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Cruise Ship Mysteries #4

Deadly Deception

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Life on board Siren of the Seas has been smooth sailing for Millie Sanders, but that soon changes when diva, Ariana Teliar boards as the ship's new entertainer and "star attraction."

Unfortunately, Millie has been given the task of showing Ariana the ropes. When Ariana discovers a dead body on her balcony, Millie’s “task” changes to protecting the diva’s life 24 hours a day! The only problem is, Ariana has a penchant for disappearing and Millie is forced to chase her down.

When Ariana leads Millie and her friends on a wild goose chase thru Mayan ruins deep into the rainforest and they end up getting lost, it's the last straw for Millie. Just as Millie is ready to set the young performer straight, she discovers a deadly deception that puts Millie's own life in danger.

Can Millie sort through the clues that point to the killer(s) and solve the mystery before it’s too late?

313 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 16, 2015

617 people are currently reading
225 people want to read

About the author

Hope Callaghan

184 books764 followers
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★ AMAZON BESTSELLING AUTHOR ★
★ 2017 Mom's Choice Award ★

Hope Callaghan is an American author who loves to write clean fiction books, especially Christian Mystery and Cozy Mystery books.

She has written more than 70 mystery books (and counting) in six series.

Born and raised in a small town in West Michigan, she now lives in Florida with her husband. She is the proud mother of 3 wonderful children.

When she's not doing the thing she loves best - writing books - she enjoys cooking, traveling and reading books.

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5 stars
582 (59%)
4 stars
272 (27%)
3 stars
101 (10%)
2 stars
20 (2%)
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3 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
Profile Image for Mary.
922 reviews38 followers
July 19, 2016
They just keep getting better!

Each book I read in this series is just as good if not better than the last.

This one did have a dead body, but also some intrigue, jungle travel, spies, and island hopping.

Poor Millie had the sad job of taking care of Ariana Truliar an entertainer hired for the cruise ship for the week. But Ariana turned out to be a real handful and Millie was not happy with her new assignment!.

In the end everything turned out ok. And I am off to the next Millie adventure!
Profile Image for Federica De dominicis.
362 reviews6 followers
June 8, 2022
Don't waste your money.

While the setting is a perk of this story, the writing is poor and the mystery is slow, making this book forgettable as soon as you put it down. The only things that will stay with you are the annoying preconceptions and bias of the main character. This is an example of why, sadly, Cozies have a bad reputation, with its unbelievable and badly researched details.
Profile Image for Babs.
Author 15 books188 followers
August 9, 2018
Millie has been doing a good job on the ship and life has been great that is until Ariana shows up. Ariana is the new ships entertainer and star attraction.

Andy has told Millie she is in charge of helping Ariana learn the ropes and being her body guard. Ariana and Kay her assistant have found a dead body on their balcony. Someone is after her.

Ariana leads Millie, Cat and Annette on a wild goose chase in the Mayan ruins deep in the rainforest and who do you think gets lost?

Can Millie and the crew help find the killer?

Another great read and recipe. Millie and the girls are a hoot in this one and there are some laugh out loud moments. You will not want to put the book down.
Profile Image for Short, Sweet and Cozy.
1,496 reviews
September 1, 2018
Another awesome Cruise Ship mystery by Hope Callaghan! I love the series being on a cruise ship. The cast of characters are likeable and human. The mysteries are intriguing. There is humor, friendship, romance. I laughed quite a few times during this one. This series is a Christian based storyline but well dione. Can't wait for the next book!
251 reviews3 followers
February 26, 2017
Great series of books I enjoy them
Profile Image for Mr Francy Reads.
764 reviews24 followers
June 19, 2024
GREAT SERIES SO FAR HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

PREMISE: Life on board Siren of the Seas has been smooth sailing for Millie Sanders, but that soon changes when diva, Ariana Teliar boards as the ship's new entertainer and "star attraction." Unfortunately, Millie has been given the task of showing Ariana the ropes. When Ariana discovers a dead body on her balcony, Millie’s “task” changes to protecting the diva’s life 24 hours a day! The only problem is, Ariana has a penchant for disappearing and Millie is forced to chase her down.
When Ariana leads Millie and her friends on a wild goose chase thru Mayan ruins deep into the rainforest and they end up getting lost, it's the last straw for Millie. Just as Millie is ready to set the young performer straight, she discovers a deadly deception that puts Millie's own life in danger.
Can Millie sort through the clues that point to the killer(s) and solve the mystery before it’s too late?

