Deception Cove

By: Owen Laukkanen

Narrated by: Kevin Stillwell, Courtney Patterson

Length: 11 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's summary

For fans of CJ Box and Michael Koryta, an "intimate and cinematic" thriller* about an ex-marine, an ex-convict, and a rescue dog caught in the crosshairs of a ruthless gang in remote Washington state.

Former US Marine Jess Winslow reenters civilian life a new widow, with little more to her name than a falling-down house, a medical discharge for PTSD, and a loyal dog named Lucy. The only thing she actually cares about is that dog, a black-and-white pit bull mix who helps her cope with the devastating memories of her time in Afghanistan.

After 15 years - nearly half his life - in state prison, Mason Burke owns one set of clothes, a wallet, and a photo of Lucy, the service dog he trained while behind bars. Seeking a fresh start, he sets out for Deception Cove, Washington, where the dog now lives.

As soon as Mason knocks on Jess' door, he finds himself in the middle of a standoff between the widow and the deputy county sheriff. When Jess' late husband piloted his final "fishing" expedition, he stole and stashed a valuable package from his drug dealer associates. Now the package is gone, and the sheriff's department has seized Jess' dearest possession - her dog. Unless Jess turns over the missing goods, Lucy will be destroyed.

The last thing Mason wants is to be dragged back into the criminal world. The last thing Jess wants is to trust a stranger. But neither of them can leave a friend, the only good thing in either of their lives, in danger. To rescue Lucy, they'll have to forge an uneasy alliance. And to avoid becoming collateral damage in someone else's private war, they have to fight back - and find a way to conquer their doubts and fears.

*Alex Segura, author of Blackout and the Pete Fernandez series

©2019 Owen Laukkanen (P)2019 Hachette Audio

Critic reviews

"I could write pages singing the praises of Deception Cove's vivid characters and ruthless pace - but here's the short version: Owen Laukkanen sure as hell knows how to tell a story. Read this one, you won't regret it." (Nick Petrie, national best-selling author of The Drifter)

"In Deception Cove, Owen Laukkanen gives you everything you could want in a thriller - rich setting, breakneck pacing, thrilling action, a ton of heart, and a great dog. This is a cancel-your-plans-so-you-can-stay-in-to-read book." (Rob Hart, author of The Warehouse)

"Laukkanen has never been better. A crackerjack plot enhances the moving portrayals of the leads' inner lives." (Publishers Weekly)

Excellent

This a new author for me and I bought this because I know the setting. This is a wonderful thriller and the author captures the setting perfectly, the rain Forrest on the wild and rainy Washington coast. The story is so compelling, starring a pit bull, ex-con and an ex-marine with PTSD. I enjoyed every minute and found it hard to stop listening. The readers are perfect.

Good Story, Weird Narration

I’m glad I didn’t quit this book even though the strange upspeak style of narration annoyed me every step of the way. Since both the narrators did it, I can only assume they were directed.
Storyline kept me interested and the main characters had me rooting for them all the way. And there’s a dog. I’m a sucker for animals pervading the story, yay!

Standing Up

Jess is a wounded hero and Burke is looking to do something right after a lifetime of bad decisions. They both decide to stand up to the darkness around them and fight their way to the other side. This is definitely a page turner with good suspense and a side of unexpected romance.

found a new author to read

really liked it, and the readers were great. Looking forward to reading this author some more.

Suspenceful.

Great story. I couldn't stop listening. It wasn't predictable, except for one thing which I won't give away.

Excellent,

Laukkanen crushes it again. Deception Cove isn’t my favorite book by this author but only because some of his other books are so tremendously good. This one is top tier as well and a great read / listen. I can’t recommend it enough. Grab any of his books and dive in and you’ll find yourself quickly wanting to read them all. Enjoy!

Well crafted tale.

Both narrators perform admirably to depict the memorable characters in this suspenseful tale. Deception Cove captures the emotional aftermath of a troubled marine, the recompense and loyalty of a parolee, the greed and corruption of a small town sheriff's office as well a the dog that brings them all together. Great read and great listen! Highly recommend.

good story

this book was a little predictable, but still a good easy read. the characters were all good and easy to remember who they were. I'd recommend this book to anyone.

What an exciting story.

I had to stop the story a number of times due to the fact that my excitement was too overwhelming. What a great book. Will look forward for more of these stories from this author. Sincerely Linda

Great listen and suspenseful

This was a great listen. Well written plot and suspenseful. Love Lucy. Looking forward to more on Jess , Burke and of course Lucy!