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The Great Deception
For fans of Pam Jenoff and Margaret Leroy, a thrilling tale of intrigue and danger, filled with tension, excitement and romance, looking at the experiences of Australians in World War Two. New South Wales, 1947.
When Shelly Wareing's husband Cole vanishes into the night, leaving only a note to say that he will come back no matter how long it takes, Shelly is bewildered. What could be the reason for his sudden disappearance? Searching for clues, Shelly discovers a box containing Nazi medals, an SS ring and a photo of a radiantly beautiful woman signed for her husband. Determined to uncover the truth, she sets out to track down Laetitia de Witt, the woman pictured in the photograph. Meanwhile, halfway across the world, Cole is on his own mission for the truth - while his enemies, who believe him to be a traitor, are in close pursuit...
When Shelly Wareing's husband Cole vanishes into the night, leaving only a note to say that he will come back no matter how long it takes, Shelly is bewildered. What could be the reason for his sudden disappearance? Searching for clues, Shelly discovers a box containing Nazi medals, an SS ring and a photo of a radiantly beautiful woman signed for her husband. Determined to uncover the truth, she sets out to track down Laetitia de Witt, the woman pictured in the photograph. Meanwhile, halfway across the world, Cole is on his own mission for the truth - while his enemies, who believe him to be a traitor, are in close pursuit...
480 pages, Paperback
First published September 3, 2012
9 people are currently reading
108 people want to read
About the author
Joy Chambers
10 books9 followersJoy Chambers was an author, company chairman and a business woman, born in 1947. In 1990 she began writing; this could have been called her fifth career, for until that time she had combined actor and television panelist with that of business partner and wife of media mogul, Reg Grundy. A lover of history and never idle, Joy wrote Fact-Based Fiction.
She began her television career in Australia and won Logie Awards for her performances in the 1970s; (think Emmys and Baftas) appearing in numerous Australian productions including the international hit Neighbours in which she played the role of Rosemary Daniels. At its height Neighbours was seen in 76 countries.
In the early years of her career Joy wrote for numerous Grundy shows and worked as a production assistant on others, taking her place beside the man who was to become her husband, Dr. Reg Grundy AC OBE, and playing an important part in those years of expansion of the Grundy Worldwide phenomenon. In 1985 she was elected to the board of Grundy Worldwide, at that time the largest independent television production and distribution company in the world with local production companies in over 20 countries on 5 continents.
In 1995 Joy Chambers and Reg Grundy created RG Capital, a private group of entities with principal interests in media, the entertainment sector and advertising. Chambers was chairman of RG Capital Holdings Ltd. Joy still held close links with her home-town of Ipswich Queensland being the Patron of the Ipswich Poetry Feast as well as Ipswich's Honorary International Ambassador.
Joy’s decision to write came after years of reading the classics. An amateur historian and with a family background in history - her brother, a PhD has written numerous histories – it was natural for Joy to write historical fact-based fiction.
Joy relished the research she did on her books and says: 'My life is in the entertainment business. A skilfully written book can be read on many levels but it should always entertain… I attempt to do that.'
Joy & Reg lived in Bermuda with their Shetland sheep-dogs....
She began her television career in Australia and won Logie Awards for her performances in the 1970s; (think Emmys and Baftas) appearing in numerous Australian productions including the international hit Neighbours in which she played the role of Rosemary Daniels. At its height Neighbours was seen in 76 countries.
In the early years of her career Joy wrote for numerous Grundy shows and worked as a production assistant on others, taking her place beside the man who was to become her husband, Dr. Reg Grundy AC OBE, and playing an important part in those years of expansion of the Grundy Worldwide phenomenon. In 1985 she was elected to the board of Grundy Worldwide, at that time the largest independent television production and distribution company in the world with local production companies in over 20 countries on 5 continents.
In 1995 Joy Chambers and Reg Grundy created RG Capital, a private group of entities with principal interests in media, the entertainment sector and advertising. Chambers was chairman of RG Capital Holdings Ltd. Joy still held close links with her home-town of Ipswich Queensland being the Patron of the Ipswich Poetry Feast as well as Ipswich's Honorary International Ambassador.
