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Portrait of Deception
A photographer on the brink of fame. A dictator with a dangerous agenda. Used to hiding behind her camera, can this skilled artist capture the truth and still escape with her life?
Margo McAllister is mere hours from her dream. In Italy to compete for a prestigious award, the young photographer turns down a corrupt politician who offers her an insane sum to brush up his reputation with a clever portrait. But her plans crumble to dust when she’s slipped a blackout drug cocktail, awakens to $40,000 in damages to her hotel room, and is summarily bounced from the contest.
Suddenly a beggar with no options, Margo travels to the despot’s personal castle to earn enough money to cover her debts and get her life back on track. And while she quickly discovers the property is crawling with secrets and lies, she fears the oligarch’s creepy propositions and rough demands indicate he believes she’s a captive with no way out…
Can Margo escape to freedom by capturing the face of evil?
Portrait of Deception is the dark and gritty second book in the Southwest Suspense women’s fiction series. If you like tough females, relentless action, and hints of steam, then you’ll love Kathryn Dodson’s twisted adventure.
Margo McAllister is mere hours from her dream. In Italy to compete for a prestigious award, the young photographer turns down a corrupt politician who offers her an insane sum to brush up his reputation with a clever portrait. But her plans crumble to dust when she’s slipped a blackout drug cocktail, awakens to $40,000 in damages to her hotel room, and is summarily bounced from the contest.
Suddenly a beggar with no options, Margo travels to the despot’s personal castle to earn enough money to cover her debts and get her life back on track. And while she quickly discovers the property is crawling with secrets and lies, she fears the oligarch’s creepy propositions and rough demands indicate he believes she’s a captive with no way out…
Can Margo escape to freedom by capturing the face of evil?
Portrait of Deception is the dark and gritty second book in the Southwest Suspense women’s fiction series. If you like tough females, relentless action, and hints of steam, then you’ll love Kathryn Dodson’s twisted adventure.
201 pages, Paperback
Published January 19, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
March 31, 2024
Press on it gets better.
The story starts as one of those sappy romance novels but switches into a thriller. It is worthwhile to continue.
The story starts as one of those sappy romance novels but switches into a thriller. It is worthwhile to continue.
January 18, 2024
Portrait of Deception is the second gripping book in the Southwest Suspense series. I really enjoyed reading the first book and looked forward to reading more from this author and I wasn’t disappointed.
As with the first book this women's fiction tale will have your heart pumping with just the right amount of darkness, danger, high drama, suspense and tension palpable enough to keep you on the edge of your seat and glued to the pages.
The story is fast-paced, full of action and the engrossing storylines have mystery and lots of grit and sometimes disturbing events. There are dictators, hidden agendas, betrayals, grudges, questionable behaviours and so much more. It is full of violence, dangerous thugs and thrilling twists and turns that kept me guessing.
The characters are complex, well developed and well written. Let me tell you there are characters that you will love to hate in this book.
Margo finds herself on a twisted trail right into the hands of the shady, dark and dangerous world where she can hopefully remain alive. Being a photographer has never been this deadly.
This twist tale was hard to put down because I had to know what was going to happen next.
I eagerly look forward to reading more from this author.
As with the first book this women's fiction tale will have your heart pumping with just the right amount of darkness, danger, high drama, suspense and tension palpable enough to keep you on the edge of your seat and glued to the pages.
The story is fast-paced, full of action and the engrossing storylines have mystery and lots of grit and sometimes disturbing events. There are dictators, hidden agendas, betrayals, grudges, questionable behaviours and so much more. It is full of violence, dangerous thugs and thrilling twists and turns that kept me guessing.
The characters are complex, well developed and well written. Let me tell you there are characters that you will love to hate in this book.
Margo finds herself on a twisted trail right into the hands of the shady, dark and dangerous world where she can hopefully remain alive. Being a photographer has never been this deadly.
This twist tale was hard to put down because I had to know what was going to happen next.
I eagerly look forward to reading more from this author.
January 25, 2024
Intriguing
I enjoyed this book overall. It had some slow parts in the middle where I struggled to see the focus. I liked the interactions between the characters, especially Aunt Joyce.
I enjoyed this book overall. It had some slow parts in the middle where I struggled to see the focus. I liked the interactions between the characters, especially Aunt Joyce.
