Duplicity

by Sibel Hodge

There are three sides to every story: Yours. Mine. And the truth…

Max and Alissa have a fairy tale life—newlywed, madly in love and enviously rich. Then Max is brutally stabbed to death at their home and Alissa, miraculously, escapes with her life. But why was she spared?

The hunt for the killer begins, uncovering a number of leads—was Max’s incredible wealth the motive? Had his shady business practices finally caught up with him? Or was it a stalker with a dangerous obsession?

Devoted friends rally around gentle, sweet Alissa as she is left to mourn the loss of her husband and pick up her life. But not everyone is who they seem…Deep-rooted jealousies, secrets and twisted love lie just beneath the surface, and not all fairy tales have a happy ending.

Duplicity is a suspenseful thriller from the bestselling author of Look Behind You and Where the Memories Lie.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook, Crime, Psychological Thriller

Audio CD

First published December 27, 2016

About the author

Sibel Hodge is the author of the #1 Bestsellers Look Behind You, Untouchable, and Duplicity. Her books have sold over one million copies and are international bestsellers in the UK, USA, Australia, France, Canada and Germany. She writes in an eclectic mix of genres, and is a passionate human and animal rights advocate.

Her work has been nominated and shortlisted for numerous prizes, including the Harry Bowling Prize, the Yeovil Literary Prize, the Chapter One Promotions Novel Competition, The Romance Reviews’ prize for Best Novel with Romantic Elements and Indie Book Bargains’ Best Indie Book of 2012 in two categories. She was the winner of Best Children’s Book in the 2013 eFestival of Words; nominated for the 2015 BigAl’s Books and Pals Young Adult Readers’ Choice Award; winner of the Crime, Thrillers & Mystery Book from a Series Award in the SpaSpa Book Awards 2013; winner of the Readers’ Favorite Young Adult (Coming of Age) Honorable award in 2015; a New Adult finalist in the Oklahoma Romance Writers of America’s International Digital Awards 2015, and 2017 International Thriller Writers Award finalist for Best E-book Original Novel. Her novella Trafficked: The Diary of a Sex Slave has been listed as one of the top forty books about human rights by Accredited Online Colleges.

For Sibel’s latest book releases, giveaways and gossip, sign up to her newsletter at www.sibelhodge.com/contact-followme.php.

Reviews

[Chelsea Humphrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again, Sibel Hodge has proven that she is worthy of hanging with the big dogs. Her writing is so versatile that she has me hooked with each book I read, even though they are each a bit different in sub-genre classification. While her last book I read, Untouchable, skimmed the brink of becoming horror fiction, Duplicity was more along the lines of a traditional psychological thriller. I love how easy it is to throw myself into one of her stories; I read this entire book in a single sitting while the girls were at school today. Clearly I made the right choice, as the laundry and cleaning is still waiting for me and hasn't gone anywhere!

Please don't go looking for spoilers amongst early reviews of this book; as typically is the case with her stories it is much better going in as blind as possible. Nothing is as it seems, yet everything comes together at the end for a WTH DID I JUST READ moment. Ms. Hodge clearly has a knack for writing about tough subjects while simultaneously doing so with respect and elegance that produces a glimmer of hope among her dark and demented characters. This is one of those stories I adore where you cannot trust a soul; everyone has a dark spot and it's up to you to uncover it along the way.

If you like a full speed, high octane thriller that is as beautiful as it is tense, this is for you. Sibel has a growing following with each book she produces and it's easy to see why. Go ahead and carve out a day with nothing planned so that you don't have to put this book down; it would be a shame to have to cancel plans due to being glued to your seat. Well done Ms. Hodge and I am anxiously awaiting your next story. Psst. This would make a great LAST MINUTE Christmas gift for the thriller lover in your family!

*Many thanks to the publisher and author for providing my copy via NetGalley; it was my pleasure to provide an honest review in return.

[Nina (ninjasbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

After being let down by several psychological thrillers, this one hit the mark. It was well-written and absolutely brilliant. The characters were complex and smart, and their stories emotional without being over the top. I liked that the twist was revealed early in the book, I would have felt that the going back in time would have been a drag if it went on too long. And what a twist it was!! Grab this engaging thriller if you’re wondering about what to read next.

[Sandysbookaday (taking a step back for a while) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sibel Hodge has done it again. She has written a superbly twisty thriller that I was unable to put down until I had read every last word of it.

Hodge turns everything you think you know upside down and shakes it about like a snow globe. Then as if this isn't enough - she takes the plot and turns it inside out for good measure . I am still reeling from this read. I am excited about this author.

