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terryh's review
5.0
Sergeant Alexandra Fox wants to find the man who had brutally murdered her sister. The press named him The Escape Artist.
Time us running short and if she can't find him she has to find a new job, but a Brit in the US stepping on toes?
The race is on and though it gets bad she knows she has to get help from possibly the worst person ever.
Another great book by these authors. Please read clever deception 1st. You won't be disappointed
Time us running short and if she can't find him she has to find a new job, but a Brit in the US stepping on toes?
The race is on and though it gets bad she knows she has to get help from possibly the worst person ever.
Another great book by these authors. Please read clever deception 1st. You won't be disappointed
kitty_catalyst's review
Unable to give a star rating. Did not finish book.
This book was well written with an intriguing heroine. But there are a lot of characters who are all double crossing each other and therefore hard to keep straight. I was unable to finish this book because of the use of animal abuse. This does not effect my want to follow the storyline laid out by the prequel and I will be buying the next installment.
This book was well written with an intriguing heroine. But there are a lot of characters who are all double crossing each other and therefore hard to keep straight. I was unable to finish this book because of the use of animal abuse. This does not effect my want to follow the storyline laid out by the prequel and I will be buying the next installment.
darkness223's review
4.0
Very good book.I really liked this a great read you wont be able to put it down, give this series a go.I cant wait for the next one
lucycatten's review against another edition
4.0
Note: Do read Clever Deception, the novella that precedes this, before diving in...
Having devoured Clever Deception I couldn't wait to get my hands on this. Yet another brilliantly plotted, tightly woven story with a whole host of new characters to get to know. Alexandra Fox is proving a force to be reckoned with as she tackles a case that will either make or break her career across the pond in the US.
Feeling somewhat isolated and friendless (with only a few exceptions - two of which are her pets), and still with the incredibly real and personal threat of The Escape Artist hanging over her, she must locate three missing babies - without the help of the force - or lose her job. Where does she even start? I loved her 'failure is not an option' attitude and was practically cheering as she discovers she isn't as alone as she thinks she is.
An astonishingly good read. Here's hoping we don't have to wait long for the next one...
Having devoured Clever Deception I couldn't wait to get my hands on this. Yet another brilliantly plotted, tightly woven story with a whole host of new characters to get to know. Alexandra Fox is proving a force to be reckoned with as she tackles a case that will either make or break her career across the pond in the US.
Feeling somewhat isolated and friendless (with only a few exceptions - two of which are her pets), and still with the incredibly real and personal threat of The Escape Artist hanging over her, she must locate three missing babies - without the help of the force - or lose her job. Where does she even start? I loved her 'failure is not an option' attitude and was practically cheering as she discovers she isn't as alone as she thinks she is.
An astonishingly good read. Here's hoping we don't have to wait long for the next one...
sarahs_bookish_life's review against another edition
5.0
After reading Clever Deception, which is the prequel novella to Tragic Deception, I have been dying to read this book and catch up again with Alex.
Alex is now working with the NYPD whilst still trying to track down the man who killed her sister. Unfortunately for Alex she doesn’t seem to be making any new friends in her new job. She has gone through quite a few partners and the Commander seems to have taken a great dislike to her. Even though Alex has quite a strong personality, on the outside she tries to give a couldn’t care less attitude, but on the inside she is still hurting over her sister and I think she would really welcome some friends to be able to offload on to once in a while.
In the hope of getting rid of Alex once and for all, her Commander challenges Alex to solve a current case in one week whilst on suspension, where three babies seem to have been kidnapped, otherwise she is out.
Any case is going to be hard but to do it without the resources she would normally have due to being on suspension, Alex really has her work cut out. Luckily she has a couple of people routing for her who help her out and between them they get stuck in to finding out exactly where the missing babies are.
I have to say, what a story line! Missing babies, ransoms, it truly makes for a fast paced and gripping read. Like Alex, I was desperate for those babies to be found safe and well and literally couldn’t put the book down until I knew what the outcome was going to be and boy what an outcome.
Tragic Deception is a brilliant heart racing read that will grab you by the collar and not let go right until the very end. The Deception Series has really gotten off with a bang and I think the authors have shown us just how entertaining and thrilling a journey they are going to take us on. Dying to read more in the series!
