Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
This book gets a lot of love from all the readers, but it was not for me. It is not bad, but did not match my expectation from a legal thriller. I rate this as 1 * (my first one in 2024) because I found it a chore to get back to reading this book and struggled not to DNF. I finished 8 other books after starting this one.
I requested for the ARC, because I had liked book #2 (Grave Singer). Now I dont remember much, but going by my review, I think it had some good courtroom drama. In the review, I had commented <i>I am taking away points because the Sheriff Billie Gray stupidly goes alone to the villain's lair. </i> Unfortunately she doesn't become wiser in this book. She takes lot of stupid decisions, even doing some illegal things on Solomon's bidding, letting him (a civilian) interview suspects.
The mystery of the 2 gruesome murders (of the ex-Mayor and the Public Prosecutor) was completely overshadowed by Gray and Shephard's personal story. I get that this is a series and there will be some focus on the protagonist's story, but repeating how the MC is suffering in every book doesnt help build character. Just read Michael Connelly's Bosch series to learn how a series should be.
I feel sorry for the citizens of the city where Billie Gray is the Sheriff, because she can't protect herself from the stalker and is incredibly stupid. She has deputies guarding her, but her stalker manages to send her gifts and threatening messages. She also goes alone to meet her stalker.
There was one courtroom scene, which should not have been there in the first place. Maybe it was there to show how brilliant Solomon was as a lawyer, but I was not impressed. All it emphasized was how naive Billie Gray was. I am not victim-shaming, but tell me if someone is sending you text messages every 5 minutes and there are over 800 messages, what would you do? Do you reply 'don't contact me' or do you block the number. She chooses the first option.
"In one day, you created a new fake account and messaged her on FB and Insta a 112 times before she finally deleted her accounts" For H-sake, she is a Sheriff, She doesn't have to delete her accounts. she has to report to cyber-crime and use legal ways to stop the stalker.

I thought of giving this a 2 *, but the ending was bad. The killer was revealed out of the blue. I don't know if he was introduced in the earlier novels, but there was absolutely no mention anywhere. Then Solomon does a Billie and goes to meet the killer again knowing very well how deranged he is. I got annoyed every time Solomon tells Billie not to ask him any questions and tells her to trust him, when all these could have resolved if he had got law enforcement sooner into the loop.

I won't be reading any more books by Victor Methos.

The Deceiving Look by Victor Methos
Shepard & Gray #3

Was it suicide or murder? Sheriff Billie Gray isn’t convinced and asks recluse Solomon Shepard for his opinion. The photo she shows him triggers a dark memory and nearly shuts him down. This is a complex, intricately woven, intense, mystery with complicated characters that have intriguing backgrounds. At times I wondered if I had stepped into a series as bits and pieces of back history was revealed and yet it is a brilliant story whether it is a standalone story or part of a series as enough information is given for each character to flesh them out and each tidbit is released at just the right time. As I post this I see that it is book three and I read book two but not the first book in the series.

What I liked:
* Billie Gray: sheriff, daughter of the previous sheriff, has a temper, strong, intelligent, good leadership qualities, has a stalker to deal with while also dealing with politicians and her staff and a big murder investigation
* Solomon Shepard: survivor, in the past has worked as a psychologist, social worker and lawyer, from a dysfunctional family that the more I heard about the more I hoped he’d end up okay, intriguing man with potential if he is to star in future books
* Mazie: police officer recently hired by Billie, spunky, bright, eager, far from home, has a temper, reminds Billie of herself, has a run-in with the wrong person toward the end of the book
* The twists and turns, red herrings, potential killers hinted at, action-packed sequences, emotional issues to be dealt with, and personal information about each character that was shared over time
* The plot, pacing, setting, and writing
* That I became invested in the story and wanted to know what would happen
* That I liked and could relate to the characters actually felt part of the story at times
* The conclusion of the story and wondering if there would be another book to follow this one

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Thinking about how different (and wrong) some people in society can be if they are okay with doing what some of the characters did in this book

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

Thanks to Netgalley for another solid read from Methos. I really enjoyed this book. I like continuing to learn the characters through the books. I found it a quick, easy page turner. There were good twists that held my interest. Looking forward to next Victor Methos book!

As always Methos delivers a solid read. This one took me a little longer to get into so it felt a little slower but I liked the continuation of the story with these characters. I'll definitely keep reading Methos.

I absolutely love this series! I have followed Shepard and Gray since book one and they are by far one of my favorite duos. I appreciate the way Gray is written; although she is a tough lady and she is the sheriff, she understands when she needs help and is not afraid or intimidated by asking for it. It is so refreshing to see a female lead secure enough in herself and her abilities to not feel threatened by a man or simply for asking for help. Something seems to have changed in Shepard (he has issues) and I don't want to reveal too much; but was happy to see them reconcile. As the two race to find a copycat killer, Mr. Methos again masterfully weaves the plot, clues, and tension to a satisfying faceoff. Looking forwardbto book 4. If you are not already enjoying this series, start today!