If you haven't yet read any of Hodge's novels, you need to start. And if you start with this one, just remember, not all fairy tales have happy endings. The ending of this particular novel is packed with dynamite.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas and Mercer for providing a digital copy of Duplicity by Sibel Hodge for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

[Mary Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars Plus More

Sibel Hodge is a new author to me. After I finished this book I had to
look to see what other books she has written because this book was so good. I can't wait to read the book Look Behind You. It will be a Christmas present to myself.

Starting out reading the book it detailed the perfect world of Alissa and Max. Alissa is a barbie doll and lives the life like a princess. Her and Max live the life as a fairy tale. They are both in love with each other and are so happy. They get married and after the wedding the fairy tale comes to an end. Max gets killed. Alissa is in the bathtub when it happens. Why didn't they kill her too?

While I was reading it, I came to the perfect twist. My reaction was Say What??? I just couldnt believe it! I had to reread it because it just jumped right at me. It was awesome and it just made it the most awsomest read. This wasn't the last twist. There were several more, one after another. Ooohh! Wow! What a good book it was. The twists wouldn't stop, they just kept coming! I was so enhanced in the book I wasn't even ready for them. Say What?? What did I just read??? The twists were just incredible and each one just thrilled me. I just wanted more and I got it. There are lots of secrets and jealousies.

There were two detectives that were on the chase to find out who the killer was. One was a very clever detective and the other detective was not doing his job very well. He thought he was but he was just so ignorant!

This isn't a romance book. Its a psychological thriller which will
keep you turning the pages. The suspense is just incredible. Some of the other characters are just so evil. But not everyone is who they seem in this one. This one will keep you on the edge of your seat.

Thanks to netgalley, the author, and Thomas & Mercer forba copy of this book.

[Meredith (Trying to catch up!) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one twisted read!

When Alissa Burbeck’s millionaire husband of one month, Max, is murdered in his home office, no one views his new wife as a suspect—Alissa’s not only model beautiful, sweet as can be, and extremely in love with her husband; she wouldn’t have hurt a fly. Everything about Max’s supposed murderer comes together too neatly. Blinded by Alissa’s beauty, the police overlook all that doesn’t add up. The only one who believes that there is more to the story of Max’s murder is DS Warren Carter. Is Alissa guilty of murdering Max? Or is she as innocent as she claims to be?

The narrative is broken into two POV’s: Carter’s and the “The Other One.” While Carter investigates the murder, “The Other One” shares their creepy, dark tale of how they came to be.

There’s so much more I wish I could say about Duplicity, but I don’t want to give anything away. Just sit back and enjoy….but don’t get too comfortable—once you think you know what’s is going on, a twist will be revealed unraveling all you think you know!

I highly recommend for an entertaining read!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Frances · Rating 3 out of 5]

Detective Sergeant Carter is extremely unhappy believing she should have been elevated to ‘Acting’ Detective Inspector, not the pompous twat Richard Wilmott. Constantly at each other’s throats with threats of demotion for Carter, it’s evident in this division only one will survive. When a murder has been discovered in a posh Georgian mansion, they must try to make amends without much hope of doing so. DS Carter is suspicious of everyone and looks at all suspects along with the young wife who inherits it all after only eight weeks of marriage. Carter is one of the more interesting characters showing determination and skill to root out the killer while DI Wilmott persists in playing nursemaid to the young gorgeous wife of the deceased. Duplicity has an unusual, and to some degree improbable plot. Many readers follow this popular author and enjoy many of her books.

** Thank you to Publisher Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review. **

[Kylie D · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good thriller, easy to read and fairly quick paced. It sees Alissa escape a killer after he has murdered her husband, Max, in their home. She escapes out of the bathroom window and runs naked to her neighbours place. The investigation throws up a few suspects, including an ex-come-stalker and a few disgruntled business customers of Max's dodgy business practices. It seemed like a formula police procedure book, investigator DS Carter knows who the killer is, but is having trouble proving it, no thanks to a superior who is obsessed with the lovely Alissa and is shutting down the investigation.

There is a few twists and honestly I was losing interest with the standard "been done before" book when BANG, the real truth is revealed and I can honestly say I never saw it coming. Well worth the read for the end alone.

[Dem · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
A well written thriller with lots of twists and turns to keep the reader guessing.

I enjoyed my first novel by Sibelius Hodge as it was an easy and yet engaging read.

"Max and Alissa have the perfect life, newlywed, in love and enviously rich. Then Max is brutally stabbed to death at their home and Alissa, miraculously, escapes with her life. But why was she spared?

A suspenseful thriller with interesting and complex characters and a plot full of twists and turns to keep the reader engaged. This is the sort of book you pick up and it seems to turn the pages by itself as it is entertaining and enjoyable. I haven't read any other books by this author but came across this one on audible when I was looking for something to listen to and this worked perfectly for me. I look forward to checking out more books by this author and would recommend this one to readers who enjoy thrillers.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

NICE surprise winning DUPLICITY in a Goodread's giveaway, and speaking of surprises, DUPLICITY serves up a few mindblowers of its own along the way.