January 19, 2024
I was hooked from start to finish with this fast paced and action-packed story. Margo, a photographer on the brink of fame is in Italy competing for a prestigious award. She is approached by a corrupt politician who wants her to devise a clever portrait to improve his reputation, but despite the large sum of money offered she refuses. Margo then wakes up in her hotel room, with no memory, having been slipped a blackout drug. Somehow, she has amassed $40,000 worth of damages to her hotel room and is then expelled from the contest. Left with no choice Margo is forced to go to the despot’s personal estate and ask for his help.
Her plan is to earn enough money to cover her debts and then get back to her life. However, whilst at his remote castle in the mountains she discovers many of his secrets and lies, but increasingly fears the oligarch’s creepy propositions and demands will put her in further danger. I was gripped by this gritty thriller, and I literally could not put the book down. The plot twists and turns kept me guessing as to the outcome of the story. The descriptive narrative brought the setting vividly to life, making me feel immersed in the storyline. I loved Margo as the main character, likeable and relatable as well as being a tough, independent women.
Her plan is to earn enough money to cover her debts and then get back to her life. However, whilst at his remote castle in the mountains she discovers many of his secrets and lies, but increasingly fears the oligarch’s creepy propositions and demands will put her in further danger. I was gripped by this gritty thriller, and I literally could not put the book down. The plot twists and turns kept me guessing as to the outcome of the story. The descriptive narrative brought the setting vividly to life, making me feel immersed in the storyline. I loved Margo as the main character, likeable and relatable as well as being a tough, independent women.
February 4, 2024
So it’s said to never judge a book by its cover. Well the cover of Portrait of Deception is what drew me in. What I didn’t expect was how the contents of the novel played out. It wasn’t at all what I expected. The author wrote a twisted story that sucks the reader in. Bringing the reader into a world of fame, fortune, deception, fear, and dictatorship. Beautifully weaved together to give the reader a story that keeps them turning the page.
Margo thought she made it. However, when a fellow colleague as well as flame deceived her and took it all away she was left with nothing. A career that would take years to salvage, a crazy hotel repair bill, and an offer from a man that she doesn’t feel comfortable taking. Unfortunately she’s left with no choice. The president of Tiranistan had a twisted plan and Margo is the defining piece. He’s twisted, cruel, and gives off bad vibes so when tries to hold Margo captive she has no choice but to run for her life.
Will she get away?
Will that be the end?
Well at that point the stories really taken off and is left to the reader guessing which event will happen next. You can begin to guess the events by the clues the author leaves, it's the order in which those events happen that keeps the reader on their toes.
If you want a well written book with some twists, turns, and a little bit of romance I suggest you jump right in.
Margo thought she made it. However, when a fellow colleague as well as flame deceived her and took it all away she was left with nothing. A career that would take years to salvage, a crazy hotel repair bill, and an offer from a man that she doesn’t feel comfortable taking. Unfortunately she’s left with no choice. The president of Tiranistan had a twisted plan and Margo is the defining piece. He’s twisted, cruel, and gives off bad vibes so when tries to hold Margo captive she has no choice but to run for her life.
Will she get away?
Will that be the end?
Well at that point the stories really taken off and is left to the reader guessing which event will happen next. You can begin to guess the events by the clues the author leaves, it's the order in which those events happen that keeps the reader on their toes.
If you want a well written book with some twists, turns, and a little bit of romance I suggest you jump right in.
January 21, 2024
Though there was a bit of a slow start and multiple times that I wanted to jump through the pages and shake Margo, I got to the end and didn’t want the book to be over.
The traveling throughout was something to be in awe over. Experiencing Margo’s career highlights and how easily things can be taken away while realistically she is just trying to feel closer to the father she never got the chance to know. The family aspect, and lack there of, prior to working on repairing her relationship with her Aunt. Margo learns a lot about herself, her history and limits throughout this book.
There is a lot packed into this book that once you’re done and sit back to think about it, you realize just how much the book covered.
I have not read the first book of the series, but this worked great as a standalone. And I will now be definitely adding the other to my tbr list!
The traveling throughout was something to be in awe over. Experiencing Margo’s career highlights and how easily things can be taken away while realistically she is just trying to feel closer to the father she never got the chance to know. The family aspect, and lack there of, prior to working on repairing her relationship with her Aunt. Margo learns a lot about herself, her history and limits throughout this book.
There is a lot packed into this book that once you’re done and sit back to think about it, you realize just how much the book covered.
I have not read the first book of the series, but this worked great as a standalone. And I will now be definitely adding the other to my tbr list!
