's certainly a page-turner. Dewberry's story balances a lot of elements of literature and thriller with a keen eye, and she has constructed a mystery that likely will keep readers asking questions right up to the explosive conclusion...engrossing...It is indeed a mystery, but the real mystery goes a lot deeper than who did it.”—The State (SC)

“Dewberry compellingly evokes the claustrophobic effects of fear and suspicion.”—Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine

“A tight, fast-paced murder mystery set against the backdrop of Louisiana politics. It keeps you guessing until the very end...dark and whimsical moments...a page-turning, explosive showdown.”—The Tallahassee Democrat

“Dewberry uses New Orleans beautifully, avoiding the Big Easy stereotypes, integrating into the novel the city's history and spectacular decadence...a cunningly wrought puzzle.”—The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

“An absolutely original retelling of Hamlet...What recommends this story beyond mere cleverness is that it operates so compellingly as a novel in its own right.”—Nashville Scene

“A page-turner.”—Southern Living
 
“Dewberry deftly and gracefully captures the harrowing fear, distrust, and dread of a woman abused psychologically by a powerful male...No one writing today can match Dewberry's skill in capturing her character's voice. As she tells her story, Grayson's fears become our fears, and her doubts become our own. Moreover, Dewberry perfectly renders Grayson's ambivalence about the religious meanings of evil, death, truth, even God...Dewberry's lyrical writing, her deft grasp of voice, and her penetrating psychological insights provide an unforgettable picture of loss, hope, and redemption.”—Charlotte Observer

“Engrossing...Grayson's first-person voice is convincing and compelling, and not without a touch of macabre humor...a very real and sympathetic protagonist. Grayson's indecision and conflicted loyalties have an immediacy that pulls the reader into her dilemma and keeps the pressure on until the final act.”—Tampa Tribune

“Dewberry does a skillful job of keeping the reader as off-balance as her narrator.”—St. Petersburg Times

“[A] taut, dramatic mystery...a crashing climax...Every word, every detail, is well chosen, so that the story is rich with action, tension, and emotion.”—Winston-Salem Journal
“Gracefully written...a solid story that constantly keeps the reader off balance.”—South Florida Sun-Sentinel
 
“Evocative prose.”—Abilene Reporter-News