Deception Wears Many Faces

Sisters will do just about anything for each other and when Lyddie learns her sister Ellie has fallen prey to a con man who stole not just her heart, but her money, she vows revenge. Lyddie, no stranger to bad relationships herself, takes her sister to Devon where she weaves an intricate plot to bring down the can man, but finds herself drawn into a dangerous dance that will leave readers gasping

Lyddie has given up accountancy and Bristol for a life in Andalucia painting, thanks to an inheritance from her father. She flies home when her sister Ellie has tried to take her own life, again. When Lyddie finds out why and having had enough of issues with men herself, she realises that it is time that something was done about it. She takes on a new persona to try and snare the man who has caused so much anguish to Ellie. I took to Lydia from the start and felt for Ellie and what she had gone through. Maggie has such a talent with words that you are drawn in from the beginning and just want to keep reading whilst at the same time not wanting the story to end as you are enthralled in the pages. I thought I knew where this was going but with twists and turns along the way it kept me enveloped. I read it in one day so great was the pull of finding out the ending. An interesting premise, a clever plot brilliantly written. A captivating read.

Lyddie is the older of two sisters. The younger sister Ellie is fragile after the death of her best friend and also because of brain damage that occurred when they were together in her car in the fatal accident that killed her friend. Lyddie has always looked out for her younger sister. At the start of the story, guilt ridden Ellie has attempted suicide for the third time as the anniversary of the accident looms on the horizon.
Together they visit the family holiday home in Devon. It has always been a favourite holiday spot for the sisters. It always reminded the girls of their father who had sadly passed away. Their memories were of happy family times spent together creating lovely memories and Lyddie is sure that this visit will put a smile on Ellie’s face. When she and Ellie talk together Ellie confesses that she has been taken in by a con artist. She met him online and fell deeply in love with him but he had abused her trust and disappeared with all of her savings. Lyddie is furious that her vulnerable sister has been mercilessly preyed upon and decides to track down the con man and teach him a lesson, exacting just revenge for her sister.
She joins some prestigious online dating sites assuming a fake identity and this is how she plans to entrap the vile predator. She investigates each forum thoroughly and finds more victims who have been duped into parting with their money. As prospective requests for dates arrive on her laptop she carefully vets each man until she has only likely suspects on her list. That’s when the dates begin and Lyddie eventually believes she has identified the fraudster. Then the threats begin to appear on her mobile. Has Lyddie bitten off more that she can handle or will she exact the revenge she so ardently desires on behalf of her sister?
With issues of rivalry, deception, love, loyalty and grief, this is a pacey page turner that will set your heart racing. It is full of exciting plot twists and unreliable characters bent on keeping you guessing what will happen next. I sped through it, enjoying the vivid storytelling and the intricacy of the story. I didn’t really like either of the sisters very much at all. Lyddie was bossy and judgemental whilst Ellie was two faced and unpredictable. All the same their characters were involving because both had their strong points as well as their weaknesses and I felt intrigued by their relationship.
Thank you for my copy of 'Deception Wears Many Faces' received through my membership of NetGalley and from publisher Bloodhound Books, all in return for an honest unbiased review. It is a very good read and is sure to fuel the debate about the wisdom of online dating.

