Hidden Deception by Leann Harris

Leann Harris weaves an intricate mystery in her "Love Inspired Suspense" novel Hidden Deception. While suspense carries the story, this has the flavors of a traditional whodunit and I licked my chops at the challenge.

Set amidst the charm of the older area of Santa Fe, New Mexico, Ms. Harris draws a picture of deceit, personal agendas and hushed connections. The secrets in this book are so thick, they unfold in layers, enticing the reader to expose a little more.
Elena Jackson's childhood horror of seeing her mother die at the hands of her father returns full-force when she finds the body of a co-worker in the antique store belonging to her adoptive parents. Police Detective Daniel Stillwater is assigned to solve the case. As the tendrils of a romance begin to form between them, he finds his greater priority is to keep Elena alive.

The characters are well-drawn with quirks, deep-seeded pain, and strong faith that makes them believable. Throughout, she uses her heroes to communicate truths, like "God's brought you through one horror. He'll bring you through this." (Diane) and "Don't blame yourself. It will cripple you." (Daniel) She shows how the characters focus on the Lord during their entire struggle, and uses scripture interspersed throughout.

So did I peg the murderer before it became obvious? Yes - but the path could just as easily veered into several different directions up until the end and any one of the other possible culprits would have been just as believable.

My verdict? A grand mystery!

Updated 9-18-11 While this was a pleasant mystery, I didn't consider it suspenseful at all. At the end, when I said the path could just as easily veered into several different directions, that's not really such a good thing. As a reader, I don't want to have to guess who the murderer is, even if I'm right. I want to be able to deduce the solution. Finally, while the characters have all the items mentioned, they are not very deep. The relationship between the two protagonists is sweet, but not intense, and their comments tend to lean a little toward the preachy side. I liked it, even more toward the middle and end than at the beginning. It was an easy-going ride and sometimes I need those to breathe between the intensity of others.

What was the last mystery you read?