A fine romantic suspense title from Kat Martin, also known for her lush historical romances. Readers new the genre may want to start at the beginning of the series, but this selection does standalone.

Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.

A steamy almost one night stand turns into a search for a killer. As always, Kat Martin delivers a fantastic romantic-suspense that has you weeping and cheering. Lots to love about this book and nothing to hate. The characters come together and learn to respect each others strengths and work together to find not only a killer, but to take down a trafficking ring operating throughout Texas. Then on to the corporation that was the top of the food chain.

Kate Gallagher hasn't seen her sister, Chrissy, since she ran away at age 16 two years ago. She is devastated when she receives a call from the morgue with a request to identify her body. The police have just written her off as a runaway prostitute who died at the hands of an over zealous john. Kate wants the killer found and goes to Maximum Security to hire a PI to do just that.

Jason Maddox normally works as a bounty hunter for Maximum Security, but when the woman he almost bedded the night before walks in, he puts on his PI hat to help her. What he didn't expect was that he would be so attracted to Kate that he would actually let her assist him in the hunt for her sister's killer. The battle against their mutual feelings didn't take long. The battle to keep Kate safe from what looks like a well connected human trafficking ring was a lot tougher. But Kate proves very resourceful and helpful in ways Jase never expected.

She searched for two long years, but now Kate Gallagher has been called to the morgue to identify her sister’s body. Guilt and grief send Kate into a tailspin but she won’t fail her sister again, even if finding her sister’s killer means following a lethal bounty hunter into the heart of darkness, placing both their lives in danger. Jason Maddox has been down some dangerous paths before, but never for a client he’s so drawn to, or for a case so monstrous. The deeper into the city’s underbelly they go, the deadlier the operation becomes, placing a target on the backs and they will have to decide what’s matters most…the truth or their lives.

This ‘Maximum Security’ suspense story is an intense, emotionally gripping and riveting tale. The characters stand out and speak to readers as they dive deeper and deeper into a world of horror while dealing their vivid sizzling chemistry and magnetic attraction. The romance between them is full of danger and emotional angst due to situation, but it is obvious to readers that these two are belong together and readers can’t help but become caught up in their story as they empathize with what they are going through.

The story is set at a steady pace with the suspense building continuously and some fast paced and adrenaline pumping excitement happening as Jason and Kate’s mission draws them closer and closer to the answers they seek and the target on their back becomes exponentially more deadly. Lots of unexpected twists keeps readers on the edge and the heroine of the story is strong with some surprising attitudes that makes her a perfect fit for a lethal bounty hunter. Once again, the author has given her fans a juicy, gut clenching and riveting suspense that they can take their eyes off of.

I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I've heard a lot of good things about this author, so I came into this book with a lot of high hopes. I was definitely not disappointed.

The book has a good plot and well-developed characters.

The characters drive the story and the story firmly grabs your interest.

It's a very high suspense book so if you enjoy that, then this book is for you.

I will be looking out for more books by this author for sure!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Stars ⭐⭐⭐💫
The Deception is the second installment of the Maximum Security series but it can be read easily as a standalone novel.

The pacing of the first half of the story was on the slow side, but the suspense aspect of the plot kept me intrigued. There was enough action, intensity, and mystery to keep me turning the pages.

Unfortunately, I didn't feel overly invested in the romance between the main characters. While Jason and Kate shared some sweet and heated moments, the romantic connection didn't feel strong or deeply emotional. That aside, I enjoyed their flirty dynamic as they investigated the crimes together.

Overall, I found The Deception to be a satisfactory read. I would be interested in reading the next novel in the series, The Betrayal, when it releases.



**Complimentary copy for review provided by Harlequin Publicity Team. All opinions expressed here are honest and entirely my own.**

What a great read! The Deception was the first Kat Martin book I’ve read but I’m excited to work my way through all of her backlist now - starting with the first book in this series. While this was book #2 - you can definitely start here - this worked well as a stand-alone story.

In The Deception, Kate learns that her sister who ran away 2 years ago was just found murdered. When she feels the police aren’t investigating it enough - she decides to hire a private investigator. Jason “Hawk” Maddox is just the right person for the job. Kate isn’t willing to just hire him and let him handle it though - she’s determined to be part of the investigation as well.

I loved this experience - it’s the kind of story that draws you in and you just want to race through it in one sitting. There were a couple intense moments where I found myself holding my breath and a few surprises I definitely didn’t see coming.

The only thing I didn’t love is that the pacing felt a little off with the romance - but I wouldn’t let it hold me back if you’re interested in this one. I can’t wait to read The Conspiracy!

Thank you to Harlequin Books, Harlequin Publicity Team and Netgalley for the free copies to read and review.