Lydia left Spain for her home in England when she found out that her sister,Ellie, had attempted suicide. Years earlier, Ellie had been the driver in a crash that killed her best friend. Also, Ellie had been dating someone who had apparently broken off with her. Lydia, a former accountant, now is an artist in Spain due to her dad's inheritance. Ellie had the same inheritance but was bilked out of it by her former boyfriend who is in construction. Eventually, Ellie had lost a total of 50,000 pounds to Steven. Lydia begins to play cat and mouse games on internet dating sites to trap this Steven. Lydia also becomes involved with an internet site " Love Rats Exposed" to talk with others who have been scammed. This, in order to "con a con". She finds Liam on a dating site and decides to go out with him in order to see if he is the scammer. Could he be Steven? Lydia gets a text when conveniently Liam is in the men's room. His online profile is close to what Lydia knows about Steven. Soon, Lydia texts back and forth with Scott - he is PERFECT! She is totally smitten with Scott. Caroline, Lydia's best friend is let in on all of this. Caroline's brother (whom Lydia used to date) shows up and it is obvious they still have feelings for one another. After a few dates with Scott, Lydia is invited to his house for dinner. He tells Lydia about his last girlfriend being a "gold digger". Now that he is with Lydia, Scott mumbles
"...now I can put Ellie behind me". Eventually, they find out that Lydia's sister, Ellie, and Scott's ex are one and the same!!! Turns out that Ellie is in a financial hole due to HER business. Ellie happens by (?) and declares that Scott is Steven. Steven denies it all. "...I'm Scott Champion". Scott is fed up with Ellie's accusations and leaves, Lydia throws hateful sentiments at Ellie who finally leaves. Scott does take Lydia back; who is really lying here?
Tired of it all, when Richie (Lydia's ex) calls and comes over. Lydia tells him that she has moved on. Now, Lydia meets Darcy, Scott's sister who is ravaged with leukemia. She has gone through chemotherapy and wants an alternative medicine type of approach. But this is expensive... Lydia decides to make an unexpected visit to Scott. An older man, answers the door and tells her that HE is Scott Champion! Oh, boy!!! He tells her that the
place is an Airbnb. When she describes Scott to the man he tells her "That sounds like Steve Simmons".
The rest of the stunning twists and turns that take place will have you guessing right up to the end!!!
Revenge, love and game-playing all interact to make a truly FANTASTIC read!!! Many thanks to Bloodhound Books and NetGalley for a truly entertaining read!

Another brilliant book from Maggie James. Deception Wears Many Faces has twists and turns throughout. You think you know whats going on - you are wrong! This was unputdownable, had me totally engrossed in the story & desperate to find out what was going on. A great plot and well written. I would highly recommend this book

Thanks to Netgalley for my copy.

Lyddie is living her dream in Spain, running a gallery and painting after giving up her accountancy career. Unfortunately this dream is interrupted with the news that her sister Ellie has attempted suicide. Lyddie flies home immediately to support her mother and sister.

Lyddie discovers Ellie has been swindled out of her inheritance by a man she met on a dating website. Lyddie is furious and sets out to discover who the perpetrator is and to get revenge for her vulnerable sister.

We read weekly media reports about both men and women who have handed over their life savings to unscrupulous con artists. This is a very realistic portrayal of how easy it is to be consumed with love or lust even and be completely taken in and relieved of their possessions. We all read and think oh they are so gullible but these people are clever and prey on the vulnerable.

I enjoyed this book and thought it was well written with rounded characters and a convincing plot.

Brilliant,had me hooked from start to finish,would recommend this book !! Fantastic!!Take on holiday sit back and enjoy.

Loved it!

A high paced psychological thriller that was full of tense moments! A great read and story.

Lyddie is devastated. Her sister, Ellie has tried to commit suicide for the third time. In this psychological thriller Lyddie is trying to find the con artist who portrayed himself to love her sister, only to rob her of her money. As she trolls the on line dating sites trying to find this man, she looses herself in a different persona. Soon she is entangled in a web of deceit. She no longer knows who is supporting her or against her. Her mother, best friend, ex fiance, her new love, or even herself. Who is wearing the mask of deception. Time is running out.
Very well executed read. Good characterization, the storyline was intetesting and you can't wait to read the next page.
5 Stars

I read this book in two days which made me realize what a great book this is. I always enjoy books involving sisters, and this novel did not disappoint. The relationship between Lyddie and Ellie is quite believable, as sisters would do anything for each other. The book had some twists and turns as well as unexpected surprises. It kept me wanting to read more and was without a boring moment. Very well written and not one confusing plot as I sometimes find in psychological thrillers. This was very suspenseful, and I would love to read more by this author in the future.

Ellie has brain damage from a car accident when she was eighteen years old. Since then she has attempted suicide three times. Or has she? Lydia her big sister has always kept her promise to their father. Keep her close and look after her. After her last suicide attempt Ellie confesses to her sister that she been conned out of her life savings. 20 thousand pounds. Her sister promises REVENGE on this con artist and begins to track him down, but not everything is at seems. Good book I read it in one sitting.
I would like to thank the author Maggie James,Bloodhound books and Net.galley for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for giving an honest review.

This book was made for me! I’ve gotta tell you, I loved everything about this story! Very fast paced, interesting characters, fantastic plot twists and OMG moments. Exactly what I love in a book!

This mesmerising,mind blowing thriller has more twists and turns than a roller coaster.It's a fast paced tale of lies,manipulation,deceit and betrayal that hooks the reader in from the very first page and grips you so tightly that you struggle to breath at times.By the time you reach the end of the book,your not relieved that the story is over,it's just a relief that the vice like grip has been removed and you can breath again.

