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Deadly Deceit by Jean Harrod Review

Reviewed by David Savage

Deadly Deceit is the second novel in the Diplomatic Crime Series, the first being Deadly Diplomacy, written by former British diplomat Jean Harrod.

Deadly Deceit sees British diplomat Jess Turner assigned to the Governor’s Office on the tiny Turks and Caicos Islands in the tropical Caribbean to cover for a colleague who has to fly to back to the UK to see a sick relative. While the warm and sunny climate, sandy beaches and picture postcard location sounds like heaven it soon becomes a living hell when the Governor is critically injured in a car crash and a brutal and gruesome murder. Jess starts to uncover a series of secrets, lies, distrust, illegal immigration, voodoo, suicide, murder and cover ups that send shockwaves not only through the tiny islands but in the corridors of power back in London.

Meanwhile Jess’s friend DI Tom Sangster, an Australian detective who investigates illegal immigration and people smuggling gangs in Australia is in Miami, a stone’s throw away from Jess in the Caribbean, seeing how other governments deal with this worldwide problem. He sees Jess walking through Miami airport on her way to the Turks and Caicos Islands and decides to pay her a visit. He is soon involved in Jess’s case and although has no authority on the islands is discovering disturbing information about what is occurring on the British Oversees Territory.

If that wasn’t enough uncovering the lies, deceit and murder a hurricane is on course to hit the islands.

Overall, this book really surprised me. I don’t normally read diplomatic or political novels but when I read the press release for Deadly Deceit it sounded quite interesting but I must admit that being written by a former diplomat I did expect it to be quite dry and filled with politician speak. Well I couldn’t have been more wrong and am glad I was! This book is extremely well written and is certainly far from dry. While the author clearly uses her experiences of being an oversees diplomat she has used it well and has written a fast-paced, thrilling and extremely exciting story and a series that I see being a very big success.

With strange happenings on the islands, islanders terrified but fearful of outsiders, attempted murder, brutal murder and cover ups this book has everything to thrill and keep you intrigued and doesn’t reveal its secrets until the very end.

Although this is the second book in the series it can be read as a standalone novel. I haven’t read the first book but loved this so much I will have to read it.

If you want a decent thriller then I can highly recommend Deadly Deceit and look forward to reading more in this series.

Rating: 5/5

RRP: £7.99 (Paperback) / £1.99 (Kindle)

Released 16 June 2016, Deadly Deceit is available to buy from Amazon here.

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