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Web of Deceit
Six weeks ago George Travis was living quietly in North Wales in the UK – keeping himself to himself, bothering no-one, walking and birdwatching in his spare time. Now he’s on the run: wanted by the police, vilified in the national press, and hiding from a man he thought was his friend. In desperation, Travis seeks help from a woman he has met just once, hatching a plan that will lure his tormentor out into the open. But to make the plan work he has to stay one step ahead of the police, the press and the man he eventually comes to know as Yr Hen Was, ‘The Devil’.
Played out against the stunning backdrop of the North Wales mountains, this is the story of how one man strikes back against people who misuse the media to distort facts, exploit innuendo and ruin lives. Set in 1999, it foreshadows many of the real-world smear campaigns, scams and scandals of the following decade, raising questions about how the internet and universal access to the Web will change the way we process information, the way we view the world, and ultimately, what we believe to be the ‘truth’.
Played out against the stunning backdrop of the North Wales mountains, this is the story of how one man strikes back against people who misuse the media to distort facts, exploit innuendo and ruin lives. Set in 1999, it foreshadows many of the real-world smear campaigns, scams and scandals of the following decade, raising questions about how the internet and universal access to the Web will change the way we process information, the way we view the world, and ultimately, what we believe to be the ‘truth’.
- GenresMystery
363 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 12, 2012
28 people want to read
About the author
Charles R. Stubbs
7 books39 followersI have earned my living by writing for more than 12 years. Previously a senior executive in the UK telecommunications industry, since 2001 I have crafted sales and marketing literature for major organisations - some of them household names - enabling them to improve their business performance.
'Web of Deceit' is my first eBook. A thriller set in North Wales in 1999, it examines how the media can manipulate public opinion, and how the internet has the potential to affect the lives of ordinary people.
My second book in the Travis #WebOfDeceit series involves the same group of characters five years later. In ‘Retribution’, the focus is on the activities of the UK press (some of them illegal) that came under the spotlight in the Leveson Inquiry. The novel shows how innocent people’s lives could be turned upside down by dubious media practices.
My blog at http://webofdeceit.org/blogs deals with issues relating to the media and their influence over our lives.
I live in the UK in the Midlands. When I'm not writing or working in my garden, I like to go birdwatching. I have incorporated this hobby into my books. This does make the stories somewhat unique - along with the fact that the action takes place in North Wales!
'Web of Deceit' is my first eBook. A thriller set in North Wales in 1999, it examines how the media can manipulate public opinion, and how the internet has the potential to affect the lives of ordinary people.
My second book in the Travis #WebOfDeceit series involves the same group of characters five years later. In ‘Retribution’, the focus is on the activities of the UK press (some of them illegal) that came under the spotlight in the Leveson Inquiry. The novel shows how innocent people’s lives could be turned upside down by dubious media practices.
My blog at http://webofdeceit.org/blogs deals with issues relating to the media and their influence over our lives.
I live in the UK in the Midlands. When I'm not writing or working in my garden, I like to go birdwatching. I have incorporated this hobby into my books. This does make the stories somewhat unique - along with the fact that the action takes place in North Wales!
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 30, 2012
This author weaves a web of deceit for the reader to unravel. And the ending is quite a shock. But what a marvellous novel this is on so many levels. First of all it is very much a novel of place. North Wales becomes a main player in the story and it is full of interest for those who know the area, and also will maybe encourage those who don't, to visit. The descriptions of Wales' natural beauties is enthralling. And then there is the background of the birdwatching. This author has so much knowledge not only of the geography of North Wales but also of the many types of birds that can be spotted locally. Other erudition becomes apparent in the musical references throughout the book. But above all this is a mystery and a thriller. As the pace gets going it becomes rather exciting and it is a tangled web in which we become enmeshed. Set in 1999 just when the internet was in its infancy, it is a book exploring the nature of our new 'truth', a 'truth' sometimes provided for us by internet information. What is truth and what is lies? When are we being deceived? Intelligently written with a fine writing style this book grabs your attention from the first page to the last and is unputdownable, if one can say that of an ebook. I was truly mesmorized by its chain of events and its high sense of intrigue. There is backstory too, namely about Travis's father, and this lends depth and psychological insight to the main character. Not enough books in my opinion have the wonderful setting of North Wales and this book should be popular in Wales especially. Excellently written, fast-paced and full of suspense - that is 'Web of Deceit'. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who wants a cracking yarn.