My thanks to the authors for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Alex is now working with the NYPD whilst still trying to track down the man who killed her sister. Unfortunately for Alex she doesn’t seem to be making any new friends in her new job. She has gone through quite a few partners and the Commander seems to have taken a great dislike to her. Even though Alex has quite a strong personality, on the outside she tries to give a couldn’t care less attitude, but on the inside she is still hurting over her sister and I think she would really welcome some friends to be able to offload on to once in a while.
In the hope of getting rid of Alex once and for all, her Commander challenges Alex to solve a current case in one week whilst on suspension, where three babies seem to have been kidnapped, otherwise she is out.
Any case is going to be hard but to do it without the resources she would normally have due to being on suspension, Alex really has her work cut out. Luckily she has a couple of people routing for her who help her out and between them they get stuck in to finding out exactly where the missing babies are.
I have to say, what a story line! Missing babies, ransoms, it truly makes for a fast paced and gripping read. Like Alex, I was desperate for those babies to be found safe and well and literally couldn’t put the book down until I knew what the outcome was going to be and boy what an outcome.
Tragic Deception is a brilliant heart racing read that will grab you by the collar and not let go right until the very end. The Deception Series has really gotten off with a bang and I think the authors have shown us just how entertaining and thrilling a journey they are going to take us on. Dying to read more in the series!
My thanks to the authors for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
leona_omahony's review against another edition
4.0
I was really looking forward to reading this book and I certainly wasn't disappointed. From the very beginning you're sucked right into the story . It's roller coaster of a ride with plenty of twists and turns along the way.
My thanks to Linda Prather & Mel Comley for the ARC in return for an honest review.
My thanks to Linda Prather & Mel Comley for the ARC in return for an honest review.
lindzy's review against another edition
4.0
Original Review Here
Despite the synopsis indicating the reader should read the prequel novella first, I ended up going straight into Tragic Deception. While reading the novella might add further depth to the characters, I didn’t feel I lost anything by not reading it. I quickly picked up the type of person Alex was, what drove her and what events had resulted in her current predicament.
Not being familiar with the American justice system, it took me a while to get my head around what Alex was having to endure at work and the fact that no one was doing anything about it. That prevented my immediate engagement with the content because I was expecting the story to focus on the injustice of her treatment.
Once I had figured out Alex’s back story, I liked her as a character. She is stand-offish with her colleagues, but it’s clear to the reader why she is doing it and that she has a big heart, seen through her interaction with her pets and friend, Nobby.
Alex’s character development is impressive for such a short book. She changes from being alone to accepting there are those willing and able to assist her. She doesn’t have to face her demons alone and Alex’s realisation that she can let people in is realistic and moving.
The secondary characters are all in-depth enough to make their mark on Alex. Other than Nobby, however, the reader isn’t given the chance to truly know them: the focus is on Alex and the book isn’t long enough for further development.
The reader does get to know the villains of the piece, though. I have to admit to getting a little confused: three missing babies and all the women seeming to be sleeping with each other. It was hard to tell who knew about which relationship and who was involved with who. Although you know who the culprit(s) are from early on, I never quite figured out exactly how everyone was involved and what the whole point was.
Considering the length of the book and the intricacies of the plot, I didn’t feel it was particularly fast-paced. The tension flared at times, but, again, considering the time frame the characters were working in and the threat of the villains they were up against, I wasn’t on the edge of my seat. I think the number of characters involved in such a tight plot meant that because I couldn’t connect with anyone other than Alex, the danger and threat weren’t real.
A lot is packed into a short book. The complexity of the plot kept me engaged: you had to be in order to understand what was going on! I did feel, however, that perhaps there was too much considering I was still vague about certain things at the end.
That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It’s short and a quick read, but is a good page-turner. The perfect rainy-day book to curl up with and not stop until you are done!
Despite the synopsis indicating the reader should read the prequel novella first, I ended up going straight into Tragic Deception. While reading the novella might add further depth to the characters, I didn’t feel I lost anything by not reading it. I quickly picked up the type of person Alex was, what drove her and what events had resulted in her current predicament.
Not being familiar with the American justice system, it took me a while to get my head around what Alex was having to endure at work and the fact that no one was doing anything about it. That prevented my immediate engagement with the content because I was expecting the story to focus on the injustice of her treatment.
Once I had figured out Alex’s back story, I liked her as a character. She is stand-offish with her colleagues, but it’s clear to the reader why she is doing it and that she has a big heart, seen through her interaction with her pets and friend, Nobby.
