Deception by Randy Alcorn

When you read as fast as I do, it can be frustrating to be stuck in a book for several weeks. To have so many words on a page that you can't zip through to the end. To have so many details to keep track of, you must go slowly or you'll miss something. And with other books to read, it can really drive you nuts!

Having said that, I must admit that "Deception" by Randy Alcorn was not a frustration...it was an amazing journey that I'm so glad I didn't miss. I savored every line, and it was a feast for the mind!!

"Deception" is the third in a loosely tied series of novels. The first, "Deadline", introduced us to journalist Jake Woods. "Dominion" brought us news reporter Clarence Abernathy. Finally, in "Deception" we get to dive deep into the character of Detective Oliver Justice Chandler, skeptic and hard-boiled cop wrapped in a trenchcoat and fedora.

Ollie is called to the scene of a bizarre murder of a college professor. Immediately, things don't add up--he finds evidence that links him to the murder, but he wasn't there...was he?

As Ollie begins to unravel the threads of deception that encase the truth about this murder, Jake and Clarence work together to unravel the deception that prevents Ollie from finding faith in Christ. Randy Alcorn skillfully weaves the two stories together into a fabulous tale of murder, detection, and faith that is a joy to read.

The evidence begins to mount and Ollie suspects a homicide detective is the murderer. But which one? And how does he go about proving a brother (or sister) in blue is the culprit? With uncanny knowledge and mind-boggling twists and turns, Ollie gets to the truth about the murder, and as for faith in Jesus...well, you'll just have to read the book to find out.

I've read every novel Randy Alcorn has written, and I can say without any hesitation that "Deception" is his finest work to date. Reading this novel is an investment--it's nearly 500 pages long. And it is some of the smallest type I've seen in a long time...but it's like an all you can eat buffet compared to a Happy Meal.

I loved Ollie's witticisms and the way he and Clarence trade dialogue back and forth. At times I had to chuckle, and sometimes even laugh out loud at those two. These characters are fully developed and could easily walk off the pages of the story into real life.

I encourage you to begin at the beginning with "Deadline"...but you could easily pick up "Deception" and dive right in--you'll just miss some of the history of the characters. And Randy Alcorn's writing is top notch in all three novels...this is just the cream of his crop!!

"Deception" gets 6 bookmarks from me, and a little t-bone charm for Mulch, my favorite detective pooch!! I certainly hope we haven't heard the last of Jake, Clarence and Ollie! I'm also voting "Deception" as the best Crime Thriller of 2007!!

Happy Reading!

Deena