Monday, May 29, 2017

Nancy Mehl's "Dark Deception" - a twisty, complex suspense

Dark Deception (Defenders of Justice #2)Kate O'Brien watched a serial killer murder her sister and nearly died at his hands too. Because of her testimony, the man was put in jail, and Kate went into witness protection. When evidence appears that hints that the killer was framed, the man who killed her sister is released from prison and set up for a new trial. Deputy Marshall Tony DeLuca, who was with Kate years ago at the earlier trial, comes to fetch her, but a call from his boss makes him stay put with her until the case is straightened out. However, even in the sheltered resort where Kate has been living, danger is lurking . . .

If you want a twisty suspense designed to keep you off-kilter, this is it. Sure, if you read enough mystery/suspense, it's easy to pick up on clues so that the book is not completely one surprise after another, but it's definitely complex enough that I have trouble believing anyone could peg the entire mystery. Complex can often mean confusing, but the author does a good job of rehashing things in an orderly manner in the end so that it all makes sense.

The romance is definitely secondary to the suspense plot--just a tad to sweeten the story. I actually really enjoyed the secondary points of view this time (normally I prefer just the main characters, especially if the book is a romance, but as I said, the romance is far from the focus of the book). It reminds me of a cop show, where other members of the team are working their different angles to fill in the details and aid the characters at the center of the action. On that subject, this book would make a great thriller movie.

Thank you Bethany House and NetGalley for providing a free e-book. I was not required to write a positive review, and all opinions are my own.

Defenders of Justice
1. Fatal Frost
2. Dark Deception
3. Blind Betrayal

No comments:

Post a Comment