Solomon Shepard, still suffering mentally and physically from an attack in the courtroom when he was a prosecutor, seems to have withdrawn even further from society until Sheriff Billie Gray begs him to assist with her investigation into former Mayor Dennis Yang's death which looks like a suicide but which she suspects is murder. They are joined by Mazie Heaton, a fairly new recruit to the Sheriff's Department. It's surprising how many reviews and even the book blurb itself refer to the suicide/murder of the District Attorney as the catalyst for this investigation but it was actually the death of the former Mayor that started it all.

This is the 3rd book in this series and it was a pleasure to read as were the first two. Along with the main story about the murders of the former Mayor and the District Attorney, there are side stories involving Billie's ex which was frightening on its own and Mazie's encounter with Joel, a young man with whom she accepts a date and then disappears. I sure didn't see that ending coming but I didn't really like the way it ended. As in the previous books there are some gruesome descriptions but the book itself was well written. Although I didn't like it as well as the first two books, I'm definitely up for reading the 4th book if there is one. 3.5 Stars rounded down.

My thanks to Thomas & Mercer via Netgalley for the opportunity to read a DRC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.
Published: January 9, 2024

Victor Methos brings back Sheriff Billie Gray with three cases at once: her stalker ex-boyfriend who is a menace, Mayor Denis Yan who died by suspicious suicide, and prosecutor Roger’s attempt murder.
She has a newbie to the department, Mazie, who is tough as her and as she summons her friend Solomon Shepard, a former prosecutor, to help with the Mayor’s case, they form an unusual trio to fight crime.
Mazie is a great addition to the team she is witty, strong, detailed oriented and as Solomon says: Billie’s sister separated at birth.
It’s becoming a great series I hope we can read further more.
Thank you Netgalley, Victor Methos and Thomas & Mercer for the free copy.

Billie and Solomon are back together again. Billie is being stalked by her ex, who seems to be able to do anything he wants with little consequence. Solomon has grown to become a recluse, but when he is brought out to the public he easily convinces Billie to break just about every law that Billie has sworn to uphold as sheriff. The “bad guy”, once revealed, left me less than impressed. The story became a bit ridiculous. Thanks to NetGalley for the read.

The Deceiving Look, the third installment in the Shepard & Gray Series, introduces Sheriff Billie Gray as she investigates the suspicious death of a local criminal defense attorney. Initially labeled as suicide, Billie is convinced it was a murder.

While The Deceiving Look didn't captivate me as much as I'd have liked. However, one aspect that truly stood out was the development of Sheriff Billie's character. Her determination and tenacity added a layer of depth and complexity to the story, making her a compelling protagonist. Additionally, the introduction of Maizie, a new member of the team, brought a refreshing dynamic to the narrative.
In terms of pacing, The Deceiving Look did not disappoint. The story unfolded at a steady tempo, keeping me engaged and eager to uncover the truth behind the attorney's death. The author skillfully intertwined action sequences with moments of suspense, ensuring that the momentum remained consistent throughout.

I have opted to give this novel three stars. While I did enjoy it, I didn't experience the same level of enthusiasm as I have with others

This third installment of the series kept me reading until deep into the night. It is a well-crafted police procedural that gives us a good story through the main characters, it is filled with a good amount of mystery, thrill, and surprise elements. I will read the previous installments and look forward to the future ones.

Although I realized that this is the third book in a series after I began reading that certainly did not stop me from totally enjoying this thrilling book. Billie Gray, a sheriff trying to live up to her father’s reputation, is tasked with investigating a suicide but suspects it was actually a murder. She eventually asks her old coworker, Solomon, currently living like a hermit after being attacked, for his help. I love the way their ideas bounce off each other and the way they work together. Maizie, a new hot headed detective also is working the case.
Forewarning - there are definitely several gruesome passages which serve to ratchet up the tension. I also found it interesting how both Billie and Solomon work outside the box to get the information they need. The young IT hermit, an absolute genius, seemingly able to find any available information in a split second, was a very fascinating character. In a future sequel I suspect he and Maizie may get together to become a very powerful team.
Never having read anything by Victor Methos I found his writing to be extremely engaging, keeping me on the edge of my seat for hours. His characters truly do seem to walk right off the pages and I felt as if I was in the same room with them watching them work together. Powerful characterization, even though I did not have the background information on Billie and Solomon that was probably shared in the first two books, I was so very drawn to them. I will definitely need to read the two prior books in this series and will definitely be watching for the next one.
Many many thanks to Victor Methos, Thomas & Mercer, and NetGalley for affording me the pleasurable opportunity to read an arc of this recently published book. Four and a half stars.