Alex’s character development is impressive for such a short book. She changes from being alone to accepting there are those willing and able to assist her. She doesn’t have to face her demons alone and Alex’s realisation that she can let people in is realistic and moving.
The secondary characters are all in-depth enough to make their mark on Alex. Other than Nobby, however, the reader isn’t given the chance to truly know them: the focus is on Alex and the book isn’t long enough for further development.
The reader does get to know the villains of the piece, though. I have to admit to getting a little confused: three missing babies and all the women seeming to be sleeping with each other. It was hard to tell who knew about which relationship and who was involved with who. Although you know who the culprit(s) are from early on, I never quite figured out exactly how everyone was involved and what the whole point was.
Considering the length of the book and the intricacies of the plot, I didn’t feel it was particularly fast-paced. The tension flared at times, but, again, considering the time frame the characters were working in and the threat of the villains they were up against, I wasn’t on the edge of my seat. I think the number of characters involved in such a tight plot meant that because I couldn’t connect with anyone other than Alex, the danger and threat weren’t real.
A lot is packed into a short book. The complexity of the plot kept me engaged: you had to be in order to understand what was going on! I did feel, however, that perhaps there was too much considering I was still vague about certain things at the end.
That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It’s short and a quick read, but is a good page-turner. The perfect rainy-day book to curl up with and not stop until you are done!
vesper1931's review against another edition
2.0
Alexandra Fox joined the NYPD from England to find the killer of her sister. But she has been given the job of finding 3 kidnapped babies within the next week or look for another job.
I found the story and characters to be okay, but couldn't believe that a person who had lived in the States for a year hadn't picked up any American colloquialisms and that did annoy me.
a NetGalley Book
I found the story and characters to be okay, but couldn't believe that a person who had lived in the States for a year hadn't picked up any American colloquialisms and that did annoy me.
a NetGalley Book
avoraciousreader68's review
4.0
3.5
Book source ~ NetGalley
A British copper comes to America and joins the NYPD with the help of a fairy godfather, I mean, Chief of Police. She’s been there a year and the Commander can’t stand her. He keeps giving her shitty partners in the hopes she’ll quit or blow her top and he can fire her. When three babies are kidnapped, he suspends her and then tells her if she can find the babies before anyone else she can get her Detective promotion. So, she’s off and running with few resources and fewer friends.
Ok, so I can believe the harassment that Alex faces in the department. It’s not easy for a woman to be a police officer. On top of that, she’s from another country where things are done differently so she has to learn new rules/laws. And on top of THAT, she has the backing of the Chief. But, a lot of this story is just too sloppy and over the top for me to suspend belief. In addition, she calls her landlord Nobby, from the Harry Potter books. Uh, there was no Nobby that I’m aware of, so unless this error was fixed in later editions, it grates on my nerves. The villains are so stupid and careless they aren’t even worthy of being called villains. Finally, there’s this serial killer who is fixated on Alex. He’s the reason she moved to America to begin with, but he seems totally lame. There’s a great story in here and, at times, it’s pretty good, but I just can’t get lost in it. Too much pulls me right out of the world.
Book source ~ NetGalley
A British copper comes to America and joins the NYPD with the help of a fairy godfather, I mean, Chief of Police. She’s been there a year and the Commander can’t stand her. He keeps giving her shitty partners in the hopes she’ll quit or blow her top and he can fire her. When three babies are kidnapped, he suspends her and then tells her if she can find the babies before anyone else she can get her Detective promotion. So, she’s off and running with few resources and fewer friends.
Ok, so I can believe the harassment that Alex faces in the department. It’s not easy for a woman to be a police officer. On top of that, she’s from another country where things are done differently so she has to learn new rules/laws. And on top of THAT, she has the backing of the Chief. But, a lot of this story is just too sloppy and over the top for me to suspend belief. In addition, she calls her landlord Nobby, from the Harry Potter books. Uh, there was no Nobby that I’m aware of, so unless this error was fixed in later editions, it grates on my nerves. The villains are so stupid and careless they aren’t even worthy of being called villains. Finally, there’s this serial killer who is fixated on Alex. He’s the reason she moved to America to begin with, but he seems totally lame. There’s a great story in here and, at times, it’s pretty good, but I just can’t get lost in it. Too much pulls me right out of the world.