THOUGHTS: Good improvement on book 3. Really enoyed this one however again the reveal was way too quick. Love Millie. Loved the ending (new occuring character in the series) and the plot was incredibly intriguing.

4.5 Stars!
xoxo.
Profile Image for Charissa Wilkinson.
833 reviews13 followers
June 20, 2024
Overview: Millie is looking forward to the alternative destinations that the Siren of the Seas is taking this group of visitors on.The Mexican cave tubing, zip lining, and Mayan ruins route sounds exciting. The ship even has a shiny new headliner. Too bad Millie has to train Ariana. But, when a crew-member is found dead on Ariana's balcony, all concerns are raised. Was this a one-off? Or is someone sending a message--read threat--to the newest act on the ship? Looks like Millie has a new mystery to solve, as well as a new duty to her roster...babysitting Ariana. This should be fun.

Dislikes: Ariana was a brat. She doesn't deserve death for it, but she did herself no favors.

Likes: Millie is one stubborn woman. Yet, the way she helps out on the ship is amazing. I'm not sure that I could have helped Cat the same way.

Annette has some cool toys. It does make you wonder where she finds them all.

Conclusion: This was a fun story. The girls took great care to help Millie with her tasks. Enjoy the read.
Profile Image for RO G'ma.
1,061 reviews43 followers
October 17, 2015
This is the fourth book in Hope Callaghan’s Cruise Ship Chronicles Cozy Mystery Series and is a delightful, fun read. This book was easy to read and kept my interest from beginning to end. Ms. Callaghan’s books always have a well-plotted storyline, well-developed characters and an interesting mystery to try to solve. This book has more intrigue than the other ones in this series. I love reading a good Whodunit with no foul language, graphic violence, or sexually explicit scenes.

The main character, Millie Sanders, has a penchant for ending up in sticky situations. She is assigned to “train” a new performer, Ariana Teliar, who is going to be a handful! Ariana started causing a commotion the moment she boarded the ship. Before the ship even leaves port, the body of Miguel, a member of the security crew, is discovered on Ariana’s private patio. Millie is supposed to keep her eyes on Ariana but she has other ideas and sneaks off on more than one occasion. Millie discovers Ariana is meeting up with Christopher, another passenger on the cruise. Sadly, Ariana doesn’t care for dogs so Millie doesn’t get to spend much time with Scout. Millie goes cave tubing in Costa Maya and visiting Mayan ruins when they docked in Cozumel with Ariana. Many adventures happen … Millie even has to re-board the ship in a unique manner.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
2,221 reviews44 followers
May 22, 2019
Another perfect title for this fourth book in this series. Millie Sanders is enjoying her days as the assistant cruise director on the Siren of the Seas. But then Miguel, crew member who works at the scanners, is found dead. Unfortunately Millie is then given an assignment that is far from enjoyable. She is the lucky crew member who gets to babysit the week's famous lead entertainer--Ariana Teliar. Interesting that her last name has "liar" in it! Ariana keeps Millie running as the ship visits the Western Caribbean and Cozumel, Mexico. Once again Millie enlists the help of her friends, Annette Delacroix and Cat Wellington who are more than willing to do some more sleuthing. Meanwhile, on board ship. Millie continues to spend time with the captain and his Yorkie dog Scout. The books in this series have been entertaining, with interesting characters, and begin where the previous book left off.
Profile Image for Tari.
3,634 reviews103 followers
July 13, 2023
Oh my gosh, just when Millie figured she was relieved of her babysitting duties, she found she’s got a surprise new coworker. Rewinding a bit, this was a pretty exciting adventure with Millie and her pals traipsing through a Mayan jungle after an elusive woman who might not even be who she says she is. And Millie’s sweet, patient boss who probably could use some antacids from all the stress I’m sure Millie and her friends’ antics brought him was always there having her back. There was an extra sweet scene with Millie and the captain, bet you’ll say “Awww” when you read it.