First time reading this author and I must say I was pleasantly surprised by an excellent book with some twists and turns that kept me going until the very end. Sheriff Billie Gray goes to an old friend's home who told her three years ago to never come back, but she needs Soloman’s help when a local attorney is found dead in his home. Really as you get into the story you realize how they need each other. This is a wonderful book with really good characters besides the two main characters there are others and other storylines that keep this book moving along. You get a good feel of life in a police station as well as each of their lives and a back story from the past as well. I enjoyed this book and is very much worth the read.

The Deceiving Look is the third book in the Shepard and Gray series. I have read book 2 and 3 of the series. This can be a stand-alone read, but there is so much back story of these characters it is best to start at the beginning and because the series is that good you won't want to miss a one.

This story picks up a few years after the previous book. Sherriff Billie Gray is called to the scene of the suspected suicide of the mayor, but when Billie takes a look at the victim, she believes it was a murder. She reaches out to Solomon Gray for his expertise in being able to see connections where others don't. Sol has become isolated from his former life and friends. His helping her will put her in jeopardy as his techniques are questionable and unorthodox.

Billie’s ex has been stalking and harassing Billie. He has threatened to kill her and himself. So, her house is now under 24-hour surveillance. In spite of having an injunction for stalking against him, he continues to show up and text her continuously.

This story includes some of the history and memories from Sol’s childhood and family, which contributes to Sol's mental health decline. The mayor's manner of death is identical to his mother's believed suicide. The bodies start to pile up and a new deputy goes missing.

This was an extremely intense police procedural thriller. The story starts off with a bang and continues to rachet up from there to the explosive ending. I have to say I did not see it coming. Sol's investigation took the story on a wild chase which keeps the reader guessing and the intensity building. This was thoroughly rewarding.

I really like the characters. They are flawed and struggling but they are likeable which keeps you invested in what happens to them.

The Past Is Coming Back to Take Its Toll

The novel opens with Solomon Shepard taking an Uber home. He is dreaming of being in a morgue, and he must look at each cadaver. He doesn't want to see everything but reads each toe tag for the identity and cause of death. He hears a knock, but the morgue is devoid of living persons except them. He keeps hearing a sound. A hand grips his shoulder. He turns around and sees a bloody corpse. He wakes up screaming. The driver is startled and almost loses control of his car. The Uber driver tells him staying awake the rest of the way home would be good. He drops the Shepard off at his eerie mansion. No neighbor is even close by. The driver asks if he lives alone in this large mansion. Shepard says that it’s better he's alone. This is the depth that Shepard must climb up from to save his and others’ lives.

There are three threads. The first is Shepard's transition back into society. Sheriff Billie Gray works hard at achieving this because, as a former prosecutor and social worker with prisoners, she needs his help to investigate the death of the ex-mayor. His death is very similar to Shepard’s mother, whose death was ruled a suicide. Then, the current District Attorney is attacked and barely escapes with his life. This thread transitions to an investigation of both. The third thread is the stalking of Sheriff Gray by her ex-husband, who has been violent in the past. Dealing with him consumes much of her time and is detrimental to conducting the investigation. The attack notches up the suspense that more violence is in the future. Shepard’s methodology is unconventional and illegal for law enforcement, leading to Shepard not keeping Sheriff Gray up to speed on how he is conducting his part of the investigation and for her to accept the results. As a reader, what Shepard is doing is open to you. The twists and turns occurring during the investigation, the threat of future violence, and the difficulties that both Shepard and Gray must overcome corralled my interest and kept it to the end.

The backgrounds of Solomon Shepard and Sheriff Billie Gray are particularly rich, even after reading the first two novels in this series. Much is provided early in the novel, where the reader can watch how it affects these two characters’ thoughts and actions. The thread of Sheriff Billie Gray’s issue with her ex-husband lasts through most of the novel. I liked how the characters had flaws, as they were authentic characters for me. These aspects added to my reading enjoyment of this novel.

Some aspects that can cause some readers to stop reading are present in this novel. Intimate scenes are not one of them. Vulgar and rude language are at a low level. The most significant is the violence that is, at times, very graphic, even though most of it is portrayed as views of the crime scenes. There are references to events in the previous novels, but there is adequate backfill, so reading this novel first should not be a problem.

The primary issue I had was Sheriff Gray acquiescing to the outside-the-law actions of Shepard that would sabotage any resulting prosecution. I am more forgiving of this aspect in fast-paced action novels, but not in a normal-paced police procedural. There was one minor loose end. It is the nickname for Shepard that upset him when used. The origin of it was never explained.

This is the sixth novel over two series from this author I have read. He is in my Must-Read category of authors. If you like non-urban police procedurals, I recommend reading this novel. While I enjoyed reading this novel, it was not up to the level of four previous novels that I rated with five stars. I rate it with four stars. I am looking forward to reading further books from this author.

