Customer Reviews

Deadly Deceptions

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The second installment in LLM's series is even better than the first book was. I love the paranormal elements and can't wait to find out how things go when Mojo begins to work with her new partner. I am literally salivating for the next one.

WONDERFUL!
If anyone is wishing they had a really good book to read over their summer vacation, DEADLY DECEPTIONS is it! Mojo Sheepshanks is wonderful! In this sequel to DEADLY GAME, Mojo, a PI who sees ghosts, is approached by the ghost of a 7-year-old deaf-mute girl, Gillian. Not knowing sign language, Mojo tries her hardest to solve the murder of this sweet little girl. However, Mojo's brother-in-law ends up dead as well, and she is off trying to solve this murder. When Greer, Mojo's sister becomes a prime suspect in her husband's brutal death, Mojo desperately tries to help in anyway her can. Tucker Darroch, a homicide cop and lover of Mojo, provides support and they find themselves engrossed in more then they can handle. Or have they? Linda Lael Miller has really out did herself in this series of stories. I found myself wishing that the story would go on and on. Don't miss this one for the summer!

In Cave Creek, Arizona private investigator Mary Josephine "Mojo Sheepshanks" Mayhugh knows she lacks experience, but her ability to communicate with ghosts gives her edge to overcome her sleuthing naïveté. Mojo is adamant that her mission in life is to help those unable to move on find peace by resolving what keeps them hanging around the moral plane. At the same she depends on these otherworldly assistants to help her with her mortal cases.

Following a ballet lesson, seven-year-old deaf-mute Gillian Pellaway is strangled; her stepfather is accused of the crime as he was taking her home; Gillian pleads with Mojo to help prove his innocence. Soon after that someone kills womanizing Alex Pennington; Mojo's wannabe boyfriend homicide detective Tucker Darroch arrests the victim's wife Greer, Mojo's adopted sister.

The second Mojo paranormal private investigative tale (see DEADLY GAMBLE) is a terrific tale filled with dead and live red herrings, plenty of twists, and ghosts who demand the heroine solve their case. Mojo with her mumbo and moxie makes DEADLY DECEPTION fun to follow as she uses spiritual assistance to find hard proof that Greer is innocent in spite of her having the means, motive, and opportunity. With two Mojo mysteries so far, Linda Lael Miller appears to have a hit series for fans to appreciate.

Harriet Klausner

It had been awhile since reading Deadly Gamble, so I had forgotten what it was about or if I even liked it much. However, it didn't take me long to catch up and remember while reading Deadly Deceptions. What impressed me about that fact is it wasn't done with boring recaps or redone flashbacks. It was written so well into the story it was seamless.

This was a fast-paced exciting book. I couldn't put it down. Mojo is a great character. What a great name, too. Mojo Sheepshanks. I had a hard time picturing her in all her sundresses and sandals, though. With a name like that I kept picturing her in jeans, t-shirts, and boots. But, she is a character with depth.

I enjoyed the story premise of The Sixth Sense. She sees dead people. It was great. I only wish she'd gotten the "I love you" from Tucker. I love a romantic declaration. Maybe next book.
This is a series I will keep reading.

I won't rehash the plot- previous posters have done an excellent job with that, but I will just say I loved the 1st book, and though I enjoyed reading this one,too, I found it so sad and depressing. I hope LLM lets at least one or two things go well for Mojo in the next book,and she gets a little happiness in some aspect of her life, or I don't think I'll read anymore in the series.It's a wonder she's not a drunk, suicidal addict of some kind with the black cloud that seems to hover over her entire life. A little strife makes a character interesting, but bad things in every area of her life just left me feeling drained by the time I finished the book.

Deadly Deceptions is number 2 in the Mojo Sheepshanks series by Linda Lael Miller, author of several other series such as the excellent "Look" series and various western themed romance books such as the "McKettrick" series.

Mojo is a somewhat unlikely heroine. In Deadly Gamble she discovered she can communicate with dead people, which isn't as macbre as it sounds. She sees them in order to get them justice, usually by solving their murders. They are not ghostly apparitions, but the closest I can describe them is living in a parallel universe, and have substance like a normal being.

Unravelling the mystery involves suspense, and can put you on the edge of your seat at times, but it does not make you squirm like a Patricia Cornwell. It is a lighter read than a Tami Hoag suspense, e.g. Dark Horse, Alibi Man, Dark Sky (which are all excellent books by the way).

