Killer Deception by Rosemary Willhide
Published: June 24, 2022
Small Town Mysteries
Pages: 280
Genre: Thriller
KKECReads Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.
Rosemary Willhide is an actress, turned fitness instructor, and turned author of romantic suspense. She’s told stories and entertained people her entire life. Writing is her favorite because she doesn’t have to leave the house or put on pants! Plus, the voices in her head do what she says, for the most part! She lives in Las Vegas with her husband, Bill, and their adopted senior pooch, Brownie. She still teaches cycling classes. She claims they keep her sane-ish!
That’s what Vanessa Paige thought on her way out the door after an argument with her fifteen-year-old niece, Simone.
Vanessa took her niece in a few months ago after the sudden death of her half-sister, Monique. The transition from single life to parental guardian is beyond difficult. They share a small apartment above the bookstore she co-owns with her best friend, Whitney Brown, and butt heads and bump into each other daily.
Vanessa has been looking forward to the Hope Ridge High Twenty Year Class Reunion for weeks, mainly because her best friend’s older brother, Will Brown, is picking her up.
The night of her dreams turns into a nightmare when she returns home and discovers Simone has gone. There’s not a trace of her left in the apartment. It’s as if she vanished into thin air.
While the good folks of Hope Ridge come together to search for Simone, Vanessa is distraught. Simone’s disappearance leaves her with more questions than answers. Someone is lying. Someone knows where Simone is, and what happened the night of the reunion. Someone has committed the ultimate deception.
“Maybe it’s Hope Ridge. This charming, quiet town has a way of bringing out the softer side in all of us.”
Vanessa is still trying to adjust to life as a parent. Taking her niece was the easy and obvious choice, but 15 year of girls are a lot. Simone is full is attitude and sass, and every time Vanessa feels like they have taken a step forward- they take three back. When Simone goes missing, seemingly without a trace, the word runaway is tossed around. But Vanessa knows in her bones that is not the case. And she is determined to find the truth, no matter the cost.
First, I have to shout- THE TWIST. This was such a fast-paced read. I could not put this book down.
The gang is all back, and just when things seem to be settling into a routine, Simone disappears. Vanessa is a wreck, wracked with guilt and fear.
But she also carries the weight of the relationship shifts with her longtime crush. A lot has happened, and the emotions are high.
I loved the humor intertwined with this terror. There was a nice balance between the chaos and the charm. We get to know Vanessa a lot more in this book.
The character development is fantastic in this book. We start to see who each character is on a deep level. And certain characters shine.
And I love the friendship between Caroline and Vanessa. The sisterhood is strong! This book will grab you by the throat and hold you captive until the shocking ending.
I enjoyed this book so much more than the first book, which was an excellent introduction to this series. This book is the perfect second book, and every element is there. Rosemary will have you screaming for the next book in this series. The countdown is on!