Deadly Deception

Widowed Marcie Faraday is on a mission to prove the death of her husband and daughter was not accidental. All she has to go on is her intuition. Officer Booker Dixson has always doubted the accidental ruling, and when he begins to examine the matter, he comes to the same conclusion as Marcie. When they both begin, separately, to investigate the case, they uncover more than either expected, including a massive cover up by a prestigious medical research lab. Marcie also discovers a secret her husband harbored that further complicates her feelings, and her investigation. Eventually, Marcie and Booker work together getting to the truth behind the unscrupulous medical research lab, and her husband and daughter’s deaths.

The premise behind “Deadly Deception” is good. Unfortunately, the execution needs a little work. With so many characters and points of view in this story, it’s difficult to get a grasp on one before the story jumps off in another direction entirely. Characters are brought in momentarily without seeming to add to the storyline, and then never appear again in any meaningful way. The main supporting characters, however, including Marcie’s family and her assistant, KaDee, add some nice texture to the story. The camaraderie among family, friends, and even the police adds to that element. Though the heroine’s journey is hit or miss, her eventual ability to continue on with her life is uplifting and provides a satisfying conclusion. Fans of suspenseful women’s fiction will find the storyline intriguing!

N.E. Kelley