September 25, 2012
Set in picturesque North Wales in the UK, this tale of “deceit on a grand scale” moves a complex murder plot forward like the surge and ebb of an ocean wave—depositing just enough information to leave us wanting for more. The serenity of the landscape and the popularity of bird watching play major roles and accentuate the horror of the crime all the more. The story unfolds with intensity and fine-tuned precision through parallel narratives from George Travis, a vulnerable yet resourceful main protagonist, and his colleagues, police detectives, and journalists. Taking place at the dawn of the Internet, it echoes a cautionary theme about the credibility of information posted on the WWW and in the media. The ending was a great surprise. Quite the shocker! I highly recommend this book.
September 22, 2012
It's difficult to find mystery/murder novels these days with a real difference. Charles Stubbs had provided one here. It's a gem. The quirks include being set in a time, not so very long back, when the speed of communication by internet and the all-pervasive social networks was in its infancy. The geography also is unfamiliar territory to most readers outside of North Wales. Both of these elements are as much a part of the story as the protagonists, the main one of which is Travis, a young man beset with emotional struggles of his own, unwittingly sucked into a tightening web of confusion and danger. The pace in the novel is excellently controlled, with the various strands edging the reader along towards a well-thought ending. A great read and strongly recommended.
May 15, 2020
Psychological crime thriller set against the dramatic backdrop of the North Wales scenery.
October 24, 2012
Web of Deceit
It’s great when you find an author new to you and particularly when that author has successfully combined two of your favorite things: computers and bird watching. In many ways, Web of Deceit reminds me of mysteries such as And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie were you follow the trail of several characters as they eventually cross for better or worse. The story starts with snippets of the characters as they try to grapple with technology and an infant World Wide Web at the dawn of the Internet age.
When we first meet George Travis, he’s already in a desperate situation, trying to use a public Internet workstation to determine what, if anything, is being said about him on the Web. His search is not just to feed his vanity—Travis is on the run and someone is creating horrendous lies about him to make it even more difficult for him to get help or claim he is innocent of wrongdoing.
Thanks to the Internet, everyone believes Travis is implicated in the death of Chris Morgan, a man he met while bird watching.
Ann is in a class to learn about the Web and how to create effective web pages for her job and coincidentally ran into Travis while they were both, also, bird watching.
Likewise, Gareth Evans, editor of the North Wales Sentinel, is also grappling with the World Wide Web and modern technology in his efforts to pull together news stories to keep his business alive.
This sets up the complex, suspenseful plot where the reader is never sure what will happen next. The characters are very real with good qualities and flaws that anyone can sympathize with. Ann is perhaps the most sympathetic as she tries to wrestle with the problem of how much faith to put in Travis and how much assistance to give him as he flees from the authorities in his efforts to find a way to prove his innocence.
Travis, himself, often seems to be an unreliable narrator and several times I found myself wondering along with Ann just how much to trust him because like so many characters in Web of Deceit, each one has secrets that keep the suspense roaring along towards the conclusion.
This is one of the few books where you truly are surprised at the twists and turns. As it speeds towards the end, the reader can’t turn the pages fast enough to find out the next shocking surprise.
For those, like myself, who are fanatical bird watchers, there are fascinating glimpses into birding in the U.K. and how being in the wrong place at the wrong time can have horrifying consequences.
It’s great when you find an author new to you and particularly when that author has successfully combined two of your favorite things: computers and bird watching. In many ways, Web of Deceit reminds me of mysteries such as And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie were you follow the trail of several characters as they eventually cross for better or worse. The story starts with snippets of the characters as they try to grapple with technology and an infant World Wide Web at the dawn of the Internet age.