Joy’s decision to write came after years of reading the classics. An amateur historian and with a family background in history - her brother, a PhD has written numerous histories – it was natural for Joy to write historical fact-based fiction.
Joy relished the research she did on her books and says: 'My life is in the entertainment business. A skilfully written book can be read on many levels but it should always entertain… I attempt to do that.'
Joy & Reg lived in Bermuda with their Shetland sheep-dogs....
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
October 18, 2012
3.5 stars
The Great Deception is a historical fiction novel that explores Cole Wareing’s experience as an Australian undercover agent during World War II. I’d like to start by saying there’s a lot about this book I really loved and there’s some aspects that just didn’t work for me.
The Great Deception is divided into three parts across two time periods. Part one introduces the couple, Shelly and Cole who have been married for nearly two years and reside on an isolated farm in the NSW Southern Highlands. It’s 1947, two years since the end of World War II and the couple have had a comfortable marriage and lifestyle following the return of Cole’s stint in the war. They rarely talk about his experience of the war, so it comes as quite a shock to Shelly when one of Cole’s former friends unexpectedly appears at the farm in search of Cole. That evening, Cole disappears into the night leaving behind an ambiguous letter and a wife who is utterly confused. When she discovers a photograph of a beautiful woman named Laetitia de Witt among Cole’s belongings, she travels to Europe on a whim to find answers to his past.
At over 300 pages, part two of the story covers a bulk of the novel and is set during 1943 during World War II. It delves into Cole’s role as an undercover agent for the British Government and how he secretly replaces (following an assassination) a prominent figure within the Hitler following. During this escapade he must completely become Lucien Bayer including speaking German, developing a limp, facial scarring and imitate a Hitler devotee. During his escapades he falls in love with a young Dutch woman named Laetitia de Witt which becomes both intense and dangerous. During the mission, Cole’s colleagues become captured and believe he was responsible. This is what lead them to hunt down Cole in 1947. Part three brings the story to a conclusion, where the truth of the past is revealed and Cole is reunited with Shelly in 1947 in Europe.
Though I really liked reading about Cole’s undercover mission and I found this quite fascinating. I felt a little torn reading about Cole’s affair with a woman (even though it was prior to his marriage) while Shelly was waiting for him during the war. There was a lot of well-researched historical information during the second part of the book and I thought the role he played was quite interesting.
What didn’t I like about the book? Firstly, the synopsis led me to believe this story would be set predominantly in Australia and that Shelly and her husband Cole would be the two protagonists. However, after I finished reading part one (a little over 100 pages) and moved onto part two of the novel, I realised this wasn’t to be the case after all. In that respect, I felt a little deceived (ironic considering the title of the book) because the story was not what I had expected.
I didn’t like that we were introduced to Shelly and Cole in the present day (1947) in the first 100 pages and then the next 3/5 of the book is solely focused on Cole’s mission and affair back in 1943. Then the last 100 pages are back in the present moment where Cole and Shelly reunite. I feel this book would have been better structured (in my opinion) by interspersing the present and past throughout the novel rather than separating it into big chunks. I’d also prefer to not have really known much about Shelly and have her in the background right from the beginning. Her early introduction as an important person in Cole’s life really set the foundation for me to want to read more about them- but this wasn’t the case.
Despite my qualms about The Great Deception, I did quite enjoy it and finished it relatively quickly considering it’s a lengthy novel. Putting aside the issues about the structure, the actual storyline and plot was quite interesting and I liked undercover agent aspect of the war that is portrayed in this well-researched novel.
The Great Deception is a historical fiction novel that explores Cole Wareing’s experience as an Australian undercover agent during World War II. I’d like to start by saying there’s a lot about this book I really loved and there’s some aspects that just didn’t work for me.
