This one is a bit of slow build and took me awhile to get into, but I have to say that the more I learned about the characters and their back story, the more my curiosity was piqued about where the story would go. From the beginning, Jill is not a likable character. She's cold and seems to have little regard for others. Of course, it doesn't take long to figure out that we aren't supposed to like her. I was left with a bit of a head scratch about Alex's jumps in logic in his investigation, but it certainly makes for some rising tension. The story is part vigilante/serial killer thriller and part crime drama, and the conclusion kept me turning pages and was certainly a jaw-dropping, I didn't expect that development. I'll be interested to see where it all goes from here.

The Deadly Lies (The Delingpole Mysterie... Book – The Deadly Lies (The Delingpole Mysteries #2)
Author – David C. Dawson
Star rating - ★★★★☆
No. of Pages – 210
Cover – Great!
POV – 3rd person, multi-POV
Would I read it again – Yes!
Genre – LGBT, Contemporary, Mystery, British



** I WAS GIVEN THIS BOOK FOR MY READING PLEASURE **
Reviewed for Divine Magazine


The Deadly Lies is a great follow-up to book 1 in the Delingpole Mysteries. As soon as I saw that it started with Bernhardt – the man who first popped Dominic's gay-cherry! – I swear I squeezed with excitement. I thought, for sure, that he would be the biggest surprise of the book, but I was wrong. So wrong.

There is one reason I didn't give this one 5 stars, like I did with book 1, and that is the fact that the first half of the book wasn't quite as captivating. It focused more on their relationship, with fewer hints and clues about the overall crime, so I found it interesting but not as intriguing and it didn't stir my 'mystery solving' tastebuds quite as much.

Saying that, the second half was gripping and thrilling. The story is a great mystery, with a lot of information provided. There are multiple POV's, because the author is smart enough to show the POV of the criminals, the enemies and the players who really had an impact on how the story progressed. I loved seeing the POV's for the new characters – Pete, Bernhardt, Alfonso and his husband Gabriel, as well as Karl Michael and Sinon – and learning how they fit into the overall story. It was a bit harder to figure out where Pete and Sinon came into it until around the halfway mark or just after it, because there was a subtle genius to the way they were linked to the rest of the plot and the characters. Once again, I found myself amazed at how well it all came together.

I'll admit, I read reviews after reading book 1 and couldn't understand the complaints about it being unrealistic – would you say the same thing about James Bond? – or the horrible slut-shaming of Jonathan. For me, the plot is a brilliant, well conceived and well written – not to mention thoroughly researched, which I can see from the immense attention to detail – while the characters are realistic and relatable.

I am still in love with Dominic and Jonathan. I still love their individual quirks and how they function together. Just as in book 1, their chemistry isn't off-the-charts, because they've been together a while and they don't have to prove their feelings for each other at every turn. Their chemistry is subtle and gentle, in ways that every long term couple can recognise. They have their struggles, more so in this book than in the previous one, but they find a way to work through it and, in the process, learn even more about each other and their relationship.

It's kind of sad, but also logical, that Jonathan would feel betrayed at the thought of Dominic having had an affair, because he's the adventurous one, the one who doesn't always admit to this 'open' relationship excursions, while Dominic has always been transparent about it. It makes sense that he'd feel especially hurt that Dominic hadn't told him about one of his 'adventures', which makes it sound shady, whereas Jonathan is also feeling the same jealousy that Dominic usually feels over his encounters. I loved that they faced this difficulty head-on, because it was something that the first book touched upon. To see the way Jonathan and Dominic dealt with it – the secrets, the talking, the silence, the hurt feelings etc – all showed that these are two men who really do love each other and they're willing to face any struggle head on, together. And, I love that Alfonso and Gabriel show Jonathan and Dominic that an open relationship can be both successful and honest. I'd love to see more of Alfonso and Gabriel in the future, because I hope that these two will become firm friends to Dominic and Jonathan. They need them, to keep them stable and remind them of what they have.