When we first meet George Travis, he’s already in a desperate situation, trying to use a public Internet workstation to determine what, if anything, is being said about him on the Web. His search is not just to feed his vanity—Travis is on the run and someone is creating horrendous lies about him to make it even more difficult for him to get help or claim he is innocent of wrongdoing.
Thanks to the Internet, everyone believes Travis is implicated in the death of Chris Morgan, a man he met while bird watching.
Ann is in a class to learn about the Web and how to create effective web pages for her job and coincidentally ran into Travis while they were both, also, bird watching.
Likewise, Gareth Evans, editor of the North Wales Sentinel, is also grappling with the World Wide Web and modern technology in his efforts to pull together news stories to keep his business alive.
This sets up the complex, suspenseful plot where the reader is never sure what will happen next. The characters are very real with good qualities and flaws that anyone can sympathize with. Ann is perhaps the most sympathetic as she tries to wrestle with the problem of how much faith to put in Travis and how much assistance to give him as he flees from the authorities in his efforts to find a way to prove his innocence.
Travis, himself, often seems to be an unreliable narrator and several times I found myself wondering along with Ann just how much to trust him because like so many characters in Web of Deceit, each one has secrets that keep the suspense roaring along towards the conclusion.
This is one of the few books where you truly are surprised at the twists and turns. As it speeds towards the end, the reader can’t turn the pages fast enough to find out the next shocking surprise.
For those, like myself, who are fanatical bird watchers, there are fascinating glimpses into birding in the U.K. and how being in the wrong place at the wrong time can have horrifying consequences.
November 6, 2012
As a birder and thriller fan, the premise of this book appealed to me. It’s a thriller, set in Wales and featuring characters with a keen interest in birds. However, I have read a few books where birders or birds have been included in the plot and mostly been disappointed - ornithological inaccuracies and clichéd twitcher references usually abound. Thankfully, this is not one of them.
The story is set back in 1999 just as the internet and mobile telecommunications were starting to take hold but before they had become ubiquitous. A man has died and another has gone on the run, suggesting he may have been behind the murder. From here a complex tale of treachery, corruption and media manipulation unfolds, leading to a dramatic climax amidst the Welsh mountains.
The era the book is set in gives it a slightly odd feel. It was as though I was reading a book written ten years ago - not necessarily a bad thing and, to be fair to the author, a difficult thing to do well. It also helps to put the reader as off-kilter as the main protagonist.
The plot is unravelled in a fairly complex way - different characters taking up the story within each chapter and giving differing viewpoints on the action taking place. There are also flashbacks as the narrative progresses. This is a tricky thing to pull off and avoid errors of timing or consistency but the author achieves it admirably. However, this does require the reader to stay on their toes and pay attention!
I found the setting evocative and pleasingly different. North Wales is a place I know well and, as I used to work for the RSPB, I know the nature reserves mentioned intimately. The birding is well-handled and forms a part of the story without being the main thrust of it - you wouldn’t need to be a birder to enjoy it but, if you were, you might get a little extra out of it. It’s not patronising and the birds mentioned are believable and in the right place at the right time - no Midsummer Murders’ Blue-crested Hoopoe here!
If I had one slight criticism, it would be that I found the descriptions of scenery, places and landmarks a trifle overdone. I did find myself skipping the detailed descriptions of mountains and valleys and castles. Then again, for some readers, this may well add to the atmosphere and help them to form a sense of place.
Overall, this is a really well-written, complex thriller with well painted characters, plenty of twists and red herrings, and a very good denouement.
The story is set back in 1999 just as the internet and mobile telecommunications were starting to take hold but before they had become ubiquitous. A man has died and another has gone on the run, suggesting he may have been behind the murder. From here a complex tale of treachery, corruption and media manipulation unfolds, leading to a dramatic climax amidst the Welsh mountains.
