Deception Pass

Spider Green #3

by Norm Harris

Faydra “Spider” Green has had a storied career as a Navy lawyer, all while juggling being the daughter of a former U.S. President. She has successfully navigated complex diplomatic situations, pulse-pounding legal investigations, and dangerous military missions, managing each time to save the day. But now, Fay finds herself faced with a task unlike anything she has ever tackled before: fierce mafioso Roman Justine, the man who had nearly cost Fay her life, has seemingly returned from the dead. Now, Justine, hellbent on revenge, poses a threat to Fay and national security. Fay will have to go to extraordinary lengths to stop him, even tampering with the bounds of time and space.

Katrinka Lavrova is a young Russian espionage agent who was discovered by Russian Navy Captain Lavrov at the age of nineteen. Katrinka was working as both a spy and a sparrow since age thirteen in order to support her aged parents. Lavrov rescues the woman and becomes her guardian. Captain Lavrov introduces Katrinka to Fay. Fay asks Katrinka to help her steal the top-secret plans from Roman Justine’s office safe. Fay grows fond of Kat and offers her a fresh start in the United States. Katrinka dares to hope for a better life by accepting Fay’s offer.

Genres: Thriller

205 pages, Paperback

Published March 15, 2022

About the author

Norm Harris' first novel debuted on an Amazon bestseller list in 2002. It was a one-and-done, but now he's back with a plan to publish the Spider Green Mystery Thriller Series from the first mystery/thriller of days gone by.
Except for time spent in military service, he is a second-generation Seattleite (that's what they call those who dwell in the shadow of Mt. Rainier), with his legal beagle son, K-K, and five giant tropical fish. Norm's stories spring from his memories of people who he has met and places and the places he has visited as he traveled the world. Diversity, inclusion, and equality are foremost in each story. "Fay is an admirable, tough, brilliant protagonist." said one reviewer. Said another, "Lt Commander Faydra Green from the JAG Corps is a “take no prisoners” protagonist..."
Watch for his four upcoming first quarter 2022 novels, "Fruit of the Poisonous Tree", "Arid Sea", "Deception Pass", and "The Girl Who Knew Death" in what he hopes to be an award-winning mystery thriller series. And in late 2022 his fifth book in the series "Rain and Wind and Fire".
Thank you for reading and if you enjoyed the stories please consider leaving a review!

Reviews

[N.N. Heaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enemy, long thought dead, rises from the oblivion with his sights set on Fay and her only recourse is to travel back in time. Navy lawyer Fay “Spider” Green may be the daughter of a previous US president but that only spurned her ambitions and drive. She’s not only helped solve many cases but works as a spy for the US government. Three women murdered keep her busy, but her latest assignment has her on board a ship named after her father and one she swore she would never set foot upon again. A man from her past resurfaces and this time he means to wreak revenge on her head. Fay must outsmart him and stay one step ahead of him if she wants to stay alive. She’ll do whatever it takes to bring him down, even if she has to transport through time. Will she succeed in bringing him down or will she become his next victim?

Deception Pass is a riveting time travel thriller from start to finish. I connected with Fay right away. The descriptive narration plunged me right into the middle of the action. Every twist and turn along with the suspenseful subplot and intense action scenes had my pulse racing and my heart thumping. The action scenes and the military/legal/spy details rang true in their accuracy. Fay is a kick-butt adrenaline-rushing heroine who knows how to hold her own. Norm Harris is a brilliant author who knows how to write thrillers. This is my first Norm Harris book, and it won’t be my last. Fans of James Patterson will love Deception Pass. If you’re a fan of pulse-pounding thrillers with a twist, pick up Deception Pass. Highly recommend!

Disclaimer: I received a copy from the author in the hopes I'd review it. My thoughts are all my own.

My Rating: 5+ stars

Reviewed by: Mrs. N

This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/po...