It begins with alternating two stories....a struggle within an abusive family with a nasty father figure and inattentive mother...."Give me an animal over a human any day"...and a multi-layered (you're not going to believe where this takes you) procedural murder-mystery to solve that drew me in with a variety of interesting characters and a plot that misled and threw me for a loop....more than once.

DUPLICITY is my second Sibel Hodge novel and certainly not my last. Thank you GR for the free ebook!

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

DUPLICITY by award winning and international bestselling author, Sibel Hodge, never ceases to amaze us with her new forthcoming suspenseful thriller from the bestselling author of “Look Behind You” and “Where the Memories Lie”. Duplicity will be out on 27th Dec and is available for pre-order at the moment on Amazon. I was fortunate enough to be provided with an ARC of her new novel.

“An intruder broke into a house and stabbed one of the occupants to death.”

The deceased is the owner of the house, Max Burbeck. His wife, Alissa was able to escape from the crime scene, through the bathroom window and is now recovering from shock in the hospital.

Alissa caught a glimpse of the killer who wore a balaclava and gloves.

The victim had been found in their home in the upstairs office, stabbed in the back of the neck. He had been working in the office, with the music on loud. Alissa had gone to take a bath in the en-suite. When she came out of the bath, she went searching for her husband…and saw a man running out of Max’s office.

There were no signs of forced entry at the property. It didn’t appear to be a burglary…so why?

“Max and Alissa have a fairy tale life—newlywed, madly in love and enviously rich. Then Max is brutally stabbed to death at their home and Alissa, miraculously, escapes with her life. But why was she spared?”

“The hunt for the killer begins, uncovering a number of leads—was Max’s incredible wealth the motive? Had his shady business practices finally caught up with him? Or was it a stalker with a dangerous obsession?”

“Devoted friends rally around gentle, sweet Alissa as she is left to mourn the loss of her husband and pick up her life. But not everyone is who they seem…Deep-rooted jealousies, secrets and twisted love lie just beneath the surface, and not all fairy tales have a happy ending.”

So who had the motive and opportunity? The reader is provided clues and information on a need-to-know-basis. So many lies, betrayals and cover ups in this novel. This novel had so many twists, turns and reveals, until the killer was identified. With every new clue…I was constantly changing my thought process as to who I thought the killer was. How well do you know the people closest to you?

I am not going to say anymore as I don’t want to give the plot away, but this is a very riveting and powerful story. I loved it. All I can say is read this book… I don’t think you will be disappointed.

Many thanks to Sibel Hodge who provided a digital copy. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of Duplicity through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Thomas & Mercer and to Sibel Hodge for the opportunity.

"They were trapped. They were scared. They were in pain. Just like me."

Alissa and Max seem to have found perfection in one another. They are married with the backdrop of the shores of an Australian beach and a blissful honeymoon. Upon arriving back in the UK, they hold a small reception for friends at Max's palacial home. Life just seems to be opening a majestic gate of opportunity.....until it no longer does.

An intruder breaks into their home and leaves a deadly relic in Max's office. Alissa walks in on this horrific situation only to find Max's lifeless body in his chair and the masked killer's cruel brown eyes staring right up at her. She escapes to a neighbor's house within an inch of her life.

DS Warren Carter is called in to peruse the crime scene. Now here is where this begins the taut police procedural. Carter has been passed over for a promotion by a less than competent fellow officer. Carter possesses more analytical prowess in his little finger than an entire police force. He's not about to be kicked to the curb on this one. But roadblock after roadblock have been placed in his pathway in order to sidestep his efforts.

Sibel Hodge writes with a straightforward style. No frills. Just uncomplicated dialogue aiming to the point. But the point takes on a very different hue depending on which side of the street you are standing on. Hodge implements more twists and turns than a child's gameboard spinner. Just who is who and what is what?

This is my first Sibel Hodge book. She has displayed quite the tease of the pen here. I know that I will certainly be back for more.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really good book about the murder of a wealthy, newly married young man. There are many characters who could have committed this crime. Every time that I thought I had it figured out, some new facts would emerge. The ending was a real surprise!!

Thank you to Netgalley, Thomas & Mercer, and the author Sibel Hodge, for the copy of this book.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sibel Hodge is now my favourite author of Psychological fiction every book I have read has been a joy to read she involves the reader from the start & once your in you just cannot stop, again the characters were well put together but again flawed which makes it enjoyable for me as a reader.


Max & Alissa Burbeck were a perfect couple sort of like a Ken & Barbie Alissa was beautiful was writing her first novel & was married to a perfect man, virtually had the perfect life until Max was found murdered in their home stabbed in the neck but Alissa was not harmed as she got away.


