4 out of 5 stars
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It was in the middle of the night when a fellow officer called Detective Charles Wilson, asking him to check on a disturbance call coming from an abandoned place nearby. Thinking that it might just be another case of trouble-making teenagers, Charles half-heartedly responded. Much to his terror, it wasn't just a bunch of drunken teenagers partying late at night. It was a gruesome scene of an entire family murdered in cold blood. Charles must follow a trail of lies and misleading pieces of evidence to get to the bottom of this case. Will he find the killer?
Deception of One by Donovan Smith is a crime fiction involving a detective who must solve a murder case. The narrative has vivid descriptions, which is the aspect that I like the most. The gruesome scenes were palpable pictures in the reader's head, making the murder mystery aspect of the book captivating. I also appreciate the sentiments regarding the nature of police work. There is truly more to people than meets the eye.
I also like Charles' existential crisis. The way he ruminates on his life, which only seems to revolve around one crime encounter after the other, is a great way to appeal to the reader's emotions. Amidst a tough life of hunting criminals and solving cases, Charles still hopes to seek meaning out in his life. However, if there's any issue to mention, it will be the main character's lack of depth. I feel like Charles' characterization is much too simple. There isn't anything that will set him apart from all the detective or police officer main characters out there.
The text is free of any errors, so it is safe to say that the book has excellent professional editing. I don't have any more dislikes other than the one about Charles' character. I don't think he is someone readers can easily empathize with in the story because there aren't any memorable aspects of his character. For that reason, I'm giving this book a rating of 4 out of 5 stars. I like the writing for its simplicity and vividness. Due to one flaw in the narrative, I had to withdraw a star.
Fans of murder mysteries will find this book a delightful read. It has a simple premise but it will take you through an exciting trail of detective work to follow. It is short, so people looking for a quick novel to pass the time should read this book.
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Deception of one
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