Formula of Deception by Carrie Stuart Parks
Published by Thomas Nelson on July 3, 2018
Pages: 320
Format: Paperback
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When her twin sister was murdered, Murphy Anderson changed her name and appearance and moved to Kodiak to avoid the press and publicity. But when local authorities discover she’s an artist and request her help in drawing a dying man’s memories, she unintentionally ends up in the limelight again—and may be back in the killer’s crosshairs.
The memory that Murphy was asked to draw was from an Alaskan hunter who discovered five bodies on remote Ruuwaq Island ten years ago, but has only shared the information with the police now that he’s dying of cancer. When they go to the island to investigate, no skeletons remain but there is evidence that the bodies may have been deliberately destroyed. But the big discovery is of a World War II Quonset hut.
As one by one the people who were at the hut die, Murphy knows there is something much deeper at stake. What happened there during WWII? And who is willing to kill to keep those secrets buried?
Just about a year ago, I read and reviewed Portrait of Vengeance by Carrie Stuart Parks (see review HERE). It was a great book, so when I received Formula of Deception from the Fiction Guild through my blogging relationship with them, I was happy. Because my TBR (to be read) stack was a little bigger than I wanted, I haven’t had a chance to read this one until now even though it was published in July of this year.
Protagonist, Murphy Andersen is hiding in rural Alaska on the run from a serial killer who is probably responsible for her twin sister’s disappearance might soon find her.
She uses her artistic skills and fine sense of details and poses as a forensic artist, but she ends up finding herself in more danger than ever.
Ms. Parks uses the interesting history of the Kodiak and Aleutian islands region around WWII, giving the story a very realistic feel making the story line even more thrilling.
As I read more about Murphy’s character and as her history was revealed, I realized that I liked her character more and more. It became more clear to me as the story progressed that the author had some psychological elements in play, but I wasn’t sure how that would pan out. The conversations with her dead sister that Murphy conducted in her head gave me a clue that there was something going on.
I was completely engaged in the story line from the first page, and I thought for sure I could figure out the ending before the end of the book since I had experience in Ms. Parks’ writing, but as it turned out, I wasn’t prepared for how this book ended. This electrifying novel has twists and turns that will make readers awestruck when they discover how she fits it all together at the end.
As an added plus, the author includes eight discussion questions to help get a book club discussion going, which is perfect for this fascinating read since it would definitely work well as a book club pick.
Carrie Stuart Parks is an award-winning, internationally known forensic artist. Over the past thirty-six years, she has worked on major criminal cases for such agencies as the FBI and ATF as well as numerous police and sheriff’s departments throughout the US. She is the author of over twenty books, both fiction and non-fiction.
Along with her artist-husband, Rick, a former visual information specialist for the FBI in Washington DC, they travel across the US and Canada teaching forensic art courses. They are the foremost instructor of forensic art in the world.
She has won numerous awards for career excellence. Carrie is a popular platform speaker, presenting a variety of topics from crime to creativity. Animals have always been a large part of her life. Her parents, Ned and Evelyn Stuart, started Skeel Kennel Great Pyrenees in 1960. Carrie inherited the kennel and continues with her beloved dogs as both an AKC judge and former president of the Great Pyrenees Club of America. She lives on the same ranch she grew up on in Northern Idaho.
Connect with Ms. Parks on social media ~
WEBSITE // FACEBOOK // TWITTER // GOODREADS
I received a paperback copy of this book without cost from the publisher through The Fiction Guild, a Thomas Nelson/Zondervan Elite Reader book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
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