DS cater & DI Nash were sent in to investigate the murder as they looked into Max's Background he was an unscrupulous businessman he was buying land & building on it knowing there was an asbestos there.


As the case deepens they look into Alissa's ex boyfriend Russel Stiles who was at the wedding reception, he wasn't happy about Alissa marrying Max But was denying he did it, what was more puzzling is that her cat was found with it neck broken He is questioned & eventually he is let go.


DS Carter is also dealing with losing his wife as we find out in the book he is eventually taken off the case DI Nash is also struggling with her demons but both will stop at nothing to find the truth.


DS Carter goes against his boss He looks further into Alissa's background what he finds out may blow the case Wide open, he ends up talking to police in Noosa as that is where Alissa & Max went on their honeymoon. They eventually talk to Leo & Sasha friends of Leo's at university but to their knowledge everything was fine.


From here on in there is a major twist that set my heart pumping all I can say Miss Hodge has a knack for the ultimate head spinning ending, this was a psychological/thriller that keeps you wanting more. An easy 5 Stars

[Melisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've got me a case of whiplash from all the twists and turns in this book!

I can't say I've met such a twisty thriller since I read I Let You Go. High, high praise as that book threw me completely. There is something so grand as a thriller reader to think you're headed in one direction and then...BAM, everything you thought was true was WRONG. It's like, in your face, reader! Gotcha!

Don't want to get too spoilery, so I'll stay away from plot points. Basically, we have a murder that's being investigated, interspersed with chapters from another POV, however who it is is not clear. I have to say, some of the ideas here, while highly suspenseful, are a bit far fetched. But once again, if you just suspend disbelief a tiny bit, you're in for one crazy roller coaster ride. I'm looking forward to picking up this author's other book - if it's half as twisty as this one, I'll be a happy camper.

Trigger warning: there are some scenes with animal abuse which are extremely difficult to read. I personally had to skim over them.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Ann Marie (Lit·Wit·Wine·Dine) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read all my reviews at Lit.Wit.Wine.Dine.

From the outside, Max and Alissa seem to have the perfect marriage. They should. They're filthy rich and have only been married for two months... But everything is not always as it seems. Or is it?

Duplicity is a clever and well-paced story of murder and mayhem. I was kept in suspense from the very first page where we are introduced to The Other One. At first, all we know about the other one is that he/she is obviously a psychopath, a (favorite and) necessary element in any thriller as far as I'm concerned.

The Detective is DS Carter, a thoroughly likable, moral, seasoned detective who has been overlooked for a promotion in favor of "a twat" named ADI Wilmott.

Wilmott is a narcissistic, womanizing, and generally unlikable fellow. He becomes so besotted with the stunningly beautiful Alissa that his objectivity is clearly non-existent. If I'm honest, it was a bit maddening. I rather wanted to throttle him.

There's a history of bad blood between Wilmott and Carter. They had worked together on an earlier case involving a rich and powerful Lord. When politics dictated the case not be properly investigated, Carter became angry and disillusioned. Wilmott became complicit. Hence, his promotion... This made for an entertaining bit of conflict/struggle between good vs. evil.

The chapters seamlessly alternate between The Detective and The Other One. I love novels with alternating points of view and this is book is a perfect example of how, when it's done right, it can keep things fresh and add an interesting dimension. Sibel Hodge does an amazing job of keeping the voices very distinct. Though The Other One was clearly not meant to be a hero or heroine, I loved reading those chapters the most as there was a bit of a cheeky element to the character that sometimes made me smile.

Halfway or so through the story, the identity of the killer is revealed. Oddly enough, this in no way made the second half less suspenseful than the first. In fact, in many ways, the ensuing events quickened the pace. And there were a few twists and turns that I didn't see coming until the very end.

Though at times the story seemed a bit far-fetched, anything this book lacked in believability, it more than made up for in creativity and the page-turner factor.

I'm hoping there will be a sequel to this book. I don't want to reveal any spoilers but I was excited by the direction in which DS Carter's life going at the end of the book and I'd love to read about his future investigations.


Many thanks to Thomas and Mercer for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Nadia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a nice surprise for me. I liked how the author let me believe I knew who the killer was, only to prove me wrong in the end. A clever psychological thriller that I would recommend.

[Bill Kupersmith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tho' I'd not enjoyed Duplicity as much as the previous three of Sibel Hodge's books I've read, I think readers will enjoy it for a clever and well worked out plot and a lot of suspense.