This book centred around a little girl who is abducted and murdered on her way home from ballet class, but there were lots of sub-plots involving Mojo's adopted sisters and others including her cop boyfriend's children. The twist came near the end and I found it quite shocking when I realised why the person/persons did it. I don't want to reveal too much here!!

Mojo inherited a Biker Bar and lives in apartment above this, and not in a particularly great part of town. Read Deadly Gamble first for how this occurred, which is an interesting story regarding witness protection, etc. There are lots of interesting, and some really scary characters, one of which had me looking under my bed for several nights.

If you like animals, there are some great dogs in the book, and it was a very heart warming, but not syrupy ending. It is very well written and the dialogue and plots flowed very well.

I would definitely recommend buying this book or visiting your local library for a copy. I read it cover to cover and let the family order in Chinese for dinner because I just couldn't put it down. I have since lent it to two friends who also loved the book.

Definitely a keeper, but I'd suggest you buy it in conjunction with Deadly Gamble and read that first.

Linda Lael Miller has written another great story in the Mojo series. I enjoyed watching Tucker and Mojo's relationship mature, the interaction with his children and ex-wife, and the relationship between the three "sisters". Several questions were answered in this book and with the appearance of Max - we are now led to book number 3.

The mystery was well written, I had a hint of who the killer would be early on...but was still surprised by some of it. I enjoyed seeing Mojo become stronger and making some personal decisions. Over all, this was a very enjoyable read. I look forward to the next one.

I just finished the second installment of Mojo's saga and I gave it 5 stars just because I think it's well written and I enjoy most of LLM's later books. I could never get into the early historical ones but liked all the Springcreek and McKettrick's. IT seemed Mojo and Tucker have moved forward in their relationship in this book and perhaps by book 3 will figure out where they are going. I felt Tyler gives more to the relationship honestly than Mojo does but think she's afraid she'll get hurt. One minute Mojo can't live without Tucker and the next she won't even take his phone calls. There is a very humorous incident in this book of how Tucker gets Mojo to call him.

I thought perhaps the Paranormal was a little much in this book. There was some in Deadly Gamble and some of it is okay but thought it was a bit much in this one. Practically everyone Mojo met turned out to be a ghost. IT seemed like there were just too many dead people in this one whether they died years ago or died in the process of this book, it was a little over the top. Also I felt there was maybe almost too much going on at one time. Mojo was running from one story line to another until though I wasn't confused, I don't think the normal person could deal with that many things at one time. Well this is fiction so guess it can work.

There of course was the humor and a dog which we must have to be a good LLM book.

I'm anxious to see what Linda does with all the loose ends in this book. The biggest problem; it is so long before she gets to the sequels I have forgotten what the previous book was about. I believe it was about 2 years between Deadly Gamble and Deadly Deceptions.

All in all I think most will like the book though I really am not convinced Mojo is much of a detective and she needs to learn to be more honest with people. Most of her life was a lie so as a character study that could be interesting to see her change and be more trusting. Who knows what LLM has in store for our Mojo.

Kind of an afterthought; it would be nice to know what Tucker's thoughts are on things which we never really get because of the style of writing as Mojo telling the story so she must be in every scene for it to work.

In this book we see the return of Mojo Sheepshanks from Deadly Gamble. Mojo is a PI (sort of) has an obsession with self help books and oh yeah she sees dead people. In this episode of Mojo's life she helps solve the murder of a 7year old girl who's ghost visits her. If that's not enough her sister is suspected of killing her cheating Dr. husband and her on again off again fling with HOT cop Tucker is really on again. This book made me cry and laugh and Mojo is a character that you can't help loving. It's definitely worth the read.

This is my first Linda Lael Miller novel. It was well wriiten with loveable, quirky characters. The twists and turns in this story put many mystery writers to shame. Mojo and her group of unorthodox half-sisters, companion ghosts, divorced cop/lover, and dog remind me of the TV series Medium but with more piazzas and high jinxes. I can't wait for book three. Hopefully Mojo and Max( ghost FBI agent) will join forces and become an unnatural force that villians will have to contend with. Now onto read Deadly Gamble. Congrats Ms. Miller on an exceptional novel!