January 19, 2024
Portrait of Deception by Kathryn Dodson is a thriller that follows Margo McAllister. Margo is a photographer who is very close to fulfilling her dreams. When she refuses a job by a corrupt politician, everything goes downhill. Margo decides to take the job because she needs the money and discovers that this politician has a lot of secrets and lies. This was a very suspenseful and engaging story. There were plenty of twists. I enjoyed the character of Margo. She is strong, determined, and tough. She refused to back down and did everything she had to do to get her life back. This was a book that drew me in. There is a very well-told story with a character that you love to root for.
January 23, 2024
This woman goes on quite the journey. I enjoyed reading this fast paced story. Never really knowing what would happen next or who I could trust. I like stories that make it difficult for me to figure it out. I always had hope just like Margo does and was not disappointed in the ending. I could easily see myself reading more by this author.
January 20, 2024
I thought this book was okay. It was a thriller but very far fetched at times. Margo is a photographer who becomes involved with a dictator who has a strange obsession with her. He turns out to be far more evil than she realized and has to try to get her life back after agreeing to work for him. I enjoyed the strong female characters and the fact that women were helping women. Overall, it was a quick read and is available now in paperback and e-readers Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC.! All thoughts and opinions are my own!
January 29, 2024
5 Stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Gripping and gritty story, Portrait of Deception is a fast paced thriller that kept my heart pounding throughout the story. What can truly happen with decisions you make turn out to be a true nightmare ....from being on the top of the world as a famous photographer to being disqualified from an award you deserve and responsible for huge damages to a hotel room....your name being black listed from future work....
Margo McAllister finds this all to true.....that leads to taking up a job as a photographer to a very dangerous dictator. Hidden agendas, danger, secrets and lies all come to light when Margo finds out truly dangerous Andrei Andropov is....when Margo finally has the courage to run....the game becomes cat and mouse as Andrei will stop at nothing to find Margo and make her pay for a past that comes back that she was not aware of......
This is a great story...and had me at the edge of my seat...highly recommended!
Gripping and gritty story, Portrait of Deception is a fast paced thriller that kept my heart pounding throughout the story. What can truly happen with decisions you make turn out to be a true nightmare ....from being on the top of the world as a famous photographer to being disqualified from an award you deserve and responsible for huge damages to a hotel room....your name being black listed from future work....
Margo McAllister finds this all to true.....that leads to taking up a job as a photographer to a very dangerous dictator. Hidden agendas, danger, secrets and lies all come to light when Margo finds out truly dangerous Andrei Andropov is....when Margo finally has the courage to run....the game becomes cat and mouse as Andrei will stop at nothing to find Margo and make her pay for a past that comes back that she was not aware of......
This is a great story...and had me at the edge of my seat...highly recommended!
January 19, 2024
Margo is at the top of her game and about to win a prestigious award until one night changes everything. When it seems she has no other options, she takes a job with a dictator of a small country. Margo ends up not knowing who to trust or where to turn. When her friends and family are in danger Margo has to do all she can to try to protect them. This book kept me wanting more and I have added this author to my must read more list.
February 1, 2024
Portrait of Deception (A Southwest Suspense Novel) by Kathryn Dodson
4 out of 5 stars
Overall a good book. Sometimes the story was a little slow but I was able to power through. This was my first time reading something from this author and I think I will like to read more. If you are looking for something different to read this is a good choice. Looking forward to read more from this author.
4 out of 5 stars
Overall a good book. Sometimes the story was a little slow but I was able to power through. This was my first time reading something from this author and I think I will like to read more. If you are looking for something different to read this is a good choice. Looking forward to read more from this author.
October 16, 2025
Read this on my kindle. Gave it 3 stars purely because it held my interest enough to finish it but I didn’t find it to be that believable or thrilling.
April 17, 2024
A fun, harrowing read! Thoroughly enjoyed it.
February 22, 2024
This was a good book with some action. Margo is just trying to get her big break as a photographer. She's good at what she does and it is her night. Everything goes wrong after she is charged for over $400,000 in damages to her hotel room. Who would do this and why? The twists and turns the story took were sometimes questionable but it was still easy to catch up with.
January 26, 2024
Portrait of Deception is a fast paced, action packed, suspense filled thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final pages. The story centers around the character of a photographer named Margo who has been nominated for a prestigious award. If she wins the coveted Butler Prize it will not only help her financially but most of all it will open numerous doors for her and launch her career as a professional photographer. On the day of the award ceremony, Margo awakens in her motel room and discovers that it has been trashed and she must pay the hotel $46,000 in damages. Margo has no recollection of the night before because she blacked out. She was on her way back to her room with a fellow photographer who was also nominated for the prize and vaguely recalls seeing glimpses of faces of people she did not recognize. The rest of the night is a blank and she feels that she must have been drugged. Margo not only has to pay the hotel damages, but the Butler Prize Committee found out about damages to her room, and she is taken out of the running for the prize. Margo is horrified, shocked, and saddened that she now has this reputation and must find a way to salvage what is left of both her career and her reputation. She has no other option but to accept an offer put forth by a tyrannical and sleazy foreign politician to visit his castle and take his portrait for the sum of $100,000. Once there, things take a dark turn for Margo, and she must fight to save her life.
