Deceit

Rating:
Summary: Suspense novel that will keep you guessing until the end.
Review: "Deceit," by the British author Clare Frances, is a beautifully written novel that builds in intensity until its surprising conclusion. Ellen Richmond's husband, Harry, has mysteriously disappeared while on his yacht. Months later, neither Harry's body nor his yacht has been recovered and he is presumed dead. Ellen's top priority is protecting her children, Katie and Josh, from anything or anyone who may hurt them.

Protecting the children and herself will be quite a challenge for Ellen. It seems that Harry had quite a few secrets, both of a personal and professional nature, and he has left the family emotionally devastated and almost penniless. Harry had hurt Ellen in many ways and her marriage was in deep trouble at the time of her husband's disappearance. She is hoping that after Harry's memorial service, she will be able to forget the past and get on with her life.

Unfortunately, as further revelations come out about Harry and his death, Ellen's peace of mind is shattered and her family's security is threatened. Clare Frances does a masterful job of creating memorable and fully developed characters. Ellen is a complex woman who has been guilty of being too trusting and passive, but who now must call on all of her inner strength to survive emotionally from day to day. Other memorable characters include Richard Moreland, a kind and honorable man who befriends Ellen and her son, and Jack, Harry's sleazy business partner, whose attentions to Ellen are unwelcome and unwanted.

As more terrible truths emerge, Ellen's world starts to fall apart. The last quarter of the book will have you on the edge of your seat until you finally reach the surprising conclusion. Lovers of British suspense novels will adore "Deceit," a first-rate thriller.

Rating:
Summary: Suspense novel that will keep you guessing until the end.
Review: "Deceit," by the British author Clare Frances, is a beautifully written novel that builds in intensity until its surprising conclusion. Ellen Richmond's husband, Harry, has mysteriously disappeared while on his yacht. Months later, neither Harry's body nor his yacht has been recovered and he is presumed dead. Ellen's top priority is protecting her children, Katie and Josh, from anything or anyone who may hurt them.

Protecting the children and herself will be quite a challenge for Ellen. It seems that Harry had quite a few secrets, both of a personal and professional nature, and he has left the family emotionally devastated and almost penniless. Harry had hurt Ellen in many ways and her marriage was in deep trouble at the time of her husband's disappearance. She is hoping that after Harry's memorial service, she will be able to forget the past and get on with her life.

Unfortunately, as further revelations come out about Harry and his death, Ellen's peace of mind is shattered and her family's security is threatened. Clare Frances does a masterful job of creating memorable and fully developed characters. Ellen is a complex woman who has been guilty of being too trusting and passive, but who now must call on all of her inner strength to survive emotionally from day to day. Other memorable characters include Richard Moreland, a kind and honorable man who befriends Ellen and her son, and Jack, Harry's sleazy business partner, whose attentions to Ellen are unwelcome and unwanted.

As more terrible truths emerge, Ellen's world starts to fall apart. The last quarter of the book will have you on the edge of your seat until you finally reach the surprising conclusion. Lovers of British suspense novels will adore "Deceit," a first-rate thriller.

Rating:
Summary: delightful crime thriller
Review: After several months in which former Parliament member Harry Richmond remaines missing at sea, his wife Ellen accepts the official ruling that he is presumed dead. Her upper-class friends and his political cronies presume Ellen is a grieving widow and treat her accordingly, though she knew her marriage was in trouble. At Harry's funeral service, a former military associate of Harry during the Falkland Islands War, Richard Moreland attends.

As Ellen thinks suicide due to amateur seaman Harry going out on a yacht in dangerous weather, the police wonder if murder occurred. Already worried about the future of her two children with the mountain of debt her dead husband left her with, Ellen learns more about Harry's questionable financial dealings, alleged wrong doings as a soldier, and perhaps sexual abuse of his adopted oldest daughter. Only Richard seems to be on Ellen's side in seeking the truth of what happened to Harry, but she questions his agenda.

Though the tale starts off a bit slow as Clare Francis introduces the cast including a dead Harry and their relationships, once the story line shifts into gear it never slows down. Readers will find Ellen a delightful enigma until the climax. Is she the victim only trying to protect her children or is she the killer trying to hide her own misdeed? Fans will take tremendous satisfaction trying to determine who the real Ellen is, but Ms. Francis cleverly hides the truth in plain sight and it is not revealed until the taut climax.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: delightful crime thriller
Review: After several months in which former Parliament member Harry Richmond remaines missing at sea, his wife Ellen accepts the official ruling that he is presumed dead. Her upper-class friends and his political cronies presume Ellen is a grieving widow and treat her accordingly, though she knew her marriage was in trouble. At Harry's funeral service, a former military associate of Harry during the Falkland Islands War, Richard Moreland attends.

As Ellen thinks suicide due to amateur seaman Harry going out on a yacht in dangerous weather, the police wonder if murder occurred. Already worried about the future of her two children with the mountain of debt her dead husband left her with, Ellen learns more about Harry's questionable financial dealings, alleged wrong doings as a soldier, and perhaps sexual abuse of his adopted oldest daughter. Only Richard seems to be on Ellen's side in seeking the truth of what happened to Harry, but she questions his agenda.

Though the tale starts off a bit slow as Clare Francis introduces the cast including a dead Harry and their relationships, once the story line shifts into gear it never slows down. Readers will find Ellen a delightful enigma until the climax. Is she the victim only trying to protect her children or is she the killer trying to hide her own misdeed? Fans will take tremendous satisfaction trying to determine who the real Ellen is, but Ms. Francis cleverly hides the truth in plain sight and it is not revealed until the taut climax.

Harriet Klausner

Rating:
Summary: Superb suspense
Review: After writing a number of adventure novel Clare Francis successfully turned to Psychological Thrillers. Deceit, her fourth, is probably the best.

Set in rural England it describes how Ellen comes to grip with the death of her husband, an MP. There seems to be more to it than thought at first sight and we follow Ellen, and her two children as the story slowly unfolds. Francis' strenght is the development of her characters. We really get to know Ellen to an extent that is sometimes embarrassing, in particular when you start to question the role she played herself.

The setting is a dark English countryside and that adds a moody element to the story. Francis excels in using outside elements to create a dark environment in which the story unfolds. She is very strong in the use of understatement ( a trait shared with other British female authors like P.D.James and Val McDermid)which underscores the sometimes frightening developments of events. In particular the dialogues are gems full of hidden meaning.

The plot is quite realistic; you really can imagine something like these events to happen.

Add to this enough subtle twist to put you on the wrong footing time and again and you have an excellent thriller.

Rating:
Summary: A subtle, interesting book that simply will not go away...
Review: I got this book on a friend's recommendation and it wasn't until I began to read that I realized I had seen this story done as a made-for-British-TV-movie on BBCAmerica. I thought it was an especially good thriller on TV but I wasn't sure I wanted to read the book after the fact, especially since I knew "whodunit", but I gave it a try and armed with the image of Francesca Annis ("Reckless") as Ellen, I waded in. It was a good idea. There are so many story nuances and side plots that simply can't make it into a TV movie, either from time constraints or the known attention span of viewers, and it was like reading a richer version of the movie. The ending was still the same, but delivered in a much more compelling (and less screen-worthy) manner. I hadn't read Clare Francis before, but I certainly will read her again.

Rating:
Summary: suspense till the end
Review: This is one of the best thrillers I have read. I thought I knewwho did it at least 3 times and in the end none of them did. Thewhole story was only revealed on the last 5 pages. It was brilliant.