Summary

The Deception by Kat Martin is a romantic suspense book in the Maximum Security series. I am a huge fan of Kats; she wrote one of my favorite romantic suspense books.
In The Deception, I’m having a very hard time liking the main character Kate. She’s stupid; she makes stupid decisions. I hate that in the female character. You need to be smart enough to know when you need to get involved and when you need to let the professionals handle it. She even gets herself in bad situations and the people taking care of her bad situations and continues to do it. It’s not being a male chauvinist when you’re working these situations and you make the unqualified person stay back.

With all that said; Jace is a great character and I cannot wait for Bran’s story. Kat did a great job at giving us the intrigue behind Bran that I cannot wait for his book. Jace is a good character; he’s likable and totally hero material.

Their relationship seemed more physical than emotional; this could be because I didn’t like Kate.
Kat writes about the tough subject of human trafficking. The book opens with the body of Kate’s sister and the story is of them trying to find her killer.

Sexual content - 4 several physical scenes, they were more physical than emotional
Violence 3.5 - Human trafficking, drugs, deaths, physical abuse,
drugs - not the main characters but they drugged the girls, dealing drugs
alcohol - both characters were drinking
language f-word 12 times, d@mn - 24, sh!t - 10 times

I received this book from Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review.
You can see my full review at More Than a Review dot com where I rate the level of sex, violence, language and drug/alcohol use in books.

The Deception is a delicious thriller that you won't be able to put down! Kat Martin is one of my go-to authors for suspense, and this one is at the top of my favorites list. A search for a killer, leads to a much darker and larger circle of crime than Kate Gallagher could've ever expected. Jason Maddox is the bounty hunter helping her find her sisters killer, and if the criminals don't kill them first, their chemistry just might. A thrilling read that'll have you on the edge of your seat!

If you’re looking for a fun romantic suspense series to read, I highly recommend the Maximum Security series by Kat Martin. I loved the first book in the series (THE CONSPIRACY) so I couldn’t wait to read the second book.

THE DECEPTION focuses on Jason “Hawk” Maddox, a private investigator at Maximum Security, and his client, Kate Gallagher. Kate has hired Jason to help her find the person – or persons - who brutally killed her sister, a runaway teen. “As clues lead them deeper into the city’s underbelly, connections to human trafficking draw them closer and closer to peril, but even [Jason’s] warnings can’t convince Kate to walk away. As the deadly operation puts a target on their backs, they’ll have to decide what matters most: the truth…or their lives.”

Even though I didn’t like Jason and Kate as much as I liked the main characters in THE CONSPIRACY (Chase and Harper), the plot of THE DECEPTION was equally interesting, suspenseful, and fast-paced. I liked how the author balanced serious topics - the murder of a sibling, teenage prostitution, human trafficking, etc. - with a lighter-hearted writing style that made the story fun to read. I found myself envisioning modern-day Jason and Kate as characters in one of my favorite shows, “Walker, Texas Ranger,” where the good guys are all hot, successful, multi-talented, butt-kicking justice seekers while the bad guys are bumbling doofuses living in crummy apartments in the shady parts of town just hoping to make a couple hundred dollars as pimps. The story also has a positive philanthropic message scattered throughout and highlights ways rehabilitation centers help turn the lives of teenage runaways around. I can’t wait to read the third book in the series!

Disclaimer: I received a finished copy of the book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Kate has been searching for her lost sister for 2 years then she gets a call from the morgue and has to go see if it is her sister. She was a runaway and was brutally murdered. She feels that she failed her sister and won't do it again. Jason works at Maximum Security and is also a bounty hunter. Kate hires him to help find her sister's murderer. But Kate insists on helping them. This leads them to an underground of prostitution, human trafficking and so many other things. Their lives are in danger many times. They also start falling for each other. Jason doesn't want a relationship because his job is dangerous. But he can't stop his feelings for Kate. Kate fits right in working undercover and can turn herself into any role that he needs her to be.
I received this from Partners in Crime and NetGalley for an honest review.

I was really hesitant going into this one as I was not in love with book one. Where book one fell a little flat for me, I loved The Deception. I could not put this one down.

A story of intrigue and suspense, "The Deception" by Kat Martin is the first in her Maximum Security Series.

As always, Kat Martin weaves a story of betrayal and pain as she brings Kate Gallagher to Maximum Security and Jason Maddox, to help find justice for her murdered sister. Kat Martin is a master of romantic suspense and this story does not disappoint, as Kate and Jason get caught in the crossfire of human trafficking.

A definite read!