This was a gripping story with an intriguing storyline, well developed characters, and twists and turns that fully immerse you into the story. I immediately felt a connection to Margo because she is smart, feisty, determined, and courageous. As a photographer myself, I loved that she is a photographer and was really drawn into the scenes through the author’s vivid descriptions. I found myself wanting to stand alongside Margo and photograph the magic and beauty of the setting sun in the park, the old part of the city, and the graffiti. I must add that I loved the cover for this book! It captured my attention and had me picking up the book to read and I am so glad that I did.
This was a gripping story with an intriguing storyline, well developed characters, and twists and turns that fully immerse you into the story. I immediately felt a connection to Margo because she is smart, feisty, determined, and courageous. As a photographer myself, I loved that she is a photographer and was really drawn into the scenes through the author’s vivid descriptions. I found myself wanting to stand alongside Margo and photograph the magic and beauty of the setting sun in the park, the old part of the city, and the graffiti. I must add that I loved the cover for this book! It captured my attention and had me picking up the book to read and I am so glad that I did.
January 18, 2024
This was an amazing gripping thriller of a read. I was hooked from the first page. The authors story telling was amazing and there are so many twist and turns than I never saw anything coming that happened which made the story even more enjoyable for me. I love Margo's character. She is a very strong determined woman and even though she hit rock bottom she fought to not stay there. There are a lot of people around her who are bad for her and as she starts to realise this and get rid of them we see her progressing into an even stronger person.
Margo was on the brink of having everything her heart desires. She was a talented photographer and now that was going to be recognised when she wins the Butler Prize. Along with everyone knowing her name she would get praise and love as well as it opening doors to plenty of jobs. She felt her life was all set on the right track. She even got a job offer to photograph a politician. After finding out she falls in love with her subject he wants her to photograph him and is determined to make her is. So when she refuses the job he wasn't going to that lying down.
After leaving the party with someone she trusts what happens next changes her life.
She passes out and wakes the next morning to her hotel room completely trashed and no idea how it happened. Add to that the fact she has to pay for damages and because of this display of bad behaviour she loses her award and all the job opportunities offer to her. In the space of a few hours she has lost everything and doesn't know where to turn. She does however still have the offer from the politician, that 1 job could solve her problems and get her life back on track but can she survive 2 weeks with the bullying man.
What awaits in at his private castle? Will she be safe or is her gut instinct to stay clear of him right?
This was a thrilling read and I enjoyed every minute of it.
Margo was on the brink of having everything her heart desires. She was a talented photographer and now that was going to be recognised when she wins the Butler Prize. Along with everyone knowing her name she would get praise and love as well as it opening doors to plenty of jobs. She felt her life was all set on the right track. She even got a job offer to photograph a politician. After finding out she falls in love with her subject he wants her to photograph him and is determined to make her is. So when she refuses the job he wasn't going to that lying down.
After leaving the party with someone she trusts what happens next changes her life.
She passes out and wakes the next morning to her hotel room completely trashed and no idea how it happened. Add to that the fact she has to pay for damages and because of this display of bad behaviour she loses her award and all the job opportunities offer to her. In the space of a few hours she has lost everything and doesn't know where to turn. She does however still have the offer from the politician, that 1 job could solve her problems and get her life back on track but can she survive 2 weeks with the bullying man.
What awaits in at his private castle? Will she be safe or is her gut instinct to stay clear of him right?
This was a thrilling read and I enjoyed every minute of it.
January 25, 2025
📸 Portrait of Deception by Kathryn Dodson 📸
Genre: Thriller
Length: 202 pages
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I found this short suspense novel thanks to my friend @alexa.thebookworm and some of us decided to make a buddy read out of it! It was free to download on Amazon and was a fast-paced thriller featuring a strong, female MC!
Synopsis:
Margo McAllister is in Italy at a prestigious award ceremony for photography, in line for the win due to her amazing talent. It all went wrong when she woke up the next morning after spending the night with the handsome fellow photographer, Kirk Jones, also one of her competitors for the award. He was gone when she awoke, and her gorgeous hotel had been completely trashed, to the tune of $40,000 in damages. Not only that, but Margo somehow lost to Kirk, and her only way out of debt was to accept a job offer by dictator, Andrei Andropov, to photograph him in his home country estate/palace. Margo has a terrible feeling about him and his true intentions, but she is left with no choice and no other photography jobs or way to stay afloat financially.
Once at Andrei's estate, she realizes she may be working to promote a cruel dictator who is intending to use these photos to share an image of himself that is untrue. Now Margo is stuck in his grasp and must flee for fear of her safety. Can she ever be able to live a free life again, or will she risk being caught and those she loves being leveraged against her?
Opinion:
This was an extremely fast-paced thriller and I found myself always holding my breath as Margo tried to stay out of Andrei's grasp. The book also made me think about just how far any of us would go to keep our loved ones safe! Great read and I also loved the part of the book that was set in El Paso.
Genre: Thriller
Length: 202 pages
My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I found this short suspense novel thanks to my friend @alexa.thebookworm and some of us decided to make a buddy read out of it! It was free to download on Amazon and was a fast-paced thriller featuring a strong, female MC!
Synopsis:
Margo McAllister is in Italy at a prestigious award ceremony for photography, in line for the win due to her amazing talent. It all went wrong when she woke up the next morning after spending the night with the handsome fellow photographer, Kirk Jones, also one of her competitors for the award. He was gone when she awoke, and her gorgeous hotel had been completely trashed, to the tune of $40,000 in damages. Not only that, but Margo somehow lost to Kirk, and her only way out of debt was to accept a job offer by dictator, Andrei Andropov, to photograph him in his home country estate/palace. Margo has a terrible feeling about him and his true intentions, but she is left with no choice and no other photography jobs or way to stay afloat financially.
Once at Andrei's estate, she realizes she may be working to promote a cruel dictator who is intending to use these photos to share an image of himself that is untrue. Now Margo is stuck in his grasp and must flee for fear of her safety. Can she ever be able to live a free life again, or will she risk being caught and those she loves being leveraged against her?
Opinion:
This was an extremely fast-paced thriller and I found myself always holding my breath as Margo tried to stay out of Andrei's grasp. The book also made me think about just how far any of us would go to keep our loved ones safe! Great read and I also loved the part of the book that was set in El Paso.
January 12, 2024
This book packed a lot into the pages! There is mystery, suspense, travel, deception, family, and friendship. Sounds like a mixed bag, but it works.
Margo ends up in a situation in Italy. Part of that is her fault, but most of it is not. It is the egomaniac that sees her and decides she must be his. Umm, yeah, right, dude, that isn't how it works in the civilized world. However, this situation causes even bigger issues down the road. I felt bad that Margo had to take on this assignment just to clean up the mess in Italy, but on the flip side, it brought her closer to her aunt and taught her that there is more to life than her photography.
There are quite a few scumbags in this book. But there are several redeeming characters that, while we don't know all of the details in the beginning, their stories unfold, giving you another perspective to consider. Yes, I'm being vague, but to say too much would give away some plot twists.
I didn't want the story to end, and I felt like there could be more to come in Margo's world.
This book kept me up at night because I couldn't put it down. We give it 5 paws up.
Margo ends up in a situation in Italy. Part of that is her fault, but most of it is not. It is the egomaniac that sees her and decides she must be his. Umm, yeah, right, dude, that isn't how it works in the civilized world. However, this situation causes even bigger issues down the road. I felt bad that Margo had to take on this assignment just to clean up the mess in Italy, but on the flip side, it brought her closer to her aunt and taught her that there is more to life than her photography.
There are quite a few scumbags in this book. But there are several redeeming characters that, while we don't know all of the details in the beginning, their stories unfold, giving you another perspective to consider. Yes, I'm being vague, but to say too much would give away some plot twists.
I didn't want the story to end, and I felt like there could be more to come in Margo's world.
This book kept me up at night because I couldn't put it down. We give it 5 paws up.
January 20, 2024
4.5 Stars
Portrait of Deception is the second book in the Southwest Suspense series by Kathryn Dodson. It is another suspenseful thriller with mystery, tension, danger, secrets & lies, agendas, well-developed interesting characters, action, adventure, and gripping developments.
Margo’s world comes crashing down, and her dreams crumble after she is drugged while in Italy. Her hopes of winning a life-changing competition are completely crushed when she wakes to find her hotel room has been trashed, leaving her with a reparation bill in the many tens-of-thousands- money she just doesn’t have…… AND she’s been ousted from the competition, with nowhere to go. She’s left with no choice but to take on a job she really didn’t want to even consider- one that will see her in close-quarters with a dangerous dictator.