The era the book is set in gives it a slightly odd feel. It was as though I was reading a book written ten years ago - not necessarily a bad thing and, to be fair to the author, a difficult thing to do well. It also helps to put the reader as off-kilter as the main protagonist.
The plot is unravelled in a fairly complex way - different characters taking up the story within each chapter and giving differing viewpoints on the action taking place. There are also flashbacks as the narrative progresses. This is a tricky thing to pull off and avoid errors of timing or consistency but the author achieves it admirably. However, this does require the reader to stay on their toes and pay attention!
I found the setting evocative and pleasingly different. North Wales is a place I know well and, as I used to work for the RSPB, I know the nature reserves mentioned intimately. The birding is well-handled and forms a part of the story without being the main thrust of it - you wouldn’t need to be a birder to enjoy it but, if you were, you might get a little extra out of it. It’s not patronising and the birds mentioned are believable and in the right place at the right time - no Midsummer Murders’ Blue-crested Hoopoe here!
If I had one slight criticism, it would be that I found the descriptions of scenery, places and landmarks a trifle overdone. I did find myself skipping the detailed descriptions of mountains and valleys and castles. Then again, for some readers, this may well add to the atmosphere and help them to form a sense of place.
Overall, this is a really well-written, complex thriller with well painted characters, plenty of twists and red herrings, and a very good denouement.
January 24, 2013
At one time George Travis was keeping to himself and bothering nobody. Suddenly, he is wanted by the police and on the run. He would have to give up his favorite pastime of bird watching and do everything he could to prove his innocence. He had a recurring dream that would always end with him falling through the image of a man's face that was contorted with rage and hate. He would wake up from the dream in a sweat, breathing fast and hard and sometimes with the tip of his thumb in his mouth. You will have to read this gem of a mystery to find out what the dream means.
I love stories with the backdrop of mountains. Maybe it has something to do with me being Cherokee Indian and my ancestors coming from the mountains of North Carolina.
It brings into play the technology world of the Internet and sometimes the lies that are woven online by somewhat devious people. It seems that the internet has become truth or dare... A small number of ordinary men and woman get caught up in the implications of the World Wide Web. This is the story of a few of those people...
George Travis is in a very precarious and desperate situation. He has had a traumatic childhood, but then who hasn't? However George is a fragile person who looks for help in a woman he just met.
In the end- Details are emerging about an incident that took place in North Wales, in which two people are known to have died. An anonymous notice appeared on the internet...Could the mysterious and unexplained disappearance of George Travis have anything to do with these deaths? This is a powerful story....
Jeannie Walker - Award Winning Author of "Fighting the Devil" - A True Story of Consuming Passion, Deadly Poison, and Murder
I love stories with the backdrop of mountains. Maybe it has something to do with me being Cherokee Indian and my ancestors coming from the mountains of North Carolina.
It brings into play the technology world of the Internet and sometimes the lies that are woven online by somewhat devious people. It seems that the internet has become truth or dare... A small number of ordinary men and woman get caught up in the implications of the World Wide Web. This is the story of a few of those people...
George Travis is in a very precarious and desperate situation. He has had a traumatic childhood, but then who hasn't? However George is a fragile person who looks for help in a woman he just met.
In the end- Details are emerging about an incident that took place in North Wales, in which two people are known to have died. An anonymous notice appeared on the internet...Could the mysterious and unexplained disappearance of George Travis have anything to do with these deaths? This is a powerful story....
Jeannie Walker - Award Winning Author of "Fighting the Devil" - A True Story of Consuming Passion, Deadly Poison, and Murder
December 7, 2012
I received a free download of "Web of Deceit" by Charles R. Stubbs through the Goodreads Giveaway.What an amazing novel! I enjoy reading mystery suspense thrillers, and this had it all, and was such a treat to read.
The novel takes place in North Wales, set in 1999 just when the internet was in its infancy.It is a book exploring the concept of Truth or Lies, through information posted on the internet.How much should we believe?
