Review: Deception

In the last decade no one has quite hit the mystery scene like this author. With her horrific but life affirming Garnet Hill trilogy Ms. Mina has become a must read amongst fans of the mystery genre. So brilliant and beautifully written were her first three titles that I’ve seen her convert readers who don’t “read female leads”, don’t “read U.K. authors” don’t “read amateur detective stories” and simply don’t “read genre fiction“. Her name is uttered with the best of the best in the mystery genre and many of those authors have suggested her as “the one who must be read”. And now comes the release of her follow up title, DECEPTION (released in the U.K. as Sanctum).

DECEPTION opens as Dr. Susie Harriot is convicted for the murder of a former patient. The conviction of serial killer Andrew Dow had seemed to be a slam dunk. D.N.A. evidence and a confession led little doubt of the man’s guilt until the series of murders for which he’d been convicted began again. Two months after Dow’s release his body is found mutilated, his new wife is missing, and Susie is there. As Susie is led off to prison her husband Lachlan vows to work on her appeal and Mina unfurls a dismal tale. DECEPTION is written in a new style for Ms. Mina. She presents the book as a true crime story. The Diaries of Lachlan Harriot are a compellation of transcribed conversations, Susie’s psychiatric records, newspaper clippings, and Lachlan’s musings over his situation and the possible conclusions drawn from the record. It is not a pretty story. As the narrative unfolds and the players true selves are revealed the reader is left with a fascinating look at a cast of characters who’ve created a fetid world together despite or because of their many differences. Our plot is peeled away by Lachlan as he interprets the facts as opposed to the apparent realities of the story and the end result is a piece of fiction that will leave you sapped and afraid for the future of the Harriots’ young daughter Margie.

With her Garnet Hill trilogy Ms. Mina introduced us to a terrible world in which we could still find hope. DECEPTION is the story of a seemingly ideal marriage that will, in the end, make you wonder if there is any hope for this world at all. With the character of Lachlan Harriot, Ms. Mina has introduced us to a new level of evil . Watch it blossom and enjoy a hell of a mystery along the way.

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Ruth Jordan - RAM

Book Review: Deception