Review of:  A Game of Deceit

K.A. Davis

Good first try!

Reviewed in the United States on August 1, 2017

This book is a fast and enjoyable read - a perfect pick to take with you to the beach this summer! The pace was good and kept me reading - I finished it in just two days!

However, I think this book had a few problems -- the characters were a little two-dimensional and none seemed to be fully developed. Several things about the characters/ plot definitely required a suspension of disbelief (too coincidental or didn't make sense). I never understood why Kathryn allowed herself to be abused and sexually harassed by all the men in her life (all of whom crossed major professional/ moral/ ethical boundaries). It seemed she was a passive victim, dependent and at the mercy of everyone else, right through to the end. I didn't feel that she really experienced much inner growth or realized her own strength and independence.

Also, the issue of her finances was never resolved. It appeared that she had only one client in her interior design business (John), and her husband was a free-lance writer. How could they actually have millions? Was Kathryn ever able to access the hidden account since her identity had been stolen? This issue was never resolved.

There were also a lot of extraneous topics that didn't fit very well with the overall storyline or belong in a suspense novel. For example, there was a lot of information about a child with Rett's Syndrome and a big focus on baked goods and recipes. Neither of these had anything to do with the plot and I'm not exactly sure why they were included.

I almost felt as if the author wasn't sure whether this should be an action-suspense novel or a cozy. I think it was a good effort, but I feel the author will really hit her stride if she focuses on writing cozies. For an action novel, it would need to be more gripping, gritty, with a lot more action and intrigue. For a cozy, she would have a chance to explore her characters more, give us helpful information through their eyes, and treat us to scrumptious recipes as well! Ms. Davis is clearly a talented author and I look forward to reading her next work!