Lydia has taken her younger sister Ellie to the family cottage in Devon hoping that Ellie will open up and reveal why she tried to commit suicide for the third time.Eventually Ellie reveals that she met a man on a dating website who turned out to be a con man.He stole all her savings and then disappeared.Lydia is outraged that someone would dare con her young,vulnerable sister and devises a daring plan to find him and bring him to justice.She decides to assume a false identity and hunt for the cold,manipulative man who has broken her beloved sister`s heart.But who is fooling who? And why does Lydia keep feeling like she is being watched.....

If I'm completely honest,I can be very judgemental when I read stories in magazines or watch a programme on tv about people who have handed all their money over to a con artist.I suppose if it's not something that you have experienced personally,it is easy to sit in your comfy chair,shake your head and think,how can that person be so gullible and happily hand over all their money just because someone that they have only known for a very short time insists that they love them.In this riveting story Ellie is a very vulnerable,damaged young lady so it is understandable how easily she was conned by the devious,cunning scam artist.Believe me,when the con artist`s true character emerges,their behaviour gave me goosebumps and chilled me to the bone.It's truly scary how someone can act so loving and caring whilst harbouring so much evil and hatred within themselves..Although the lengths that Lydia was prepared to go to in her quest to get revenge for Ellie were admirable.I didn't like Lydia very much throughout most of the book.I thought she came across as rather smug,controlling and self righteous at times. Ellie was very self centred,selfish and not very likeable either.The twists and turns caused me to suspect that a number of the vivid secondary characters were not as reliable and trustworthy as they seemed.

I absolutely loved this twisty psychological thriller and would have given it far more than five stars if I could.This is the first book that I have read by this author and it most definitely will not be my last.

wow. i almost gave up on Deception but i'm so happy i persevered. it's a maddening trip with one double cross after another. lyddie comes to her sister's aid after a recent suicide attempt and learns that her sister has been fleeced out of her life savings. lyddie takes it upon herself to avenge her sister, but gets WAY more than she bargained for. at times i was so irked by lyddie's cluelessness that i wanted to throw my kindle across the room! how could a woman portrayed as so strong, confident and self sufficient be taken in? yeah, i know it's JUST that easy. lust is a powerful blinder. there's one twist i didn't see coming, following by ANOTHER one! i couldn't put Deception down, and highly recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

My hats off to the author for writing a story line which not only raises awareness about suicide but to the darker site of dating websites also. Suicide is something that has never been really talked about, tending to be brushed under the carpet. It's great to see it brought up in television shows as well as now in books. 

Lyddie was someone I took to straight away. Even though their mother is still alive, there is still the big sister syndrome of wanting to watch out for the younger sibling as well as helping them stand on their own two feet. 

Through Lyddie wanting justice for her sister, we get to see a side of dating sites that most of us would never know about. Without a doubt there are predators of both sex that use these sites for various reasons and it's scary at how easily people can be taken in. 

Deception Wears Many Faces is a brilliantly twisted read that had more than a couple of jaw dropping moments. The author throws you off the trail with plenty of red herrings so that when the revelations come they are totally unexpected. I have read quite a few books by this author now and this has to be one of my favourites by her.

Maggie James has done to again!!! Deception Wears Many Faces, is an absolute brilliant read. It touches on suicide, online deception, murder and a lot more.

This is the story of a woman trying to take revenge on behalf of her sister who has been badly used and abused, and who attempts a third suicide as a result. At least that is where it starts. There are lots of twists and turns in this suspenseful thriller and, just when you think you know where it is leading, off it snakes again in another direction. The book is well written and keeps the reader turning the pages to find out if justice will eventually prevail and all the deceptions will finally be seen through.

Brilliantly written, cleverly plotted and shockingly twisted, Deception Wears Many Faces is a stunning psychological thriller guaranteed to have readers chewing their nails to the elbow. A must-read for fans of domestic suspense, Deception Wears Many Faces is sure to propel Maggie James to the very top of the genre.

