Deceived by James Scott Bell

Reviewed by C.J. Darlington

"...straight-up suspense that'll get you thinking about life, God and the domino effect of deception."

Liz Towne's life has hardly been a bed of roses. She deserves more, and she's determined to overcome her white trash past. She thought her ticket was Arty Towne, a guy who dreamed of being worth two million before he turned thirty-five. But then he went and got religion on her and quit his six-figure job. "You've changed," Liz said to Arty that fateful day in Pack Canyon. "I don't like it." When they both discover a dead biker with a fortune of diamonds in his saddlebags, Liz sees another chance at the life she's always wanted. But what will it cost her?

Deceived is more than a page-turning thriller--it's a story about choices. Not just for Liz Towne, but for her sister-in-law Rocky and Iraqi war veteran, Mac. All three are bound by their love and friendship with Arty, and all three have been dealt hands they'd rather fold. But it's their decisions that set them apart. One chooses to deceive, one is caught in between, and the other is determined to unmask the deceiver.

Spanning about two weeks in the lives of several characters, Bell ratchets up the intensity in Deceived. Unlike its predecessors No Legal Grounds and Presumed Guilty, it's not a legal thriller. This is straight-up suspense that'll get you thinking about life, God and the domino effect of deception.

So pull up a chair. Unfold your napkin. James Scott Bell has served up another delightful stew of suspense, witty dialogue and plot twists. I never saw the ending of this one coming!

C.J. Darlington's first novel, Thicker Than Blood, was the winner of the 2008 Christian Writers Guild's Operation First Novel contest. Her second novel, Bound by Guilt, has recently released from Tyndale, and you can watch that trailer today! When she's not writing, she's reading. Her hobbies include horseback riding, oil painting, and book collecting. She is also a contributing editor at Family Fiction Magazine. Visit her online at her author website and at her blog where she talks about books, writing, and publishing. You can also look her up at Twitter and Facebook.