The police confirmed that a supply teacher, George Travis, living in the Conwy area is the prime suspect in the death of a man at Holyhead on Good Friday. The dead man was identified as Chris Morgan. The teacher disappeared on Good Friday.Travis's housekeeper, Mrs. Williams said that Travis left the house on Good Friday but has not returned. Travis was seen walking on Holyhead Mountain on Good Friday.The death of Morgan remains a mystery.
Someone had posted a web page associating Travis with the death of Chris Morgan.Travis saw this and immediately went into hiding.He had been accused, branded, condemned and punished on the basis of a single piece of evidence and judgement.
The internet provides ordinary people the freedom to roam through the world's endless knowledge base, and in the end, to make slaves of us all. How we choose to use it is up to us, how we interrupt it, is an extension of our own experiences and self.
This fast paced suspense novel was well written, the characters are fully developed and the reader is drawn into this Web of Deceit.This book grabs your attention from the first page to the last page with a shocking ending. If you enjoy reading mystery suspense thrillers...don't miss out on this one! A definate 5 star rating.
The novel takes place in North Wales, set in 1999 just when the internet was in its infancy.It is a book exploring the concept of Truth or Lies, through information posted on the internet.How much should we believe?
The police confirmed that a supply teacher, George Travis, living in the Conwy area is the prime suspect in the death of a man at Holyhead on Good Friday. The dead man was identified as Chris Morgan. The teacher disappeared on Good Friday.Travis's housekeeper, Mrs. Williams said that Travis left the house on Good Friday but has not returned. Travis was seen walking on Holyhead Mountain on Good Friday.The death of Morgan remains a mystery.
Someone had posted a web page associating Travis with the death of Chris Morgan.Travis saw this and immediately went into hiding.He had been accused, branded, condemned and punished on the basis of a single piece of evidence and judgement.
The internet provides ordinary people the freedom to roam through the world's endless knowledge base, and in the end, to make slaves of us all. How we choose to use it is up to us, how we interrupt it, is an extension of our own experiences and self.
This fast paced suspense novel was well written, the characters are fully developed and the reader is drawn into this Web of Deceit.This book grabs your attention from the first page to the last page with a shocking ending. If you enjoy reading mystery suspense thrillers...don't miss out on this one! A definate 5 star rating.
September 12, 2012
Web of Deceit is a well-told tale about a man on the run in North Wales. Right away the reader is presented with the contrary “facts” plaguing the main character's life as he tries to form a plan to prove his innocence. Then we're off into the mystery in which many people become involved, either because it's part of their job or they're just plain dragged into it, usually to their detriment. There are many memorable scenes throughout the book as George Travis keeps himself hidden in an unlikely building or in obscure places throughout the Welsh countryside. I was able to get a glimpse, through the author's eyes, of parts of Snowdonia and elsewhere in North Wales that I've not been able to see for myself as yet. This aspect of the story combined with Travis' personal issues and how he later involves an acquaintance, Ann Butler, in the mess he's in, made this book come to life for me.
When I reached the halfway point, I found myself wondering whether Travis was really innocent as I first thought, or if he was actually losing his mind! I won't spoil it, but things got pretty intense from there. I was totally shocked by the ending. The author also brings to light some good points about how the media manipulates our opinions and our perception of the truth, especially now with the added element of the internet. It makes you think. We should be able to examine things for ourselves and not take every bit of information we're fed from authoritative sources as absolute truth.
If you like a good, thought-provoking mystery set in a beautiful part of the world, then you will enjoy this book.
(Originally purchased as an eBook on Amazon.com)
When I reached the halfway point, I found myself wondering whether Travis was really innocent as I first thought, or if he was actually losing his mind! I won't spoil it, but things got pretty intense from there. I was totally shocked by the ending. The author also brings to light some good points about how the media manipulates our opinions and our perception of the truth, especially now with the added element of the internet. It makes you think. We should be able to examine things for ourselves and not take every bit of information we're fed from authoritative sources as absolute truth.
