Alyssa Hillman thinks she may have killed her husband Willy. And she's not sure how she feels about that. On one hand she loves him and is just too nice a person to be a killer, even if in self-defense. On the other, she also hates him a little because he's an abusive brute from whose savage rape attempt she's barely escaped with her life. So Alyssa comes to Harry and Dee Shalan, private eye team extraordinaire, for help. At first they're trying just to find out if Willy is alive, but it isn't long before he proves himself not only alive but also quite unhappy and more than a little insane. In the course of the investigation, Harry and Dee meet Willy's younger brother Happy, Willy's opposite in nearly every way. Happy's wife Marissa is not only Alyssa's best friend but could pass for her twin sister. Happy is forced to choose between two unthinkable options. Does he help his sociopathic sibling? If not, he risks bringing public shame to his beloved wife. In this modern re-imagining of the parable of the prodigal son, brothers battle over family honor, respect, and even the women who love them. Kisses and Lies is the follow up to Joe Stephens' critically acclaimed debut novel, Harsh Prey.