The Great Deception is divided into three parts across two time periods. Part one introduces the couple, Shelly and Cole who have been married for nearly two years and reside on an isolated farm in the NSW Southern Highlands. It’s 1947, two years since the end of World War II and the couple have had a comfortable marriage and lifestyle following the return of Cole’s stint in the war. They rarely talk about his experience of the war, so it comes as quite a shock to Shelly when one of Cole’s former friends unexpectedly appears at the farm in search of Cole. That evening, Cole disappears into the night leaving behind an ambiguous letter and a wife who is utterly confused. When she discovers a photograph of a beautiful woman named Laetitia de Witt among Cole’s belongings, she travels to Europe on a whim to find answers to his past.
At over 300 pages, part two of the story covers a bulk of the novel and is set during 1943 during World War II. It delves into Cole’s role as an undercover agent for the British Government and how he secretly replaces (following an assassination) a prominent figure within the Hitler following. During this escapade he must completely become Lucien Bayer including speaking German, developing a limp, facial scarring and imitate a Hitler devotee. During his escapades he falls in love with a young Dutch woman named Laetitia de Witt which becomes both intense and dangerous. During the mission, Cole’s colleagues become captured and believe he was responsible. This is what lead them to hunt down Cole in 1947. Part three brings the story to a conclusion, where the truth of the past is revealed and Cole is reunited with Shelly in 1947 in Europe.
Though I really liked reading about Cole’s undercover mission and I found this quite fascinating. I felt a little torn reading about Cole’s affair with a woman (even though it was prior to his marriage) while Shelly was waiting for him during the war. There was a lot of well-researched historical information during the second part of the book and I thought the role he played was quite interesting.
What didn’t I like about the book? Firstly, the synopsis led me to believe this story would be set predominantly in Australia and that Shelly and her husband Cole would be the two protagonists. However, after I finished reading part one (a little over 100 pages) and moved onto part two of the novel, I realised this wasn’t to be the case after all. In that respect, I felt a little deceived (ironic considering the title of the book) because the story was not what I had expected.
I didn’t like that we were introduced to Shelly and Cole in the present day (1947) in the first 100 pages and then the next 3/5 of the book is solely focused on Cole’s mission and affair back in 1943. Then the last 100 pages are back in the present moment where Cole and Shelly reunite. I feel this book would have been better structured (in my opinion) by interspersing the present and past throughout the novel rather than separating it into big chunks. I’d also prefer to not have really known much about Shelly and have her in the background right from the beginning. Her early introduction as an important person in Cole’s life really set the foundation for me to want to read more about them- but this wasn’t the case.
Despite my qualms about The Great Deception, I did quite enjoy it and finished it relatively quickly considering it’s a lengthy novel. Putting aside the issues about the structure, the actual storyline and plot was quite interesting and I liked undercover agent aspect of the war that is portrayed in this well-researched novel.
May 30, 2022
This novel made me realise that those members of the Special Operations branch, all those hidden allies behind enemy lines must have witnessed and had to pretend like it meant nothing. Cole portraying an SS officer witnessing the loading of the cattle truck with Jews on their way to Auschwitz. I could almost feel the horror of what that must have been like and having to remain still to protect your identity. These sorts of things must have happened in reality and simply indescribable horrors.
I like this period in our history, it isn't so far in the past to be irrelevant, though seventy or eighty years in the past, it's still timely, especially with what is again happening around the world (Russia/Ukraine). The human race continues to repeat past mistakes and horrors!! Like the revolution (French) with the guillotine-many wouldn't have thought about the guillotine much but the guillotine was still being used to effect in France during WWII, so the past lives on...
The mistaken identity of a man causes years of determining to kill someone, so much so that the hunt goes on until the very end. A miscarriage of guilt upon a single person, who ends up being hounded. This novel is full of tense moments and shocking revelations, which makes it a good read.
I have read a lot of WWII books of late and many were memoirs, biographies etc. So compared to many of those, I think 3 stars is a good rating for this one.
I like this period in our history, it isn't so far in the past to be irrelevant, though seventy or eighty years in the past, it's still timely, especially with what is again happening around the world (Russia/Ukraine). The human race continues to repeat past mistakes and horrors!! Like the revolution (French) with the guillotine-many wouldn't have thought about the guillotine much but the guillotine was still being used to effect in France during WWII, so the past lives on...
