Network of Deceit

 Title: Network of Deceit

Author: Tom Threadgill

Series: Amara Alvarez #2

Publisher: Revell

Genre: Thriller/Suspense

Synopsis:

 After her rescue of nearly fifty kidnapped children made international headlines, Amara Alvarez gets what she's worked for: a transfer to San Antonio's Homicide Division. Reality sets in quickly, though, as her first case, the suspicious death of a teenager at a crowded local water park, brings chaos to her personal life.

As the investigation moves forward and she increases the pressure on the suspects, Amara finds herself under attack by cybercriminals. Her every move is being potentially watched online, and she's forced to resort to unconventional methods to find the killer. With few leads, she fights to keep her first murder investigation from ending up in the cold case files.

Tom Threadgill is back with another riveting page-turner featuring the detective who is willing to put everything on the line to see that justice is served and lives are protected.

My Review:

Tom Threadgill's Network of Deceit is the second book in the Amara Alvarez series. While it can be read as a stand-alone novel, I highly recommend reading the first book, Collision of Lies. The first book gives the reader a good feel for the characters, while the second book builds upon that foundation. Network of Deceit also references some incidents in Collision of Lies, so it would make the second book that much richer knowing what happened in the first. 

Amara Alvarez has finally been moved over to the homicide department of SAPD and she is excited when she gets her first case. At first glance, it seems like a simple case, but as more details emerge, the case has Amara questioning everything. Things escalate quickly and she finds herself in the middle of a dangerous game. Will Amara be able to handle the conflicts in the office and on the case? Or will she give up and decide homicide is not for her? 

We met Starsky in Collision of Lies, he is also a homicide detective and ends up being Amara's sounding board whenever she needs advice. Their friendship continues to grow in this novel, and they are very real with each other. Their witty humor, crazy antics, and the way they handle conflict enhance the story.

Threadgill's writing is amazing. I was extremely impressed with Collision of Lies, and while sometimes second books do not do as well as the first, this one was just as well-written. While writing about cybercrimes, Threadgill explains in easy-to-understand ways, so that everything is easy to understand. He brings in interesting characters who are passionate about their jobs and hobbies to cover this in the depth that it needs. I found this book to be fast-paced, intriguing, funny at times, with doses of serious reality. There are a lot of twists and turns, and as with any great thriller, Network of Deceit keeps you guessing to the very end. 

I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves a great thriller. It is phenomenal, with strong character development, real people with real problems, and leaves you wondering and hoping that there will be a third book. Again, I highly recommend this book!