Intent To Deceive

by David S. Fisher

This third book in the DCS Frank Kruger trilogy is a fast-paced and compelling story set against the background of the world of fine art. It centres on an investigation to track down the murderer of a prominent art dealer who is found poisoned in his hideaway villa in the Austrian mountains.

The plot of this psychological and suspenseful crime mystery is driven by greed and fear and involves a group of people who find themselves instruments of an obsessively ambitious man for whom wealth is a measure of success and not a goal.

The knotty murder investigation takes the reader into the labyrinthine world of art forgery which few realise exists while uncovering a forgery network run by a hard-nosed but glamorous Swiss woman and exposing an arcane conspiracy based on a fake will and a family secret.

Despite having a row of suspects, the motive for murder eludes Kruger until one seemingly harmless chance remark on the part of a minor suspect opens the way to putting the pieces of the puzzle together and unmasking the culprit.

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305 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 15, 2017

About the author

Hi,

Welcome to my Book Page.

I was born and raised in the UK but have spent most of my professional life in various parts of Europe and have settled with my family in Bonn, Germany. Since retirement, I write novels for the discerning reader, under my own name and the pen name, Dale Stevens.
My genres consist of:
-- (Under David S. Fisher) a mixture of crime and mystery thrillers, detective fiction, mystery suspense. I also author the detective crime fiction series based on the casebook of Chief Supt. Frank Kruger of the Munich CID.
-- (Under Dale Stevens) contemporary and literary fiction, dealing with dramatic themes plotted in contemporary settings with a strong romance or psychological element.
All my stories are set against an international background, mainly Europe.
In my writing, I strive for tightly plotted and professionally executed story-telling and idiosyncratic, distinguishable and memorable characters -- to write solid, entertaining, and finely paced books with depth and humour. In a word, the books I like reading.
My favourite quote is: "A book is light in the darkness."
You can find out more about me and my books at http://www.irresistiblereads2.com.

Reviews

[Tony Parsons · Rating 5 out of 5]

Munich, Germany. Lenbach Art Museum. The art thieves had gotten what they came for.
Sonia (Frank’s secretary) informed DCS Frank Kruger, DCI Ulrich Diel (45+, boss) wanted to see him.
Barron Arturo Benedict (artist, dealer, art degree) was his next case.
SDI Mario Ziegler & DI Monika Tiller would help also.
Professor Frohn (coroner) had examined Arturo’s corpse. The tox screen showed he had been poisoned.
Franz-Josef Strauss airport. Tobias “Toby” Barron (30, son, executor, London gallery, degree art history) had just arrived.

DI Tiller would interview Director Schuller (Artworks & Evaluations, authenticity), & Director Uwe Degoth (40, auction, seller).
Dr. Klaus Nemitz (deputy curator) met her at the Lenbach Art Museum.
Now under house arrest Bella Brock (Tobias’ housekeeper/lover) seems to not be telling everything she might know.
Next on the list to speak with; Dr. Lukas Fellmann (Arturo's solicitor), now Tobias attorney he deals with/in contract sale, provenance research, restitution claims, art litigation/settlement, trade-marks, security & exhibits insurance.
Bella Brock (47, widow/mother, housekeeper, Austrian) is now being held at the Salzburg prison.

She was questioned again.
Specialist Sergeant Tom Schilling (Munich PD, Fraud Division, art expert) was helping them piece the case together.

Who is Goldilocks?
Is there more to this murder mystery than meets the human eye or brain?

I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one. All thoughts & opinions are entirely my own.

A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written international crime thriller book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a huge set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great international crime thriller movie, or better yet a mini TV series. A very easy rating of 5 stars.

Thank you for the free Goodreads; Making Connections; Author; PDF book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)

[James George · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Intent to Deceive" is a crime novel by indie author David S. Fisher. It is the third in the "DCS Frank Kruger" trilogy, but it is marketed as a "standalone" novel -- there is no need to familiarize yourself with the first two in the series.

The book focuses on the intriguing world of international art fraud. Arturo Barron, a wealthy, prominent businessman with alleged connections to the underworld, has perished in his beautiful Austrian hideaway. Murder is quickly established as the cause of death, and the team of German detectives working for Frank Kruger must match wits with Mr. Barron's haughty son, his uncooperative housekeeper, a suspicious attorney, and a host of other intriguing associates.

I hate writing an underwhelming review for an indie author, but this book had little appeal for me. In my opinion, the characters were underdeveloped and the dialogue was wooden. From the opening page, something about the entire novel just seemed odd to me. It was almost as if it was written in German or French and then translated to English. Additionally, for a novel in this genre, I would like to have seen more “cloak and dagger” action. The plot just seemed like the police interviewing one individual, then another, then another…

I think the author has built a tremendous foundation here, but I would like to see him “build the house” a little more. Mr. Fisher seems to be garnering a good share of favorable reviews, so my opinion might be in the minority. Readers who love high-stakes capers in exotic European settings should give this book a try, and they might have a different opinion than I did.
3/5 Stars.

[Judith Lucci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intent to Deceive is a well-written crime thriller with DCS Frank Krugler and his team of investigators. The story begins with the death of a prominent art dealer who is found in his country home by his housekeeper, aka mistress, Bella. As luck would have it, most of the forensic evidence had been 'wiped clean' by the industrious Bella. When autospy determines the cause of death is poison, things heat up. Krugler and his team, Mario and Monika, search far and wide for clues and the killer. The author does an excellent job in keeping the reader guessing with plot twists and changing plot points. The story is compelling and believable and leads the reader into the little known world of fine art charlatans and crime. The characters are well developed and visual and the description pulls the reader into the story. All and all, this is an incredibly written and well-researched crime mystery. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy educational, compelling mysteries.