Apparently there is a course in interviewing @ the police college that teaches how to bully innocent suspects into confessing by disguising abusive accusations as questions. In Duplicity the oafish Acting Detective Inspector Richard Wilmott obviously mastered that module: he specialises in transformational grammar. 'You wanted to get rid of Max, didn't you? . . . You watched from the house in the woods, didn't you? . . . You stabbed Max. . . . Before he knew what hit him. Didn't you?" Of course the right way to deal with such boors is simply to keep repeating "No comment . . . And no comment . . . And no comment"(I loved the part in Jane Casey's The Burning where the villain did just that). I still don't understand that phrase in the police caution where they tell the suspect that if you don't answer "it may harm your defence'. Suppose I was addressing the House of Lords @ the time of the crime. Would I be found guilty because I failed to reveal that alibi to Acting Detective Inspector Plod? How long does English law require a suspect to permit a boor to rant @ one, esp. when there’s not evidence you’ve committed an actual crime?
Happily for the reader, Wilmott is not the principal detective in Duplicity. That is DS Warren Carter who is supposed to be the good & competent cop in this duo. He also supplies half the narration. The other narrator is simply designated "The Other One" & she is far & away the most interesting & for me likeable character in the book, having endured a horribly abusive childhood.
As a reader of crime fiction for the emotions & the relationships & the spiritual values, I had high hopes for this book. Sibel Hodge's previous three books I read dealt with spousal abuse, dementia & terrible child abuse, so my empathic early warning system was set @ high alert status. With respect to plot, I was delighted to discover that the title, Duplicity, was being employed apo koinon: in both senses of the word, deception & doubleness. I love how in a story like Tana French's The Likeness that allows effects that are otherwise possible only in the genre of fantasy. Unfortunately, whilst emotion & relationships play a role in DS Carter's life, they are totally irrelevant to the story. He's our typical unappreciated male senior police officer aggrieved @ his superiors' failure to promote him to level he deserves, as a result of political pressure & social snobbery. (His brilliant solution to the disappearance of 16 classic motor cars that belonged to a member of the House of Lords struck me as most unlikely, BTW. Tho' I can imagine possessing a piece of hot art that only I & my close friends enjoy – there is no pleasure in having a classic Ferrari or Aston Martin if you can't dress up in 1950s clothes & show it off @ Goodwood.) Carter also spends a lot of the reader's time bemoaning his bereaved state because his wife died of cancer, something that plays no role in the plot whatever. (I think Carter belongs to the school of theology that holds that God invented cancer to prove to atheists that He doesn't exist. Carter should read The Fault in Our Stars.) But my emphatic sensibilities were disappointed even worse because the principal victim definitely deserved killing, which made me even more sympathetic to the villain. (The audible narrator's pronunciation of 'asbestos' with a secondary stress on the third syllable was lovely tho' Carter also featured that ugly Estuary vocalisation of post-vocalic T.) By the second half of the book we're apparently supposed to forget that we're solving a crime that many of us would regard as a public service by Eliminating a polluting slimeball from the planet.
You will also expect a twist, even I did with my minimal solving skills but I'd not felt to blame for not sussing it because there were no clues or foreshadowing to give me a hint of the motive. As for the clues Carter spots - they were on the level of early Sherlock Holmes tho' Carter dances round the field giving high-fives @ his brilliance in spotting them & gloats as he springs them on the villain.
I am truly sorry to be so snarfy in my lack of enthusiasm, but I fear that I found the detective insufferable & the author's coarsening of my favourite character manipulative & I dislike being jerked around. But to show no hard feelings, I am currently listening to another of Sibel Hodge's novels in a quite different genre.

[ReadAlongWithSue recovering from a stroke★⋆. ࿐࿔ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sibel Hodge has been my fast growing one of my favorite authors from the first book I ever read by her.

She is an author that you sit patiently awaiting her next book.
No matter what, you just know you are in for a great time.

This would make for an awesome movie.

It's told from two different angles from the heading of the chapter.

When I saw The One heading on the chapters it was engrossing to get into the head of the person whose thoughts, life and viewpoints you were reading. Chilling and dark.

Alyssa and Max the happy couple who had everything.
Alyssa the beauty devoured by every male and admired by females.

Max, rich, comfortable, head of his own empire.

Perfection comes at a cost.

To tell you how I felt about this storyline rather than the story itself, had me trapped within its pages.
I watched the spider spinning g it's wicked web.
But, the web, was it solid enough? Did it trap the right person?

We had head of the detective unit and another who works under him.
Those two had not only history but competition and one with emotional hurt after loosing his wife to cancer.

Spellbinding is one word that comes to mind for this story.
Chilling reality.
Dark.
Realistic.

And the plot was water tight. It was leading, the road was full of anxious OMG moments and, OMG that's incredible.
We got to the end....
But we didn't.
We climaxed, then we fell into a false sense of wonderment.
Relaxed in the afterglow only for the rhythm to pick up pace and like a horse race we are OFF......
Where is the finishing line!

When you get to the finishing line, be prepared to GASP.

