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Claire Roget #3
The Deceiver
A desperate phone call from an old acquaintance plunges forensic psychiatrist Claire Roget into an explosive situation with echoes in her own past.
Forensic psychiatrist Dr Claire Roget finds it impossible to refuse when she receives a desperate phone call from an old acquaintance, obstetrician Charles Tissot. One of his patients, Heather Kimble, alleges that Tissot seduced her at a party and that he is the father of her unborn child. His career on the line, Charles begs Claire to expose Heather's fragile mental state and discredit her wild claims.
With a history of making similar false allegations, her two previous babies having suffered unexplained cot deaths, Heather's accusations would appear to be nothing more than the result of a damaged mind. But as Claire delves further, it becomes clear that Charles hasn't been telling her the whole truth. Could Heather's story possibly have some merit? And is her unborn child in danger
Forensic psychiatrist Dr Claire Roget finds it impossible to refuse when she receives a desperate phone call from an old acquaintance, obstetrician Charles Tissot. One of his patients, Heather Kimble, alleges that Tissot seduced her at a party and that he is the father of her unborn child. His career on the line, Charles begs Claire to expose Heather's fragile mental state and discredit her wild claims.
With a history of making similar false allegations, her two previous babies having suffered unexplained cot deaths, Heather's accusations would appear to be nothing more than the result of a damaged mind. But as Claire delves further, it becomes clear that Charles hasn't been telling her the whole truth. Could Heather's story possibly have some merit? And is her unborn child in danger
- GenresFiction
240 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 2018
6 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
About the author
Priscilla Masters
51 books82 followersPriscilla Masters' writing career started in 1987 when she published Mr. Bateman's Garden, a children's book set in Biddulph Grange Gardens belonging to the National Trust. After that she created Inspector Joanna Piercy and has now also written a number of Medical Mysteries.
Priscilla Masters lives in Shropshire, England. She works part-time in Staffordshire as a practice nurse.
Priscilla Masters lives in Shropshire, England. She works part-time in Staffordshire as a practice nurse.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 8, 2019
Wonderful. I enjoyed the main character Dr Claire Roget, Forensic Psychiatrist. It was a story I imagine someone in this field encounters regularly. (But first let me enlighten you- the story is set in the UK, with their NHS. Which seems to mean all sorts of specialists can be called in for one client).
A seemingly young lady, with low education, from a troubled background and marriage: alleges a high profile Pediatrician Consultant is the father of her child.
I really enjoyed the book and main character. Which means I will read more of her books.
It struck me Dr Roget seemed to overthink herself. But I can understand that for the sort of job she does. I was amazed that like the Police; she has access to interview whomever she feels it is necessary.
Unputdownable and easy to read.
A seemingly young lady, with low education, from a troubled background and marriage: alleges a high profile Pediatrician Consultant is the father of her child.
I really enjoyed the book and main character. Which means I will read more of her books.
It struck me Dr Roget seemed to overthink herself. But I can understand that for the sort of job she does. I was amazed that like the Police; she has access to interview whomever she feels it is necessary.
Unputdownable and easy to read.
October 10, 2019
3.5 stars
Although this was written by a British author and is set in Stoke, this book had a distinct American feel for me. Maybe it was the wacky characters or the distinct premise but I just had the feeling the whole atmosphere was set in America.
This was a very entertaining mystery but with it being heavy in forensic psychiatry I would recommend you have a certain amount of interest in this subject or you may find it a little too overwhelming.
Although this was written by a British author and is set in Stoke, this book had a distinct American feel for me. Maybe it was the wacky characters or the distinct premise but I just had the feeling the whole atmosphere was set in America.
This was a very entertaining mystery but with it being heavy in forensic psychiatry I would recommend you have a certain amount of interest in this subject or you may find it a little too overwhelming.
October 10, 2019
3.5 stars
Although this was written by a British author and is set in Stoke, this book had a distinct American feel for me. Maybe it was the wacky characters or the distinct premise but I just had the feeling the whole atmosphere was set in America.
This was a very entertaining mystery but with it being heavy in forensic psychiatry I would recommend you have a certain amount of interest in this subject or you may find it a little too overwhelming.
Although this was written by a British author and is set in Stoke, this book had a distinct American feel for me. Maybe it was the wacky characters or the distinct premise but I just had the feeling the whole atmosphere was set in America.
This was a very entertaining mystery but with it being heavy in forensic psychiatry I would recommend you have a certain amount of interest in this subject or you may find it a little too overwhelming.
