"She wanted to escape, not make any decision at all, to backpedal into the world of "before," before her kidneys failed her. But she couldn't go back, and she wasn't at all sure she had the courage to go forward. She balled her fists, whether in fury or frustration she could not have said."
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Deadly Deception by Elizabeth Bruening Lewis Trafford Publishing
book review by Wendy Strain
Deadly Deception is a pleasant read full of vivid description and decorous action. Lewis' heroine Abby Taylor returns, this time with her friend David Neale firmly by her side. Visiting another part of Arizona to get away from the Phoenix heat while Neale's home in Flagstaff is remodeled, the couple quickly become involved with the eclectic local community and a series of suspicious, even criminal, events.
Taking a slightly different approach from her earlier works, Lewis focuses more on the history of Arizona, particularly as it developed in and was affected by the Prescott area. A great deal of information about the state and the women who played a role in its development is conveyed within the pages of this historical mystery. While this history is conveyed appropriately through the plot and is entwined with the action of the characters, there are times when it almost overwhelms the story itself. Lewis rarely allows it to get out of control, though, and ensures it has a unifying theme with the primary conflict.
As in earlier titles in this series, Lewis continues to be concerned with the environment in this novel, still encouraging a path of reasoned cooperation rather than diametric opposition. Whereas earlier works examined issues related to mining, this novel is concerned with the struggle between individual ranchers and big money land developers. However, it is the inner conflict within Abby herself that drives the main action. Currently vacationing with David in the knowledge that he is remodeling his home to accommodate her, Abby finds herself face to face with some possibly life-altering decisions to make.