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Deep River Deception
Tense Modern Thriller Solving History’s Mysteries...And MoreWhat if a video of you confessing to a lie went viral?
What if the video looks like you, but isn’t you?
Having barely survived a traumatic incident during a Revolutionary War archeological dig, historical mystery sleuth Jill Stone and her husband Steve want only to return to a normal life with their new babies. But just as things start to settle down in their idyllic Thousand Islands village, scandalous videos go viral implicating the couple in a fraud.
As Jill and Steve struggle with the public outcry over the scandalous videos and their search for the cyber culprit, Jill uncovers an historical mystery about a river pirate. But her investigation is disrupted by a mysterious local man who begins to execute his plans for criminal activities…and sets a treacherous trap for Jill.
Will Jill fall into his trap? Will Steve be able to warn her in time?
Buy it now to see if Jill can survive...
…and who created the scandalous videos
…and why.
What if the video looks like you, but isn’t you?
Having barely survived a traumatic incident during a Revolutionary War archeological dig, historical mystery sleuth Jill Stone and her husband Steve want only to return to a normal life with their new babies. But just as things start to settle down in their idyllic Thousand Islands village, scandalous videos go viral implicating the couple in a fraud.
As Jill and Steve struggle with the public outcry over the scandalous videos and their search for the cyber culprit, Jill uncovers an historical mystery about a river pirate. But her investigation is disrupted by a mysterious local man who begins to execute his plans for criminal activities…and sets a treacherous trap for Jill.
Will Jill fall into his trap? Will Steve be able to warn her in time?
Buy it now to see if Jill can survive...
…and who created the scandalous videos
…and why.
477 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 20, 2021
About the author
John Lefevere
8 books21 followersDo you find unsolved historical mysteries intriguing?
Mysteries like who really ordered Booth to assassinate Lincoln? The murder of the Hermit of Maple Island?
Who stole the Irish Crown Jewels?
Where did the missing sailors of the Lost Channel end up? And how did a stolen War of 1812 British payroll end up in the hands of bootleggers?
Author John Lefevere finds these unsolved enigmas fascinating and has crafted a trilogy in his “A 1000 Islands Novel” series in which his protagonists try to solve them. In his ebook novels The Scimitar And The Snail; Jewels And Ghouls; and River Rogues, Steve Stone and Jill Matson, who live in the Thousand Islands, New York, follow theories and investigate leads to bring the truth to light, while also fending off terrorists, scamsters and just plain nasty people.
John is a retired corporate attorney whose life experiences include an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, playing golf next to the Giza Pyramids in Cairo, Egypt and recently appearing in a TV commercial. He knows from experience that there is not much difference between creating the suspension of disbelief in fiction and “shading” the facts to make them more palatable to the reader in law practice. In either case, he finds the act of writing to be fun and challenging.
When not traveling, John and his wife divide their time between homes in Virginia and the Thousand Islands, New York.
You can follow John on Facebook at John_Lefevere_Author, and on his website at www.johnlefevere.com. You can contact him at john@johnlefevere.com
Mysteries like who really ordered Booth to assassinate Lincoln? The murder of the Hermit of Maple Island?
Who stole the Irish Crown Jewels?
Where did the missing sailors of the Lost Channel end up? And how did a stolen War of 1812 British payroll end up in the hands of bootleggers?
Author John Lefevere finds these unsolved enigmas fascinating and has crafted a trilogy in his “A 1000 Islands Novel” series in which his protagonists try to solve them. In his ebook novels The Scimitar And The Snail; Jewels And Ghouls; and River Rogues, Steve Stone and Jill Matson, who live in the Thousand Islands, New York, follow theories and investigate leads to bring the truth to light, while also fending off terrorists, scamsters and just plain nasty people.
John is a retired corporate attorney whose life experiences include an appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, playing golf next to the Giza Pyramids in Cairo, Egypt and recently appearing in a TV commercial. He knows from experience that there is not much difference between creating the suspension of disbelief in fiction and “shading” the facts to make them more palatable to the reader in law practice. In either case, he finds the act of writing to be fun and challenging.
When not traveling, John and his wife divide their time between homes in Virginia and the Thousand Islands, New York.
You can follow John on Facebook at John_Lefevere_Author, and on his website at www.johnlefevere.com. You can contact him at john@johnlefevere.com
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
August 9, 2025
This is a rating and review are entered with the permission of Susie W. Smith, the author of the review which appeared in Thousand Islands Life online magazine, Vol. 16, Issue 11 (November 2021):
You know me, I love books about the Thousand Islands, and I have given high marks for John Lefevere’s past novels featuring Jill and Steve Stone, who live on Tranquility Island (which looks a lot like Calumet Island!) So reading Deep River Deception should have been no different – yet it was, in the beginning.
John Lefevere's Deep River Deception is now published for the holidays.
The first half of the book is filled with references to many characters and you have to pay attention. As well, the first half is filled with island history. Ha, Susie Smith loves island history! Much of the excitement takes place on Carleton Island, in or near Fort Haldimand, and having explored the Fort several times when I was on the Board of the Thousand Islands Land Trust (who are the owners and stewards of this amazing historic property), I loved every reference and the story to boot!
However, when I got to a page in Part 2, I literally could not put the book down. (No stopping for dinner!) I wrote to John to say I was there, and he was pleased.
Here we go . . .
“All eyes in Clearview were on the video of Jill Stone, with the exception of one pair. By late afternoon on June 25th, local residents sat transfixed in front of televisions or computers watching the same video over and over again in disbelief. Muttering to themselves or their significant others or to anyone else in the room who would listen, in the case of bars or the VetsPlace.
“Told you she was a phony.” “I knew that whole thing was fishy.” “I never did like her. Or that husband of hers.” These were some of the comments of cynics and those who had once believed whatever the young woman told them in interviews, on TV or in her press conferences. Profound disbelief and shock in the tiny New York village. “How could she do such a thing?”
There are 473 pages on my iPad’s Kindle App, which meant that the next 300 or so pages had one Susie Smith right there, zooming around the River, hearing names such as Wellesley, Grenell, Fort Wallace, and even Honey Bee Island in the Rift. Also, my favourite island name - Barnard Island – gets amazing credit. (Barnard is the real name for Washington Island, connected by a causeway to Clayton, NY.) So many history questions are solved. The characters are so real, and in some cases very mean and miserable – and Susie Smith was very happy to be going along for the ride. Yes, from that point on, I put Deep River Deception at the top of the Holiday reading list.
John Lefevere's books are on both Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
John Lefevere’s books are all fascinating. The past three about Jill and Steve Stone are written appropriately for the times. In January 2018, I interviewed John in TI Life after Jewels and Ghouls was published. I think you will enjoy that interview. I wanted to know more about how that story came together. John’s answers are a perfect example of why his writings are so interesting. (See Book Review: Jewels and Ghouls (A 1000 Islands Novel Book 2))
But don’t just take my word about purchasing these books; poke about on John’s website, read his biography, and review his books. He is most proud of one review that was titled, “This man can write.” And it is true.
You know me, I love books about the Thousand Islands, and I have given high marks for John Lefevere’s past novels featuring Jill and Steve Stone, who live on Tranquility Island (which looks a lot like Calumet Island!) So reading Deep River Deception should have been no different – yet it was, in the beginning.
John Lefevere's Deep River Deception is now published for the holidays.
The first half of the book is filled with references to many characters and you have to pay attention. As well, the first half is filled with island history. Ha, Susie Smith loves island history! Much of the excitement takes place on Carleton Island, in or near Fort Haldimand, and having explored the Fort several times when I was on the Board of the Thousand Islands Land Trust (who are the owners and stewards of this amazing historic property), I loved every reference and the story to boot!
However, when I got to a page in Part 2, I literally could not put the book down. (No stopping for dinner!) I wrote to John to say I was there, and he was pleased.
Here we go . . .
“All eyes in Clearview were on the video of Jill Stone, with the exception of one pair. By late afternoon on June 25th, local residents sat transfixed in front of televisions or computers watching the same video over and over again in disbelief. Muttering to themselves or their significant others or to anyone else in the room who would listen, in the case of bars or the VetsPlace.
“Told you she was a phony.” “I knew that whole thing was fishy.” “I never did like her. Or that husband of hers.” These were some of the comments of cynics and those who had once believed whatever the young woman told them in interviews, on TV or in her press conferences. Profound disbelief and shock in the tiny New York village. “How could she do such a thing?”
There are 473 pages on my iPad’s Kindle App, which meant that the next 300 or so pages had one Susie Smith right there, zooming around the River, hearing names such as Wellesley, Grenell, Fort Wallace, and even Honey Bee Island in the Rift. Also, my favourite island name - Barnard Island – gets amazing credit. (Barnard is the real name for Washington Island, connected by a causeway to Clayton, NY.) So many history questions are solved. The characters are so real, and in some cases very mean and miserable – and Susie Smith was very happy to be going along for the ride. Yes, from that point on, I put Deep River Deception at the top of the Holiday reading list.
John Lefevere's books are on both Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
John Lefevere’s books are all fascinating. The past three about Jill and Steve Stone are written appropriately for the times. In January 2018, I interviewed John in TI Life after Jewels and Ghouls was published. I think you will enjoy that interview. I wanted to know more about how that story came together. John’s answers are a perfect example of why his writings are so interesting. (See Book Review: Jewels and Ghouls (A 1000 Islands Novel Book 2))
But don’t just take my word about purchasing these books; poke about on John’s website, read his biography, and review his books. He is most proud of one review that was titled, “This man can write.” And it is true.
Displaying 1 of 1 review