[Diana Febry · Rating 3 out of 5]

A well written book that will appeal to readers who enjoy quite detailed police procedurals and/or have an interest in the art world.
The book opens with DCS Krugger reluctantly looking into the death of a respected art dealer. The cause of death was initially thought to be of natural causes but on closer examination it was discovered Arturo was poisoned and he was heavily involved in the underworld of art forgery and art works insurance scams. The story follows the police investigation into Arturo's private and buiness life in search of his killer.
I like character led books and crime books with a higher level of suspense and action. With quite a large cast of police officers and suspects I didn't connect with any one character or feel any urgency in the identity of the murderer being discovered.
The book does give an interesting insight into the workings of the international art world behind the scenes.
An enjoyable read but one that didn't really resonate with me.

[Cathrina Constantine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Deadly Revenge, and I believe Intent to Deceive is even better. The author, David S. Fisher has crafted a brilliant crime novel. Mr. Fisher must be very involved with police policies and procedures or his research is outstanding. The twists and turns will leave you guessing like a suspenseful television crime episode as to "who did it."
I especially like reading about different parts of the world, and Mr. Fisher brings us to Germany, London, and more. If you like to watch crime drama on television then you'll like Intent To Deceive!

[Charlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

David Fisher has done it again--another great, well told mystery. I have read other books in the Frank Kruger series, and this one is as good as the others, if not better. Since I’m into art myself, the story line of a murdered art dealer was especially intriguing, as was the Fisher’s delving into the realm of the art world. The story is fascinating and full of intrigue, and like any good crime story or mystery, it’s also full of twists and turns. There is never a dull moment. You may find yourself staying up way too late, unable to put the book down. The characters and their development are great, the descriptions and elaborations are great, and the story and plot are great. If you like mysteries, I’m sure you’ll find this book to your liking. Recommended.

[Dave Saari · Rating 4 out of 5]

David S. Fisher’s INTENT TO DECEIVE is a police procedural featuring DCS Frank Kruger of Munich, Germany. This is Fisher’s third book in the Kruger series, but the first I have read. The story follows Kruger’s investigation into the murder of internationally-known art dealer Arturo Barron.

The book features a wide array of interesting characters, both law enforcement personnel and potential suspects. Kruger is an Anglophile who enjoys an unspecified brand or brands of 17-year-old single malt Scotch. (Lagavulin? Caol Ila? Balvenie? All of them and others, perhaps?) Kruger’s subordinates include Senior Detective Inspector Mario Ziegler, a fan of polished cowboy boots and western wear, and Detective Inspector Monika Tiller, an attractive woman who seems oblivious to her effect on male colleagues and adversaries alike. Ziegler, Tiller, and a host of other European police colleagues match wits with the likes of Chantel Orsy (aka Goldilocks), a femme fatale with ties to the art underworld, Bella Brock, Barron’s housekeeper and former bed partner, and Tobias Barron, ambitious son of the murdered man.

The action takes place throughout Europe, including Barron’s Austrian villa near Salzburg and various locales in Munich, Zurich, Brussels, Berlin and other cities, affording the opportunity for some interesting geographical and historical descriptions. The police are well-stocked with some cool technology, but interagency bureaucracy impedes the ability of the various forces to coordinate the investigation. Kruger needs to step in now and then to smooth the waters as Tiller, Ziegler, and several colleagues lead the investigation to a successful conclusion. Along the way, we learn some interesting things about the art world, which isn’t as clean and honorable as we may have thought.

With all these positive factors, I’d have expected this to be a very impressive book, but somehow it comes up a little short. In part, I was disappointed by the storyline. Frau Brock is questioned multiple times, but her interrogators never ask the right questions. Tiller follows Orsy in Berlin, more than once grabbing a taxi at the head of the queue while telling the driver to “follow that cab.” Yet Orsy never notices the tail. Studying the slain man’s will would seem to be a top priority, but the police don’t even read it until Chapter 24. And so on. In addition, character development was limited. I didn't feel much of a connection with any of the potentially interesting denizens of Fisher's world.

All things considered, however, I enjoyed the book and felt it merited a rating closer to four stars than three stars.

[Jimmy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being a fan of any kind of art, I loved this fast paced novel. The Austrian setting was a unique one, and I always love to learn something new from a novel. Murder, mystery, and the world of art in one book! Twists and turns will keep you guessing and wanting more. This is the second Frank Kruger book I have read by David Fisher and I hope he writes more!

[Rose Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very engaging crime novel.

A fascinating fast paced plot and realistic characters, combined with a array of unexpected twists & turns make for an interactive reading experience.
All the settings and characters in Intent To Deceive are very well portrayed, shown instead of just told so that it is easy for the reader to sit back and watch the story come to life.

Some very skilled writing from author David S Fisher.

[Meriel Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intent to Deceive by David Fisher – one for detective fans.
This is a Frank Krugler crime novel, and the only one I have read, so I don't know if Austria and Germany are usual settings for David Fisher, but he is clearly familiar with them, or has done excellent research, and they made an interesting background.
The murder of international art dealer, Arturo Barron, and the intriguing world of art fraud are being investigated by Kruger's team. However, the police team's many interviews appeared too casual, and in some cases incompetent – more urgency was needed to speed up the action.
A good, well written story, but the mixed bunch of characters are insufficiently fleshed out.
Difficult to mark, but worthy of more than three stars, so four stars from me.