The past couple of years have been anything but easy for Lyddie and her sister, Ellie. A trip to Devon to rest, recuperate and recover from the horrific ordeal Ellie has gone through is just what the doctor ordered, so the two sisters head off for some time away from their ordinary lives and their problems to recharge their batteries and figure out what they will do next. However, what neither sister imagined when they were planning this trip was that their lives were going to be jeopardized by a chain of traumatic events that could end up costing them everything…

When Ellie had fallen victim to a professional con artist who had stolen every last penny of her savings and then disappeared from her life, Ellie had been distraught, desperate and devastated that somebody she trusted so much could betray her in such a callous and mercenary manner. Feeling as if she had fallen down a black hole with no way up, Ellie had seen no other option available to her but to take her own life. Luckily, Ellie’s suicide attempt had failed and her sister Lyddie had vowed to get her sister the help she so desperately needs and to wreak revenge upon the shameless criminal who had preyed upon her sister.

Lyddie has also had quite a tough time lately. Despite her best efforts to make a go of her relationships, Lyddie’s track record in that department is long, acrimonious and woeful, but she cannot afford to wallow in self-pity. She must find the man who broke her sister’s heart and make him pay for all the anguish and suffering Ellie has endured, so she assumes a false identity and begins to hunt for this ruthless and vicious monster who had driven Ellie to suicide.

But has Lyddie bitten off more than she can chew? Will she get the justice she so desperately seeks for her sister? Or will Lyddie and Ellie end up paying the ultimate price?

A thrilling roller-coaster ride of a book that I just couldn’t put down, Deception Wears Many Faces is a nerve-shredding and heart-pounding chiller packed with shocking twists and turns, hair-raising red herrings and jaw-dropping suspense. A book that should be read with the lights on, Deception Wears Many Faces is an outstanding thriller that will keep readers turning the pages late into the night.

A first-rate domestic noir novel that will appeal to fans of B A Paris and Paula Hawkins, Deception Wears Many Faces will terrify, captivate and mesmerize readers and have them eagerly awaiting the next pulse-racing tale from Maggie James’ dark and twisted pen!

An easy read. Keeps you guessing through out the story. Kept me gripped! Good read loved the twists. Recomend giving it a read

I thought I had this one all worked out...then I didn't...then I did again...then I didn't...but such is the amazing talent of Maggie James to drop in more red herrings than the fish quay at North Shields. So I gave up trying to work it out, and just went along for the ride!

Ellie and Lyddie are really close sisters, more so after Ellie attempted suicide on multiple occasions. Lyddie is understandably overprotective of Ellie so when Ellie is duped by a con-artist into giving him all of her inheritance, Lyddie vows revenge. Lyddie sets up a fake profile on some dating websites to lure the con-man into her web so she can get her revenge but he always seems to be one step ahead of her... Then Lyddie unexpectedly finds the man of her dreams but she worries that she will lose him when she comes clean about her fake dating profile. Lyddie might just have to choose between finding love for herself or getting revenge for her sister.

I loved how Maggie James so cleverly led me in one direction then blindfolded me, spun me around and sent me back to square one. I also think it's good to remind people about the dangerous predators lurking online. I've dabbled in online dating in the past but I can't bear dishonesty and there's always that fear that the person you are corresponding with is somebody else entirely. I'm sure that there are some honest people out there but I've never found one in the world of online dating.

Ellie's mental health is also a big part of the story and very topical at the moment as we are encouraged to be aware of mental health. I did feel that Lyddie mollycoddled her a bit and I wondered what Ellie's failed suicide attempts were really all about when she clearly has a family who love her. Maggie James is never one for leaving loose ends so all of this becomes clear as the story progresses and it's all beautifully wrapped up in a big bow at the end.

Deception Wears Many Faces is a fabulously entertaining, gripping and totally addictive book from the dark and twisty mind of the wonderful Maggie James. It's definitely a read-in-a-day kind of book as I couldn't bear to put it down once I'd picked it up; Maggie James has this amazing ability to tie your brain in knots so you know you're going to get a top-notch thrilling read when you pick up one of her books. There's a bit of a pattern forming here on The Book Magnet as Maggie James scoops another huge 5 stars from me.

I chose to read an ARC and this is my honest and unbiased opinion.

Lyddie Hunter is flying back home after she receives the news that her younger sister, Ellie, has tried to commit suicide. This is not the first time Ellie has tried to kill herself, either. Ellie has been on a downwards spiral after a tragic accident that happened several years ago. Lyddie loves her sister and will do anything to protect her even if it means leaving her home in Spain for a while to take care of her. Soon, we learn the reason behind Ellie’s latest suicide attempt. Ellie was swindled out of all of her money by a suave con man. Determined to seek justice, Lyddie vows to herself to find the man responsible and make him pay for what he did to her sister.