That was one crazy showdown/manhunt at the end and while I was surprised by whodunit, it made more sense than who I originally pegged for it. At the end was when Millie got the surprise that she was getting a new coworker, which of course made me start the next book immediately!
64 reviews
March 10, 2017
Aside from a very annoying, yet surprisingly diverse character of Ariana Teliar, this story was very exciting. It really kept me guessing, and we learn a bit more about the employees on the ship. Annette is really intriguing me at this point, she's got an interesting past and doesn't want to share it. Her knowledge of spy tools is a clue, but not sure when or if we'll hear the whole story soon.

One thing that disappointed me was that this book didn't delve much into Cat's story. Book 3 left us with a bit of a cliffhanger involving Cat's ex-husband, and Book 4 doesn't answer those questions. Still have two more books to read though.
Author 1 book69 followers
June 13, 2020
Millie Sanders sails onboard Siren of the Seas. Ariana Teliar boards as the ship's new entertainer and "star attraction." When Ariana discovers a dead body on her balcony, she decides to hide, which is a problem for Millie. Ariana leads Millie and her friends on chases.

I read these books because I like the experience of being on the ocean. A cruise ship and rainforest was the thing I wanted. (I'd like to have read more about the ship, and more of experience onboard.)

Surprising ending and satisfying conclusion to a well-thought-out plot.
Profile Image for Joy Gerbode.
2,024 reviews17 followers
April 11, 2018
I have really been enjoying the cruise ship mysteries ... they are good fun reading, but I think mostly I enjoy them because I have such fond memories of my times on cruise ships, am getting reading for another cruise adventure ... and it just all seems so real to me. Millie and her "associates" in the crime fighting scene are fun, the little dog makes it a true cozy ... and well, these are just good fun books ... with a slight Christian message tucked in to make it even better.
Profile Image for Bobbie.
202 reviews9 followers
June 14, 2022
I want to thank authorHope Callaghan for letting me read and review Deadly Deception (Cruise Ship Cozy Mysteries, #4.)
“There’s a body on my balcony.”
An exciting beginning to a voyage on the Siren of the Seas. A supposed heiress, posing as an entertainer, is hiding out on the ship and assistant social director, Millie is assigned to keep her safe.
Who is responsible for the dead man? What does Ariana have that someone is searching for?
The book moves along quickly.
Profile Image for Anne.
838 reviews84 followers
July 18, 2022
This is such a fun mystery, and this particular entry might be my favorite so far in the series. I loved Ariana's attitude. Millie is tasked to watch out for spoiled heiress Ariana, whose life may be in danger. Of course, murder, humor, and hikes in the dangerous jungle follow. Such a fun book and I think this entry has a better balance between the personal stories of those on the cruise ship and the individual mystery then the previous entries.
404 reviews2 followers
Read
November 23, 2022
Review of this book.

I had the deception figured out, but I had who it was wrong. The author did a masterful job of laying out false evidence and clues. The ending had me on the edge of my seat. The suspense and drama was over the top. Each book gets better and better. The characters seem like old friends you hang out with over a cup of coffee. I cannot wait to try the recicpe at the end of the book.
Profile Image for MizReRe Irene Watson.
40 reviews
October 9, 2023
I just can’t get enuff of this series! Done with the 4th installment and their good clean reading. Light enuff for a SAHM, 3 daughters each differently-abled (bipolar, Autism and clinical depression) I myself am a hemorrhagic stroke survivor of close to 5yrs, who has vertigo as well as many other ailments. I am retraining my vision, comprehension, focus and attention span~so the length and story lines are just perfect! Now on to #5
136 reviews
November 16, 2023
A winner for sure!

