Victor Methos

The Deceiving Look by Victor Methos
Shepard & Gray #3

Was it suicide or murder? Sheriff Billie Gray isn’t convinced and asks recluse Solomon Shepard for his opinion. The photo she shows him triggers a dark memory and nearly shuts him down. This is a complex, intricately woven, intense, mystery with complicated characters that have intriguing backgrounds. At times I wondered if I had stepped into a series as bits and pieces of back history was revealed and yet it is a brilliant story whether it is a standalone story or part of a series as enough information is given for each character to flesh them out and each tidbit is released at just the right time. As I post this I see that it is book three and I read book two but not the first book in the series.

What I liked:
* Billie Gray: sheriff, daughter of the previous sheriff, has a temper, strong, intelligent, good leadership qualities, has a stalker to deal with while also dealing with politicians and her staff and a big murder investigation
* Solomon Shepard: survivor, in the past has worked as a psychologist, social worker and lawyer, from a dysfunctional family that the more I heard about the more I hoped he’d end up okay, intriguing man with potential if he is to star in future books
* Mazie: police officer recently hired by Billie, spunky, bright, eager, far from home, has a temper, reminds Billie of herself, has a run-in with the wrong person toward the end of the book
* The twists and turns, red herrings, potential killers hinted at, action-packed sequences, emotional issues to be dealt with, and personal information about each character that was shared over time
* The plot, pacing, setting, and writing
* That I became invested in the story and wanted to know what would happen
* That I liked and could relate to the characters actually felt part of the story at times
* The conclusion of the story and wondering if there would be another book to follow this one

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* Thinking about how different (and wrong) some people in society can be if they are okay with doing what some of the characters did in this book

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars… (mer)

Redemption Journey
Review of the Thomas and Mercer Kindle eBook (July 1, 2019) released simultaneously with the Thomas and Mercer hardcover edition.

I don't read Victor Methos books very often. I usually pick them up when they come on sale as an Audible or Kindle Deal of the Day. I have then taken to grabbing them immediately as I've found them to be reliable lawyer fiction (as opposed to, for example, the rel="nofollow" target="_top">last John Grisham novel) and often compelling reads, even if some of the situations are rather unrealistic and many of the characters or tropes stereotypical.

It was much the same with The Hallows. High-flying Miami defense attorney Tatum Graham has an existential crisis, quits his job and goes on a redemption journey which takes him back to his home town in Utah. There he meets the long lost love of his youth and attempts a reconciliation with his estranged father. Switching sides, he joins the team of the county attorney's office to take the lead on a local murder case prosecution which has repercussions throughout the community. I enjoyed this one quite a bit, especially for its satisfactory conclusion. It is even my highest rated Victor Methos novel to date. Maybe I'll even consider picking one up as a new release some time.

I read The Hallows thanks to a Kindle Deal of the Day for $1.99 on December 3rd, 2023.… (mer)

OH. MY. GOD!! I LOVED THIS BOOK AND TATUM!! I barely understood Tatum's need to leave town, settle as a high paid attorney in Miami who never lost a case! I didn't like that it took twenty years to return home to learn that his dad was dying of Cancer. After he learned his wealthy client had been guilty of murdering his wife and afterwards he killed her sister too, I could understand why he returned home and got involved with a teenager's death of tortured, rape, and violence that shook up the entire town. AN EXCELLENT READ, BRAVO!!!… (mer)

I love thrillers especially those that give me a run for my money. This is no exception to that. Its not really a fast paced book from beginning to end but once it picks up momentum I just couldn't stop reading the last few chapters.
I was a bit frustrated and annoyed in part with the main character Jessica Yardley, here we have this well established, smart Prosecuting attorney and there are moments in this book that she really does some questionable things on the borderline of "is this ethical for her, as a prosecutor to do"? I won't spoil it for anyone as I am positive when you read this you should come to the same conclusion. There are also moments if she was a real person I might want to shake her and yell "don't be so stupid" LOL, that's how frustrated she got me. However eventually the book caught up to what I somewhat predicted and gave me me what I didn't expect or predict which of course was great.
This is a perfect thriller to read if you enjoy crime fiction with some predictability and a lot of WTF moments! Characters will draw you in and have you upset or happy but overall keep you enthralled.

4 stars because yes while I very much enjoyed this, I also didn't enjoy some of the character choices and I will leave it at that so I don't spoil things.… (mer)