I finished The Conspiracy undecided about whether I would continue with this series and remained on the fence until I read the blurb for The Deception, which convinced me to give it a try. This one has good suspense and action, but there are also several similarities between it and the first book in the series, so it has its good and bad points.
There is more of the same in Martin's characters here. The good guys are all pretty people, for lack of a better way to say it. I'll save the lengthy descriptions on both sides, but suffice it to say the bad guys are all the opposite of the good guys. Basically, in the Maximum Security world, there are no attractive bad guys and vice versa, or that's the impression it gives. All that accomplished for me was to make the characters almost caricature-like. That's not including our romantic couple, who of course, are both sexy and hard to resist. I did like that Kate is a strong woman, and she even though she does sometimes need rescuing, she can also take care of herself.
As far as the romance, there is a lot of back and forth about where things are going for both Kate and Jason, which is common in romance. However, the angst comes from the 'I'm not good for you, so I'm letting you go to protect you,' a trope that is tired at best. Kate and Jason do have good chemistry, and I liked them together, but I lost some of that when the romance is tested in that way. The story has some good intrigue, and there is plenty of danger for this couple so that extra angst just felt unnecessary.
All in all, The Deception had its pros and cons for me, but I did like it better than the first in the series.

The Deception by Kat Martin
Maximum Security #2

In the introductory scene Kate Gallagher is asked to identify a body in the morgue, her younger sister’s body, and it guts her. They were not close due to the gap in age between them but to lose her was tough and to find out she had been murdered and suffered sent her out to forget. Into the arms of rugged Jason “Hawk” Maddox she falls hoping to forget and get out of her head for a bit...boy was there chemistry between them!

Kate decides the police will probably never find her sister’s murderer so hires someone to help her find the man...and who should she end up hiring but...Hawk. The chemistry is still there but they decide they can ignore it in pursuit of the bad guy(s). And pursue they did. With many leads that took them to a few other cities they uncovered more than one criminal that needed to be brought down. They are well suited to working together and that is just what they do. There are some ups and downs and scary situations in this romantic suspense that eventually does end with HEA for the two of them.

What I liked:
* Kate: What a strong individual she was...and so open in her caring, sharing and sense of purpose
* Hawk: Strong protective and caring he wanted to do what was right for Kate but sometimes got it wrong and I wanted to set him straight
* The team at Maximum Security: Can’t wait to read Brandon’s story next...and hope that perhaps Wolfe or Jaxon will have have stories, too.
* That the bad guys did get their comeuppance

What I didn’t like:
* The bad guys...there were more than one or two and all deserved to be wiped off the face of the earth!
* The idea that trafficking of human beings happens in real life and though this book is fiction it reminded me of the callousness of human beings

Did I like this book? Yes
Would I read more in the series? Yes

This is definitely romantic suspense with a bit of steam but it is also, in some ways, fantasy. Why do I say that? I don’t think that Kate would really have been able to do all that she did in this book without more training and backstory but this is fiction so anything can happen, right?

Thank you to NetGalley and HQN for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4 Stars

Kate' sister Crissy has been missing for two years. Kate learns that her body has been found and that the life she lived was not a pretty one. When the investigation goes nowhere, Kate hires a security firm to help her find out what really happened to her sister. Jason is assigned the case and is intrigued that Kate wants to be involved in finding out who killed her sister and why. A fast paced romantic suspense.

To be honest I was a bit nervous to start The Deception by Kay Martin because I did not enjoy the first book in the series. Yet, when I saw the cover and read the synopsis for the second book in the Maximum Security series , I decided to give the author a second chance. This book has won me over and I will be definitely looking out for future releases in the series.

The Deception is the story of Kate Gallagher's pursuit of tracking down her sisters' killer and seeking out justice for girls who have found themselves in similar situations. To accomplish her goals she teams up with PI / Bounty Hunter Jason Hawk Maddox. They work side by side to uncover what happened to her sister, and she finds herself digging into a world filled with drugs and human trafficking. It isn't long before the bad guys set their sights on them, and they have to catch them before they get caught.

Kate and Jason have intense sexual chemistry and work just as well in the sheets as they do out of it. This book has a lot of hot and heavy scenes that were executed perfectly in my opinion. Yes they are trying to find her sisters killer and their lives are at risk but their intimacy is a way to relieve stress and remind themselves that they are still alive. I really enjoyed both characters, Kate was beautiful and smart, and completely steps up and holds her own when things get dangerous. Jason is rough and handsome, charming and protective of Kate without being controlling. He supports her independent streak and it was refreshing.

The story line was entertaining from beginning to end. It had action, high stakes scenarios, heart stopping moments, and passion. The details of their investigation seemed to go deeper and deeper but it flowed consistently, there was no point where I thought 'this is ridiculous'. Overall, I am completely satisfied with The Deception by Kat Martin and I can't wait to read the next book in the series.

The Deception was another great installment in the Maximum Security series with a suspenseful plot and an incredible romance.

Kate Gallagher has been searching for her missing younger sister for two years. She never imagined finding her would involve identifying her body at the morgue. Kate failed Chrissy once and she’s determined not to do it again leading Kate to hire Jason Maddox to locate Chrissy’s killer and bring him to justice. With Kate insisting she be involved in the investigation, Jase knows he’s got his hands full trying to keep her safe while hunting a killer. But when their investigation leads to human trafficking and puts a target on their backs, the pair will have their work cut out for them if they hope to make it through the investigation alive.

