Deception

By: Denise Mina

Narrated by: Richard Matthews

Length: 9 hrs and 38 mins

Publisher's summary

From Scotland's most exciting up-and-coming mystery novelist comes a story of Lachlan Harriot, a man who refuses to believe his wife, Susie, is a killer, even though she had been working with Andrew Gow, a paroled serial killer, as his court-appointed psychologist, when she was found covered in blood near the spot where his and his wife's bodies were discovered. Desperate to clear his wife's name, Lachlan searches her home office for proof of her innocence. What he finds in this formerly off-limits place is an unimaginable world that makes him question his wife and their life together. But something continues to trouble him, and he, believing that this is where the truth lies, follows his hunch beyond all reason and hope.

©2004 Denise Mina (P)2004 Books on Tape

Critic reviews

"It's voice, not event, that grabs hold of the reader and won't let go. Lachlan Harriott immerses us in his obsessions; like Nabokov's Humbert Humbert, he repels and commands sympathy in the same instant. He is a charming, comic, intelligent narrator....Mystery lovers have lately been looking to Scotland, in part because of Mina's fast-growing reputation; this stunning new work can only bolster the trend." (Publishers Weekly)

Dreadful...

Well I got this on the strength of the majority of the other reviews and I can only say that I completely disagree. The story plods along with all the speed of a comatose snail, and the so-called "twist" was definitely not worth the wait, nor was it particularly surprising. Sorry, but I cannot agree with the other reviews- avoid this at all costs!

Disappointing

An interesting story, but lacking.

give this one a pass

This book is written in journal format. The main character isn't very likable, and he and the others (his wife, the person killed etc.) aren't very interesting. It is the only audiobook I haven't listened to all the way through (and I've listened to many!) The narrator did a very good job, but even he couldn't create interest out of this book.

Tedious

Could have used another edit. Quite long and dull with droning narration. I became bored. There are better novels than this one out there. I'd pass this by. The first person gets old, tedious.

Tried but could not finish!

This was a strange book. It was in diary form where all the action takes place in someone else's life as the narrator figures out a mystery in his own extremely desultory way. There was no danger or suspense and I had to put it down. I'm sure this author has written better books.

Deception is a good name for this book

This book goes nowhere, but takes a very long time getting there. The same story could have been told in a lot less time and would have been a much better listen. Perhaps the editors should consider an abridged edition.

Unsatisfactory

Unnecessary sexual descriptions, difficult to discover a story line and borderline boring.. waste of a credit.

Very Disappointing

"Deception" was difficult to stick with, but I kept thinking it was building up to some big conclusion. The end was very anti-climactic.

Tedious and implausible

The ending was ludicrously implausible and scant reward for plodding through this clunker. The characterization was well done and interesting, and the narration was wonderful.

disappointed

struggled to finish. the entire story was told from the view of one person.