Review of Playing with Fire

[Erin Dydek]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Playing with Fire" by Coleen Greenwood and Karen Crear.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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“Liar, liar, pants on fire” doesn’t begin to explain the depths of deception that so-called fireman James Scott was willing to go to create a false life. On the surface, he seemed to be a charming and genuinely caring man, but his facade began to crack, and his excuses no longer held up to scrutiny. When his fiancee Coleen and her sister Karen sought answers, the truth became a bitter pill to swallow, and their lives would never be the same. Coleen Greenwood and Karen Crear share their eye-opening story as victims of an elaborate scam in Playing with Fire.

In their riveting true story, Coleen shares what happened to her after agreeing to an innocent date with a match she met on a dating site app. I appreciated how well Coleen and Karen depicted the events of 2016-2017 when James Scott first arrived on the scene. The twin sisters recollect James’s actions and how his outgoing and confident personality won over everyone they knew. It was amazing how this man got away with so many audacious crimes. But even the author states, “we all believed that James was a wonderful, kind, charitable man; an individual who would always help his fellow friends, a truly good person.”

This story was smooth-flowing and easy to read. The authors engagingly dipicted how James charmed Coleen with thoughtful gifts, romantic gestures, and relatable tales of woe. In telling her tale, Coleen and her sister could see the cracks in James’s stories, but even they were surprised at how far the deception went. Part two of the book dove into a new web of deceit as the sisters discovered they were not the only victims to get burned in this fireman’s game. It was fascinating to see how sheer luck, good timing, and a gift for playing with the emotions of others made it possible for one man to create such a life. This mind-blowing story is well worth reading and may even be relatable for other victims of sociopaths and pathological liars.

There were occasional moments where the pacing of the book dragged a bit. But as the increasingly surprising events unfolded, I desperately wanted to know how Coleen and Karen caught James in his lies. I could not put this book down! There were minor editing errors, but I disliked nothing about the book. Therefore, I give Playing with Fire five out of five stars.

This book tells the true story of a scam and court case in the United Kingdom. If you enjoy memoirs and trials of victims overcoming crime, you may want to check out this novel. My favorite part was the strength that came to the family as they had to overcome the pain of this situation together, and I was encouraged by their efforts to support each other through the devastating outcome of discovering the truth. There were a few swear words throughout the book but no erotic content.

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Playing with Fire
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[NetMassimo]

Some people can really create a fake life in which they look like they're wonderful while they're actually sociopaths. It's interesting to read the true story of one of them and how he got away with it for quite some time. Thank you for your great review!

[RutvikPatel]

Your review effectively captures the intriguing and disturbing nature of the true story presented in "Playing with Fire" by Coleen Greenwood and Karen Crear. It highlights the depths of deception and manipulation carried out by the central character, James Scott, who managed to deceive those around him with his charming facade.

[Cara Wilding]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Playing with Fire" by Coleen Greenwood and Karen Crear.]

“Liar, liar, pants on fire” doesn’t begin to explain the depths of deception that so-called fireman James Scott was willing to go to create a false life. On the surface, he seemed to be a charming and genuinely caring man, but his facade began to crack, and his excuses no longer held up to scrutiny. When his fiancee Coleen and her sister Karen sought answers, the truth became a bitter pill to swallow, and their lives would never be the same. Coleen Greenwood and Karen Crear share their eye-opening story as victims of an elaborate scam in Playing with Fire.

In their riveting true story, Coleen shares what happened to her after agreeing to an innocent date with a match she met on a dating site app. I appreciated how well Coleen and Karen depicted the events of 2016-2017 when James Scott first arrived on the scene. The twin sisters recollect James’s actions and how his outgoing and confident personality won over everyone they knew. It was amazing how this man got away with so many audacious crimes. But even the author states, “we all believed that James was a wonderful, kind, charitable man; an individual who would always help his fellow friends, a truly good person.”

This book tells the true story of a scam and court case in the United Kingdom. If you enjoy memoirs and trials of victims overcoming crime, you may want to check out this novel. My favorite part was the strength that came to the family as they had to overcome the pain of this situation together, and I was encouraged by their efforts to support each other through the devastating outcome of discovering the truth. There were a few swear words throughout the book but no erotic content.

I can't say I've ever been a huge fan of reading memoirs, but this sounds downright spicy! This made me think of the many movies and series streaming now that depict this kind of reality. It could make anyone shy away from online dating forever! Your review had me craving the details of his lies and how the sisters catch him in those lies! I always appreciate a story where justice is served, I think I would like this based on your description. I really enjoyed reading your review and look forward to more from you! Thanks so much for sharing your thought on this one with us.

[Upphilan Paul]

The reviews I have been reading drew my attention to this book genre. I haven't been reading C/T/M/H novel, but I believe there are lessons to be learnt from them. This is a captivating and mind-hacking read with a compelling review and I long to read this book and see what you've read.
I like your review. Good job.