I received this novel's free prepublication e-book version through NetGalley from Thomas & Mercer. My review is based solely on my own reading experience of this book. Thank you, Thomas & Mercer, for the opportunity to read and review this novel early

Unfortunately this wasn't for me. I got about 20% in and it wasn't keeping my interest. I think the issue is that I wasn't aware from the post on NetGalley that it was part of a series. Therefore, no character background. I'd love it netgalley or publishers could start clearly labelling with titles if books are part of a series.

The Deceiving Look by Victor Methos is well-plotted, twisty, and filled with characters that felt real and emotionally rich. This crime and legal thriller is the third novel in the Shepard and Gray series and features Solomon Shepard and Billie Gray. In this novel, Billie asks Solomon for help investigating the death of a local criminal defense attorney who is the former mayor of Tooele, Utah. The death looks like murder to Billie, but is it?

Solomon is on indefinite leave from the county attorney’s office after being attacked in a courtroom. He has isolated himself from others and suffers from anxiety, but he can’t say no to Billie. Billie is the local sheriff. She’s efficient, charismatic, confident, and gets things done. However, not all deputies and detectives view her as a strong leader.

The backstories of the two main characters as well as a couple of others give readers additional insight into their behaviors and actions. Even though it is the first book in the series that I have read, there was enough background for it to work as a fantastic standalone read. However, I believe I would have enjoyed it even more if I had already read the first two books.

This novel is impeccably written with engaging characters and a deeply involved plot. While the story is very character driven, the author does a great job of building momentum and suspense until it culminates in a disconcerting conclusion. This unsettling thriller has some graphic scenes and some twists that keep you hooked. Trying to understand the fallout from events kept me turning the pages rapidly. Relationships with colleagues, friends, family, and others help drive the narrative.

The author did a great job of balancing the shocking scenes in the novel against the suspense and mystery aspects. Gripping scenes and a well-crafted and riveting plot hooked me from the very beginning. The dynamic plot came alive with the well-defined characters and the significant amount of conflict. Hints and clues are dropped, but it took me a long while to guess who the antagonist was. What a shock! There are also a few sub-plots that add layers to the story. Themes include relationships, mental health, power, death, and much more.

Overall, this tense, suspenseful, and tragic novel gripped me from the beginning. The author brings strong characters, a great plot, and fascinating relationships to the novel. I can’t wait to read what the author writes next.

Thomas & Mercer and Victor Methos provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own. The publication date is currently set for January 9, 2024. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

Best yet of my favorite character by this author, Sheriff Billie Gray, I just love Methos' classy & gutsy female law enforcement agents!

Awesome character development, and, of course, 🩶 Gray's cohort Solomon is in this book too. Top quality mystery, a gruesome crime that is initially viewed as a brutal suicide comes to light, and this time the surprise is the perpetrator.

"The Deceiving Look" by Victor Methos is a heart-pounding thriller that follows Sheriff Billie Gray as she investigates the murder of a criminal defense attorney. Initially thought to be a suicide, Sheriff Gray suspects foul play, prompting her to enlist the help of her old friend Solomon Shepard. Despite his own personal struggles, Solomon agrees to assist in the investigation. As they delve deeper into the case, they soon discover that the killer may be someone much closer to them than they had ever anticipated. The novel promises to be a gripping and suspenseful exploration of crime, trust, and the dangers that lurk within their own community.

This story has engaging characters thay drive the plot and make it gripping. Thr only.crotocism I have is that in some places it is littlr bit too gruesome for me, personally, although some rraders may enjoy that. Despite many other events appear to have happened to the characters prior to the events in this story, thr author provides us with just enough background information for us to understand it.

I received an ARC through "NetGalley" and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

The story begins with Billie at home with two officers protecting her outside her home. The officers advise her that they have been called to backup a scene where a high value person has died. Billie goes to the scene where it appears the former mayor has committed suicide. Billie does not believe that it is suicide, so she goes to get Solomon to help her investigate. Solomon has been in hiding as was not too anxious to help. Later another individual was discovered in Solomon's house who had died the same way the former mayor did. Solomon believed that someone was leaving a message with these deaths.

Lack of evidence was found at the scene so finding a suspect was hard. One place where they had been directed to find someone wound up as a trap that they barely escaped. Solomon discovered when exxaming the crime scene at his home an item that the killer left. Keeping this knowledge asay from Bille almost redulted in Solomon's demise. After getting a clue from Billie's father, Solomon finally discovered who the killer was and using the item that Solomon found, he made arrangements to meet up with the killer.

Yo discover who the killer was, who the 2nd victim was and why Solomon especially wanted to meet up with the killer, then you nrrd to read this book. You won't be aable to figure out who the killer was until near the conclusion. Read it, you won't be disappointed.