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Deadly Deception #1
Deadly Deception
Ethan is a liar.
He can’t help it, he doesn’t even realize he’s doing it, but he lies to everyone he meets, and he doesn’t know how to stop.
Cut off from those around him, Ethan finds himself at the door of Dr. Wright, agreeing to a radical treatment. Ethan will leave his home of Boston behind to tour the world, and, given a plane ticket and a course of experimental medication, change his life forever.
But when, mid-treatment and a thousand miles from home, Ethan is accused of murder, how can he, or the embassy, or even his closest friends defend him? After all, Ethan can’t remember where he was the night the murder happened – all he knows for sure is he was with the woman just before she died.
With his freedom and sanity at stake, the truth seems to be further from Ethan’s grasp than ever. But then, if he wants to keep his freedom, perhaps lies are all he can depend on.
He can’t help it, he doesn’t even realize he’s doing it, but he lies to everyone he meets, and he doesn’t know how to stop.
Cut off from those around him, Ethan finds himself at the door of Dr. Wright, agreeing to a radical treatment. Ethan will leave his home of Boston behind to tour the world, and, given a plane ticket and a course of experimental medication, change his life forever.
But when, mid-treatment and a thousand miles from home, Ethan is accused of murder, how can he, or the embassy, or even his closest friends defend him? After all, Ethan can’t remember where he was the night the murder happened – all he knows for sure is he was with the woman just before she died.
With his freedom and sanity at stake, the truth seems to be further from Ethan’s grasp than ever. But then, if he wants to keep his freedom, perhaps lies are all he can depend on.
144 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2018
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23 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
July 10, 2018
A highly unusual psychological therapy partnered with memory loss and a murder are the central themes in P. J. Mann’s intriguing novel, “Deadly Deception: Book 1”.
Told from the first person perspective, Mann’s plot line in “Deadly Deception” is about a liar who can’t seem to sort out his own homespun tales from reality and who seeks out a revolutionary and unorthodox therapy treatment to solve his rare psychological dilemma. Each event that main character, Ethan, experiences is transmitted to his psychiatric team via video-cam as he travels from one exotic location to the next. When Ethan’s daily diary is matched up to the actual camera footage, his doctors reveal the deceptions in his memories, using the comparisons to prove his lies and thereby eliminate his bad behavior.
The tale itself is a real page-turner with the character constantly questioning his own recollections and motives as he moves through his journey toward a possible cure for his unusual condition. And, Mann’s efforts to convey a sense of realism and genuineness for the characters populating this read come through well in the telling of her story.
While Mann focuses so much attention on her main protagonist’s inner dialogue, it’s disappointing that she misses the opportunity to expand on the incredible destinations, colorful landscapes, fragrant cuisines, and local cultures that are included in Ethan’s incredible itinerary. One can’t help but get the feeling that they are missing out on the overall cultural experience included in this mystery thriller. There is also an issue with the conversations between her characters that result in sentences that seem stilted—laced with a lack of contractions and an unnatural pace. When read aloud, the dialogue portion of this novel often feels as though the characters are speaking English as a second-tongue rather than their main language.
All in all, and at only around 100 pages, “Deadly Deception” is an avid short read that readers who are willing to overlook the minor issues cited above will savor. Ethan’s personal torment at not being able to figure out if his mind is betraying him at every turn creates enough doubt for the reader to allow a fully immersive experience in a tense psychological thriller. The piece-de-resistance in Mann’s tale is the shocking plot twist that lurks at the end.
Since Ethan is, first and foremost, a self-confessed liar, one has to wonder throughout the book about his general honesty in relating his own story. In the end, one question inevitably arises… Is ANY of Ethan’s story true? You be the judge.
Told from the first person perspective, Mann’s plot line in “Deadly Deception” is about a liar who can’t seem to sort out his own homespun tales from reality and who seeks out a revolutionary and unorthodox therapy treatment to solve his rare psychological dilemma. Each event that main character, Ethan, experiences is transmitted to his psychiatric team via video-cam as he travels from one exotic location to the next. When Ethan’s daily diary is matched up to the actual camera footage, his doctors reveal the deceptions in his memories, using the comparisons to prove his lies and thereby eliminate his bad behavior.
