What do you think?
Rate this book
Final Justice #1
Deceived
He took everything from me. Now it’s my turn…
Former foster kid Olivia Michaels is finally about to have it all. Until her perfect life is ripped apart by accusations of insider trading and fraud and, ultimately, the murder of her best friend. Faced with the possibility of life in prison—or worse, death—she accepts a deal. A plea of guilty for something she didn’t do, in exchange for three years in prison.
Olivia’s lost everything. The only thing she has left now is time. Time to remember what she’s lost. Time to realize who had the most to gain. Time to plan how she’s going to exact her revenge. When she leaves those prison walls, she’ll have more than just a new family of friends who’ll have her back; she’ll have a plan. And he’ll never see her coming.
Former foster kid Olivia Michaels is finally about to have it all. Until her perfect life is ripped apart by accusations of insider trading and fraud and, ultimately, the murder of her best friend. Faced with the possibility of life in prison—or worse, death—she accepts a deal. A plea of guilty for something she didn’t do, in exchange for three years in prison.
Olivia’s lost everything. The only thing she has left now is time. Time to remember what she’s lost. Time to realize who had the most to gain. Time to plan how she’s going to exact her revenge. When she leaves those prison walls, she’ll have more than just a new family of friends who’ll have her back; she’ll have a plan. And he’ll never see her coming.
299 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 16, 2016
4 people are currently reading
69 people want to read
About the author
Ashlee Mallory
20 books321 followersAshlee Mallory is a USA Today Bestselling author of Sweet Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy, Suspense, and Thrillers.
A recovering attorney, she currently resides in Utah with her husband and two kids. She aspires to one day include running, hiking and traveling to exotic destinations in her list of things she enjoys, but currently settles for enjoying a good book and a glass of wine from the comfort of her couch.
A recovering attorney, she currently resides in Utah with her husband and two kids. She aspires to one day include running, hiking and traveling to exotic destinations in her list of things she enjoys, but currently settles for enjoying a good book and a glass of wine from the comfort of her couch.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 23, 2022
Book Blog | Bookstagram
What we have here is Orange is the New Black meets The Wolf of Wallstreet with a heavy dose of one of my favourite Ashley Judd movies, Double Jeopardy. And don't you dare say a bad word about that glorious masterpiece!
Olivia thinks she's got her life on a perfect track - a hot fiancé, a successful career, brains and beauty and money in the bank. But then she's arrested for insider trading and her best friend is murdered and she's arrested for that too, so...
Olivia has no idea what in the actual fuck is going on, but she uses her time behind bars to figure it out and plot her revenge.
This book takes some extra suspended disbelief to get behind - but if you can manage it, you'll enjoy it. The pace is fast, the characters are unique, there's a little bit of romance and a whole bunch of muahahaha kind of retribution that will have you salivating over every moment of comeuppance. Also, lots of twists at just the right moments and a little violence to add some bloody tension to the mix.
But it is kind of ridiculous and just a bit too easy. Wouldn't every ex-con wish they had only done three years for murder and had come home to a hefty fucking bank account, and just so happened to meet an expert hacker while in the slammer and everyone in your prison inner circle was innocent and railroaded by the justice system, just like you, and you had all the money in the world to fix their lives post-prison?
You know... a tale as old as time.
It's fun, though.
⭐⭐⭐½ | 3.5 stars rounded up
book source: The publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review
What we have here is Orange is the New Black meets The Wolf of Wallstreet with a heavy dose of one of my favourite Ashley Judd movies, Double Jeopardy. And don't you dare say a bad word about that glorious masterpiece!
Olivia thinks she's got her life on a perfect track - a hot fiancé, a successful career, brains and beauty and money in the bank. But then she's arrested for insider trading and her best friend is murdered and she's arrested for that too, so...
Olivia has no idea what in the actual fuck is going on, but she uses her time behind bars to figure it out and plot her revenge.
This book takes some extra suspended disbelief to get behind - but if you can manage it, you'll enjoy it. The pace is fast, the characters are unique, there's a little bit of romance and a whole bunch of muahahaha kind of retribution that will have you salivating over every moment of comeuppance. Also, lots of twists at just the right moments and a little violence to add some bloody tension to the mix.
But it is kind of ridiculous and just a bit too easy. Wouldn't every ex-con wish they had only done three years for murder and had come home to a hefty fucking bank account, and just so happened to meet an expert hacker while in the slammer and everyone in your prison inner circle was innocent and railroaded by the justice system, just like you, and you had all the money in the world to fix their lives post-prison?
You know... a tale as old as time.
It's fun, though.
⭐⭐⭐½ | 3.5 stars rounded up
book source: The publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a review
July 30, 2021
The first series I read from Ashlee Mallory was The Sorensen Family set, though I discovered these books first on the mobile app Chapters, and later invested in and read all of her books as well.
I really enjoyed getting to know the characters in these books, and shared their emotional hills and valleys as each story and series progresses. I appreciated the fact that this author is excellent at writing romances based out the oddest circumstances imaginable, and also managed to catch my breath with each chapter of her suspense novel as well.
If you are interested in romance, humor, or even suspense, you should definitely check out Ashlee's books. I'd recommend her books for anyone that enjoys a good story with memorable characters you will find yourself falling in love with.
I really enjoyed getting to know the characters in these books, and shared their emotional hills and valleys as each story and series progresses. I appreciated the fact that this author is excellent at writing romances based out the oddest circumstances imaginable, and also managed to catch my breath with each chapter of her suspense novel as well.
If you are interested in romance, humor, or even suspense, you should definitely check out Ashlee's books. I'd recommend her books for anyone that enjoys a good story with memorable characters you will find yourself falling in love with.
December 19, 2022
It's a long time since I read a thriller that wasn't depressing or harrowing. This one has multiple murders but, like the old favourite Agatha Christies, didn't have you dwelling on the tragedy. Instead it has you raring to see justice done and gnawing your knuckles in suspense. A great cast of characters and masterly storytelling. What a pity there's no sequel! I find this is an aberration in the list of romances written by this author. More 'Final Justice', please, Ashlee Mallory!
May 6, 2016
4.5 Stars
Fantastically paced and developed!
What I liked: I'm not going to lie, when I first started Deceived I was afraid the plot had been done to much. I've seen movies with this plotline and read several books of the same. That being said, Ms Mallory's development of the plot kept me reading.
The main characters were a diverse bunch and they fit together very well. The sequence of events was played out in a way to keep your interest and a bit of stress worrying about the characters. When Olivia is initially framed, I felt she put too much trust in people around her but the more I thought about it, that's the normal thing to do. You trust your lover and you trust your friends. At that point Olivia had no reason to distrust anyone close to her. That changes very quickly.
Additionally I've always said, why do people plead guilty when they are not, but after watching the news, reading crime novels and just the overall trust you have to have in the justice system, I no longer feel that way. You're rolling the dice with your life. Possible death sentence versus a three year manslaughter term. I wonder how many innocent people are in prison.
The revenge portion of Deceived was very well written. It wasn't inconceivable to actually work. It had it bumps along the way but the players overcame them in a logical fashion. And the best thing, it wasn't clear sailing. The players, and I think the readers, might be taken by surprise with a few of the twists Ms Mallory has put in place.
What I didn't like: The only thing I found the least believable was that all of Olivia's circle of friends in prison were all basically innocent or had been railroaded into their situation. I stress friends because of course not everyone in prison is innocent.
I tagged Deceived with a romance icon but that part of the story is small. It's more the friendships involved. I stayed up way too late reading and that's a testament to the writing!! Can't wait for the next book!
I received a copy of Deceived from NetGalley for a fair and honest review.
The book is well worth the $2.99 price on Amazon.
Highly Recommended for thriller/suspense readers.
Fantastically paced and developed!
What I liked: I'm not going to lie, when I first started Deceived I was afraid the plot had been done to much. I've seen movies with this plotline and read several books of the same. That being said, Ms Mallory's development of the plot kept me reading.