April 2, 2018
The concept for the story was interesting but the execution was strained. The author spent so much of the book with the protagonist going over all the unanswered questions that it was repetitive and hard to read. The ending was rushed and felt like she didn’t want to drag on anymore so she just dumped out enough of the answers to satisfy an ending. The main character was hard to form a connection with because so little was revealed about her and her character was poorly developed.
August 20, 2018
When forensic psychiatrist Claire Roget receives a distressing call for help from an old friend, she agreed to help. Dr Roget must expose the fragile mind of a young woman to save her friends career. But, who is telling the truth? 4 stars
October 23, 2017
4 and 1 / 2 stars
I read the Kindle edition of this novel.
Forensic psychiatrist Claire Roget receives a frantic call from an old classmate. Now an obstetrician, Charles Tissot is having a serious problem with a patient. The patient named Heather Krimble claims that she and Tissot have been having a secret affair and that he is the father of her unborn child. She is eight months pregnant. Tissot wants Claire to see her and find her “fucking mad.” She didn’t even come to him until she was already pregnant. However, there is a problem.
So, Heather’s GP refers her to Claire for an appointment and assessment. While waiting for the initial appointment, the reader gets to meet some of Claire’s varied patients. Arthur Connolly bullied by his wife for thirty years, snapped one day and took a knife to her. Badly wounded, she survived the assault. Riley Finch is a psychopath who steals things that she wants without a hint of conscience. This includes stealing a baby because she wanted one and no one had the right to stop her.
Claire also contacts Heather’s previous psychologist who treated her following the deaths of her two infants. She speaks to the locum who tells her that Heather has made two such claims before – claiming that men, not her husband, were the fathers of her babies, a fact that both men vehemently denied. So she does have a history of making such accusations as she has made against Charles Tissot.
When she finally meets Heather, her younger sister Ruth trails into Claire’s inner office with her. (How odd I say to myself.) Ruth begins talking and Heather gives somewhat defensive and confused responses to Clair’s questions. Claire too is confused as to why Ruth is responding and defensive so much. On subsequent visits to Claire, Heather acts more and more oddly. Defensive, secretive and belligerent. As Heather’s delivery date draws nearer, Claire becomes increasingly worried about the baby’s safety and puzzled by Heather’s bizarre actions. Ruth is being secretive as are Heather’s parents.
This book is well written and plotted, however there is one thing that annoyed me about it. Claire kept thinking that she should talk to Tim Cartwright and Sam Maddox, the two men Heather had accused before, but she kept putting it off. I wanted to tell her, “So, go talk to them already!” (She never does.) The suspense began immediately with the book with Charles Tissot’s frantic phone call and continued throughout until the denouement of the novel. I liked Claire, even though she seemed a little too much swayed by her own emotions and unsure of herself at times.
I want to thank NetGalley and Severn House for forwarding to me a copy of this engaging book to read and enjoy.
I read the Kindle edition of this novel.
Forensic psychiatrist Claire Roget receives a frantic call from an old classmate. Now an obstetrician, Charles Tissot is having a serious problem with a patient. The patient named Heather Krimble claims that she and Tissot have been having a secret affair and that he is the father of her unborn child. She is eight months pregnant. Tissot wants Claire to see her and find her “fucking mad.” She didn’t even come to him until she was already pregnant. However, there is a problem.
So, Heather’s GP refers her to Claire for an appointment and assessment. While waiting for the initial appointment, the reader gets to meet some of Claire’s varied patients. Arthur Connolly bullied by his wife for thirty years, snapped one day and took a knife to her. Badly wounded, she survived the assault. Riley Finch is a psychopath who steals things that she wants without a hint of conscience. This includes stealing a baby because she wanted one and no one had the right to stop her.
Claire also contacts Heather’s previous psychologist who treated her following the deaths of her two infants. She speaks to the locum who tells her that Heather has made two such claims before – claiming that men, not her husband, were the fathers of her babies, a fact that both men vehemently denied. So she does have a history of making such accusations as she has made against Charles Tissot.
When she finally meets Heather, her younger sister Ruth trails into Claire’s inner office with her. (How odd I say to myself.) Ruth begins talking and Heather gives somewhat defensive and confused responses to Clair’s questions. Claire too is confused as to why Ruth is responding and defensive so much. On subsequent visits to Claire, Heather acts more and more oddly. Defensive, secretive and belligerent. As Heather’s delivery date draws nearer, Claire becomes increasingly worried about the baby’s safety and puzzled by Heather’s bizarre actions. Ruth is being secretive as are Heather’s parents.