The tale itself is a real page-turner with the character constantly questioning his own recollections and motives as he moves through his journey toward a possible cure for his unusual condition. And, Mann’s efforts to convey a sense of realism and genuineness for the characters populating this read come through well in the telling of her story.
While Mann focuses so much attention on her main protagonist’s inner dialogue, it’s disappointing that she misses the opportunity to expand on the incredible destinations, colorful landscapes, fragrant cuisines, and local cultures that are included in Ethan’s incredible itinerary. One can’t help but get the feeling that they are missing out on the overall cultural experience included in this mystery thriller. There is also an issue with the conversations between her characters that result in sentences that seem stilted—laced with a lack of contractions and an unnatural pace. When read aloud, the dialogue portion of this novel often feels as though the characters are speaking English as a second-tongue rather than their main language.
All in all, and at only around 100 pages, “Deadly Deception” is an avid short read that readers who are willing to overlook the minor issues cited above will savor. Ethan’s personal torment at not being able to figure out if his mind is betraying him at every turn creates enough doubt for the reader to allow a fully immersive experience in a tense psychological thriller. The piece-de-resistance in Mann’s tale is the shocking plot twist that lurks at the end.
Since Ethan is, first and foremost, a self-confessed liar, one has to wonder throughout the book about his general honesty in relating his own story. In the end, one question inevitably arises… Is ANY of Ethan’s story true? You be the judge.
July 23, 2019
An interesting and enjoyable read.
This story is based on a fascinating premise: if someone is a compulsive liar, how can they ever know if they are really telling the truth? The blurring of lines between truth and deceit is a key factor in this book, which drives the story and compels the main character in his choices and responses throughout the narrative.
Ethan is a very interesting character, given that he is just such that kind of liar, and yet he yearns to be truthful although he cannot. In telling the story from his point of view, the author causes the reader to be sympathetic to him and his condition. His experiences are certainly thought-provoking, given our human nature’s tendency to reject liars and distrust them completely. If such a condition is involuntary, how can we treat the deluded person with justice and yet protect ourselves and everyone else from their lies? In this regard, Ethan’s friend Stewart and his girlfriend Karen model acceptance and show how security and love can make a vital difference in someone’s life.
This story is quite well told, and the twist at the end is cleverly executed. There are a few instances where the grammar is slightly stilted, particularly when a question is being asked. Presumably, this is because English is not the author’s first language. This would easily be fixed with some editing, but does not cause such a problem that it cannot simply be overlooked. While I noticed those occasions, they did not impede my understanding or my enjoyment of the story.
An interesting and enjoyable read.
This story is based on a fascinating premise: if someone is a compulsive liar, how can they ever know if they are really telling the truth? The blurring of lines between truth and deceit is a key factor in this book, which drives the story and compels the main character in his choices and responses throughout the narrative.
Ethan is a very interesting character, given that he is just such that kind of liar, and yet he yearns to be truthful although he cannot. In telling the story from his point of view, the author causes the reader to be sympathetic to him and his condition. His experiences are certainly thought-provoking, given our human nature’s tendency to reject liars and distrust them completely. If such a condition is involuntary, how can we treat the deluded person with justice and yet protect ourselves and everyone else from their lies? In this regard, Ethan’s friend Stewart and his girlfriend Karen model acceptance and show how security and love can make a vital difference in someone’s life.
This story is quite well told, and the twist at the end is cleverly executed. There are a few instances where the grammar is slightly stilted, particularly when a question is being asked. Presumably, this is because English is not the author’s first language. This would easily be fixed with some editing, but does not cause such a problem that it cannot simply be overlooked. While I noticed those occasions, they did not impede my understanding or my enjoyment of the story.
An interesting and enjoyable read.
July 27, 2018
What he doesn’t know…
won’t hurt 23-yr. old Ethan Jackson, a pathological liar who seeks a cure through psychotherapy—unconventional, at that! After coming up with a travel itinerary of his choosing, he’s sent around the world, monitored 24/7 by a mini-camera recording his every move. At the end of the day, Ethan recounts what he remembers in a diary. Every week, he receives the diary back with the corrected version of what actually occurred.
Long before Ethan’s 6-month tour is up, he gets more than he ever bargained for—good and bad.
Different from books that I typically like to sink my teeth into with complex characters, snappy dialogue, and detailed description—I still became a captive reader under the author’s influence.
