Crack the façade… Expose the truth…

A toxic arrival. The villagers enthralled. What will it take to show the reality of what lives among them?

Laura Brown has already had a tough year. What she doesn’t need is someone making it worse. But when her friend’s cottage is rented out, that’s exactly what happens as her life, and the village she loves, are invaded by someone from her past.

Laura has learned how to react to her abuser. With silence. With indifference. No one else sees the danger in their midst. That is until her friends are affected and the time comes for Laura to remember who she really is.

With the help of a mysterious visitor and Laura’s friend, Harry O’Connor, a plan forms, but when a lack of discretion threatens to derail it, Laura finds help comes from the most unlikely place.

Driven by Deceit is a gripping domestic suspense novel. If you like character-driven action, suspenseful storytelling and unexpected twists, then you’ll love this psychological thriller.

My Review:

I have long enjoyed Georgia Rose’s writing and have followed the A Shade Darker series from book one. So I was thrilled to receive an advance copy of her latest offering. This fifth story of the characters who live in Melton is as riveting as the first four. Gradually we have become familiar with them and in Driven by Deceit we return to one of my favourite characters, Laura, the owner of the riding stables, who we were introduced to in Georgia Rose’s first story, A Killer Strikes.

And what a return: Laura’s life is turned upside down by her nemesis, her former stepmother. And so the plot begins.

 I try not to give spoilers in my reviews so I’ll concentrate in what captivates me about this author’s work.

The characters, particularly the protagonists, are, as always so well rounded that the reader instantly becomes engrossed in their story, immediately cares what happens to them.

And no less so with the supporting characters in the book. In Driven by Deceit we see the struggles of Pip, who works for Laura at the stables, and witness the dilemma that Harry faces, also an employee of Laura’s, but really so much more. And then there’s the antagonist, Cecelia, the erstwhile stepmother. Together with the cast of villages, we are drawn in again: to cheer on, to hate, to frown over, become exasperated by, to laugh with, to weep with.

 As always the dialogue is meticulously distinctive to each villager, the idiosyncrasies and habits identify them, and the exchanges between them all is realistic.

And then there is the setting of Melton: the houses, the pub, the stables, the shop, and the countryside around. All described in such detail that they are images that can be brought instantly to mind. The author uses all five senses to reveal a brilliant sense of place.

 What else can be said, other than yet again, this is a captivating read with an engrossing plot.

One word of warning – well, not really a warning, just a bit of encouragement to any reader who is drawn to books beautifully written, with gripping plots. I would suggest they begin with the first book in the A Shade Darker series, A Killer Strikes. and work their way through to this, the fifth and last book … for now! I promise they will not be disappointed.

So, yes, I highly recommend Driven by Deceit (due to be published in 1st May 2026: https://tinyurl.com/2m5f6umk), as I have done with the four previous books.