Taking on a new identity, Lyddie puts up a fake profile on a dating website hoping to reel in the same con man who took advantage of her sister. But, has she now made herself a target to a thief that will do anything to keep his identity hidden?

Lyddie seems like such a strong character and her determination to help her sister is admirable, but when it comes to men, Lyddie sometimes doesn’t always make the best decisions. So I was kind of torn as to how I actually felt about her joining dating websites because her track record with men is shaky at best. I felt that she was very flighty when it came to love and romance and made some pretty stupid decisions right from the beginning. Don’t get me wrong. She is very smart, but I don’t feel she was experienced enough with men to recognize a con man.

Maggie James takes the perils of internet dating and writes about it in such a realistic way showing the ups and downs and how easy it is to be snowed by a swindler. These guys have many many years of experience conning money from women. You hear about women falling victim to a scammer over and over again and sometimes I ask myself how anyone could fall for the lies and manipulation. Many times women are sending money to guys that haven’t even met in person and sometimes live in another country. I can’t even fathom doing something like that.

The plot of Deception Wears many faces really starts off strong and that prologue…omg! You know Lyddie is going to be way over her head especially since she is getting threats. As the story moves along, I was back and forth trying to figure out who was behind it all, but Maggie James throws out so many red herrings that I had a hard time figuring out the truth through all of the lies. I found myself really engrossed in the story and not able to put it down. I did have a few issues with Lyddie and how quickly she falls for a man she meets…a little too quickly for my liking and kind of borders on insta-love.

Deception Wears Many Faces really lives up to its title. There is deception around every corner you turn. You are left trying to piece together all of the information and just when you have it all figured out it gets shot down forcing you to question what is really going on. All in all, it is an intense, mind bending thriller that takes you down a windy road filled with secrets, lies, and manipulation that will make you question who to believe and who not to believe.

What did I just read? This book completely blew off my mind. I have been wanting to read a revenge story for a long time. So when this book came up on my radar, I had to grab it. And I am glad I did! Not only is Deception Wears Many Faces an amazing revenge thriller, it is so much more and beyond your expectations. The moment our protagonist, Lyddie, takes it upon herself to extact revenge from the con man who broke her sister’s heart, I was pulled into the black hole. Never for a moment did my attention waver from the story. I just HAD to know how Lyddie will accomplish her plan and come out safe. But then the book starting taking dark turns and I started to having doubts that is Lyddie safe. Throughout the read I was shaking my head, things were too simple, too easy for Lyddie and I could see that Lyddie was in deeper trouble than she thought. I wanted to get hold of her shoulders and shake her, wanted her to see that she might not be going the right way. Also, I had a feeling that more to the story that what actually appears to be the case, and I was right! The book has amazing twists and shocking turns. At one point, I was walking in one direction and then the book made me do a 180. After some time, the book again tapped me on the shoulder and made me do another 180. And I was like, ‘Heck! What are you doing to me?’ What I didn’t know that the book had another surprise for me which would made me do a 360. And do you know what’s great? I loved all the 180s and 360s this book made do. It was all worth it! Need I say that this book is a must read? Get you hands on this book ASAP!

Deception Wears Many Faces by Maggie James gets 5 out of 5 stars from me.

Deception Wears Many Faces by Maggie James is a fast-paced thriller that kept me reading through the night eager to reach the final conclusion.

When Lyddie Hunter's sister Ellie, attempts suicide again, she flies back home to be with her only to find that some guy on a dating site conned Ellie out of all her money. With only a few clues to go on, Lyddie takes it upon herself to hunt down Ellie's ex-boyfriend and con man through the dating site of which he uses to target unsuspecting women. Pretending to be a customer looking for love herself, Lyddie dates a few men trying to work out which guy is the one which conned her sister. But the con man regularly changes his identity as to not get caught. Will Lyddie find out which man he and expose him for who and what he really is, or has she just put herself and her sister in jeopardy and made them both a target? Who can be trusted when dating sites are rife with people reinventing themselves? What better way to target vulnerable women by hiding in plain site.

What a stonker of a book! The cat and mouse chase to find out who the ex-boyfriend is without exposing herself or her sister, had me breathlessly reading this twisty suspense, but who exactly does Lyddie really need to watch out for?