The main characters were a diverse bunch and they fit together very well. The sequence of events was played out in a way to keep your interest and a bit of stress worrying about the characters. When Olivia is initially framed, I felt she put too much trust in people around her but the more I thought about it, that's the normal thing to do. You trust your lover and you trust your friends. At that point Olivia had no reason to distrust anyone close to her. That changes very quickly.
Additionally I've always said, why do people plead guilty when they are not, but after watching the news, reading crime novels and just the overall trust you have to have in the justice system, I no longer feel that way. You're rolling the dice with your life. Possible death sentence versus a three year manslaughter term. I wonder how many innocent people are in prison.
The revenge portion of Deceived was very well written. It wasn't inconceivable to actually work. It had it bumps along the way but the players overcame them in a logical fashion. And the best thing, it wasn't clear sailing. The players, and I think the readers, might be taken by surprise with a few of the twists Ms Mallory has put in place.
What I didn't like: The only thing I found the least believable was that all of Olivia's circle of friends in prison were all basically innocent or had been railroaded into their situation. I stress friends because of course not everyone in prison is innocent.
I tagged Deceived with a romance icon but that part of the story is small. It's more the friendships involved. I stayed up way too late reading and that's a testament to the writing!! Can't wait for the next book!
I received a copy of Deceived from NetGalley for a fair and honest review.
The book is well worth the $2.99 price on Amazon.
Highly Recommended for thriller/suspense readers.
April 18, 2016
This novel lives up to its title. There were so many twists and turns in this thriller I was on the edge of my seat until the very end.
The plot of this novel is a twist on stealing an identity. The target is Olivia Michaels, a successful research analyst with a large brokerage firm in San Francisco. Life is good as she is doing well in her job and she is in love.
Until she finds out she has been set up. Someone has been making millions of dollars through insider trading and it has been happening in her name. Unable to convince the authorities of her innocence, she ends up taking a plea bargain. Her years in prison are a time of revelation. She not only knows who set her up, she knows exactly what she is going to do about it.
I really liked the characters in the novel. Some of Olivia's prison mates are women with crucial skills needed for her to engage in her revenge. The author developed the story in a way that had me wondering about some of the men in Olivia's life. Were they deceiving her too?
There were plenty of twists in the plot. There was one twist of deception at the end that had me reeling. When the situation was explained, I realized Mallory had created a believable plot full of deception from beginning to end.
I recommend this book to those who enjoy a complicated but believable plot riddled with suspense. I liked the characters bent on delivering justice to the deceiver. I hope to find the “team” in a sequel, meeting out more justice.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for the purpose of an independent and honest review.
The plot of this novel is a twist on stealing an identity. The target is Olivia Michaels, a successful research analyst with a large brokerage firm in San Francisco. Life is good as she is doing well in her job and she is in love.
Until she finds out she has been set up. Someone has been making millions of dollars through insider trading and it has been happening in her name. Unable to convince the authorities of her innocence, she ends up taking a plea bargain. Her years in prison are a time of revelation. She not only knows who set her up, she knows exactly what she is going to do about it.
I really liked the characters in the novel. Some of Olivia's prison mates are women with crucial skills needed for her to engage in her revenge. The author developed the story in a way that had me wondering about some of the men in Olivia's life. Were they deceiving her too?
There were plenty of twists in the plot. There was one twist of deception at the end that had me reeling. When the situation was explained, I realized Mallory had created a believable plot full of deception from beginning to end.
I recommend this book to those who enjoy a complicated but believable plot riddled with suspense. I liked the characters bent on delivering justice to the deceiver. I hope to find the “team” in a sequel, meeting out more justice.
I received a complimentary digital copy of this book through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours for the purpose of an independent and honest review.
April 20, 2016
4.5 Stars
Deceived pulls you in immediately, from the get-go ! To summarize, it’s “Orange is the New Black” meeting “Revenge” ! I could not put this book down, finding every opportunity to read that I could !
