Deception

by John Altman

An ordinary woman is caught in extraordinary circumstances, in the crackling new thriller from a major new talent.

John Altman's first two suspense novels won remarkable praise. Now, Altman gives us his best yet.

Hannah Gray is on the run. Unwittingly involved in an insurance fraud, she's leapt upon a friend's offer of tickets to an Adriatic cruise just to clear her head and figure things out. Maybe the fraud has been discovered-or maybe the threat of exposure exists only in her mind. Couldn't it be? But on the ship, she meets Renee Epstein, and that's when her life changes. Renee's husband is a scientist, and he's on the run himself. He's taken off with equations about to be used for a purpose he had not at all intended, but while he's trying to figure out what to do with them, he's scribbled them on the flyleaf of a book.

And now his wife has given the book to some fool woman she's met on the boat.

Before he can retrieve it, the Epsteins are murdered, Hannah herself is targeted, and an extraordinary adventure begins through the Greek islands and Turkey, as Hannah Gray must use all of a hitherto-unsuspected resourcefulness to battle her way through a situation that only becomes more perilous by the minute. Filled with vivid characters, breathtaking suspense, and delicious atmosphere, Deception is indeed what thrillers ought to be and seldom are.

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Espionage, Adventure, Mystery

272 pages, Hardcover

First published April 28, 2003

About the author

John Altman's thrillers have sold over a quarter-million copies in the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, Japan, Poland, and the Netherlands. He graduated from Harvard University in 1992. He lives with his wife and children in Princeton, New Jersey, where he is at work on his next book.
"If there are thriller writers betters than this," Jack Higgins said, "I'd like to know who they are."

Reviews

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is part espionage and part who done it, but definitely a pleasant read. This is the story of Hannah who finds herself doctoring her passport as she surreptitiously slips out of the U.S. to board a cruise off the Greek islands. She unwittingly gets caught up in a hotbed of trouble when she is befriended by an elderly and seemingly harmless couple on the cruise 🚢. But as Hannah is soon to learn, things are not always as they appear to be on the surface. And so begins the stuff of covert secrets, espionage, and gambling with ones life!
Liked this so much I plan to read other books 📚 by this author (once the libraries reopen).

[Priscilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast paced story line with unpredictable twists and turns. Very good read.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had a hard time deciding whether this rated 3 or 4 stars, because I enjoyed it so very much, right up until the end, which I found extremely unsatisfying.

[Shaghaf Awad · Rating 1 out of 5]

" Don't judge the book by its cover" Only this time, the cover gave the impression that the book was good while in reality it was NOT. I could not relate to the main characters or at least sympathize with them, the plot was weak but in all fairness the language was good.
I would say it is a poor attempt to follow Dan Brown's style.

[Eddy George Eden · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it !

[Myprivatebookclub · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of characters created some confusion, but I realized that was enjoying the read.
There were lots of happenings, not much dragging, interesting plot twists, some of which unpredictable. I loved the scenery of the book, although it was short and not detailed at all, I managed somehow to follow the characters in the narrow streets, in the luxurious villas, in the cabs.
I do not really feel to have a closure at the end of the book; but I guess this was the aim of the author, so that we can finish the story just as we like it.
The author did not feel pity for either of the characters – one can never expect who will be spent and who will be spared.

[Booklily · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn't find the book I wanted in the library so just picked a random book to try. I took this book only because the description mentioned the names of Eric Ambler and John Le Carre who happened to be my favorite authors. I had a doubt as soon as I started the book. What the chance is for two men with exact same name staying in the same hotel at same time? I then lost 70% interest, plus the last minute cruise and airfare transfer, forged passport, etc. not really plausible.

[Bryan Neighbors · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this a well written and compelling story, but the further along it went the more frequent completely implausible things kept happening.

[Luci · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent thriller but not exceptional. While interesting and a quick read, I really didn't care about the characters.

[Lesley · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an incredible ride! Altman comes through again. In A Gathering of Spies and A Game of Spies, Altman proved himself a master of suspense and period detail. In Deception, Altman delivers a compelling story with nuanced characters and a scientific riddle that laymen will understand and physicists will love. Keep spinning these fabulous yarns, John!

[Graham Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of moving parts, inferences, characters, and a slow boiling plot that keeps getting thicker as the book goes on. A classic thriller that should be made into a movie, say a film noir international thriller. Well done sparse but intriguing novel. Enjoyed more once I got deeper and deeper into it.

[Patrick · Rating 2 out of 5]

A quick-paced but dull "thriller." A scientist on a cruise ship dies and a woman picks up a book that has a formula for some kind of weapon in it. Then she's on the run from a baby-faced assassin. It didn't really hold my interest very well. On the acknowledgments the author thanks his author, who didn't really do a good job since there were a few typos in the manuscript.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a solid thriller. Better-written than most. The plot is somewhat tried-and-true, but the good writing makes it fresh and fun to read.

[Esther Reimer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story line was very interesting but the changing narrative and names were confusing at times.

[Ruth · Rating 1 out of 5]

spy novel with complex, confusing story line and no likable characters.