Maggie James has created a terrific tale, full of lies, secrets and hidden agendas, but just who is actually deceiving who? I loved the final reveal at the end and how it all fell into place. A nerve-jangling read!

Thanks to #NetGalley and Bloodhound Books for my arc of #DeceptionWearsManyFaces. My opinions are honest, unbiased and all my own.

5☆ A Taut Rollercoaster ride

Deception Wears Many Faces is a taut psychological thriller that I couldn't put down. It's dark undertones are simply perfect.

When Ellie, tries to commit suicide on several occasions her older sister Lyddie is so desperate to help Ellie she takes her away so she can help her.

Lyddie discovers that Ellie has been using a dating site and met someone who she believed to be genuine.
Wow how wrong could she be.
This scum bag has conned Ellie and cleared out her whole saving leaving her with nothing.
Ellie is vulnerable and just didn't know where to turn. So she tried to take her own life. My heart went out to Ellie.

It breaks my heart to think that this does happen it's very real. There are people who prey on vulnerable people.
It's a very difficult subject as you think to yourself how can you not know you was being conned! But honestly would you really be able to tell? These people are very good!

So this is where the story really ramps up as Lyddie, is determined to get revenge. She believes that she can lure the con man out and expose him.
But can Lyddie really be smarter than a con man, or is he one step ahead of the game. A cat and mouse chase.

I applaud Maggie for tackling such sensitive and current issues, she handles them realistically and with much sensitivity.

I absolutely adored Deception Wears Many Faces.
It's a dark deliciously twisty thriller, the plot and characters kept me on the edge of my seat ,a real suspenseful page turner i couldn't put down.

I urge you to give this book a read! Especially if you love taut Pyschological Thrillers.

Thank you to Bloodhound Books for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Wow! They are not wrong when they said it will keep you turning the pages! I was very impressed. At the centre of this story is online dating and a conman. This story kept changing and developing right to the end. An excellent page turning social comment.

EXCERPT: 'I know lots about you, friend. More than you think.'

I shot bolt upright, whiskey spilling from my glass onto the sofa. Shit. Had I been right? Was this man a hacker? Had he uncovered my name, my address?

Screw not replying. 'OK, fucker. So what's my name?'

'You've got me there, I admit. But I 'm working on it, trust me. My shortlist of possibilities is down to two.'

A bluff on his part. My details couldn't have been hacked, because if he'd possessed the skills, he'd have done so already. Even so, his words scared me.

A final ping.

'And when I find you, and I will, you're dead, bitch.'

ABOUT THIS BOOK: When Lyddie takes her sister to Devon to recover after a recent suicide attempt, it starts a train of events that will put their lives in grave danger.

Ellie has been the victim of a professional con artist, one who stole her savings, then disappeared from her life. Driven by her own history of failed relationships, Lyddie vows revenge on the man who broke her sister’s heart.

Soon she assumes a false identity and begins her hunt for a man she knows to be cold, calculating and ruthless. But who is fooling whom? And can Lyddie find the justice she seeks and heal her damaged sister?

MY THOUGHTS: An enthralling one sitting read that once started, I couldn't put down.

Taut. Tense. Twisty. Very twisty. Very plausible.

Maggie James knows a lot about deception and manipulation. I know there are conmen out there who do just what Maggie writes about. They prey on the lonely, the emotionally needy. But even the seemingly successful can get sucked in if the conman does his homework properly. All they need is one weakness, one chink in the armour to exploit, to worm their way in. These people are chameleons. They can morph into whatever their victim needs them to be. We read about them in the papers when someone is brave enough to admit that they have fallen prey to a conman, a seducer, in an effort to prevent them striking again. We all mostly scoff at the foolishness of the victims, vowing that we would never get caught up that way, that we could spot a conman a mile off. . . until it happens to us.

Thank you for a superb read Maggie James. I am going to be reading my way through your other books.

Thank you to Bloodhound Books via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of Deception Wears Many Faces by Maggie James for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system.

This review and others are also published on my blog sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...

A really good read. Fast paced, full of twists and turns. A real page turner. Thank you to Bloodhound Books and NetGalley. I have no hesitation in recommending this book. This summer's must read.