I received this book as a gift

[Namita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Duplicity by Sibel Hodge is an intriguing psychological suspense thriller. This is my first book by Sibel Hodge and I cannot wait to read more books by her as this was a great twisty read .

Alissa and Max Burbeck have a perfect fairytale marriage. The newlyweds are madly in love with each other and after their honeymoon hold a reception for a few of their friends. But Alissa’s happiness does not last too long as soon after Max is killed in his home office and Alissa barely escapes the intruder with an inch of her life. In comes DS Carter who is suffering through depression after a tragedy and has been passed over a promotion .He does not believe the case is as simple as it seems and suspects there is more to Alissa than meets the eye.

It’s very difficult to say much about the book without giving away some of the suspense so I will say as little as possible. There aren’t any lack of suspects in this book and the author keeps you on your toes trying to guess who killer is . The characters are very well developed and the ending was a complete surprise . Overall a great entertaining read with a 5 star rating.

Many thanks to the publisher & NetGalley for this advance reader copy in exchange for my honest and fair review.

This and more reviews at https://chloesbooksblog.wordpress.com/

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alissa and Max Burbeck seem to have it all, a wonderful life and marriage, that is until Alissa finds her husband dead which she discovers when she finishes her bath and goes looking for him. Loud music is coming from the room and Alissa sees a man in a balaclava and gloves. Terrified Alissa escapes through the bathroom window and runs to her neighbour's house, she is in shock and is taken to hospital. This is a very clever story with a great plot that kept me guessing throughout. So what is really happening here, were Alissa and Max really the perfect couple or are lies and deceit really behind Max's death? Highly recommended.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear Reader,

This is a very clever,masterfully plotted story centred around the murder of rich developer, Max B. Recently married to Alissa,they seemed to live an ideal life,so the motive for this senseless act mystifies police.

DS Carter,tasked with solving the case,has his own theories that unfortunately prove unpopular with his Senior Investigating Officer,thus seeing them soon at loggerheads.

But,all is not as it first appears!

Privy to the different voices in this story,an intricate web of deceit,domestic abuse, murder,revenge and motivations for such,is delicately spun,the tension ratcheted up to the nth degree until finally the culprit is revealed! And,dear Reader,what a reveal!!!

This was a fantastic read,totally absorbing and deeply satisfying. Definitely not for the faint hearted,I recommend this story to all seeking a thriller,one which ends on a spectacularly high note!

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now this is what you call a psychological thriller!

It’s so hard to say to much about this novel without giving to much away, so will try my best.

When Max is murdered, I felt really sorry for Alissa. Recently married and widowed weeks after is something that shouldn’t happen to anyone. Trying to work out why Max was targeted makes hard work for the police as there is quite a few avenues to go down and investigate.

DS Carter in particular has even more of an interest in this case. He is slightly sour after another colleague got the promotion that he feels was very much his. He wants to be the one to solve this to prove that the promotion was given to the wrong person. The tension and conflict between Carter and his colleague is very intense. To a certain extent both are blind sighted but for very different reasons.

I loved Carter, he’s like a dog with a bone and knows things are not as straight forward as they first appear. He follows his gut feeling even though it doesn’t go down well with some of his colleagues.

Duplicty is going to be one of those books that there is going to be a lot of hype about. I love how the author gives little snippets away luring the reader in to a false sense of security where they think they know exactly what is happening. By the end I felt like I had the carpet well and truly ripped from underneath me. The author well and truly played me and I loved every minute and word of it.

Highly recommended.

My thanks to the author for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and not biased in anyway.

[Bren fall in love with the sea. · Rating 2 out of 5]

“You have to accept what you can’t change, and change what you can’t accept.”
― Sibel Hodge, Duplicity


“You have to accept what you can’t change, and change what you can’t accept.”
― Sibel Hodge, Duplicity

This is one that will be almost impossible to review without spoilers.

Let me start by saying I did not care for this. The main reason I did not like it was because of the ick factor on a number of levels. And there are a whole lot of dislikeable characters. But also...there's the plot twists.

The whole story was very hard to believe. I read so many of thrillers but I like to have some reality in them. I will say this. The writing is extremely powerful and very good. I did not like this, not because of the writing, but in spite of it.

The story required me to believe much that I just could not. Now I have had these issues before with thrillers. I think the more one reads of them, the more difficult it can be to get and stay involved. Also....trying not to give spoilers here....certain characters were so despicable that made it hard as well.

I did not have the slightest desire to NOT finish it which is why I really have to say..the writing is good and makes you want to know more. One thing you can not call Duplicity is dull.

I feel I am not the target audience even though I read plenty of thrillers. I am sort of burnt out on THIS type of thriller. The domestic type with secrets....after reading hundreds, maybe thousands of them....it gets tough.

I do need to use spoilers now.