If you like a good, thought-provoking mystery set in a beautiful part of the world, then you will enjoy this book.
(Originally purchased as an eBook on Amazon.com)
November 26, 2013
In 'Web Of Deceit' by Charles R Stubbs I learnt that there are 1.2 million members of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. As one of those 1.2 million I particularly enjoyed the bird-watching aspect of the story. Although I hasten to add this is not a tale just for twitchers or bird fanatics; simply that it adds to the brew.
Another thread which runs strongly through the book is, what Charles describes as, 'people who misuse the media to distort facts, exploit innuendo and ruin lives'.
This is a feature of everyday life which I must admit I paid little attention to until I read Web Of Deceit. The way this aspect of our society is woven into the story is so authentic and so familiar that it becomes almost a wake up call.
Then there is the tale itself; a twisting, engrossing thriller set against the dramatic background of the Welsh coast, involving realistic warts-and-all characters with whom I came to empathise and care about.
This was a thoroughly satisfying book, cleverly plotted and well written by an author at the top of his game. It's also a book that will leave you thinking about the power of the press and the pliability of public opinion.
Another thread which runs strongly through the book is, what Charles describes as, 'people who misuse the media to distort facts, exploit innuendo and ruin lives'.
This is a feature of everyday life which I must admit I paid little attention to until I read Web Of Deceit. The way this aspect of our society is woven into the story is so authentic and so familiar that it becomes almost a wake up call.
Then there is the tale itself; a twisting, engrossing thriller set against the dramatic background of the Welsh coast, involving realistic warts-and-all characters with whom I came to empathise and care about.
This was a thoroughly satisfying book, cleverly plotted and well written by an author at the top of his game. It's also a book that will leave you thinking about the power of the press and the pliability of public opinion.
October 14, 2012
Web of Deceit is an excellent thriller based, unusually for the genre, around the hobby of birdwatching and is set against the beautiful backdrop of coastal Wales.
The story follows former teacher George Travis who is on the run from the police while dealing with inner demons which date back to his troubled childhood.
George is implicated in the murder of a man he hardly knew and whose background becomes increasingly mysterious. Luckily for Travis, he has friends who want to help him clear his name as it becomes sullied by salacious newspaper headlines.
This is a real page-turner with characters the reader really cares about. As the story reaches its dramatic climax there are twists you never see coming.
I strongly recommend those who love a good thriller to read this book.
The story follows former teacher George Travis who is on the run from the police while dealing with inner demons which date back to his troubled childhood.
George is implicated in the murder of a man he hardly knew and whose background becomes increasingly mysterious. Luckily for Travis, he has friends who want to help him clear his name as it becomes sullied by salacious newspaper headlines.
This is a real page-turner with characters the reader really cares about. As the story reaches its dramatic climax there are twists you never see coming.
I strongly recommend those who love a good thriller to read this book.
July 7, 2013
Highly recommended read!
From the beginning, the World Wide Web has had the potential to harm, and back in 1999 most people had no idea of its possible dark side.
Set in North Wales, this thriller has elements of a true crime saga that ensnares the reader as surely as the unlikely protagonist: A bird-watching schoolteacher who falls victim to a Web of Deceit.
Looking forward to the next one.
From the beginning, the World Wide Web has had the potential to harm, and back in 1999 most people had no idea of its possible dark side.
Set in North Wales, this thriller has elements of a true crime saga that ensnares the reader as surely as the unlikely protagonist: A bird-watching schoolteacher who falls victim to a Web of Deceit.
Looking forward to the next one.
Read
October 3, 2013A mysterious death attributed to a disappeared teacher occupies a couple of free-lance journalists in Wales. I was slow to get into this book and finally gave up after the long paragraphs of description and commentary continued.
December 4, 2012
Read this over the weekend...simply engrossing and well written with an eye to scrutinize what the media portrays and how it can be manipulated, as well as the ever expanding tools available to track the truth.
December 31, 2013
Nice mystery, suffused with bad language.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews