Sins of Deception

All of Valerie Wilcox's sailing mysteries have a compelling element in them, whether its the main character Kelly Montgomery, descriptions of sailing in Puget Sound, or Kelly's relationship with her adopted daughter. In Deception, it's all of the above, plus a darned good mystery.When Kelly's friend and client Paul Crenshaw is arrested for murder, it's tough to tell whether Paul's silence is fear of self-incrimination or innocent bewilderment. And if not Paul, the obvious choice, then who? Wilcox had me going until the end, which is exactly the way I like it.Good going! Looking forward to number four.

When Harold Melvin and the Blue Notes sang about Bad Luck, they must have had Kelly in mind. When her husband died of a brain tumor, she sold her suburban home, left her suburban job and moved onto a sailboat. She began teaching sailing classes at Larstad's Marina. Meanwhile, her beloved adopted daughter is searching for her biological parents in New Mexico. Her boy friend makes her heart beat faster.However, all these problems seem inconsequential after Kelly takes out a charter boat consisting of old friends and neighbors, Paul and Sharon Crenshaw, Martin Petrowski, and his son. When they return to shore, Customs detains the group because there is a warrant out for Paul's arrest. The police accuse him of killing a prostitute who was murdered on Paul's yacht. Paul denies knowing the victim and insists the yacht is not his. His father-in-law makes bail, but freedom is short-lived as someone kills his wife with the same MO as the hooker. Paul vanishes. Kelly believes Paul is innocent begins and sleuthing, which leads her into perilous situations.The joy of sailing with its accompanied freedom highlights Valerie Wilcox's engaging mystery. Although most people will not try to solve a homicide case, the heroine of SINS OF DECEPTION makes her efforts feel believable. The readers will know the identity of the villain early in the plot but that actually enhances the enjoyment of the story as the audience tries to figure out the why behind the murder. This is an entertaining amateur sleuth novel.