Dark Deception – Too Dark for Me
I was so excited to receive a copy of Nancy Mehl’s newest release, Dark Deception. It is the second in her Defenders of Justice series, and I really liked her first novel (Fatal Frost) in the series (see my review here.) I wanted to like it, but it was really just too dark for me.
Dark Deception follows Katie O’Brien, a survivor of a tormented serial killer that killed her twin sister. She’s in the witness protection program and deputy U.S. Marshal Tony DeLuca has vowed to keep her safe at all costs. When it looks as if the killer may go free, Katie is called upon to testify. But will she get that opportunity? Can Tony keep Katie safe? Will more have to die before this is resolved?
I was given Dark Deception in exchange for my honest review. It was very bleak. To be in the mind of a killer is not a place I like to be. There was a lot of focus on the actual killings. I think the point could have come across without so much gore. There were several redemptive characters, and Mehl did a good job of intertwining faith and God into the storyline without being preachy. The book can be read as a stand-alone, but characters from Book One are mentioned and it may be confusing to a first-time reader. Additionally, there were a LOT of moving parts. I understand this is a mystery, but there were almost too many characters to keep track of. I’m a fan of Nancy Mehl’s, but Dark Deception is not my favorite.
Susan Ferrell and her husband make their home in the Atlanta Metro area. Although Susan struggles with chronic migraine headaches, she stays very busy as a stay-at-home mom to one very precocious little girl. While catching her breath, she feeds her Amishaholic tendencies by reading vast amounts of Amish literature!