Rules of Deception

What can be said about this masterpiece that hasn't already been said? The concept of "a fish out of water" plunged into a world of deception while in a state of shock first caused by his wife's death and then by the discovery of her career as a spy. Enough can't be said. I, rather unfortunately, read RULES OF VENGEANCE first and so knew much of this story before reading it and still found it great in spite of knowing the twists coming up. Just read it. You won't be sorry.

I loved reading this book. I finished it in only a couple of days. I enjoyed how the plot kept twisting and their was alot of action in the story. Am definitely looking forward to the next book coming out in August. Would recommend it to anyone who loves these kinds of books.

I've read all of Christopher Reich's books and this one is the best, yet. Fast-moving, complex plot that kept me guessing "who dunnit". I couldn't put it down and powered through it in record speed.

The story opens with a grabber: Emma Ransom, while skiing with her husband Jonathan, dies in a terrible accident on a Swiss slope, and from there the story tumbles and throbs into a suspenseful spy thriller plot. How often have we seen the amateur, the ordinary guy, caught up in the frightening world of dangerous intrigue and being hunted simultaneously Hitchcockian-style by the cops and evildoers? There's plenty of conniving, conspiring, double dealing, and betraying. Rogue elements within the U.S. government are up to no good. It's a good thing that Jonathan Ransom is a medical doctor because he has to endure and treat his numerous wounds as he pursues the bad guys. The Ghost is a CIA trained hit man who dips his bullets in a Central American frog poison. The bad guys are involved in a scheme that involves preemptive and proactive attacks, and Dr. Ransom has to stop them. You learn a lot as you read the book because the author has done careful research and is knowledgeable in various fields although there is some technical gibberish to add authenticity and believability. The narration rushes at a breakneck pace, but because the book consists of alternating chapters (episodes) dealing with different sets of characters, some of the book's narrative velocity and urgency is lost, and the reader tends to read it in short spurts rather than at long sittings. The often used device: the common man thought guilty by the cops becomes like a super hero doing deeds of derring-do beyond the ken of most mortals. He gets away in the knick of time on a number of occasions. It's a well-written, richly layered, multi-textured book with different plot strands following various characters. In this genre don't expect too much plausibility. The ending is exciting and involves some rewriting of history.

Christopher Reich's Rules of Deception is a stupendous read with one twist after another. Rules of Deception contains more suspense that the old movie serials of decades past and delivers a great story to boot. Without giving too much a way the protagonist Jonathan Ransom, one of those really nice guys who also happens to be a surgeon working with Doctors Without Borders is pursuing his passion of mountain climbing is the Alps with his wife, Emma. Mountain climbing has tons of risks and with this trip the odds are against Ransom; an avalanche sweeps Emma to her death. Badly shaken Ransom returns to his hotel only to find an envelope delivery awaiting his now dead wife with two claims tickets inside. Using these tickets he finds her secret luggage and the contents reveal that there was a lot more to Emma than he knew. What mayhem follows. Don't judge this book until you've finished it. Reich provides us with a story that builds as it goes and in the end you'll be glad you stuck with the book. Jonathan eventually reveals himself to be quite the adventurer and engages in wild chases and the use of disguises as he eludes the international manhunt for him. With characters like Emma's best friend Simone Noiret and Marcus von Daniken, head of the Swiss counterterrorism organization, the story is colorful and engaging. Reich, in the manner of Tom Clancy, is at ease with the incorporation of high tech gadgets into his story and this adds a lot to the suspense. This is my first Christopher Reich's book but it won't be my last. I highly recommend Rules of Deception.