This book is well written and plotted, however there is one thing that annoyed me about it. Claire kept thinking that she should talk to Tim Cartwright and Sam Maddox, the two men Heather had accused before, but she kept putting it off. I wanted to tell her, “So, go talk to them already!” (She never does.) The suspense began immediately with the book with Charles Tissot’s frantic phone call and continued throughout until the denouement of the novel. I liked Claire, even though she seemed a little too much swayed by her own emotions and unsure of herself at times.
I want to thank NetGalley and Severn House for forwarding to me a copy of this engaging book to read and enjoy.
November 11, 2017
Thank you Netgalley and Severn House for the eARC.
Forensic psychiatrist Dr. Clare Roget is contacted by an old college acquaintance, obstetrician Dr. Charles Tissot, who is desperate for her to take on a patient of his who is pregnant and claims the child is his. Clare knows he has a history as a womanizer, but, not wanting him to lose his position and reputation, reluctantly agrees.
The patient, Heather Kimble, had 2 previous babies, both of them dead, apparently of cot death. She denied the children were her husband's, but instead named 2 other men as the fathers. She obviously has serious mental problems and while Clare questions her, always accompanied by her sister, both women swear they're telling the truth. Clare also has 2 other patients in her care, a young woman who is psychopath and a meek, bullied man, who, after years of abuse by his wife, finally snapped and stabbed his wife. Those 2 patients take a bit of a back seat as Clare tries to get to the bottom of Heather's claims, as she fears for the life of the unborn baby.
I liked Clare a lot and found her psychiatric musings and conclusions fascinating.
This is a fabulous read, well written, unputdownable and quite different from the usual psychological thrillers. A very unexpected treat, I absolutely loved this book!
Forensic psychiatrist Dr. Clare Roget is contacted by an old college acquaintance, obstetrician Dr. Charles Tissot, who is desperate for her to take on a patient of his who is pregnant and claims the child is his. Clare knows he has a history as a womanizer, but, not wanting him to lose his position and reputation, reluctantly agrees.
The patient, Heather Kimble, had 2 previous babies, both of them dead, apparently of cot death. She denied the children were her husband's, but instead named 2 other men as the fathers. She obviously has serious mental problems and while Clare questions her, always accompanied by her sister, both women swear they're telling the truth. Clare also has 2 other patients in her care, a young woman who is psychopath and a meek, bullied man, who, after years of abuse by his wife, finally snapped and stabbed his wife. Those 2 patients take a bit of a back seat as Clare tries to get to the bottom of Heather's claims, as she fears for the life of the unborn baby.
I liked Clare a lot and found her psychiatric musings and conclusions fascinating.
This is a fabulous read, well written, unputdownable and quite different from the usual psychological thrillers. A very unexpected treat, I absolutely loved this book!
September 2, 2020
I found the premise of this book to be a really interesting one and I was excited to read it. Unfortunately, I came away disappointed. The writing style was very confusing for me, with several changes in style throughout and a weirdly misogynistic undertone at times which I found odd. The story was very repetitive in parts with a LOT of ‘mysterious’ build-up sentences to end each chapter which didn’t really match up completely to the final events. I found the twists to be quite predictable and the final chapter where everything was explained was rather rushed and short compared to the very lengthy build up. I also found it frustrating that several plot points were introduced which didn’t seem to go anywhere, such as the mention of the Australian doctor’s marriage and the protagonist’s father leaving and subsequent xenophobic input from her mother. Particularly I found the repeated references to the protagonist being half French quite irritating, particularly as several of the French words used were misspelled.
Overall, I didn’t hate this book and some of the parts were very interesting, but I did find it to be a slow and frustrating read.
Overall, I didn’t hate this book and some of the parts were very interesting, but I did find it to be a slow and frustrating read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 6, 2018
For fans of psychological suspense novels, who want to be enlightened as well as entertained, this is a must. Forensic psychiatrist Claire Roget’s investigation into the hearts and minds of her patients is enthralling. I was fascinated to find out about de Clerambault’s Syndrome and erotomania through thought provokingly vivid portrayal of the sufferers. The protagonist’s soul searching struggle to discover the truth about seriously disturbed Heather Krimble’s claims regarding paternity of her children and who is/isn’t The Deceiver gives us insight into the inexact nature of psychiatry as well as engrossing us in Claire’s professional/personal turmoil. It all adds up to a thrilling read with a superb twisty finale.