The mistaken identity of a man causes years of determining to kill someone, so much so that the hunt goes on until the very end. A miscarriage of guilt upon a single person, who ends up being hounded. This novel is full of tense moments and shocking revelations, which makes it a good read.
I have read a lot of WWII books of late and many were memoirs, biographies etc. So compared to many of those, I think 3 stars is a good rating for this one.
June 17, 2023
In order to take effective action in Norway, it was necessary to have
suitable operatives and transportation. These were provided through the
Norwegian Independent Company No I (henceforward NIC (I)), the unit of
the Royal Norwegian Army formed to carry out special operations on
behalf of SOE and the Norwegian authorities, the Shetlands Naval Base and
the RAF ‘Special Duty’ Air Squadrons that dropped SOE agents and
equipment into Norway. After the
withdrawal of Allied troops and the capitulation of Norwegian forces in
June 1940, German control over Norway was confirmed, and therefore, the
country became a potential sphere of operations for a range of clandestine
and underground activities. It was deemed ‘essential’ that SOE was formed
on a ‘territorial’ basis, and as a result, country and regional sections were
created. SOE’s small Norwegian subsection, which was formed during the
summer and early autumn of 1940 also included personnel who had
previous experience of subversive or irregular activities in Norway. It was
British strategic interest in the export of Swedish iron ore through Narvik to
Germany that led to Section D’s involvement in Norway from the summer
1938. Throughout the war, Allied planners remained wary of the strategic significance of Norway. Commando raids were carried out in several locations; some with the intention of deceiving German commanders as part of Operation Fortitude North, others with the explicit aim of disrupting German military and scientific capabilities, such as sabotaging the German nuclear energy project. Notable military operations in Norway include:
Operation Claymore
Operation Gauntlet
Operation Anklet
Operation Archery
Operation Musketoon
Operation Freshman
Operation Checkmate
Operation Judgement, Kilbotn
suitable operatives and transportation. These were provided through the
Norwegian Independent Company No I (henceforward NIC (I)), the unit of
the Royal Norwegian Army formed to carry out special operations on
behalf of SOE and the Norwegian authorities, the Shetlands Naval Base and
the RAF ‘Special Duty’ Air Squadrons that dropped SOE agents and
equipment into Norway. After the
withdrawal of Allied troops and the capitulation of Norwegian forces in
June 1940, German control over Norway was confirmed, and therefore, the
country became a potential sphere of operations for a range of clandestine
and underground activities. It was deemed ‘essential’ that SOE was formed
on a ‘territorial’ basis, and as a result, country and regional sections were
created. SOE’s small Norwegian subsection, which was formed during the
summer and early autumn of 1940 also included personnel who had
previous experience of subversive or irregular activities in Norway. It was
British strategic interest in the export of Swedish iron ore through Narvik to
Germany that led to Section D’s involvement in Norway from the summer
1938. Throughout the war, Allied planners remained wary of the strategic significance of Norway. Commando raids were carried out in several locations; some with the intention of deceiving German commanders as part of Operation Fortitude North, others with the explicit aim of disrupting German military and scientific capabilities, such as sabotaging the German nuclear energy project. Notable military operations in Norway include:
Operation Claymore
Operation Gauntlet
Operation Anklet
Operation Archery
Operation Musketoon
Operation Freshman
Operation Checkmate
Operation Judgement, Kilbotn
May 19, 2021
Enjoyed the book and it's great to read a different type of story to the usual in the trenches. I thought in the book and I know it's only a book however I'm sure that there were times when family did go in search for their loved ones. Really enjoyed the book and the way that it was told. Makes me wonder what kind of secrets are being hidden today great book
July 8, 2018
Based on the description the book was not quite what I expected that said I was intrigued by the perspective on WWII. Overall this was an engaging read.
April 21, 2021
Well developed storyline solid characters, could be a trilogy...
February 3, 2017
I started reading this book while on holidays in Mittagong, staying in a farm house on Applegate Road. Little did I know that the book was actually set on this actual holiday site. I think this fact made it all a little more exciting. Very interesting book, played out during WWII and the years that follow. It showed life in Holland during the war which was insightful. I thought that the last chapter could of been expanded because you spend the whole book trying to unravel the secret only for it come out in a few pages.
October 15, 2021
▪It's a tricky business, fame ... or infamy▪
This story is about a woman who finds certain Nazi objects which belong to her husband who suddenly disappeared after a visit from an old friend.
The story gets interesting after that. Shelly doesn't believe her husband could be that kind of person and goes on a search to find out what everything means.
Well it sure makes for an interesting book and actually curious if what happened in that book could have happened back then.. If there is a slice of truth in it, hell that is one hell of an impressive story and brave to an extend I haven't seen before! 🕵
This story is about a woman who finds certain Nazi objects which belong to her husband who suddenly disappeared after a visit from an old friend.
The story gets interesting after that. Shelly doesn't believe her husband could be that kind of person and goes on a search to find out what everything means.
Well it sure makes for an interesting book and actually curious if what happened in that book could have happened back then.. If there is a slice of truth in it, hell that is one hell of an impressive story and brave to an extend I haven't seen before! 🕵
May 10, 2015
This book wasn't one I couldn't put down but it does have quite an intriguing storyline. I wasn't totally convinced that such a deception would be possible but Joy Chambers makes a good case for it.
The first chapters introduce Cole and his wife living quietly in Australia. But Cole is a man with a background his wife Shelly is totally unaware of. During the war, he had left Australia and Shelly behind to join the war effort in Europe. Now however, when his wartime colleagues arrive to hunt him down on the grounds that he apparently turned double-agent he has to disappear.
We are then taken back to his wartime adventures. He is recruited by British Intelligence, and sent on a mission to Holland while impersonating an SS officer. But there he also forms a liaison with the beautiful Laetitia.
Finally the story takes up where it left off and all the twists and turns begin to unravel.
However, for me the ending (unlike the rest of the book) is wrapped up too hastily and is just a bit too pat, and Shelly's part in the story seems rather contrived.
The first chapters introduce Cole and his wife living quietly in Australia. But Cole is a man with a background his wife Shelly is totally unaware of. During the war, he had left Australia and Shelly behind to join the war effort in Europe. Now however, when his wartime colleagues arrive to hunt him down on the grounds that he apparently turned double-agent he has to disappear.
We are then taken back to his wartime adventures. He is recruited by British Intelligence, and sent on a mission to Holland while impersonating an SS officer. But there he also forms a liaison with the beautiful Laetitia.
Finally the story takes up where it left off and all the twists and turns begin to unravel.
However, for me the ending (unlike the rest of the book) is wrapped up too hastily and is just a bit too pat, and Shelly's part in the story seems rather contrived.
September 14, 2012
Oh this book is too long and too detailed. The story line is bogged down by unnecessary facts. It is a good story line and could have been a great book but about a third of the way in I found myself skipping paragraphs and then pages ( never a good sign). I just wanted to get on with it.... There could have been so much more about the relationship between Cole and Shell but the story became quite cumbersome relating the war section. Chamber's appears to have attempted to interweave historical characters into the story. Unfortunately this makes for cumbersome reading with a lot of the book filled with unnecessary tidbits. If you are going to write a long book then it needs to be a bloody good one and unfortunately the Great Deception does not fit the bill. Certainly not Chamber's best book - it doesn't hold a candle to Mayfield.
January 7, 2014
A great concept..British secret agent behind enemy lines pretends to be a Nazi SS Officer to send information back to the troops. It could have been riveting, but the writing just fell flat. The characters had no depth, the love story/triangle seemed forced, and the end wrapped up a bit too quickly and neatly for me. Where was the description of his emotional trauma watching (and being part of of) sending innocent Jews to their deaths while under cover? Why would the woman he loved just jump in the sack with any old guy and then we are supposed to believe he is her great love after a few months? It just didn't ring true and the author seemed to use WWII as just a backdrop for a fluffy love story/revenge tale. If you like romance..maybe. if you want historical fiction where you learm something and see characters in a real historical context, not so much.
