Stellar Review from The Indie Bookshelf

Deadly Deception by Andrea Johnson Beck

Review by: Nina Gomez
4 Stars

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Anne Jamison, brilliant neuropsychiatrist, living the concrete jungle life in Minneapolis with her fiancé, prominent attorney, Adam Whitney. The mysterious death of Carter Leeds, her former boyfriend, haunts her to this day. After three years of unanswered questions, a secretive note finds its way to Anne, revealing the possibility that Carter may in fact be alive, and that her very own fiancé may have had a hand in his attempted demise.

Who really is Adam Whitney? Can Anne trust the man she pledged forever with? As deadly secrets begin to unravel, so does her trust. A dark, twisted game of cat and mouse ensues, who will run out of lives and who will walk away, to only be deceived, once again.

My review:

It’s been three years and Anne Jamison is still not over the pain of losing her former lover, Carter. Despite being engaged to Adam, Anne is still struggling to understand how what may have happened to him. One day, she receives an envelope with information that he may still be alive. What’ s worse is that the news is accompanied by small proof of Adam’s knowledge of and involvement in Carter’s disappearance.  Anne’s emotions spin out of control, she is confused and feels betrayed. As she strives to keep it all together while desperately searching for the truth, she is thrown in the middle of a deadly game between the people she once trusted and the man that she thought was her future.

This book was definitely a pleasant surprise for me. It is an intense, well written short story that succeeds in entrancing the reader within its very early chapters. There are so many false leads that result in circumstances that defy one’s expectations. As a neuropsychiatrist, Anne relies on science and fact to perform well in her job. She is not prepared for the emotional impact that her discovery has caused, and she is truly heartbroken and lost. Anne’s efforts to learn the truth lead her through a labyrinth of lies and suspicions.  She must rely on her instincts to help her determine whom she could trust. What she doesn't know is that there is delusion everywhere and that everything she used to believe in holds not one shred of truth.

The story’s many twists make it such an interesting read and I enjoyed the action scenes in the book. I found myself re-reading the book after it had ended, hoping to find some hints or references that I may have missed. I did not expect any closure knowing that this book is one in a series of parts. But neither did I anticipate the sudden turn of events that might change the role that Anne plays as the story continues. I am looking forward to the next book and to seeing more of Andrea Johnson Beck's work in the very near future.

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