Olivia Michaels is promised to a bright future. A brilliant research analyst with a brokerage firm, she has an impressive professional track record and is engaged to the man of her dreams. Until her whole world comes crashing down around her when she is wrongly accused of insider trading and of the murder of her best friend, Charlotte. She feels her life has been ripped away from her and knows someone has set her up. Unfortunately, she is unable to prove her innocence and has to accept a plea bargain resulting in a three years imprisonment sentence.
From this moment on, her quest for vengeance and justice will be her only goal. With the help of her new boyfriend and a group of resourceful friends, one of them being an ex-prison mate, she will plan and implement an implacable revenge against the psychopath who framed her. But this will not be without danger !
I was captivated by this fast-paced and well-written story, with great characters. The plot was complex and intriguing, with enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing !
This book is the first in a new series, and I can’t wait for the next installment. I recommend this book to all lovers of romantic suspense.
I received a copy of this book, courtesy of Book Enthusiast Promotions and the author, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.
Deceived pulls you in immediately, from the get-go ! To summarize, it’s “Orange is the New Black” meeting “Revenge” ! I could not put this book down, finding every opportunity to read that I could !
Olivia Michaels is promised to a bright future. A brilliant research analyst with a brokerage firm, she has an impressive professional track record and is engaged to the man of her dreams. Until her whole world comes crashing down around her when she is wrongly accused of insider trading and of the murder of her best friend, Charlotte. She feels her life has been ripped away from her and knows someone has set her up. Unfortunately, she is unable to prove her innocence and has to accept a plea bargain resulting in a three years imprisonment sentence.
From this moment on, her quest for vengeance and justice will be her only goal. With the help of her new boyfriend and a group of resourceful friends, one of them being an ex-prison mate, she will plan and implement an implacable revenge against the psychopath who framed her. But this will not be without danger !
I was captivated by this fast-paced and well-written story, with great characters. The plot was complex and intriguing, with enough twists and turns to keep the reader guessing !
This book is the first in a new series, and I can’t wait for the next installment. I recommend this book to all lovers of romantic suspense.
I received a copy of this book, courtesy of Book Enthusiast Promotions and the author, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.
June 21, 2016
5 Stars. First off I’d like to thank NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in return for my honest opinion.
If you enjoy mystery thrillers, with twist, turns, sitting on the edge of your seat page turning books, can’t put down once you start reading, then this one is for you! This book is fast paced, well developed complex and intriguing plot and characters. The scenes were very well described and thought out.
The main character, Olivia Michaels was a foster child, who is now a successful research analyst with a large brokerage firm in San Francisco with a bright future ahead of her. While working she finds out that someone has been making millions using her identity through insider trading. While in prison, she finds out who set her up and she knows, with the help of some of the other women in the prison, with skills that she will need to get her revenge.
With this being the first book in a new series, I hope the next one is just as intriguing as this one. I would recommend this to anyone that enjoys a good mystery or thriller. I felt the book was well written and will be enjoyed by all.
If you enjoy mystery thrillers, with twist, turns, sitting on the edge of your seat page turning books, can’t put down once you start reading, then this one is for you! This book is fast paced, well developed complex and intriguing plot and characters. The scenes were very well described and thought out.
The main character, Olivia Michaels was a foster child, who is now a successful research analyst with a large brokerage firm in San Francisco with a bright future ahead of her. While working she finds out that someone has been making millions using her identity through insider trading. While in prison, she finds out who set her up and she knows, with the help of some of the other women in the prison, with skills that she will need to get her revenge.
With this being the first book in a new series, I hope the next one is just as intriguing as this one. I would recommend this to anyone that enjoys a good mystery or thriller. I felt the book was well written and will be enjoyed by all.
May 9, 2016
Once I picked this book up, it was hard to put down! I knew after reading the first page that there was no way I could go to bed until I reached the end. The book was well written and had the right amount of dialogue between the characters and just enough description to paint the scene without it dragging on endlessly. Olivia is my hero; she wasn't used to standing up for herself and fighting because of she had a rough childhood but she grew some "balls" throughout the book that left me cheering her on. She was determined and focused on bringing the man down that put her in the predicament she ended up; and felt no remorse while doing it. Marcus, a man after my own heart, was awesome as well. I loved the history between and how he was set on protecting her and keeping her safe *swoon*. Overall, an excellent book from start to finish, especially the little twist at the end that I was not expecting.