SPOILERS:

At the end, things just get totally crazy. I mean....they were crazy from the beginning but.....it went over the top. I just could not buy all the twists. I am not one who thinks there needs to be alot of twists to make a story good.

And lastly, Duplicity was more violent then I had thought it would be and that made it difficult as well.Many of my GR friends adored this one so take my review with a grain of salt. Not for me but that does not mean it will not be for you.

[Rebecca Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

Duplicity is a fantastic mind blowing psychological thriller. It's my first Sibel Hodge book, however if her other offerings her as good as this one, I'll be checking out her other books pronto.

It's most definitely one of those thrillers you should go into blind. It's too easy to give something away to any potential readers and thus spoiling the experience. Believe me though, this is a hell of a twisty story.

The basic premise is Max and Alissa have the life most people can only dream about. Deeply in love and with a fantastic lifestyle, with no concerns about money or the mundane things in life. Not long after their wedding, Max is murdered and found stabbed to death at his desk at home. Alissa manages to flee to safety. DS Carter is one of the first officers on the scene and so begins the hunt for the killer. A number of leads emerge, and it transpires their fairy tale life may not have been so perfect. Was Max killed in revenge for dodgy business dealings or possibly his money? Maybe it was an obsessed stalker? The tangled web of lies, love, secrets and envy will entangle you in their grasp, until you reach the tense conclusion.

The chapters are told from the viewpoint of the detective investigating the murder, and the viewpoint of someone else. I won't divulge who, part of the pleasure of this book are those moments that stun you slightly.

Each of the characters seems to have a slightly sly side to their personality, meaning you don't know who to trust or believe, with the result you end up suspecting most people at one stage or another. I enjoyed the format that Hodge uses, with the different perspectives, the unreliable narrator and the surprises along the way. The writing is full of suspense and moves at an exceedingly fast pace, making it the perfect weekend read. Just make sure you are sat down tight, the twists just keep on coming at you and make your head spin. Just an amazing twisty and all round excellent thriller.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

All of my reviews can be found on www.novelgossip.com

Is there anything more exciting than discovering a new to you author that you really enjoy? Not to me there isn’t! Immediately after I finished Duplicity I rushed to Goodreads to see if Hodge had any other books and I was so thrilled to see she has others with outstanding ratings from some of my most trusted friends. Now to find the time to actually read them…

I was hooked by this one right away, there are two viewpoints, the Detective and the Other One. The detective is DI Carter who is looking into the murder of Max. I really liked Carter, in fact I think he’s the only character that I actually enjoyed. He is relentless in his pursuit of the truth even if it means risking it all. The Other One is clearly the person responsible for killing Max but you have no idea who it actually is until much later. I’m a fan of alternating timelines and it worked so well here, the truth was slowly revealed in bits and pieces and it left me hanging onto every word. Part one is the slowest section but I was still very interested, but when part two starts? BAM! The pace really picks up and there were so many plot twists I think I may have whiplash.

I can’t talk about the plot very much here, but I can say that it is dark, twisted and full of shocking surprises. I was patting myself on the back for being so clever and correctly guessing which direction things were headed, until Hodge decided to spin me around and smack me upside the head for being so bold and presumptuous. I love when an author manages to deceive me and I was mislead so many times here that I lost count. This is an excellently crafted psychological thriller with all the necessary elements that I need in the genre. The pacing was right on, the tension was heavy, you don’t know who to trust, and there are surprises up until the very end.

[Tulay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story.

It was just okay read at first, almost stopped. Thinking how they are going to prove what we know kept me listening. Last couple chapters will make your heart beat faster. What a shocking ending.

[Judy Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sibel Hodge returns following (2016) Untouchable and (2015) Where Memories Lie (both 5 Stars), with her latest, DUPLICITY, a twisty suspense with more twists, turns, and suspects than you can count.

“Love is both a blessing and a curse. Love could destroy you. If you let it. But maybe the biggest curse was not losing your love, but never being loved at all by the one who stole your heart.”

The book definitely lives up, to its title name:

Du·plic·i·ty: “Deceitfulness in speech or conduct, as by speaking or acting in two different ways to different people concerning the same matter; double-dealing. The state or quality of having two elements or parts; being twofold or double. Synonyms: deceit, deception, dissimulation, fraud, guile, hypocrisy, trickery.”

DUPLICITY has all of the above and then some.

Part One: Obsession
Part Two: Revenge
Part Three: Duplicity
Part Four: Love

Alternating between “The Other One” (Nameless), written in the first person, and “The Detective” --the author spins a web of deceit, jealousy, obsession, dark secrets, and murder.

Max Bureck and wife, Alissa have been married less than two months. An intruder has broken into their home and stabbed the husband to death. Alissa managed to flee the scene and is in the hospital. She did not know the offender. Max was in his study and Alissa was in the bathroom. When discovering someone was leaving, she jumped out the window and ran to the neighbor’s house for help.