This 4th book of Millie's adventurous weeks aboard the Siren of the Seas was another page-turner that I finished in almost record time! It usually takes me a couple of days, if not more, to finish one of Hope Callaghan's books, but the Millie Sanders series is so interesting and fun to read, that I'm not doing much of anything else! I'm running out of words to describe how great this series is!!
Profile Image for Linda Rainey.
2,348 reviews21 followers
February 14, 2017
Millie starts a new adventure and it's non-stop from beginning to end.
I am never disappointed in these stories, lots of suspense, a little romance and lots of camaraderies
between the main characters.
We, of course, see Scout, the miniature Yorkie that makes his rounds around the ship.
We see God watching over his flock.
Look forward to the next book in the series.
Profile Image for Kitten  Peters.
1,017 reviews5 followers
November 1, 2015
Another great book by Hope Callaghan

The road to find the hidden ruins leads to lots of perils. The plot twists and turns till the very end. Grab a warm drink and get ready to sail. Hope if you are reading this I am Waite not so patiently for you to set sail with Millie and the Garden Club ladies.
Profile Image for Cheryl Cooper.
89 reviews2 followers
April 17, 2016
Great

I am really enjoying this cozy series. I just love all the characters. Hope Callaghan has done a great job of character development. Can't wait to read the next one in line. If you are looking for a good cozy mystery series that is an easy, fun read, be sure to check these out.
Profile Image for Wade.
750 reviews26 followers
September 18, 2019
“God never forgets His children. You may have stepped away from Him, but He never stepped away from you.”

Another enjoyable cozy cruise ship mystery with Millie and the gang. A lot of surprises and I enjoyed the Mayan Ruin excursion. I have a feeling I’m going to plow through all of these over the next month or so!
Profile Image for Shelley Gingrich.
186 reviews7 followers
December 26, 2019
I am really enjoying this series. I am a 60-year-old who loves cruising and mysteries, so these books are perfect for me. The mysteries are not too easy to solve, the characters and their developing friendships make me want to keep reading, and the author has managed to create that very rare species - a believable, human, Christian.
Profile Image for Faith.
214 reviews
June 8, 2020
A bit more mystery, a few more antics, lovely sounding food/meals.

I found this book had more suspense than the others so far and a few less false trails. The ending was a surprise as I was sure the perp was not the one it truly was. Even the one I though it was, was not who they pretended to be.

Hard not to use proper pronouns that then give away clues. Romance in the offing?
Profile Image for Avalon.
618 reviews3 followers
October 31, 2020
Cruise ship mystery

Millie is back on the case solving mysteries and taking the Captain's dog Scout for walks. She has to babysit a guest whose life is in danger but is the guest telling the truth?? Ariana acts like a diva with her assistant Kay but is Kay for real or is it just an act? Who is Ariana's boyfriend? Great read
1,713 reviews8 followers
June 23, 2021
The fun series continues

As with the earlier books in the series this is a fun easy read. Millie dives into another onboard murder while acting as a body guard for a celebrity. With help from cat and Annette they work to flush out the murderer. I will continue to read the series.
57 reviews
April 14, 2016
I could not put it down.

Hope is so good at getting you engaged with characters right away. There were so many twists in this book that I could not stop reading until I finally reached the end! Excellent cozy mystery!
Profile Image for Tracey Billing.
473 reviews7 followers
February 28, 2017
I have to wonder if these books get bad, haha.

4th book and I am still addicted to them, so easy to read and fun too.

Millie is on the same ship but off on a different route this time and that is where the fun is, Mayan Ruins and all that hahahaha.
Profile Image for Marcia-Lee Finocchio.
604 reviews6 followers
April 25, 2017
Murder on a Ship

I enjoyed reading 📖 about murder on a cruise 🚢. I find the characters in this book very entertaining. The plot was awesome and trying to figure out Who the killer or killers are keeps you guessing..
128 reviews4 followers
April 28, 2017
A good Christian cozy mystery

This is a good cozy mystery, but it is a little slow. If you like to read a fast-paced page turner, this isn't it. It is a good cozy mystery, though. It does have some exciting moments.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews

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