Huge praise to the author for writing a story line which not only raises awareness about suicide but to the darker site of dating websites Suicide is something that has never been really talked about, tending to be brushed under the carpet. It's great to see it brought up in television shows as well as now in books. Hope lives can be saved by getting people reading and talking about it

I admit that this is my first Maggie James thriller, I am eager to seek out her others after reading this. A fantastic psychological suspense novel that I read over the course of a few hours and found it gripping from beginning to end. Extremely addictive and engrossing, don't you just love a book like that? It was the synopsis that first caught my attention, then the plot, the characters, and the twists. It's safe to say I enjoyed it!

This fast paced tale is one of manipulation, lies, deceit and betrayal and illustrates how sisters will do just about anything for one another. I had barely reached the third page and I knew i'd been nabbed, hook, line and sinker!

Lydia is worried about her sister, Ellie and decides to take her to Devon for a holiday away from it all. Ellie has had a difficult time recently having tried to commit suicide on several different occasions and Lydia hopes that by taking her somewhere unfamiliar she will open up to her and reveal why she wanted to do away with herself. It worked well and Ellie reveals that she had met a guy on a dating website who turned out to be a con artist. He proceeded to steal her savings and then disappeared without a trace. This makes Lydia furious, the thought that someone would scam her younger vulnerable sister shakes her to the core and she decides to devise a plan to get revenge. To carry out this daring plan Lydia assumes a false identity and begins her search to find this heartless conman. But are things really as they seem?

I have to say, I always wonder when I hear stories of women being conned out of all of their savings, quite how it happened. I tend to assume that they were naive and fell for stories that most intelligent folk would simply not fall for. I will say that I still feel this way but it certainly makes for an intriguing and original premise for a crime thriller. The vulnerabilities present in Ellie are exactly what con artists tend to look for in a target - someone they deem will be fairly easy to scam which is also why these types target the elderly. Sadly, this practice will continue and the only way we can protect ourselves is to be less gullible and get clued up on what scams are out there so that you recognise them straight away should someone try to pull one on you.

Although I was full of admiration for Lydia's love and concern for her sister and her desperation to avenge what happened to Ellie, she isn't a character who is likeable in any other way. She came across as very controlling and self-righteous and thought she was superior to others which I despise. Ellie was rather unlikeable too, although you did feel sympathy for the things she has gone through.

I am about to go looking for previous Maggie James books to invest in, I know that I will enjoy those too should they match up to the high standard "Deception Wears Many Faces" has set. An interesting read which highlights the issues we have with suicide in our society today for that reason I thought it was a brave subject to broach. Kudos to James for that!

Many thanks to Bloodhound Books for an ARC.

As a result of Ellie attempting suicide, having been the victim of an online dating con artist who disappeared after stealing all of her savings, her sister Lyddie is driven by revenge on the scum bag who broke her sister’s heart, assuming a false identity in order to hunt this calculating, ruthless man down in the name of justice.

Assuming a false identity, she begins her hunt for a man she knows to be cold, calculating and ruthless. Will she be able to lure him out or is he that good at what he does that he'll always be one step ahead?

A delectably twisted thriller with a developing plot that kept me on my toes with its intriguing characters, red herrings, deceptions and hidden agendas, having eagerly flip them pages in order to devour the twists and turns in this cat and mouse chase, loving how it all fell into place with the final reveal.

This book was definitely right up my alley and certainly one I would recommend.

Many thank to Netgalley, Bloodhound Books and the author, Maggie James for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

First, I'd like to thank Netgalley, Bloodhound Books and Maggie James (the author) for allowing me to have this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion of this book.

Deception Wears Many Faces was an exciting and thrilling crime novel filled with suspense and plenty of twists.

**spoilers**

Lyddie returns home after her sister, Ellie, attempts suicide. Worried about her sister, Lyddie takes Ellie to Devon (where the family cottage is) for a little R & R. She learns that Ellie was dating a man who conned her out of all her money. Ashamed and betrayed, Ellie refuses police involvement.

Lyddie begins a journey to try and con the conman who did this to her sister. She joins a couple dating sites and also a site where scorned lovers unleash details of their terrible relationships. She learned through the latter site that her sister may have been conned by the same man who conned 2 other women. One woman posted the phone number and a drunk Lyddie couldn't resist texting the man.

It isn't long before Lyddie is contacted by 2 men she suspects could be the one. She goes out with both men and feels like she knows who Ellie's conman is. She's convinced until she notices someone following her, and the texts she keeps recieving from that man's phone are growing more and more menacing.

Will she be able to figure out the truth before it's to late? Or will she become a victim of a different crime? Just when I thought I had it all figured out, the twist was unleashed! Definitely a great thriller and one I would recommend!

