Web of Deceit

by Anthony Toro

Web of Deceit is predicated upon the notion that no matter how safe, close-knit a family may be, anyone is a potential target for cyber-stalking. The story focuses on a loving, supportive, middleclass family that have recently moved to a new city for the father's professional opportunities as a computer consultant. The story centers on the fifteen year-old daughter Annette, who, struggling to adjust to a new city, unknowingly invites an on-line predator into her family's life. The stalking intensifies quickly from Internet communication to psychological and physical warfare. As the threats escalate, Annette struggles with the dilemma of confiding in her parents and friends, all of who have previously warned her of the potential harm that may arise from surfing the Internet. The stalker's intentions grow more threatening, and clues of his life unfold forcing Annette to face her worst fears and ultimately decide her own fate.

236 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 3, 2007

About the author

My interests include both playing and watching soccer, reading, music/drums, running, movies, football and spending time with my family.

Reviews

[Sandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have a lot of books to read. As a result, it is not unusual for me to have 2 or 3 books going at once. I’ll usually have one that I read at lunch, break and when I have to wait around for something. I’ll also have one on my nightstand to read before I go to sleep. “Web of Deceit” by Anthony Toro landed in my mailbox while I was in the middle of “Water for Elephants” and “A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier”. I actually finished “Water for Elephants” before starting “Web of Deceit”, but “A Long Way Gone” ended up languishing as I got caught up in the tale of a teenage girl who attracts the attention of an internet stalker.

“Web of Deceit” starts off with a bang. Annette, a fifteen year old whose family has just moved from San Diego to Tucson, is sitting at her computer when she gets a creepy instant message. It becomes clear from the message that she is being watched. She even hears typing from her parents’ computer in another room. Days later, after a couple of creepy incidents and some paranoiac false alarms, she is kidnapped at gunpoint by her stalker. He’s a bit delusional and thinks he can have a relationship with her. The scenes that take place while she is being held captive are gripping and convincing. However, the deus ex machina ending is a bit rushed and not very believable. That said, I think it is an ending that young adult readers would like and expect.

I believe that “Web of Deceit” is best suited to a teen audience. Unfortunately, I don’t think many boys will be interested in it because of the female protagonist and all the relationship stuff. I think it would be terrific for parents to read it along with their teens to use as a jumping off point for discussing internet safety. In fact, I think it would have been really good to include an appendix that discussed internet safety, how to protect privacy and what to do when you think you’re being stalked online and/or in real life. Resources would be a big plus.

I think there were a couple of things that could have made “Web of Deceit” stronger. First, I think the e-mails and chat would have been better if they had been written the way teens actually write them. There is a whole online language that young people use and it doesn’t involve proper spelling and good grammar. Also, the teenage characters talked the way I talked as a teenager. I used “neat” and “cool” a lot as a teenager, and I still do. I’m middle-aged. Using just a little twenty-first century slang would have made the dialogue a bit more realistic. Other than that, I think “Web of Deceit” is a terrific first novel and I look forward to seeing what Anthony Toro does next.