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lynguy1's review
4.0
The Deceiving Look by Victor Methos is well-plotted, twisty, and filled with characters that felt real and emotionally rich. This crime and legal thriller is the third novel in the Shepard and Gray series and features Solomon Shepard and Billie Gray. In this novel, Billie asks Solomon for help investigating the death of a local criminal defense attorney who is the former mayor of Tooele, Utah. The death looks like murder to Billie, but is it?
Solomon is on indefinite leave from the county attorney’s office after being attacked in a courtroom. He has isolated himself from others and suffers from anxiety, but he can’t say no to Billie. Billie is the local sheriff. She’s efficient, charismatic, confident, and gets things done. However, not all deputies and detectives view her as a strong leader.
The backstories of the two main characters as well as a couple of others give readers additional insight into their behaviors and actions. Even though it is the first book in the series that I have read, there was enough background for it to work as a fantastic standalone read. However, I believe I would have enjoyed it even more if I had already read the first two books.
This novel is impeccably written with engaging characters and a deeply involved plot. While the story is very character driven, the author does a great job of building momentum and suspense until it culminates in a disconcerting conclusion. This unsettling thriller has some graphic scenes and some twists that keep you hooked. Trying to understand the fallout from events kept me turning the pages rapidly. Relationships with colleagues, friends, family, and others help drive the narrative.
The author did a great job of balancing the shocking scenes in the novel against the suspense and mystery aspects. Gripping scenes and a well-crafted and riveting plot hooked me from the very beginning. The dynamic plot came alive with the well-defined characters and the significant amount of conflict. Hints and clues are dropped, but it took me a long while to guess who the antagonist was. What a shock! There are also a few sub-plots that add layers to the story. Themes include relationships, mental health, power, death, and much more.
Overall, this tense, suspenseful, and tragic novel gripped me from the beginning. The author brings strong characters, a great plot, and fascinating relationships to the novel. I can’t wait to read what the author writes next.
Thomas & Mercer and Victor Methos provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for January 9, 2024. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
-----------------------------------------
My 4.02 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
Solomon is on indefinite leave from the county attorney’s office after being attacked in a courtroom. He has isolated himself from others and suffers from anxiety, but he can’t say no to Billie. Billie is the local sheriff. She’s efficient, charismatic, confident, and gets things done. However, not all deputies and detectives view her as a strong leader.
The backstories of the two main characters as well as a couple of others give readers additional insight into their behaviors and actions. Even though it is the first book in the series that I have read, there was enough background for it to work as a fantastic standalone read. However, I believe I would have enjoyed it even more if I had already read the first two books.
This novel is impeccably written with engaging characters and a deeply involved plot. While the story is very character driven, the author does a great job of building momentum and suspense until it culminates in a disconcerting conclusion. This unsettling thriller has some graphic scenes and some twists that keep you hooked. Trying to understand the fallout from events kept me turning the pages rapidly. Relationships with colleagues, friends, family, and others help drive the narrative.
The author did a great job of balancing the shocking scenes in the novel against the suspense and mystery aspects. Gripping scenes and a well-crafted and riveting plot hooked me from the very beginning. The dynamic plot came alive with the well-defined characters and the significant amount of conflict. Hints and clues are dropped, but it took me a long while to guess who the antagonist was. What a shock! There are also a few sub-plots that add layers to the story. Themes include relationships, mental health, power, death, and much more.
Overall, this tense, suspenseful, and tragic novel gripped me from the beginning. The author brings strong characters, a great plot, and fascinating relationships to the novel. I can’t wait to read what the author writes next.
Thomas & Mercer and Victor Methos provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for January 9, 2024. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
-----------------------------------------
My 4.02 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
lagadema's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
4.0
This third installment of the series kept me reading until deep into the night. It is a well-crafted police procedural that gives us a good story through the main characters, it is filled with a good amount of mystery, thrill, and surprise elements. I will read the previous installments and look forward to the future ones.
steel_city_peach's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
3.0
Womp
I was really looking forward to the release of this book. I wanted to catch up with Billie and Solomon. The previously likable Solomon was weird and bitter at the start of the book. Once he and Billie reconciled, his old personality started to show up. Their dynamic was maddening. Solomon suggested all kinds of unconventional and unethical tactics to track down the villain and Billie just kept agreeing to it. I didn’t like that at all. Once the villain was revealed, I groaned. The motive was so ridiculous. The grand speech he made to justify his actions was so lame. This was a disappointing ending to a series that I really enjoyed up until this point.
canada_matt's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.5
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, Victor Methos, and Thomas & Mercer for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
Returning for another in Victor Methos’ newest series, I was met with a great piece of writing. Methos uses his two protagonists well to craft a story that is sure to keep the reader on the edge of their seat, while also proving impactful to all that is going on. When a murderer begins targeting people of some importance in the county, it is up to Sheriff Billie Gray to get to the heart of the matter. Working with a new deputy and her friend, Solomon Shepard, something seems off. While Shepard cannot help but draw a parallel to something that happened to him as a child, the apparent killer is reaching out to him, as if to taunt. Time is of the essence and neither Gray nor Shepard want this case to slip through their fingers. Methos does well to keep the action high and the twists plentiful.
After a local criminal defence attorney turns up dead in his home, all signs point to a suicide. The man had a number of personal complaints made against him and it would make sense that he wanted to end it all. However. Sheriff Billie Gray is not so sure, enlisting the help of her friend and former prosecutor, Solomon Shepard, to assist. Together, they discover some telling facts that push things into the murder category, though nothing concrete has yet been discovered.
While Solomon helps out as best he can, he is less than willing to do so. He’s had a significantly traumatic event befall him, leaving Shepard wanting to isolate before things can spiral out of control. The fact that Sheriff Gray has brought along her newest deputy, Mazie Heston, only adds to the pressure. Deputy Heaton is a firecracker if ever there was one, but her instincts are good and she wants to help.
When a second murder takes place and the body is left inside Solomon’s home, things take a significant turn. He’s got an alibi, with the sheriff no less, but something is left behind that Solomon discovers and keeps to himself. The killer may be closer than anyone thought and Solomon is anxious to reveal what he knows. Things are compounded with Deputy Heaton is kidnapped, leaving Sheriff Gray to wonder if this is a message from the killer, or perhaps a means of getting back at the fiery deputy. The action never stops in this piece, showing that Methos has all the elements of a great thriller.
I discovered the work of Victor Methos a few years ago and have not been able to get enough. He weaves a wonderful story into his thrillers, keeping the reader in the driver’s seat, while adding wonderful elements of surprise and mystery. This novel provided just what the reader needed, pushing the limits as the story developed. A strong narrative base kept things on pace and the great momentum build led to a stunning reveal by the end.
I am still getting to know Gray and Shepard, both of whom have significantly different backgrounds. Sheriff Gray has created her persona on trying to replicate the life her father lived, while Solomon Shepard is a shell of his former self, filled with a haunting past. However, their work together is strong and the ability to get to the core of the matter is unlike anyone else out there. The addition of strong secondary characters, as well as the emergence of Deputy Mazie Heaton, keeps things on pace to be strong and full of great interactions. I am eager to see where things go and how the characters will add depth to an already great series in the years to come.
Methos is always known for his legal and thrilling twists. This book was no exception with wonderful storytelling and an ending that no one could have seen coming. While the reader might think they know what directions things are headed, there is little chance of being able to predict all that comes out in this book. A strong story is met with some unpredictable elements to keep the reader on their toes. I am eager to see where things are headed and how Methos will take them there.
Kudos, Mr. Methos, for a gripping novel in this series.
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