Portrait Of Deception

Rating:
Summary: action-packed thriller
Review: His grandmother Ma Louise is dying, but asks one final request of Sam Trahan to recover the stolen family heirloom, The Black Madonna worth 3 million, its' importance being that it was painted by an ancestor. Milton Alexander working for Trahan's firm stole the painting, but private investigators have failed to come up with his whereabouts. Unhappy with their results, Sam decides to take charge by visiting the thief's former girl friend Zora Redwood in Brooklyn.

Sam believes that Zora helped Milton with the theft. Believing she knows where the rogue is hiding he blackmails her into helping him in his quest to get to Milton by threatening to bring her to the police as an accessory as she has proof she had the painting in her apartment. Though she joins him on his quest heading to the Caribbean island of Jamaica, neither trusts the other. However, as they work together to find Milton and the masterpiece, Zora and Sam fall in love, but although danger mounts as their lives are in peril from Milton and his allies, distrust between the duo remains high.

PORTRAIT OF DECEPTION is an action-packed thriller. Once the lead couple journeys to Jamaica it never slows down until the final confrontation occurs. The romance between the reluctant partners seems more an afterthought as the fine amateur sleuth chase takes center stage. Zora and Sam are a delightful distrusting lead protagonists whose love revelations seems off kilter while Milton is superbly developed as he proves over the course of the solid tale to be quite a tough villain. More for thriller fans, Janette McCarthy Louard furbishes a fine novel.

Harriet Klausner


Rating:
Summary: Deception of Love
Review: Sam Trahan became the matriarch of the Trahan family after the death of his grandmother Ma Louise. Her one dying wish was for Sam to recover her family's prized possession, the Black Madonna, a portrait of her great grandmother. Since the portrait was stolen while in Sam's care, he will stop at nothing to ensure its safe return.

Zora Redwood was madly in love with her fiancé Milton Alexander until the day he walked out on her. Zora was desperately trying to put the past behind and get on with her life when she is implicated as an accomplice in the theft of the Black Madonna. Milton has stolen the portrait and after two months Sam has been unable to pinpoint his whereabouts. Sam knows that the only way to find Milton would be to enlist Zora's help. However, Zora is very adamant about not helping him and tells him in so many words. Sam, who has never had a problem with getting his way, is taken by surprise when she refuses. When Sam threatens to press charges against her, Zora has no choice but to agree to help.

Janette McCarthy Louard has written an interesting novel filled with suspense. The book was well-written but the author spent, in my opinion, too much time on the mystery of finding the painting rather than the budding romance between Sam and Zora. I did enjoy how the tale surrounding Rose Hall was intricately woven into the framework of this book. All in all, PORTRAIT OF DECEPTION was a wonderful read and I look forward to reading other novels by Ms. Louard. (RAW Rating: 3.5)

Reviewed by Pamela Bolden
of The RAWSISTAZ™ Reviewers

Rating:
Summary: Okay Read
Review: This book was okay could have been better. At times it even got on my nerves the way they kept mentioning how she's not the most beautiful woman he has ever met. The author made and irritating note to mention it several times. Another was how the people around him never ever defy him, whatever. I did enjoy the mystery that was the only thing that got this review 3 stars.