Direct and to the point, the protagonist’s first-person narrative moves the plot along at a quick pace, while revealing innermost thoughts. For a time, the reader is just as much in the dark as Ethan.
The title, ‘Deadly Deception’ is no word of a lie! I highly recommend a book whose straightforward story never deceives or disappoints.
won’t hurt 23-yr. old Ethan Jackson, a pathological liar who seeks a cure through psychotherapy—unconventional, at that! After coming up with a travel itinerary of his choosing, he’s sent around the world, monitored 24/7 by a mini-camera recording his every move. At the end of the day, Ethan recounts what he remembers in a diary. Every week, he receives the diary back with the corrected version of what actually occurred.
Long before Ethan’s 6-month tour is up, he gets more than he ever bargained for—good and bad.
Different from books that I typically like to sink my teeth into with complex characters, snappy dialogue, and detailed description—I still became a captive reader under the author’s influence.
Direct and to the point, the protagonist’s first-person narrative moves the plot along at a quick pace, while revealing innermost thoughts. For a time, the reader is just as much in the dark as Ethan.
The title, ‘Deadly Deception’ is no word of a lie! I highly recommend a book whose straightforward story never deceives or disappoints.
March 28, 2018
An interesting subject!!! Where everything can be true or everything can be a lie!!!! Or maybe... only something is true and the rest is false or... something different? Ethan is a liar not in the common sense we know... he lies even if he doesn’t want to... he lies without knowing he’s lying... and, as most of common liars we use to know, he never remembers his lies... he is sure not having told any lie but only the truth... but when he talks about his “illness” we ask ourselves... “is he telling the truth or is he lying?”...
Will he recover from this “illness” (if it IS an illness)? Why was he chosen to try this new “therapy”? This novel deserves absolutely to be read!!! And... if you are a liar... well, it can provide you some good excuses to give the others!
Will he recover from this “illness” (if it IS an illness)? Why was he chosen to try this new “therapy”? This novel deserves absolutely to be read!!! And... if you are a liar... well, it can provide you some good excuses to give the others!
September 19, 2019
Publisher’s description: Ethan is a liar. He can't help it, he doesn't even realize he's doing it, but he lies to everyone he meets, and he doesn't know how to stop.
Cut off from those around him, Ethan finds himself at the door of Dr. Wright, agreeing to a radical treatment. Ethan will leave his home of Boston behind to tour the world, and, given a plane ticket and a course of experimental medication, change his life forever.
But when, mid-treatment and a thousand miles from home, Ethan is accused of murder, how can he, or the embassy, or even his closest friends defend him? After all, Ethan can't remember where he was the night the murder happened.
All he knows for sure is he was with the woman just before she died.
With his freedom and sanity at stake, the truth seems to be further from Ethan's grasp than ever. But then, if he wants to keep his freedom, perhaps lies are all he can depend on.
************
P.J. Mann’s “Deadly Deception” was deadly...and not in a good way. I was so glad this was a short book because I really disliked it. I understand that Ethan is a pathological liar seeking help for that mental disorder. Since the story is told from his point of view, obviously you don’t know what’s true and what’s a lie. I guess that’s supposed to be the psychologically thrilling part. There was so much I didn’t like, though, that I know I won’t be reading any other titles by this author and certainly not the rest of this series.
SPOILERS: There are some spoilers below, so if you’re planning to read the book, don’t read the rest of the review. Just know that I don’t recommend reading it at all.
First of all, you can’t really do justice to the story of a patient seeking treatment, embarking upon a “therapy trip,” meeting a girl, falling in love, being accused of murder, and being acquitted of that murder in a little more than 100 pages. There’s just too little development on any part of the story to do any of it justice.
Second, Ethan told almost everyone he encountered that he’s a pathological liar. I’m not a psychiatrist, but based on what I did read about that condition, I don’t think he would really do that.
Third, Ethan seeks the help of a psychiatrist who sends him on a six-month trip around the world to cure him of his lying. He is to wear a camera at all times, submit diary entries to the psychiatrist, and he receives these diary entries back with the corrected events based on the video. And he believes this is supposed to help him learn not to lie because he’ll be reminded what he lied about. He’s told that there’s no budget for this trip, so he was able to outline everywhere he wanted to go. Does he seriously believe that?!? He also clearly doesn’t know about HIPAA because his psychiatrist (who’s really using Ethan as a guinea pig, trying to figure out how to make someone commit murder without knowing they’re murdering) talks to anyone and everyone about Ethan’s condition and treatment. And Ethan doesn’t care!