[Ms. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Strange occurrences and mysteries within mysteries occur. Deception Pass has teleporting abilities. Fay, the protagonist is a Navy lawyer. She is smart, insightful, tough, and even has a good sense of humor—which she would have to have considering her situation. While solving cases, someone is out to kill her. Her only way to survive may be to hunt the hunter and get him before he gets her. We she be able to do that?

Fay goes to Russia and meets up with some interesting allies. Around her, people seem to die, and this catches the eye of a Russian officer.

The military language is so spot-on that readers will feel like they are there in the scene as Fay looks into the murders of three servicemen’s wives. These men are accused of doing the deed. Did they do it? Fay must defend them against a prosecutor who is great at her job.

The several mini-plots wrap around each other and fill out the book nicely. A slight time-travel aspect comes into the story rather late and adds an interesting twist. Different types of relationships between the characters add an extra layer of depth to the story. For those who enjoy military mysteries, why not give this one a try?

[Karen Siddall · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exciting military adventure story that left me hungry for more of the series!

Deception Pass is the third book in Norm Harris’s exciting and action-filled military adventure series featuring Fay ‘Spider’ Green. It is the first in the series to appear in audiobook format, and narrator Maria McCann does a fantastic job giving voice to this strong female protagonist. She completely captures Fay’s personality, and her voice will forever be Fay’s to me. The story includes many other main or supporting characters, and McCann’s presentation skillfully makes each sound natural and unique. I never had trouble discerning which character was talking during an exchange of dialogue.

The story takes Fay and her crew from Washington state to Moscow, in both the present and the past, as both the hunter and the hunted. I found the plot fresh, interesting, and absorbing, and it kept me reading well past the time when I needed to call it a night. It was that good! There were many moments I loved but in particular I enjoyed Fay’s interactions with her Russian counterparts and her performance in the courtroom. I also liked the reappearance of characters from previous books. And don’t be worried about having to read through a recap of all that has gone on before; there is just enough backstory to lend understanding to the current action.

Speaking of which, although the third in the series, the story can be enjoyed as a standalone, but the pleasure would be enhanced by having read the previous books. However, using Deception Pass as your jumping-off point in the series will be dangerous; you will want to acquire those first two books “quick, fast, and in a hurry.” I was glad to see the next book in Fay’s story is already available as an audiobook, and I couldn’t help but snag it the minute this one concluded.

I recommend DECEPTION PASS for readers who enjoy military-based action-adventure thrillers with a side of sci-fi and time travel.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Faydra Green, known as Spider, has murders to solve and her own back to watch in this 3rd book of the Spider Green series.

This is a true mix of a thriller with a little fantasy. To be honest I didn’t know how I was going to feel when I read this was a legal thriller with some time-travel mixed in. Actually I didn’t see how it could work, but...Norm Harris seems to have done it. He’s created a suspenseful story with a little different storyline. He’s changed our picture of Spider Green, a kick-ass female super woman. Somehow, he’s kept her strength while introducing her weaknesses. He seems to have made her more human.

This is the third book I have read by Norm Harris. There are 4 in the series to date. When I started this one, I almost felt there was too much going on. But then I remembered that in my first review of his books (Fruit of the Poisonous Tree), I wrote that Harris seemed to be able to have many layers going on at one time. As I read on, I began to realize it’s something he handles with ease. Points and characters, and the plot, seem to unfold.

After thinking through what I am trying to describe (not very well I might add), I’m going to say this isn’t a beach read. It’s not a difficult read. But you need to really like thrillers. You need to like lots of suspense, “sit on the edge of your seat” type books. And...you need to like to concentrate a little on a deeply written fiction book.

I hope I’m doing this book the justice it deserves here. Spider Green is a great series. All have good reviews. Check them out. https://amzn.to/3NVQzO6

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overall: 4.5 out of 5, rounded to 5
Narration: 5 out of 5
Story: 4 out of 5

Overall: McCann did an excellent job of bringing the story to life, and adding a whole new level of depth to an already interesting story.

