Book Review : Deceive Me Once by Valerie Massey Goree

Deceive Me Once by Valerie Massey Goree

Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: Parson Place Press; 1st edition (September 1, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0984216308
• ISBN-13: 978-0984216307
• Available on: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / IndieBound / The Book Depository
• Source: Won from A. J. Hawke's Blog
  

After more than 25 years of hiding the truth, Chella's past has finally caught up with her. The body of a young woman is found on the edge of Chella's property. As she investigates the mysterious death, she discovers the woman is connected with her hidden past. Will Chella's dark secret finally be her undoing and ruin the life she has built with her husband and sons? Will they ever forgive her for lying to them all these years?

As the saying goes, "don't judge a book by its cover", this book is really good even though the cover looks plain. Maricella "Chella" McDonough keeps her past a secret from her husband and sons. Until one day, she accidentally finds the dead body of a young girl on her property. She doesn't know who the girl was, but she somehow looked familiar. When her puppy Brutus brings her a half-heart necklace, she is sure that this girl is connected to her past.

As she tries to uncover the mystery that has something to do with the necklace and the dead girl along with her daughter-in-law Teresa, she finds out that her childhood friend, Eva is still alive, but paralyzed after an involvement in a car accident. She also learns that the dead girl, Angelica is actually her friend's daughter. Eva tells her that she thinks her husband Hector is the one who rammed her car, causing her serious injuries and killed her daughter. Fearing her friend's safety, she seeks help from her childhood friend, now a police officer, Raymond Reyes.

This story is full of suspense and mystery, and I really love this. It is also fast-paced and interesting. I finish this book in a short time, and I think the author has done a great job in writing this book, though I'm not convinced by the part where the perpetrators explained everything to Chella because she want answers before her death, thereby fulfilling her "last wish". Why would they want to tell her anything at all, much less everything?

The author also inserted some scriptures from the Bible. The main character, Chella, doesn't think of herself as a true Christian, because although she goes to church with her husband, she hasn't accepted in truth. But this changes as her faith in God grows and she prays for guidance and help.

In a nutshell, this is a well-written and enjoyable story, narrated in first person by Chella. I would recommend it to mystery lovers and Christian readers alike.

Note: This book is a clean read.

Rating:

Thanks to Valerie for sending me a copy of this book! :)

Valerie Massey Goree was born in South Africa and grew up in Rhodesia - now Zimbabawe. She attended a Christian university in Arkansas where she met her husband, Glenn. After attending graduate school, they returned to Zimbabwe as missionaries. Their two children were born there. When they returned to Texas, she began her teaching career in the public school system, working with children with special needs. Now that she's retired, she spends her time reading, writing and spoiling their granddaughter. They live in the Texas Hill Country, northeast of San Antonio.