May 9, 2016
I enjoyed reading Deceived. It is well written and thoroughly edited. The author portrayed prison life so clearly I wondered if the action and detailed descriptions evolved from personal experience, LOL. That is a compliment to Ashlee's skill in ensuring the reader experiences the same emotional roller coaster of the characters. Very well done.
The area that I found unappealing were the characters themselves. I didn't like their personality traits, and need for revenge via criminal activity. In attempting to get back what was lost, they employed similar illegal tactics as the antagonists. As a result, I couldn't connect with the heroes. As such, this was a personal reaction and may not be an issue for other readers.
That being said, this is an enjoyable read. I would recommend Deceived by Ashlee Mallory to men and women who love a suspense novel with a dash of romance. I believe Ashlee's writing talent will carry her novels to the 'best seller' book shelves.
The area that I found unappealing were the characters themselves. I didn't like their personality traits, and need for revenge via criminal activity. In attempting to get back what was lost, they employed similar illegal tactics as the antagonists. As a result, I couldn't connect with the heroes. As such, this was a personal reaction and may not be an issue for other readers.
That being said, this is an enjoyable read. I would recommend Deceived by Ashlee Mallory to men and women who love a suspense novel with a dash of romance. I believe Ashlee's writing talent will carry her novels to the 'best seller' book shelves.
April 18, 2016
I received this book from Netgalley for my honest review.
This reminded me of If Tomorrow Comes!
The story is very similar: an innocent woman convicted for a crime she didn't commit.
Still, even if I've already read a similar story I liked very much how this book was written!
The writing style was extremly easy to follow and it kept me reading to find out who did the deed and how she'll prove her innocence!
The part where she's in prison was also very nicely done. I appreciated how she managed to adapt to a situation that was completly foreign to her.
A very, very interesting book! I will be looking forward to the next! I hope it's Josie's or Nikki's story!
This reminded me of If Tomorrow Comes!
The story is very similar: an innocent woman convicted for a crime she didn't commit.
Still, even if I've already read a similar story I liked very much how this book was written!
The writing style was extremly easy to follow and it kept me reading to find out who did the deed and how she'll prove her innocence!
The part where she's in prison was also very nicely done. I appreciated how she managed to adapt to a situation that was completly foreign to her.
A very, very interesting book! I will be looking forward to the next! I hope it's Josie's or Nikki's story!
May 8, 2016
I think I have a new 'favorite author'... And I'm actually surprised to read in on of the other reviews this book goes on Amazon for 2.99. Wow! Deceived is very well written, with interesting characters, with twists and turns in the plot, with humor (very important!), with romance (but not too much) and above all, with hope! Hope, for people who think their life is over. Hope, for people who think nobody cares about them. Hope, for people who think everything has been taken from them.
There are people like Olivia Michaels, out there in the world. Luckily. There are people who want to take advantage of people like Olivia who are going to get surprised...
I've read the book in a day and although I cannot say that everything I read was unique, Ashlee Mallory made it into something new, refreshing and utterly readable.
There are people like Olivia Michaels, out there in the world. Luckily. There are people who want to take advantage of people like Olivia who are going to get surprised...
I've read the book in a day and although I cannot say that everything I read was unique, Ashlee Mallory made it into something new, refreshing and utterly readable.
May 26, 2020
wow, what a fantastic story, with all the twists and turns, I just couldn't put it down. I really loved the characters in the book, they were very well written. the story was well written with a fantastic plots with loads of suspense. this book is the first in the series and I defiantly cant wait for more.
highly recommended
https://www.obsessedbookreviews.com/
highly recommended
https://www.obsessedbookreviews.com/
May 6, 2016
Always enjoy a good mystery add in some mayhem, murder, secrets, and lies with plenty of twist and turns and you definitely have a good read that keeps your attention and makes you not want to put it down until the very end. The story pulls you in and keeps you coming back for more waiting to see exactly how she was going to get her revenge after being so thoroughly Deceived.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews