What do you think?
Rate this book
Desert Deception
Seeing is believing, or is it?When high-powered Santa Fe attorney Casey Stevens reluctantly returns to Fortune for Gold Rush Days, she is drawn to Cole Walker Junior, but he is no longer the shy, quiet boy she recalls. Then again, Cole isn’t the only one who has changed. The town may be celebrating its past, but someone is trying to destroy its future. A hit and run accident leaves Fortune’s only lawyer in a coma, forcing Casey to choose between helping innocent people and running away once more. Can she face the demons of her past or will they destroy her this time?Cole Warner has a secret identity, one he’s determined to protect at all costs. The police officer, volunteer firefighter, and part-time store owner, is also popular western novelist, CJ Coleson, who uses Fortune and its people as the inspiration for his books. Having Casey walk into his life turns it upside down. When someone starts using the murders in Cole’s books to stage a killing spree of their own, keeping his secret may be too costly, but admitting the truth could ruin any chance they have for a happily ever after.As the bodies pile up and the buildings burn down, Casey and Cole have to work together to stop a madman with gold fever before more people die. The answer lies on Superstition Mountain or is it all a desert deception?
478 pages, Paperback
Published November 24, 2016
About the author
Susanne Matthews
227 books142 followersSusanne Matthews grew up as an avid reader of all types of books, but always with a penchant for happily ever after romances. In her imagination, she travelled to foreign lands, past and present, and soared into the future. Today, she has made her dreams come true. A retired educator, she now gets to spend her time writing, so she can share her adventures with her readers. She loves the ins and outs of romance, and the complex journey it takes to get from the first word to the last period of a novel. As she writes, her characters take on a life of their own, and she shares their fears and agonies on the road to self-discovery and love.
Susanne lives in Cornwall, Ontario with her husband. She has three adult children and five grandchildren. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys reading, chatting on the Internet with her writer friends, and hearing from her readers.
Susanne lives in Cornwall, Ontario with her husband. She has three adult children and five grandchildren. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys reading, chatting on the Internet with her writer friends, and hearing from her readers.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 27, 2016
Another winner for me from Susanne Matthews. If I could just shove her romantic suspense(s) into others' hands, no questions asked to make them read, I would. Her books have literally never disappointed me. She has a way with words, and her descriptions and research should be a testament for other authors, because she sets the bar.
Like always, her romance and suspense intertwines until the very last page, which keeps you flipping them and reading until you reach the end, no stopping. It's a balance, and one she does particularly well.
I haven't been reading lately, I haven't been in the mood, but I'm glad this was the book I chose to start with when I picked something up to read again.
Thanks for another awesome read, Susanne.
I look forward to where you take it after this.
Like always, her romance and suspense intertwines until the very last page, which keeps you flipping them and reading until you reach the end, no stopping. It's a balance, and one she does particularly well.
I haven't been reading lately, I haven't been in the mood, but I'm glad this was the book I chose to start with when I picked something up to read again.
Thanks for another awesome read, Susanne.
I look forward to where you take it after this.
January 25, 2017
Desert Deception by Susanne Matthews
This is a mystery/romance story with lots of adventure and sizzle.
Casey (Cassandra) Stevens left her hometown after high school (overweight, bullied, and a misfit) never wanting to see Fortune again. She’d grown up in this old small town and wanted to forget her life forever. She’d become a successful lawyer in Santa Fe and hadn’t returned to her hometown in fifteen years.
Fortune is a small town on the edge of the Superstition Mountains in the Tonto National Forest and has always had more than its share of legends and mysteries. A trip she didn’t want to take at all was made more stressful by a case she was turning over to her assistant, making her wonder why she let her mother insist on her coming home despite her reservations. While the population had increased dramatically, the town retained the old western looks and traditions.
As a child her one safe hideaway was Walkers Emporium, which stocked a large number of books. She knew and liked the owner and delighted in spending time discussing books and maps with him. This was her first stop when she reached the town. She saw a few old faces she recognized, but they didn’t see her in the trim beautiful woman in tight black leather.
After Mr. Walker didn’t answer the bell when she walked in, she found his son had taken over the store and his father and mother were on vacation. He was a surprise from the boy she’d known and liked, Cole Walker. Tall and broad shoulders, real eye candy. She didn’t recognize him right away, like her…he had changed. He didn’t recognize her right away either. The measuring each other up and immediate attraction is sizzling and intriguing.
The intrigue builds as she finds a book by her favorite author, and realizes it’s not supposed to be released yet. A semi-truth fosters a misunderstanding that her favorite author CJ Coleson was friend of his, and he got advance copies.
I don’t do spoilers, so I’ll let you discover all the delicious and complicated twists this story has to offer. I’ll just say that they are well done and many.
The attraction builds, duh… Not only do they get together, but the complication that this talented author puts in plots, sub-plots and incredible twists and turns. I found the journey through this story to be well descripted but never boring, imaginatively sizzling with romance, incredibly mysterious and dangerous.
Susanne Matthews has become one of my favorite authors that I pick up when I know I need a great story. I hope you enjoy this wonderfully well written story as much as I did!
(author supplied copy for honest review)
This is a mystery/romance story with lots of adventure and sizzle.
Casey (Cassandra) Stevens left her hometown after high school (overweight, bullied, and a misfit) never wanting to see Fortune again. She’d grown up in this old small town and wanted to forget her life forever. She’d become a successful lawyer in Santa Fe and hadn’t returned to her hometown in fifteen years.
Fortune is a small town on the edge of the Superstition Mountains in the Tonto National Forest and has always had more than its share of legends and mysteries. A trip she didn’t want to take at all was made more stressful by a case she was turning over to her assistant, making her wonder why she let her mother insist on her coming home despite her reservations. While the population had increased dramatically, the town retained the old western looks and traditions.
As a child her one safe hideaway was Walkers Emporium, which stocked a large number of books. She knew and liked the owner and delighted in spending time discussing books and maps with him. This was her first stop when she reached the town. She saw a few old faces she recognized, but they didn’t see her in the trim beautiful woman in tight black leather.
After Mr. Walker didn’t answer the bell when she walked in, she found his son had taken over the store and his father and mother were on vacation. He was a surprise from the boy she’d known and liked, Cole Walker. Tall and broad shoulders, real eye candy. She didn’t recognize him right away, like her…he had changed. He didn’t recognize her right away either. The measuring each other up and immediate attraction is sizzling and intriguing.
The intrigue builds as she finds a book by her favorite author, and realizes it’s not supposed to be released yet. A semi-truth fosters a misunderstanding that her favorite author CJ Coleson was friend of his, and he got advance copies.
I don’t do spoilers, so I’ll let you discover all the delicious and complicated twists this story has to offer. I’ll just say that they are well done and many.
The attraction builds, duh… Not only do they get together, but the complication that this talented author puts in plots, sub-plots and incredible twists and turns. I found the journey through this story to be well descripted but never boring, imaginatively sizzling with romance, incredibly mysterious and dangerous.
Susanne Matthews has become one of my favorite authors that I pick up when I know I need a great story. I hope you enjoy this wonderfully well written story as much as I did!
(author supplied copy for honest review)
March 2, 2018
My Musings
This book has an awesome ending. As with all of Ms. Matthew's novels, this one ends with heart stopping suspense. The story did start a little slow, and at times, I wanted to shake the heroine, but nonetheless, an enjoyable read. Happy ☺reading 📚!
This book has an awesome ending. As with all of Ms. Matthew's novels, this one ends with heart stopping suspense. The story did start a little slow, and at times, I wanted to shake the heroine, but nonetheless, an enjoyable read. Happy ☺reading 📚!
November 21, 2016
Secrets, passion, and a series of sinister copy-cat murders turn the small desert town Fortune into a very unfortunate place to be. Bound by professional duty and the attraction she feels for the sexy police officer Cole Walker, Casey finds herself in a position she doesn't want to be - back and stuck in Fortune. The more dangerous the situation becomes, the faster you will turn the pages of this amazing novel.
November 18, 2020
Desert deception in more ways than one.
Casey ran away home swearing to never return. But circumstances force her hand, and she find herself in Fortune once more.
Cole has secrets to hide. One of them is his attraction to Casey. But can he hold onto someone determined to escape?
Desert Deception is an excellent modern cowboy romance. Loved it.
Five out of five fairy kisses for this reader.
Casey ran away home swearing to never return. But circumstances force her hand, and she find herself in Fortune once more.
Cole has secrets to hide. One of them is his attraction to Casey. But can he hold onto someone determined to escape?
Desert Deception is an excellent modern cowboy romance. Loved it.
Five out of five fairy kisses for this reader.
October 9, 2019
Really enjoyed this book. Loved all the characters!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews