The Book Diva's Reads

3.5 star read

Three years ago Kate Marshall's life was turned upside down. A routine father-son fishing trip turned into a nightmare when Kate's husband was found dead and her four-year-old son was presumed to have drowned. Kate left upstate New York for St. Louis, Missouri. She has begun to build a new life until a chance encounter in the mall has her questioning everything. Kate is sure the young boy she saw on an escalator at a local mall is her son. The police don't find her story plausible so she hires a private investigator. Although Connor Sullivan isn't quite sure what to believe, he agrees to take the case on a provisional basis. What he finds out is even more shocking than the original incident that claimed the life of Kate's husband. Can Connor find the truth and return Kate's son before more tragedy occurs?

Deceived is the third book in the Private Justice series by Irene Hannon. I found this to be a fast paced and thoroughly enjoyable read. Deceived is a clean, inspirational, romantic-suspense read. As with previous books in this series, we get the opportunity to read about ordinary people of faith in extraordinary circumstances. Connor Sullivan is a great investigator, but he doesn't have the faith that his co-workers have until he is able to truly see faith in action through Kate's life. It is always uplifting to read about characters that place their belief at the forefront of their lives versus the backburner . . . at least it is for this reader. I enjoyed the interaction between Connor and Kate. It was fascinating to read about a woman overcoming her grief and building a life where she goes out of her way to help others overcome their problems. Ms. Hannon provides the reader with strong men and strong women that become even stronger when they work together. Yes you know when you start reading this book that it is going to be a HEA (happy-ever-after), but not in the more traditional sense because these characters still have issues to work out and through but they do so together. Ms. Hannon's stories are crafted with the just the right amount of suspense and romance to make for a wholly enjoyable and intriguing read from beginning to end. If you enjoy inspirational fiction, romantic suspense, or are just looking for a good read, then I can definitely recommend Deceived.