The Burbecks’ property was called the Orchard. A Georgian mansion. They had wealth. Did they have enemies? Why kill the husband and not the wife?

Alissa Burbeck, age twenty-four, was model-like beautiful. Her photos did not do her justice. She was the kind of woman you’d describe as hypnotizing. Every little feature had been perfectly designed to make you unable to look away. The kind of woman men wanted and women wanted to be like.

Max, age thirty-five was a successful business man. He owned a large property development company, Burbeck Developments, which was one of the top six developers in the country. He is worth a fortune.

ADI Wilmott and DS Warren Carter are called to work the case. Carter has a grudge since he was passed over for a promotion by a less than competent fellow officer. Carter digs deep whereas the others just want to close a case. He has instincts and talent. He has to deal with his share of bull and politics. Plus there are plenty of complexities. Nothing is as it appears.

The psycho mind, speaking as “the other one” takes us back to the early days. A horrible childhood, on a dairy farm. “When I was ten years old when he made me commit murder.”

This is when he/she? first fantasized about killing the dad. Good at art, as a way to express. Biding time to escape this life. A mean dad and a weak mom, who would not save her/him. Leading up to the present day.

Motive? Was it something to do with Max’s business? His crooked dealings, complaints from homeowners, or was it someone from Alissa’s past? Who would want to harm them?

With many red herrings, a complex multi-layered web of revenge, dark secrets, obsession, and lies,-the author takes readers on a twisted ride.

While the premise was creative, there was a lot of jumping around and this book did not grab me like some of Hodge’s other books. I am also a big front cover person, being in the design business, and a cover needs to sell the book. Did not care for the cover, and almost did not read, due to this fact. Does not sell the novel in my opinion.

I would rank DUPLICITY as more of a domestic psychological suspense versus a gritty crime thriller. However, some good police procedural parts with the parallel storyline of the detectives. The talented author is eclectic and able to cross a number of genres. For me, Duplicity was not as strong as her three previous books.

A special thank you to Thomas & Mercer and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. 3.5 Stars

JDCMustReadBooks

[Danielle (The Blonde Likes Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

For more of my reviews, follow my blog at https://theblondelikesbooks.wordpress...

Newleyweds Max and Alissa live a happy life together, until one night Max is murdered and Alissa narrowly escapes. Duplicity switches point of views between "The Other One" and "The Detective" as the search for Max's killer begins. It's not uncovered until later in the story how the two relate to each other. There are a number of characters who have motive to kill Max, and it's up to Detective Inspector Warren Carter to figure out who killed him and why.

Duplicity was my first book by Sibel Hodge, and I loved it! The pace was really quick, and I found myself engrossed in the story from the first chapter. I love when a book jumps right into the action! What I loved about this book was that there were so many twists! Just when you think you've got it all figured out, something else happens that throws you for a loop, until you've finished the book and you're staring at it wondering how that all happened!

I have to say, I loved the characters. DI Carter was one of my favorites. After getting in trouble with his boss for pursuing the truth on a former case even though it would incriminate a popular member of their city, he's at his wits end in his job. Then he gets tasked to Max's case and everything seems to wrap up too cleanly for him. Despite direct orders from his supervisor, he decides to continue to secretly work the case. Each character seemed to have their own voice and was well developed.

I can't say too much more without ruining it for you, but if you're looking for a quick and smart psychological thriller, this is for you! Sibel Hodge's writing was straightforward and to the point, and she didn't a single word with her writing. This definitely won't be my last book by Hodge!

[Kaceey · Rating 4 out of 5]

When a book can get my heart racing in just the first chapter, I know I'm in for a great ride! I felt the thrill with this one immediately.

Alissa and husband Max return from their over-the-top honeymoon in Australia. Only to have Max attacked in his home and Alissa running for her life. (Hardly a boring start!)

Detective Sergeant Carter is the officer in charge of the case. Struggling with a loss of his own, as well as being passed over for what should have been a certain promotion. Carter knows instinctively this murder is not as simple as it appears. He’s on his own to find the real answers even if that means shining an uncomfortable light on the newly grieving widow Alissa. And certainly given the fact that recently promoted Detective Inspector Willard has his mind on everything but the job itself.

Oh so many mind-bending curves on this one! Can't divulge too much more of the plot as going in blind is best! Just know you will be in for quite the ride. Will keep you guessing right to the end.

"Love was both a blessing and a curse. Love could destroy you. If you let it"

Got me! Didn't see the last twist coming!

[Vicki Willis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this in a give away from GoodReads.
It was a psychological thriller with lots of twists and turns. There were a few that had me rereading to make sure I read it right! It was fast paced with an alternating POV. Worth the time to read!