So get set- things are about to take a dangerous turn. Will Margo manage to survive her ordeal? What secrets will she uncover? This story is well-worth the read to find out.
This is definitely my favourite of Ms. Dodson’s books, so far- and I can’t wait to see what she does next.
Happy Reading!
Thank you, Kathryn Dodson!
Portrait of Deception is the second book in the Southwest Suspense series by Kathryn Dodson. It is another suspenseful thriller with mystery, tension, danger, secrets & lies, agendas, well-developed interesting characters, action, adventure, and gripping developments.
Margo’s world comes crashing down, and her dreams crumble after she is drugged while in Italy. Her hopes of winning a life-changing competition are completely crushed when she wakes to find her hotel room has been trashed, leaving her with a reparation bill in the many tens-of-thousands- money she just doesn’t have…… AND she’s been ousted from the competition, with nowhere to go. She’s left with no choice but to take on a job she really didn’t want to even consider- one that will see her in close-quarters with a dangerous dictator.
So get set- things are about to take a dangerous turn. Will Margo manage to survive her ordeal? What secrets will she uncover? This story is well-worth the read to find out.
This is definitely my favourite of Ms. Dodson’s books, so far- and I can’t wait to see what she does next.
Happy Reading!
Thank you, Kathryn Dodson!
January 17, 2024
Portrait of Deception by Kathryn Dodson
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A really fast paced and unique thriller that has so many layers!
I was drawn to this book as I studied photography at college and I’ve never really seen any books that follow a photographer in the way that this book does. I was really lucky to get access to an ARC copy of this through NetGalley.
The book was unique in many other ways too- it had political ties and covered some war aspects as well which isn’t my usual type of book but I did really enjoy it.
There were enough characters involved throughout to keep a good depth and the plot progressed really well, I was racing through the chapters despite them being on the longer side!
The only thing that let this book down a bit was the pacing towards the end. I feel the build up to everything was really well done except when it got to the last 20% or so of the book. It felt packed with action but in a rushed way really which was a little disappointing after the rest of the book being so enjoyable. The story itself wasn’t a let down though and I really did enjoy it.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A really fast paced and unique thriller that has so many layers!
I was drawn to this book as I studied photography at college and I’ve never really seen any books that follow a photographer in the way that this book does. I was really lucky to get access to an ARC copy of this through NetGalley.
The book was unique in many other ways too- it had political ties and covered some war aspects as well which isn’t my usual type of book but I did really enjoy it.
There were enough characters involved throughout to keep a good depth and the plot progressed really well, I was racing through the chapters despite them being on the longer side!
The only thing that let this book down a bit was the pacing towards the end. I feel the build up to everything was really well done except when it got to the last 20% or so of the book. It felt packed with action but in a rushed way really which was a little disappointing after the rest of the book being so enjoyable. The story itself wasn’t a let down though and I really did enjoy it.
January 20, 2024
4.5 stars
Do you ever find yourself yelling at the literary characters you are engaging with during a great read? I was hollering "NO!" at Margo pretty much from the very beginning of this story but she just didn't listen to me!!! Because she didn't listen to my pleas of "NO!", "Don't drink that!", "Don't go there!", Margo ended up in a heap of trouble. Margo is a photographer who is looking at winning a huge award that will make her even more noticeable in the world of photography. One thing leads to another and she finds herself in the castle of a psycho wanna be dictator. All of a sudden, she's not sure who she can trust and she may have put her trust in a man who could ruin her even more than the dictator. After a daring escape, Margo still finds herself looking over her shoulder, as well as those of her loved ones.
This is a good one!! Lots of action, travel, and a little romance in this, among some major backstabbing and plans of war. Not a dull moment in this read and I had to finish it in one setting!
Do you ever find yourself yelling at the literary characters you are engaging with during a great read? I was hollering "NO!" at Margo pretty much from the very beginning of this story but she just didn't listen to me!!! Because she didn't listen to my pleas of "NO!", "Don't drink that!", "Don't go there!", Margo ended up in a heap of trouble. Margo is a photographer who is looking at winning a huge award that will make her even more noticeable in the world of photography. One thing leads to another and she finds herself in the castle of a psycho wanna be dictator. All of a sudden, she's not sure who she can trust and she may have put her trust in a man who could ruin her even more than the dictator. After a daring escape, Margo still finds herself looking over her shoulder, as well as those of her loved ones.
