Deception Divided

by C.C. Robinson

Everyone has secrets, but the one Sophie learns could destroy the rebellion.After discovering a secret plot to destroy the Underground, Sophie risks everything to warn its leaders. In the Federated Republic of America, this means leaving a dystopian world of fortified cities to navigate through desolate, nuclear-ravaged lands to reach the Underground's hidden mountain sanctuary.

But when Sophie arrives at the mountain stronghold, she finds chaos, shocking betrayal, and murder, putting her determination to save the Underground to the ultimate test.

Can Sophie save the Underground and escape with her life, or will her secrets -- and the Underground's hope for freedom -- be buried in the mountains forever?

This novella is Book 1.5 of the Divided young adult dystopian series and features a secondary character from the novels. It is best read after Divided Book 1 in the Divided series. Sophie's side quest story contains no spoilers.

Author's Content death on page (secondary character), drugging and kidnapping, being held against one's own will, and physical violence.

108 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 27, 2025

About the author

CC Robinson has over two decades’ experience in cross-cultural settings as a medical doctor working in post-civil war nations and as an Associate Pastor at a multi-ethnic congregation led by an African-American man in Cincinnati, the setting for Divided. When she’s not throwing on her superhero cape to save her characters from their dystopian antics, CC enjoys hiking, gardening, dancing, swimming, and driving her jeep through the woods with her husband and three kids.

Reviews

[Shubham Lakhina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some stories are built on action, others on character—but *Deception* by C.C. Robinson thrives on both. It’s a tense, high-stakes dystopian tale where loyalty is rare, betrayal cuts deep, and secrets can save—or destroy—everything.

A World on the Brink:
Sophie isn’t your average dystopian heroine. She’s not just surviving—she’s navigating a world built on layers of lies. As a master of secrets and deception, she’s always been one step ahead. But now, the tables have turned. Her own secrets threaten the fragile existence of the Underground, a resistance movement that once felt like home.

Forced to flee Queenstown, Sophie treks across the harsh, broken landscape of the Federated Republic of America to reach the Underground’s remote mountain sanctuary. But what she finds there isn’t safety—it’s betrayal. And when her friend Rich is murdered by those she once trusted, Sophie’s world fractures further. The stakes? Nothing less than the soul of the resistance itself.

Robinson builds a gritty, believable world where nothing—and no one—can be trusted. Every chapter peels back another layer of political corruption, emotional trauma, and the price of choosing truth over survival.

Personal Reflection:
What hit me hardest in *Deception* wasn’t just the plot twists (though there are plenty), but the emotional cost of keeping secrets. Sophie isn’t some cold-blooded operative—she’s a woman who’s been forced to carry the weight of knowledge, lies, and loss on her own for far too long.

Her internal conflict—between protecting those she loves and exposing truths that could tear them apart—felt painfully real. And when betrayal comes from within, it stings both Sophie and the reader equally. It made me think: how often do we bury parts of ourselves for the greater good? And what does it cost us in the end?

Final Thoughts:
*Deception* is a tightly plotted, emotionally charged dystopian novel that grips from the first page and doesn’t let go. It’s about more than survival—it’s about trust, sacrifice, and the danger of holding too much truth in a world built on lies.

[Pat Black-Gould · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had read CC Robinson’s first book, Divided. When I picked up Deception, the novella in this series, I was pleased to find two of my favorite characters, Sophie and her daughter Rose, return. However, these two continue to be at odds with each other. I keep hoping Rose will understand what her mother must do and why, but Rose doesn’t, leaving Sophie to continue her quest to save the Underground. But readers beware. It is a treacherous journey to the Underground's hidden location, and upon arrival, she’s met with betrayal and murder.

Readers will be fascinated by the Underground Headquarters, which is in the saltpeter caves in Appalachia. In the back of the book, I was pleased that the author discussed how these caves inspired her as the setting for the Underground. And she’s correct, it’s a perfect location, and the author did a great job that allowed me to visualize not only the cave’s interior spaces but also the surrounding forests. And a lot happens at these locations to keep the readers on their toes.

In all, Deception is a fast-paced, exciting story. You’ll find yourself worried about Sophie and cheering her on because there’s much at stake.