Great read. When I started reading this book I got hooked and couldn’t put it down until it was finished. It was brilliant. For a change I didn't see the twist at the end coming at all. Really did enjoy and would recommend to all psychological thriller fans.

Numerous twists and tons of deception! Although I had most of the twists figured out before they happened, the book still kept my attention. It was fast paced and exciting...after a certain point, it was hard to put down!

Ellie tries to commit suicide after she’s dumped by the boyfriend she met on a dating site, right after he cons her out of all of her savings. When her sister, Lyddie, finds out she joins a dating site to try to find the ex-boyfriend/con man, to turn him over to the authorities. She dates several guys, and has to try to figure out which man might be the con man that broke her sister’s heart and stole her money.

Thank you NetGalley, Maggie James and Bloodhound Books for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review!

#DeceptionWearsManyFaces #NetGalley #Amazon

Gosh what a read Deception Wears Many Faces by Maggie James was. I found this book extremely fast-paced it had me totally engrossed in the story & I read it in one sitting!
Lyddie takes her sister Ellie to Devon after a recent suicide attempt to try and get her better. Ellie has been a victim of a professional con artist from a premium dating site, who stole Ellie's life savings. Ellie was ashamed of telling her sister but finally opens her heart to her. Lyddie vows revenge on the man who broke her sister’s heart.
Lyddie opens an dating account with a false identity and begins her hunt for a man she knows to be cold, calculating and ruthless. But who is fooling whom? is he too clever for her?
Can Lyddie find the justice she seeks and heal her damaged sister? Is Ellie going to try and take her life again?
Lyddie starts a train of events that will put both of their lives in grave danger.

Its a chilling book but a clever read with lots of twists and turns. The characters were excellent to the story line.

A great plot and well written. I would highly recommend this book

Thank you to Netgalley & Bloodhound Books for allowing me to read this book for free in exchange for an honest review

The premise of this book called out to me as I’ve lived through a family member of mine who was caught up in a romance scam that cost her both financially and emotionally. And it left me unbelievably stressed as well since it took over a year to convince her the whole thing WAS a scam.

So, how does the book handle something I’m intimately familiar with? Very well. James not only gets the con right, especially the emotional manipulation and the culling away of the victim from friends and family, she also gets the anger and frustration of those who’ve witnessed their loved ones get conned. I would have given anything to be able to extract some vengeance.

The book starts off as I expected but then takes a mad veer off the course I was anticipating. I can’t say too much without giving away spoilers, but Lyddie makes some really stupid mistakes. In fact, they were so basic in this age of internet searches and iPhones that the plot lost a little of its luster for me. And maybe because I’ve learned way more than I wish I had about cons, while James gets how it all works very well, I knew where things were going.

Final tally? This is a well done book and she truly gets how these cons work. In order to move the plot along, the heroine was purposely obtuse. But the point she makes is a good one. We all think we’d be immune to the charms of a con but it’s easier than you think to be sucked in. And the book is fast paced and keeps your interest. A sold four stars.

My thanks to netgalley and Bookouture for an advance copy of this book. I’m late in reading this book, so it has already been published.

OH WOW, THIS BOOK!!! From the opening pages, I could not put this down!! I’ve been a fan of Maggie James’ book, but this one is by far her best.
The story centers around sisters Ellie and Lyddie. When Lyddie returns home to Bristol after Ellie’s third suicide attempt, Lyddie vows to find the man who drove her sister to that low point.
Unfortunately, in today’s online dating world there is a new kind of danger besides just meeting a complete stranger. It’s manipulation and theft. Ellie confides in Lyddie that a man named Steven was able to convince her to give him her whole savings. Lyddie soon joins the online dating world to find “Steven” and pay him back for what he did.
This is a very fast page-turner. The author keeps you guessing who the real victim and perpetrator are until the very end. There are so many twists and turns, going back and forth, it’ll make your head spin and leave chills up and down your spine!!
Terrific book! Very highly recommended!

Difficult to review this book without spoilers but what a page turner. Why would anyone join a dating site after reading this tale. The twists and turns had me wanting to shake Lyddie, she was playing with fire and would surely get burnt. Quite a believable tale well told with good pace. Just when you thought you had solved the plot off it went again in another direction.
Many thanks to Netgalley/Maggie James/Bloodhound Books for a digital copy of this title. All opinions expressed are my own.