Scan barcode
lucycatten's review
4.0
Well, what can I say? I am a huge Mel Comley fan so I'll actually admit to being a little nervous of reading this initially. I needn't have been. Prather and Comley have together created yet another kickass female protagonist who simply comes alive on the page. And what a case to kick off the series! There was no 'easing us in gently' here -more like a 'hit you with a truck' kind of ending that leaves you absolutely dying for more. Can't wait for the next one!
sarahs_bookish_life's review
5.0
Clever Deception is only a short novella but wow what a book!
Alex (Alexandra) is working on a case that ends up getting far too close for comfort. When it suddenly becomes personal, her unfeeling boss sends her home. Luckily for Alex she has a caring friend in her work colleague Bob and they decide to carry on investigating the case much to the annoyance of their boss.
Whilst this book may lack in pages, it certainly doesn’t leave it lacking in content. The authors allow you to get a feel for the characters as well as not scrimping on the action or rushing the story line. I didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything and by the end I got everything out of this read as I would have expected from a full length novel, maybe even more.
This literally is an edge of your seat read. For a short story it certainly packs some punches and in parts I was shocked and horrified at the truly horrific things that the killer does to his victims. It is very much a game of cat and mouse with the killer playing with the police and Alex in particular. I felt just as determined as Alex in getting justice for the poor victims and their families. This is one killer who really makes your blood boil.
Clever Deception is without a doubt a brilliant prequel that gives us a taster of what we can expect in the Deception series. Alex is a fantastic protagonist who is thirsty for justice and with a bit of a mouth on her, you can tell that things are certainly going to be interesting with her around.
A chilling yet thrilling read that is going to leave readers screaming for more.
Alex (Alexandra) is working on a case that ends up getting far too close for comfort. When it suddenly becomes personal, her unfeeling boss sends her home. Luckily for Alex she has a caring friend in her work colleague Bob and they decide to carry on investigating the case much to the annoyance of their boss.
Whilst this book may lack in pages, it certainly doesn’t leave it lacking in content. The authors allow you to get a feel for the characters as well as not scrimping on the action or rushing the story line. I didn’t feel like I was missing out on anything and by the end I got everything out of this read as I would have expected from a full length novel, maybe even more.
This literally is an edge of your seat read. For a short story it certainly packs some punches and in parts I was shocked and horrified at the truly horrific things that the killer does to his victims. It is very much a game of cat and mouse with the killer playing with the police and Alex in particular. I felt just as determined as Alex in getting justice for the poor victims and their families. This is one killer who really makes your blood boil.
Clever Deception is without a doubt a brilliant prequel that gives us a taster of what we can expect in the Deception series. Alex is a fantastic protagonist who is thirsty for justice and with a bit of a mouth on her, you can tell that things are certainly going to be interesting with her around.
A chilling yet thrilling read that is going to leave readers screaming for more.
clair_82's review
5.0
What a prequel! There isn't much more I can add than to the plotline than is already covered in the synopsis (no spoilers here!) - but what I can say is that the prologue is horrific, Clever Deception grabs you from the get go and does not let you go until the very last sentence!
As you'd expect with a novella, the pace is fast and relentless however it really works, it is well formulated and plotted out for the right combination of confusion and tension. At points I'm not sure I took a breath and my first thought when I finished this was 'Wow!'. My second thought was 'when is the first book of the series out?' then headed off to Amazon to preorder (Tragic Deception on the 1st October in case you were wondering!).
I'm not usually a big fan of short stories, but I do like them when they are prequels or .5 books in amongst a series and this one has certainly worked to set the scene for the series and to introduce the main character; the lovely, ballsy Alex Fox. I've not read any books by Linda S. Prather before however I have read The Caller that Comley co-wrote with Tara Lyons and the same gritty, fast paced narrative exudes from this novella. Similarly to The Caller, there is no sign that this was co-written as it flows perfectly.
Loved it and look forward to where the Deception series takes Alex Fox.
[bc:Tragic Deception|31843205|Tragic Deception (Deception Series Book 1)|Linda S Prather|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1473124736s/31843205.jpg|52510186]
As you'd expect with a novella, the pace is fast and relentless however it really works, it is well formulated and plotted out for the right combination of confusion and tension. At points I'm not sure I took a breath and my first thought when I finished this was 'Wow!'. My second thought was 'when is the first book of the series out?' then headed off to Amazon to preorder (Tragic Deception on the 1st October in case you were wondering!).
I'm not usually a big fan of short stories, but I do like them when they are prequels or .5 books in amongst a series and this one has certainly worked to set the scene for the series and to introduce the main character; the lovely, ballsy Alex Fox. I've not read any books by Linda S. Prather before however I have read The Caller that Comley co-wrote with Tara Lyons and the same gritty, fast paced narrative exudes from this novella. Similarly to The Caller, there is no sign that this was co-written as it flows perfectly.
Loved it and look forward to where the Deception series takes Alex Fox.
[bc:Tragic Deception|31843205|Tragic Deception (Deception Series Book 1)|Linda S Prather|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1473124736s/31843205.jpg|52510186]
leona_omahony's review
5.0
First my thanks to TBC and the authors Mel Comley & Lynda Prather for allowing me to review this novella in return for an honest review.
Well what can I say except it was fantastic, even though it's only a short novella it really packed a punch. This was a massive five stars from me and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
Well what can I say except it was fantastic, even though it's only a short novella it really packed a punch. This was a massive five stars from me and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.
More...