This is a good one!! Lots of action, travel, and a little romance in this, among some major backstabbing and plans of war. Not a dull moment in this read and I had to finish it in one setting!
January 25, 2024
Portrait of Deception (A Southwest Suspense Novel) by Kathryn Dodson. This is a newer author to me and my favorite genre so I wasn't surprised that I loved this book. Its such a fast paced, mystery and thriller. Its the story of Margo a very talented photographer. Margo is about to win the prized Butler award for her photography so she is on top of the world career wise. When she is offered a job to photograph a politician she refuses because she knows he's corrupt. The next morning she wakes up to a trashed hotel room with no recollection of how or what happened. The damages amount to 40,000 and she of course does not have that. She ends up being disqualified for the Butler award. She then ends up in a dictator's castle who is basically a stalker and she feels like she has been imprisoned. Will Margo be able to clear her name and get out of this crazy castle. Finding all kinds of secrets, lies and mysteries within the confines of this castle Margo is beginning to fear for her life. Such a fun fast paced thriller! Can't wait to read more from this author.
February 24, 2024
Portrait of Deception
By: Kathryn Dodson
Kathryn Dodson has become one of my absolute favorite authors and when I saw this was being released I was excited. This book delivered on my excitement in so many ways. This book is such a page turner. It has so many themes that play out from chapter to chapter. Margo was such a fantastic character who has really been left holding the worst of everything. She has been burned by a fellow colleague and has a career that is in shamples, a huge hotel bill and an offer that, well, she doesn’t want to take but the man doesn’t take no for an answer. She becomes the missing piece to a dictator who is going to hold her captive to get what she wants. Which leads her to run….which is where things get extra interesting.
I truly loved this book and I definitely loved the amount of suspense in this. I really did not want to put it down because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. I definitely recommend reading this especially if you love a good suspense book.
By: Kathryn Dodson
Kathryn Dodson has become one of my absolute favorite authors and when I saw this was being released I was excited. This book delivered on my excitement in so many ways. This book is such a page turner. It has so many themes that play out from chapter to chapter. Margo was such a fantastic character who has really been left holding the worst of everything. She has been burned by a fellow colleague and has a career that is in shamples, a huge hotel bill and an offer that, well, she doesn’t want to take but the man doesn’t take no for an answer. She becomes the missing piece to a dictator who is going to hold her captive to get what she wants. Which leads her to run….which is where things get extra interesting.
I truly loved this book and I definitely loved the amount of suspense in this. I really did not want to put it down because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. I definitely recommend reading this especially if you love a good suspense book.
January 19, 2024
I had a lot of ups and downs with this book. I really got into the beginning of the story. Then the book became almost unbelievable, so I had to suspend reality a little bit, like I would do with a movie. Then the book picked up so much that I could not put it down! It was so good through the end of the book. The main character is Margo McAllister who is a world famous photographer poised on the edge of receiving the accolades she's always dreamed of. What she did not ever imagine was her life completely tanking and her life being in danger. She can’t see any other options for herself except to take the lucrative offer from a man who gives her the creeps. However, once she’s there, she’s stuck like a fly on a spiderweb. She must find a way home and escape without putting any loved ones at risk. Will she find a way out of the danger she’s in? You’ll definitely want to read this book to find out!
February 1, 2024
Portrait of Deception (A Southwest Suspense Novel) by Kathryn Dodson is a great thriller series
Margo McAllister's dream is only hours away. As the young photographer travels to Italy to compete for a coveted award, she declines an outrageous offer from a dishonest politician to enhance his reputation with a deft image. Her preparations, however, are dashed when she takes a blackout pill, wakes up to discover her hotel room has been damaged for $40,000, and is kicked out of the competition.Margo, who is suddenly left with no choice but to beg, visits the despot's mansion in an attempt to make enough money to pay off her obligations and restart her life. She soon learns that the isolated mountain castle is full of secrets and falsehoods, and she thinks there is no way out from the oligarch's increasingly spooky demands and propositions.
Every page was exciting and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen. The story really brings us into their world. I couldn’t put the book down.
Margo McAllister's dream is only hours away. As the young photographer travels to Italy to compete for a coveted award, she declines an outrageous offer from a dishonest politician to enhance his reputation with a deft image. Her preparations, however, are dashed when she takes a blackout pill, wakes up to discover her hotel room has been damaged for $40,000, and is kicked out of the competition.Margo, who is suddenly left with no choice but to beg, visits the despot's mansion in an attempt to make enough money to pay off her obligations and restart her life. She soon learns that the isolated mountain castle is full of secrets and falsehoods, and she thinks there is no way out from the oligarch's increasingly spooky demands and propositions.
Every page was exciting and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen. The story really brings us into their world. I couldn’t put the book down.
February 9, 2024
Portrait of Deception (A Southwest Suspense Novel)
By Kathryn Dodson
4 Stars
Margo McAllister is a photographer who’s in Italy ready to receive an award of a lifetime. Things go awry and she ends up owing the hotel thousands of dollars; more than she can afford. To pay off her debts, she accepts a job to take some portraits. Though this is not her passion, she needs the money. The portrait that she needs to take is of a dictator and must fly to his country and home. Once she arrives, things quickly go south and she is in the fight of her life.
I took a chance with this book and stepped out of my box. I don’t usually read this genre of book do I didn’t know the author as well. There was plenty of action, suspense and drama. There are many times when you are not sure who to trust. The author did an excellent job of keeping me on the edge of my seat. I enjoyed the book and recommend it.
By Kathryn Dodson
4 Stars
Margo McAllister is a photographer who’s in Italy ready to receive an award of a lifetime. Things go awry and she ends up owing the hotel thousands of dollars; more than she can afford. To pay off her debts, she accepts a job to take some portraits. Though this is not her passion, she needs the money. The portrait that she needs to take is of a dictator and must fly to his country and home. Once she arrives, things quickly go south and she is in the fight of her life.
I took a chance with this book and stepped out of my box. I don’t usually read this genre of book do I didn’t know the author as well. There was plenty of action, suspense and drama. There are many times when you are not sure who to trust. The author did an excellent job of keeping me on the edge of my seat. I enjoyed the book and recommend it.
February 15, 2024
Margo's father passed before she could even meet him, but that's not the only ghost that follows her. His career and notoriety in the photography business haunts her too. Feeling as if she will never leave his shadow, She becomes very excited when she is invited to Italy to be in the running for the Butler prize. She meets a man who lives in another country who offers her a job to photograph him. He gives her the creeps, so she turns it down at first. However, her life is flipped upside down after a series of events, Margo gives it a second thought. Which turns out to be another thing that will haunt her for the rest of her life.
I highly recommend this book, wonderful world and character building. Margo was very relatable, by far my favorite character in the book. I was on my toes the entire time, it felt like the book went by so fast with all the twists, turns and *almost* betrayals.
I highly recommend this book, wonderful world and character building. Margo was very relatable, by far my favorite character in the book. I was on my toes the entire time, it felt like the book went by so fast with all the twists, turns and *almost* betrayals.
January 19, 2024
I enjoyed reading this suspenseful story. This is a newer author for me which I enjoy her attention to details to make her twists and turns pop. Her writing skills are such that her story has a realistic feel that makes the story easy to read. This is a well written story about Margo. A drug gets put in her drink that makes her blackout but she wakes up to thousands of dollars in damages. She ends up at an estate where she hopes that she can earn some money to pay for the damages but she gets more than what she bargained for. What she finds is secrets and lies and no way out. What happens to Margo is something you don't want to miss. She is a great character that is strong and determined. She is my favorite of the story and made the story for me. I really enjoyed this fast paced, hard to put down, engaging story. I highly recommend this story.
February 10, 2024
4 Stars
Portrait of Deception (A Southwest Suspense Novel) by Kathryn Dodson
Portrait of Deception is the second book in the Southwest Suspense Series and is a Suspense Thriller that will have you turning the pages on the edge of your seat till the end. This is not my first book by this author and I like her style of writing and attention to detail. She packs her stories with action and suspense and plenty of plot twists to keep you guessing till the end. This story is fast paced and full of suspense, violence, betrayal, thugs and so much more. Margo finds herself in a situation in a dark and dangerous world hopefully she can stay alive. If you thought being a photographer wasn’t dangerous then I highly recommend reading this book to find out what happens next. I’m already looking forward to reading more from this Author .
Portrait of Deception (A Southwest Suspense Novel) by Kathryn Dodson
Portrait of Deception is the second book in the Southwest Suspense Series and is a Suspense Thriller that will have you turning the pages on the edge of your seat till the end. This is not my first book by this author and I like her style of writing and attention to detail. She packs her stories with action and suspense and plenty of plot twists to keep you guessing till the end. This story is fast paced and full of suspense, violence, betrayal, thugs and so much more. Margo finds herself in a situation in a dark and dangerous world hopefully she can stay alive. If you thought being a photographer wasn’t dangerous then I highly recommend reading this book to find out what happens next. I’m already looking forward to reading more from this Author .
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