A Good Reason to Lie: A Santa Teresa Island Adventure

Robby is running for his life As a material witness in the Federal Crimes Division, fourteen-year-old Robby Hartman is an easy target for the violent men who would do anything to keep him from testifying. For his own safety, Robby goes into hiding under an assumed name. A foster home is found for him on a remote island off the coast of Southern California. The moment Robby steps onto the deck of the Santa Teresa Island Ferry, he feels his past life slip away. Here he is, traveling by himself to a place where he has never been, to live with people he has never met, and to be known by a name he never heard until yesterday. Robby, now Rory Mendez, becomes part of the Dominguez family. Cherishing Rory as one of their own, the family demonstrates the meaning of unconditional love. Rory and thirteen-year-old Mateo, the youngest Dominguez child, become fast friends. Rory feels increasingly remorseful about lying to these gracious and generous people. Ironically, it is an entanglement of small lies that finally reveals Rory's whereabouts to the criminals who are tracking him, placing Rory's new family and friends in harm's way. A Good Reason to Lie is a rich tale filled with humor, adventure, and emotion. Set in 1955, the book is a poignant reminder of simpler times, yet it reveals how some things like friendship, first love, and a sense of belonging are timeless and universal to the human experience.

Martha Ashleigh lives on Catalina Island with her husband and golden retriever. A retired music teacher, she enjoys writing music, poetry and stories. She and Keith Snell co-authored the popular music theory series, Fundamentals of Piano Theory (Kjos, 1997). The Ashleighs enjoy golf, books, puzzles, and games. They volunteer at the hospital and church, and tutor the local kids when help is needed. Mrs. Ashleigh’s Catholic faith defines how she sees the world and how she lives in it. She prays daily for peace, justice, and respect for all people, and for an end to hunger.