Finally (although there are so many more points I could make), the writing is just atrocious. I honestly thought the book was poorly translated from another language because no one talks like the characters in this book. “I thought that since it’s getting late, we might have dinner together. I bought something from the Chinese restaurant. I hope it is fine for you.” And the entire book is written in the first person, from Ethan’s perspective, with the exception of a handful of paragraphs about 85% of the way through where there’s a conversation between the detective and Ethan’s girlfriend (the one he knew for three weeks and talked about moving in together after one day). That’s the only section that’s not narrated by Ethan, and it could easily have been set up as Ethan relaying what his girlfriend told him.
There was so much bad about this book that I would not recommend it to anyone. I’m not sure what some of the other reviewers were reading.
Thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.
Cut off from those around him, Ethan finds himself at the door of Dr. Wright, agreeing to a radical treatment. Ethan will leave his home of Boston behind to tour the world, and, given a plane ticket and a course of experimental medication, change his life forever.
But when, mid-treatment and a thousand miles from home, Ethan is accused of murder, how can he, or the embassy, or even his closest friends defend him? After all, Ethan can't remember where he was the night the murder happened.
All he knows for sure is he was with the woman just before she died.
With his freedom and sanity at stake, the truth seems to be further from Ethan's grasp than ever. But then, if he wants to keep his freedom, perhaps lies are all he can depend on.
************
P.J. Mann’s “Deadly Deception” was deadly...and not in a good way. I was so glad this was a short book because I really disliked it. I understand that Ethan is a pathological liar seeking help for that mental disorder. Since the story is told from his point of view, obviously you don’t know what’s true and what’s a lie. I guess that’s supposed to be the psychologically thrilling part. There was so much I didn’t like, though, that I know I won’t be reading any other titles by this author and certainly not the rest of this series.
SPOILERS: There are some spoilers below, so if you’re planning to read the book, don’t read the rest of the review. Just know that I don’t recommend reading it at all.
First of all, you can’t really do justice to the story of a patient seeking treatment, embarking upon a “therapy trip,” meeting a girl, falling in love, being accused of murder, and being acquitted of that murder in a little more than 100 pages. There’s just too little development on any part of the story to do any of it justice.
Second, Ethan told almost everyone he encountered that he’s a pathological liar. I’m not a psychiatrist, but based on what I did read about that condition, I don’t think he would really do that.
Third, Ethan seeks the help of a psychiatrist who sends him on a six-month trip around the world to cure him of his lying. He is to wear a camera at all times, submit diary entries to the psychiatrist, and he receives these diary entries back with the corrected events based on the video. And he believes this is supposed to help him learn not to lie because he’ll be reminded what he lied about. He’s told that there’s no budget for this trip, so he was able to outline everywhere he wanted to go. Does he seriously believe that?!? He also clearly doesn’t know about HIPAA because his psychiatrist (who’s really using Ethan as a guinea pig, trying to figure out how to make someone commit murder without knowing they’re murdering) talks to anyone and everyone about Ethan’s condition and treatment. And Ethan doesn’t care!
Finally (although there are so many more points I could make), the writing is just atrocious. I honestly thought the book was poorly translated from another language because no one talks like the characters in this book. “I thought that since it’s getting late, we might have dinner together. I bought something from the Chinese restaurant. I hope it is fine for you.” And the entire book is written in the first person, from Ethan’s perspective, with the exception of a handful of paragraphs about 85% of the way through where there’s a conversation between the detective and Ethan’s girlfriend (the one he knew for three weeks and talked about moving in together after one day). That’s the only section that’s not narrated by Ethan, and it could easily have been set up as Ethan relaying what his girlfriend told him.
There was so much bad about this book that I would not recommend it to anyone. I’m not sure what some of the other reviewers were reading.
Thanks to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for a free copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.
September 23, 2019
This was a great read! It almost went too quickly.
Ethan, from Boston, 23 years old, has been a chronic liar all of his life. Almost no one trusts him. He does have a cat, Moses, and a good friend - Stewart. Ethan is to a point where he seeks psychiatric assistance for his lying. He is told that his condition is rare. That he (Dr. Wright) would speak to his colleague, Professor Doyle about funding for a treatment plan.
Ethan is invited into Dr. Wright's study. Ethan can travel anywhere for 6 months but he has to wear a camera all of the time and take diary notes to see if they compare (with the camera) on a daily basis. This way he will get feedback on
his lying and corrections Ethan needs to address. His employer is OK; a few months later, Ethan gets a call to get ready to go! Only one hitch: he needs to take meds, also. Ethan does not like this but Dr. Wright helps to put him at ease.
On Ethan's worldwide tour he falls in love with a girl from Germany while in Africa. This is just the beginning of the wild twists that keep the reader glued to the book!!!
Excellent character development and good scenic displays. A book I would rate as a MUST READ!!!
Thanks to BooksGoSocial and Netgalley for a great read !!!
Ethan, from Boston, 23 years old, has been a chronic liar all of his life. Almost no one trusts him. He does have a cat, Moses, and a good friend - Stewart. Ethan is to a point where he seeks psychiatric assistance for his lying. He is told that his condition is rare. That he (Dr. Wright) would speak to his colleague, Professor Doyle about funding for a treatment plan.
Ethan is invited into Dr. Wright's study. Ethan can travel anywhere for 6 months but he has to wear a camera all of the time and take diary notes to see if they compare (with the camera) on a daily basis. This way he will get feedback on
his lying and corrections Ethan needs to address. His employer is OK; a few months later, Ethan gets a call to get ready to go! Only one hitch: he needs to take meds, also. Ethan does not like this but Dr. Wright helps to put him at ease.
On Ethan's worldwide tour he falls in love with a girl from Germany while in Africa. This is just the beginning of the wild twists that keep the reader glued to the book!!!
Excellent character development and good scenic displays. A book I would rate as a MUST READ!!!
Thanks to BooksGoSocial and Netgalley for a great read !!!
October 23, 2019
I'm not sure what I was expecting when I started reading Deadly Deception but it wasn't this. I wasn't able to picture the characters and there were several times that I had to re-read things because the sentences were so oddly phrased; to me it sounded like someone struggling with English. As for the plot, I do think that pathological lying could make for something interesting. Unfortunately, this book went in a different direction- ridiculously unbelievable! Do pathological liars really go around telling people that that's what they are or do they just tell more lies? Travel therapy with no budget restrictions? Yeah ok! I can only describe the romance as awkward, cringy, creepy, & uncomfortable. Drug induced assassins? I'm guessing that study won't be peer reviewed! And then there's my favorite- guessing how long it takes to climax with whiskey d*€k? To help solve a murder?! Hahahaha are you kidding me?! As much as I hate to say it, this one just wasn't for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 17, 2020
Ethan knows he recreates events in his mind that in turn creates a false version of the truth to those around him. Is it on purpose? Ethan seeks help puts his faith and trust into two doctors who promise to help him identify the truths from lies by having vacation while having a camera monitor his every move and then compare to a daily diary kept by Ethan without the use of the camera feeds. BUT do the doctors have his best interest in mind? I can easily say the plot twists in this book is nothing I have ever read before. Once I started reading I couldn't put it down!! A very fast read! Best part is there are two additional books in the series....
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
September 12, 2019
A quick read that manages to encapsulate its reader into its confusing world of lies and deception. Everything that needs to be told is put on its pages, well written and succinctly given, even if the reader is found doubting the words and the main character throughout.
An original book with a not so original idea, but barely done and barely ever executed well.
I would wholeheartedly recommended this book to those out there who like torching themselves with the constant back and forth of questioning,"What really happened?" and "Did they actually do it or not?"
An original book with a not so original idea, but barely done and barely ever executed well.
I would wholeheartedly recommended this book to those out there who like torching themselves with the constant back and forth of questioning,"What really happened?" and "Did they actually do it or not?"
May 10, 2019
I liked the concept about this plot, and there were certainly enough twists to carry you along.
I found parts of the story slow, but really got captivated about 70% into the book. I'd suggest the author gives it another proof-reading, and add in the chapter breaks, but it's well thought out and I's be picking up the next in the series.
I found parts of the story slow, but really got captivated about 70% into the book. I'd suggest the author gives it another proof-reading, and add in the chapter breaks, but it's well thought out and I's be picking up the next in the series.
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December 31, 2018Going IMMEDIATELY into the sequel. Will post review once I am done with it!!!
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