When it comes to the secondary characters, I really did love to see Steve again. I'm so glad that he was back. He has some excellent skills and they were really well utilised in this book. I kind of loved Sinon, too. I'm super intrigued to find out who will appear in the next book and what kind of part they'll have in it, not to mention the impact they'll have on Jonathan and Dominic.

Overall, this intriguing story took place partly in San Francisco and partly in Barcelona, full of conspiracy and subterfuge, while exploring Dominic and Jonathan's relationship in a whole new way. There are secret organisations, a bit more of the hot stuff than book 1 (mostly fade-to-black) and some serious drama. With the author leaving the story open for another book, I can't wait to see where it's going to go, but I know it's going to be one hell of a ride.

~

Favourite Quotes

““Good evening, my injured Englishman!” said Alfonso in a loud whisper. “Now, don’t you cause these nice people any trouble, or I will bring the full force of the law upon you.”
“Oh, I do hope so,” said Jonathan, his leg lifted in readiness to get into the bed. “I have nothing to protect me except this hospital gown, which, as you can see, has full rear ventilation and offers total access.” Jonathan gave the flimsy gown a flick, like a coquettish debutante at a dance, before settling himself into the bed.”

Goodreads Synopsis: Last fall, sixteen-year-old Camelia fell for Ben, a new boy at school who had a very mysterious gift – psychometry, the ability to sense the future through touch. But just as Camelia and Ben's romance began to heat up, he abruptly left town. Brokenhearted, Camelia has spent the last few months studying everything she can about psychometry and experiencing strange brushes with premonition. Camelia wonders if Ben's abilities have somehow been transferred to her.

Ben returns to school, but he remains aloof, and Camelia can't get close enough to share her secret with him. Camelia makes the painful decision to let him go and move on. Adam, the hot new guy at Knead, seems good for her in ways Ben wasn't. But when Camelia and Adam start dating, a surprising love triangle results. A chilling sequence of events uncovers secrets from Ben’s past – and Adam's. Someone is lying, and it's up to Camelia to figure out who – before it's too late.

 

 

Review:

 

This was basically like reading the first book all over again. She was yet again receiving threats, never mind that she was kidnapped before she again does not inform her parents or the police blah blah blah, there was no development in the story whatsoever! The dialogue is awful as it seems we get nowhere from the conversations between the characters, Camelia’s friends have their own family drama but all they ever want to talk about is her and Ben, so boring! Camelia also went back and forth between trusting Ben in the first book and then he saves her life for the second time so you think she’d fully trust him but no she still doubts him in this one, what more does she want??

 

The teachers at their school also just let bullying happen by looking the other way when students were pulling pranks on Ben and calling Wes names, what kind of school is that! I don’t believe that a school would just let this much destructive behaviour happen in real life. We were also introduced to a new character Adam. After only 3 dates, where all Camelia talked about was Ben, he said he loved her…hold up, what?! You can see how all this is really rushed in order to get to the conclusion of the story.

 

Everything wrong with the first book just carried over to this one, there was absolutely no character development, the story didn’t progress in any way, I can’t think of anything positive about it. I just can’t deal with this series, maybe it gets better maybe it doesn’t but either way I won’t be continuing with it.

Pecan Pie and Deadly Lies by Nancy Naigle
This book starts out following Kasey and her son at a parade before Jake heads off to kindergarten in the next few days.
Her sister Riley is visiting and will return to celebrate Kasey's birthday. Kasey's husband Nick died in the war. She has started to see the sheriff Scott but there's no sparks, they remain friends and she hopes he sees it as such. Jake was kidnapped once and Kasey's not gotten over it yet.
Story also follows Cody, a country western singer on the road and he plans to catch up with Kasey as they've remained friends.
He sometimes tires of being on the road... the band buses land at Kasey's due to the hurricane coming up the coast so they have time to spend with her. She's a photographer and heading up to Arty's party.
Lots of twists and turns in this book but easy to follow.
The buses head back home as the commercial in TX has been cancelled. Kasey works on a spreadsheet timeline of events that happened and Cody is to fill in his section for the lawyer, her bffs husband, Von.
Kasey spends a few days at his house near Nashville and the thing I like most is Cody is down to earth with his possessions. A lap pool in his house, zipline from the top of the hill to the outside pool. His expansive ranch. Always wanted to go zip lining and it's on my to do list, someday.
He doesn't flaunt his things in front of others.  Love how her photography and that of friends help solve the case.
Understand the meaning of the title now, you won't find out til the end...
I received this book from a contest I won.

Deadly Lies -- Cynthia Eden

Book 3 of Deadly series

2011 Release -- Forever; Grand Central Publishing

Adult, Romantic Suspense, Erotica, Mystery

 

 

Just as suspenseful, thrilling, and romantically heated as Cynthia Eden's first two Deadly books, Deadly Lies was very much intense and un-put-down-able. I believe that I had picked it up thinking to just read a few chapters to get started... then I ended up a lot further than expected.

Once again, another Cynthia Eden book that hooks you from the start, with likable characters and an intriguing criminal mystery. The dark tone of the story helps too. And once again, the focus is really more on the Romance and the steamy sex than was really necessary. However, I flew through this book so quickly that I didn't even really take note when or if the romance scenes felt inappropriately placed.


The Story in Brief:
Samantha Kennedy was introduced in the first Deadly book, Deadly Fear and suffered a tragic, deathly torture at the hands of the killer called "Watchman". Using her fear of water against her, the twisted killer would drown her and then resuscitate her just to turn around and drown her again--it was an endless cycle of hell for Sam until she was finally rescued by her fellow SSD agents.

Unfortunately, Sam has not been able to recover from this incident. She's worried that she never will and that her SSD boss will see through her anxiety and that everyone will think that she is incapable of continuing to do her job. In order to forget, Sam chooses to lose herself in no-strings passion. Which is how she meets Max Ridgeway.

At present, the SSD is investigating a string of serial kidnappings--young college boys from well-to-do families are being taken. And the stakes are starting to become higher when two of the most recent kidnapping victims get sent back to their families in pieces.

The next kidnapping victim turns out to be Max's younger step-brother, Quinlan Malone. And on top of that, the SSD have learned that the game is changing for these kidnappers--their patterns are changing and their crimes are escalating.


Overall Thoughts:
As per usual, there are Romance elements spread throughout the story at some of the most inopportune spots. Sam will be in the middle of investigating a lead, but then she'd run into Max and the two get sucked into their whirlwind passion of lust and sex. And then the reader is left wondering, "Wait, what about that lead you were in the middle of following? What about the kidnapping case? What about the victims and the murders?"

And then almost immediately--after a quick scene of fast, steamy sex--we get right back on track: another victim gets kidnapped, calls are made, and Samantha slips into the Malone household, undetected even though the kidnappers specifically specify that there are to be NO COPS INVOLVED or else Quinlan will die.


I think why I liked this last Deadly book more than the previous two had to do with two things:

1st) I've come to like the world and the characters, because even the supporting characters have mysterious pasts and lives of their own to pique my curiosity;

2nd) Sam and Max's relationship was strewn with angsty emotions of a good kind of feel that I can't describe, because both of them are damaged individuals fighting their own demons alone until they meet each other. Sometimes I hate these tropes... sometimes, I guess depending on the characters and the focus of the story line, they work for me.

It probably also helped that we've known Sam since the beginning and have watched her struggle through her terror with the promise of finally being able to let go and move on with her life now.


Deadly Lies is fast-paced and exciting, and as I had already mentioned, you just didn't have time to dwell on the disconnects between Romance elements and Suspense elements, because both aspects are written very well, even if their continuity is a little bit stunted. As in the first two books, it was hard for me to reconcile the case investigations suddenly taking a turn into steamy sex being had and then back again.

But, honestly, did that really bother me at all? No. Not really.

Again, if it's one thing that Cynthia Eden does quite well it's Romantic Suspense. And despite the fact that this is the last book in the Deadly series (as of present, because who knows what will happen in the future) I really WOULD love to continue following the FBI team of Serial Services Division agents. There are still so many more stories to tell (Kim Daniels and Jon Ramirez are stellar side characters who need their own books) so will happily welcome a continuation of this series if it ever happens.