Narration: It was easy to get lost in this book while listening, and McCann made it easy to differentiate between characters. The pacing was perfect, I thought, and I didn’t need to adjust it while listening. She helps build the story tension with her voice, and makes the story even better than just reading it. I’d love to listen to more audiobooks narrated by her in the future!

Story: Fay returns in another great thriller. This round, someone from her past, thought dead, is out for revenge, and it might take a trip through time to save the day. Fay is just as strong and determined as she was in the earlier books, and it's easy for readers to fall in love with her (although I highly recommend starting the series from book one, you can easily jump in here). The action will absolutely get your heart racing, and the twists will have you wondering just what Harris has in store next. A great thriller with a light sci-fi twist!

[Gina Rae Mitchell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deception Pass is book three in the Spider Green military mystery thriller series by Norm Harris. You can read it as a standalone, but I think you will have a much richer experience reading the books in order. There is a lot to Fay's backstory that I feel adds significantly to this tale.

In this adventure, Faydra is challenged like never before. An old nemesis returns to exact revenge on Fay and doesn't care who gets hurt along the way. Eventually, this plot ties in with military murders, secrets, the Russian mafia, and a touch of Philadelphia Experiment time-travel thrown in for good measure. It's a wild ride!

The story is richly told in descriptive language with many added twists to hold the readers' interest. If you love a tightly woven, gripping military mystery with a bit of sci-fi, this is the book for you!


I received a copy of the book for a blog tour. This review is my honest, unbiased opinion.

[Lily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fay returns in another great thriller. This round, someone from her past, thought dead, is out for revenge, and it might take a trip through time to save the day. Fay is just as strong and determined as she was in the earlier books, and it's easy for readers to fall in love with her (although I highly recommend starting the series from book one, you can easily jump in here). The action will absolutely get your heart racing, and the twists will have you wondering just what Harris has in store next. A great thriller with a light sci-fi twist!

[T.P. Warren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fay was already an awesome, kick A$$ protagonist in the previous books, but this brings her to a whole new level. I loved that she traveled back in time, an unexpected and clever aspect to the series. The author writes with vivid imagery that puts you right there in the story. And the fast-paced action makes this book unputdownable. Twists and turns, a diabolical villain and a smart and tough female lead…what more could you want?

[Amy Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was one interesting story. Intrigue with intense drama. There are mysteries at every turn. The characters really bring so much to the story. I was surprised at how well thought out the story was. Definitely kept me on edge. A hit for me!

[Nancy (The Avid Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deception Pass started off with a blast and never let up from beginning to end. It kept me on the edge of my seat waiting to see what was around every corner on every page. Deception Pass pulled me into its world from the first word. The suspense kept me digging in page after page trying to guess what was going to happen next.

Faydra “Spider” Green, a Navy lawyer was called in to investigate a murder case. All the evidence pointed to the husband. After looking into the case Fay found that there were other cases where the evidence pointed toward the husband.

Each of these cases seems to have the same Modus operandi or MO. So the question now is who killed these women? Did their husbands do it? Were they even killed by the same person? Questions, questions all can be answered by reading Deception Pass.

In the meantime someone from Fay’s past that she thought was dead has now returned to haunt her. It seems that this person is still alive and still wants Fay dead. Fay must work hard to find a way to stop him once again before it is too late. Can she find this dude before he can find her? Can she find him and stop him from killing her?

I would recommend Deception Pass to anyone who is into crime, murder, mystery, suspense, and thriller stories. Grab your copy of Deception pass today!

[Christine Woinich · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an interesting tale. I loved how Fay Green worked with NCIS and her team to solve and defend the case. The premise was quite intriguing as well as to the cause of the murders. It was a bit heavy on the JAG information and such, but I did learn some things. The secondary characters added to the story, and I look forward to reading more by this author.

I received a copy of this story through Goddess Fish Promotions, and this is my unsolicited review.

Also, through Goddess Fish Promotions, I had the chance to listen to the audiobook. Maria McCann did a wonderful job bringing this story to life. The emotions were well defined, and as I listened, I felt that I got the more intimate connections between characters.