Deceived

James Scott Bell writes wonderful, character driven stories, consisting of characters that are believable and flawed. They are "everyday people" trying to get along in life. As we read about them, they draw us into their stories and cause us to cheer for them. We ride shotgun, living their life events as they do. Deceived is no exception. When Liz Towne and her husband, Arty, stumble upon the body of a dead motorcyclist in a canyon, they find the discovery of a lifetime--diamonds. Lots of them. Priceless. And stolen. She argues with her husband on what they should do with the hot ice, and decides to take a path that leads her ever-deeper down a path of deceit, in which she must continuously make choices to keep up the deception, or jump off. Arty's sister, Rocky Towne, is an insurance fraud investigator and suspects foul play with Liz, but she's unable to find proof. We also meet Mac MacDonald, whom Liz takes an interest to and to the church life that Mac now lives. But is her interest real, or part of the deception? Liz lived through a traumatic childhood. Mac is a veteran suffering from Gulf War Syndrome. Rocky has a scarred face, damage caused after being mauled by a dog as a child, which has a negative impact on her self-esteem, in turn negatively affecting all she does. Bell has breathed depth into each character, bringing them to life on the page. They could be the guy mowing the lawn next door, or the lady putting gas in her car while you're cleaning your windshield. This story hit home for me, as my wife and I worked at a children's home for a few years. Many of the kids suffered some form of abuse. In most of those cases, their parents had in turn suffered abuse, and so the cruelty climbs down the family tree. Love and hope can break the chain, but the effects can manifest in different ways. In Deceived, they lead to the absence of a filter in the mind that allows for the discernment of right and wrong. There are multiple twists in the storyline and plausible tension throughout. What you expect to happen doesn't. What does happen is another thought-provoking, wonderful story by James Scott Bell.

James Scott Bell writes great stories. From the first paragraph I was sucked into his latest, Deceived. A novel that will be just the beginning of a series because these characters need to continue their stories. Liz, a new and tortured widow with some hellish secrets. Mac, a struggling veteran, ex-con just trying to get back on his feet and find his way in the world. Rocky, scarred inside and out and full of a lot of songs that she needs to sing. This novel is dark but ends with hope. Deceived shows the depths to which humanity sinks when left to twisted thoughts and broken moral compasses. Bell aces my grade sheet with compelling characters, tightly wound plots, scenes that hum with realism and dialog that is both entertaining and real. Scott's legal background adds additional depth. Character collectors, fans of crime fiction and Bell fans should check further into Deceived.

James Scott Bell's characters in Deceived are gritty, broken and real--a reflection of the human condition in this modern world. They become vivid as the lives of all three main characters are woven together in this fast-paced plot. And true to Bell's skill to write a great story, readers are hit with an unexpected ending. As I began the novel, I thought, "How's Bell going to pull off intersecting the lives of these main characters?" The task appeared daunting. Deceived starts like a machine gun--splitting out characters, plot and conflict, with just a taste of back story. I found it impossible to put down. This classic Bell novel ratchets up tension and conflict within each character. No one escapes. Liz Towne--a stunning blond whose past haunts her every move. "Mac" MacDonald--whose propensity for violence clashes with his search for spiritual peace. Roxanne "Rocky" Towne--whose scarred face and soul threatens to drag her down as she struggles to survive. Everything in the novel takes place within a span of seventeen days, with chapters divided by days of the week and scenes divided by hour and minute. Shades of television's 24 without the terrorists, but the same tensions and twists to make even Jack Bauer tired. Deceived joins the ranks of those novels suspense readers enjoy losing sleep over. The sweet agony of a good read.

At first, I wasn't sure how James Scott Bell was going to interweave the lives and actions of the characters he was introducing. However, I soon found them all linked in a web of deceit, with tension that continued to build throughout the whole book. And, for those of you who tend to skip ahead in a book to avoid the boring parts, be prepared to just keep reading--there are no boring parts. Morality and religion play a big part in the plot, but so do murder and deceit. This is one of Bell's best so far.