June 11, 2016
It is my first book of Joy Chambers and I really enjoyed it. Although not a reading of this kind we cannot put off but kept me interested to the end.
The story starts in Australia after the WWII war in 1948 but takes us back to wartime in Europe. I liked the idea of exploring meaning of the word deception (hence title). The last war brought all shades of it. The characters ere well developed, especially of Letitia de Witt and Cole Wareing. There could be more action, especially to show more about the special spies assignments however that would make the book much longer and the story described would not be the special one.
I would recommend the book to anyone who loves WWII stories and war mysteries.
The story starts in Australia after the WWII war in 1948 but takes us back to wartime in Europe. I liked the idea of exploring meaning of the word deception (hence title). The last war brought all shades of it. The characters ere well developed, especially of Letitia de Witt and Cole Wareing. There could be more action, especially to show more about the special spies assignments however that would make the book much longer and the story described would not be the special one.
I would recommend the book to anyone who loves WWII stories and war mysteries.
November 16, 2016
The Great Deception is a wonderful story of love, lust, betrayal, honour, faith, hope and the war.
The love story between Shelly, Cole/Lucien, Laetitia and Dirk was lovely and warm, romantic.
It was quite interesting how it spanned many countries and going from Shelly’s story to Cole’s was quite well written.
The female characters are strong independant women who only want the best for the men in their lives.
The war part was descriptive and well presented and backed up with many facts and notations about some in the back.
The war story was quite indepth and a lot of research has gone into the time and characters in the story. I did find it a bit too much to read but still it was interesting and in keeping with the story. It had let show you the two sides of the one person.
The love story between Shelly, Cole/Lucien, Laetitia and Dirk was lovely and warm, romantic.
It was quite interesting how it spanned many countries and going from Shelly’s story to Cole’s was quite well written.
The female characters are strong independant women who only want the best for the men in their lives.
The war part was descriptive and well presented and backed up with many facts and notations about some in the back.
The war story was quite indepth and a lot of research has gone into the time and characters in the story. I did find it a bit too much to read but still it was interesting and in keeping with the story. It had let show you the two sides of the one person.
January 15, 2013
I couldn't be bothered finishing this book. It was espionage fiction for dummies. Every bit of the plot seemed to be telegraphed, and then emphasised, and the conversations didn't ring true for having taken place in character and in German.
Not subtle enough, not clever enough. It was hard to care about Shelly.
2 stars because it began well enough, and it was obviously researched.
It could have been so good.
Not subtle enough, not clever enough. It was hard to care about Shelly.
2 stars because it began well enough, and it was obviously researched.
It could have been so good.
December 2, 2012
This is a post-war, sweeping tale that keeps you guessing and takes you from Australia to Europe. I looked forward to catching up with the characters each time I picked up the book, and I liked the heroes. But for my personal tastes it was a little corny and neatly finished-off. But, if you are keen for a little escapism and to have a big summer read, then you will enjoy Joy's book.
December 13, 2012
I failed to be engaged by this as I didn't warm to the characters. Perhaps I have read too much about war and of people whose stories grabbed me and wouldn't let go. Australian examples are biographies of Nancy Wake and the three books written by Barry Heard.
July 5, 2013
Despite previous comments of the book being slow in parts I thought it was great. The right amount of detail needed to understand the characters fully. It was really well written and atmospheric and with a sense of intique and adventure. This is one I'll be recommending to my.library members.
June 28, 2013
Couldn't believe my luck when I found this new book in the library - I really like war stories so this one was great. A great mystery story set after WW2 with flashbacks to the war. Keeps you guessing and well written. Hope the author has written others.
December 24, 2012
Kept me turning the pages.
March 13, 2013
GGood, original story. Main characters were well developed. Could have mad more action given the subject and the characters' dialogue was a littel lofty/idealistic at times.
September 19, 2013
The story could have been great. I loved the premise but I felt like it overexplained every intent.
September 26, 2013
I enjoyed this book but it was very hard to get into. The war part dragged out a bit and it would have been nice to know more about Cole and Shelli's life together. Both before and after the war.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews