Deceived

by Tyson Abaroa

When he won a coveted spot at Harvard Law School, Enrique Miller thought he was escaping his small Arizona hometown for good. But after failing the bar exam—again—his path forward is more uncertain than ever. That all changes when his phone rings with devastating his father, a renowned amateur detective, has been murdered. There’s no choice now but to go home.

Enrique grapples with grief as he arrives in a town shaped by his father’s towering legacy—and he soon realizes that while that legacy bolstered the community, it also cast dangerous shadows. When his deputy brother feels unable to pursue the truth of what happened to their father, Enrique is reluctantly drawn into the murder investigation alongside his former flame. But as the amateur investigators discover a dangerous pattern of deceit and betrayal and small-town secrets, they realize that the perfect place for a killer to hide is in plain sight.

196 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 10, 2025

Reviews

[Kassandra Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s just something extra fun about reading a book set in Arizona while in Arizona! And finishing reading Deceived on my way to the state was the perfect kick off for my recent visit!
From page one, I was pulled into Enrique’s world, and could absolutely relate to the anxiety and struggles connected to test taking! This book is where family secrets, small town drama, and a murder mystery all collide, with Enrique (the ‘prodigal’ son) thrown right into the middle!

Enrique is such a relatable and flawed character, and following him as he uncovers the truth about his father’s death was both emotional and gripping. I loved all the desert vibes and the layers of tension between the characters.

Tyson Abaroa has such a great way of blending suspense with heart. The mystery kept me guessing! The setting felt so vivid, and the small town dynamics made it feel even more real. It’s smart, fast-paced, and full of emotional twists! Definitely a must read if you enjoy a good mystery with depth!

A huge thank you to Covenant Communications and Tyson Abaroa for the advanced copy of this book! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

[Robyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set in a small town in Arizona Enrique Miller just failed the bar, again, when he got the call that his father had died. Actually his father had been killed. He goes home where everyone, his brother Francisco; Uncle Carl, his dad's best friend; Ell, Carls niece and little sister type, thinks he passed the bar the first time and has been working as a lawyer this whole time.
Ell thinks Enrique should solve the mystery of his fathers death. Aparently his father was famous for solving mysteries for the police, the FBI, everybody and they all had fun names like 'the clown with a zip tie'. Francisco is a police officer and he can help but Enrique has no confidence in his abilities because he gets testing anxiety.
With help and support from Ell, Enrique solves the mystery, gains self confidence and recognizes the feelings he has for Ell.

Some kissing, Mild language, drinking, some violence.

Living in the shadow of his larger than life father and suffering with text anxiety and poor self esteem, Enrique made an interesting character and I enjoyed his growth.

[Cathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book kept me intrigued from the very start. I loved the plot, and the characters so much!

Enrique was such a character. He lives in the city, away from his family, so that they won't know that he hasn't been able to pass the bar when he's taken it. 4 times. But one day, his estranged father dies. And it's up to Enrique to step into his shoes and figure out who killed him and why. And he takes the reader along with him.

This book is written from Enrique's point of view. But there are other great characters. Ell, Uncle Carl, his brother Francisco, and many more. I loved the way all of these characters interacted. This book truly has that small town feel.

I love the way Tyson Abaroa writes his suspense books. They make you think from beginning to end.

[Renee · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in hard copy BTW. I would never,ever,ever read a book on a Kindle.
Enrique drowns his sorrows after failing the Bar for the 4th time. He gets a call from Frisco with the news their Father is dead. Enrique packs up his car and heads home, the first time in years. Everything has changed. Who killed his Dad?

[Marsha · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don’t think I will read any more by this author. I don’t like his characters. They always seem to be broken and generally not very likable. I did get pulled in to the mystery and kept reading to find out how it ended. I have a few things I could say about that, but don’t want to have spoilers. Overall, this would be one to skip.

[Kevin Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book that I have read by this Author and he got right into the story. What I found interesting was all the who, what and where about his Father, take note of them and then enjoy the rest of the story, but remember the name of the book. Enjoy

[Laramee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed the prodigal son aspect of this book as well as the mystery.

I received an ARC from the publisher and all opinions are my own.

[Jackie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually liked this book. It was engaging, super clean and wrapped up nicely. Kudos to the author.

[Jodie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute story. I almost knew who it was…

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, simple and clean murder mystery.

[Justin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great read, I love how you get to see the characters evolve and work through their struggle.

[Angela · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5