The investigation into Chrissy’s death was interesting and there were definitely a few surprises uncovered along the way. Kate knew nothing about her sister’s life from the past two years and her death provided little information to find a starting point. It was interesting watching Jase make connections and find leads, the man is definitely good at what he does. After the pair made the human trafficking connection, the suspense element definitely ramped up and the pacing picked up as well. I thought the ending to the investigation was well done and I was happy with the way everything wrapped up. One of the nice things about these books is how the author incorporates the other characters from Maximum Security. The dynamics between all the characters is well done and it’s nice getting to see characters from previous books pop up.

Kate and Jase’s relationship starts out as mutual attraction and quickly develops into something more. As the two begin working together on Chrissy’s case, they try to set their attraction aside believing it will be a distraction from the task at hand. Eventually the pair aren’t able to fight it anymore and give in leading to some fantastically done scenes. One of my favorite things about their relationship was that they developed a wonderful friendship while working together. Jase is initially hesitant for Kate to be so actively involved in the case but Kate refuses to be sidelined leading to Jase accepting her involvement. At times Jase could still become overprotective, but given the circumstances and the people they were chasing, that made sense.

Overall I really enjoyed The Deception and I’m looking forward to reading more books in the series in the future. I highly recommend the series if you’re in the mood for some great romantic suspense.

I read a free ARC from NetGalley.com and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.

I have been a fan of Ms Martin's books for years- action, alphas, romance- what's not to like? Although this is the 2nd book in the series, it can be read as a stand alone- but why would you want to? Go back and read the first book.

Kate Gallagher, business owner of a management consulting firm, is called to the Dallas morgue to ID her younger sister Crissy, who she had not seen in two years, since Crissy ran away from home. Needing some human contact, she goes to a country-western hang out that night, where she meets PI and bounty hunter, former marine, 6',4", 210 pounds, Jason Hawkins Maddox. But they are interrupted in the parking lot, much to Kate's relief, since this is not her character, but to Jason's chagrin. Kate and Crissy weren't close, as there is a huge gap in ages, but after speaking to the homicide detective police, who did not put the murder of a druggie prostitute at the top of his file of cases, she goes to Maximum Security to hire someone to find Crissy's killer. As soon as she walks in the door, Jason, who has been thinking about her since the night they met, talks her into hiring him. They agree to fight their attraction at least until the case is closed, but as the danger escalates with Kate insisting upon being in on all the action, they are forced to share quarters, and they give in to "the chemistry". Is that all it is? Will Jason do that stupid male thing when he realizes that he loves her, to sacrifice their love because he thinks he isn't good for her? Whoever said "If You Love Someone, Set Them Free" is an idiot, if they meant it to mean to push them away.

Great characters, action packed age turning story make this a hard to put down exciting read.

The last think Jason Maddox expected to find the beautiful woman he knows only as "Just Kate" that he can't stop thinking about walking into his office in need of a private investigator. As the two of them work together to get Kate the answers she's seeking they find themselves knee deep into the seedy depths of sex trafficking, drug running and all things nasty.
This book should come with a warning label ~ Beware you won't be able to put it down once you pick it up. Another fantastic high speed adventure from one of my favorite authors. Kate Gallagher has been searching for her younger sister ever since she ran away from home at 16. Now she's a cold statistic in the Dallas morgue and the over burdened police force are not helpful in finding her answers. She turns to Maximum Security and teams up with Jason Maddox. Determined to be a partner in all ways Kate finds she had a talent for relating to people and finding answers. The pattern that begins to emerge is chilling even as it fills Kate with sadness.
Readers be prepared to experience the full range of emotions from anger, sadness, excitement and love as Kate embarks on her quest which takes her into the seedy world of prostitution and sex trafficking where girls are kidnapped from bus stations and train stations and forced into a life of drug addiction and sex workers with a shelf life.
Jason and Kate are an absolutely fabulous couple and you'll be pretty vested in the outcome of their romance even as the stubborn man goes through his revelation of what love truly means. The constant adrenaline high whether it's from their pursuit of the truth behind "Who Killed Chrissy and Why" or the other side projects that Jason takes on add the extra cherry on the top. I am so glad that I discovered Ms. Martin when I did.

It's been a while since I've read a book by Kat Martin and once I got started I wondered why. This was non-stop action with suspense, romance, mystery and heart stopping scenes! It was hard to put down but I went to bed and got up to finish it in the morning

Excited to go back and read book one in the series about Chase and Harper while waiting for book 3. Great characters and relevant (believable) storyline about sex trafficking in the United States.

I received a free ARC eBook from Net Galley and the publisher for my honest opinions.