October 31, 2017
I did not realize this was the second book about Dr. Claire Roget, but I easily learned what had happened in her life prior to her new case. Pregnant Heather has lost two children to crib death. With both pregnancies she swore her husband Geoff was not the father. Now pregnant for the third time, Heather is accusing an ob/gyn, who asks for Claire's help in proving the young mother mentally ill. And that is just the beginning of the story. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to be an early reader in exchange for a fair and honest review. I'll be watching for more about Claire.
November 6, 2017
This is a psychological thriller that will keep you guessing till the very last page. I was imagining all sorts of shenigans and suspects, but the author played everything close to the chest and I was surprised at the end. A great read, quick, and loved the main character, Claire!
February 26, 2018
I liked this book a lot, but oddly, it wasn't the main section of the story that got me truly interested in it, but the mentions of Claire's other patients that drew me in and refused to let me go. This author has a wonderful way of giving the reader just enough information to keep them interested in the story without giving too much away and letting them solve it before they should. She is also very good at building up the believable kind of suspense that is truly terrifying.
I like books where the monsters under the bed are plausible and make you question how well you really know the people you are closest to. If you love strong female main characters that can get things done, then Claire will no doubt appeal to you. She did struggle with the issues she faced at times, but I always thought she made the wisest decision she could.
Overall, I thought this was a fantastic book with a lot to recommend it. It has the right amount of psychological suspense and action to ensure that it never gets boring.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
I like books where the monsters under the bed are plausible and make you question how well you really know the people you are closest to. If you love strong female main characters that can get things done, then Claire will no doubt appeal to you. She did struggle with the issues she faced at times, but I always thought she made the wisest decision she could.
Overall, I thought this was a fantastic book with a lot to recommend it. It has the right amount of psychological suspense and action to ensure that it never gets boring.
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher, provided through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
July 8, 2023
Dark and unusual read which I didn't realise was part of a series and stands alone quite well as a result.
Disturbing in places, this can be quite intense but once immersed in the pages, it really pays off.
Disturbing in places, this can be quite intense but once immersed in the pages, it really pays off.
June 28, 2018
3.5
An interesting dive into the human psyche but one that seems to have no real direction and it seems to go on for far longer than it needs to.
An interesting dive into the human psyche but one that seems to have no real direction and it seems to go on for far longer than it needs to.
August 23, 2021
Lots of plots. Doctor Clair Rogers has her hands full with
numerous patients.
numerous patients.
January 2, 2022
3.5
Enjoyed this, but found the ending unclear and unsatisfactory - which spoilt the overall enjoyment.
Enjoyed this, but found the ending unclear and unsatisfactory - which spoilt the overall enjoyment.
January 4, 2024
Not the right author for me.
July 10, 2024
Finished in 5 days. A good book with nice plot twists
February 2, 2025
4 and a half stars for this amazing book The Deceiver.
Forensic Psychiatrist Dr Clair Roget receives a call from Charles, an old college friend begging for her help. Charles is now working as an obstetrician and his career is on line due to one of his patients Heather. Heather is 30 weeks pregnant and believes that Charles in the father of her baby. Charles begs for Clair's to help him by exposing Heather's fragile mental health because she has a history of making similar false allegations. As Clair delves deeper into the case she soon finds out that Charles hasn't been completely truthful.
This book was fantastic!
Such an easy read. I always understood what was going on.
Once I started reading this book I couldn't put it down.
The storyline was so interesting it captivated me right till the very end.
Will definitely be reading more from Priscilla Masters.
Forensic Psychiatrist Dr Clair Roget receives a call from Charles, an old college friend begging for her help. Charles is now working as an obstetrician and his career is on line due to one of his patients Heather. Heather is 30 weeks pregnant and believes that Charles in the father of her baby. Charles begs for Clair's to help him by exposing Heather's fragile mental health because she has a history of making similar false allegations. As Clair delves deeper into the case she soon finds out that Charles hasn't been completely truthful.
This book was fantastic!
Such an easy read. I always understood what was going on.
Once I started reading this book I couldn't put it down.
The storyline was so interesting it captivated me right till the very end.
Will definitely be reading more from Priscilla Masters.
December 5, 2020
This is not a police procedural which is what I mostly read. I found it mildly interesting.
3.5 stars. I reread this book since Hoopla said I hadn't finished it. While the big questions are resolved at the end the smaller ones are not.
3.5 stars. I reread this book since Hoopla said I hadn't finished it. While the big questions are resolved at the end the smaller ones are not.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews