Customer Reviews

Point Deception

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I picked up this book expecting to be disappointed. I have been reading the Sharon McCone series so long that I didn't think that Ms. Muller could write anyone as well. I was wrong. I picked up this book yesterday and couldn't put it down until I read the last word. Rho and Guy are two very sympathetic but human characters with terrible past experiences that they have managed to overcome-mostly. The novel is set in a little coastal town in Northern California. Almost thirteen years ago, horrible massacre occurred in Cascade Canyon. Six adults and two children were brutally murdered. Only one child survived. The tragedy pretty much killed the spirit of the town, and almost destroyed Deputy Rho Swift. Guy Newberry, a writer who specializes in stories about towns in trouble, is researching a book about the murders and their effect on the community. Together, they work to solve the murders and get past their pasts.

As a mystery author who juggles two protagonists (one for novels and one for short stories)with varying degrees of success, I am amazed at Marcia Muller's masterful flexibility. Sharon McCone is certainly her most famous lead. There are also some books with Elena Olivarez or Joanna Stark in the lead. Each series has its own tone and subject matter, perfectly appropriate for each series. In POINT DECEPTION, Marcia Muller has either written a magnificent stand-alone thriller or a solid debut of a new mystery series. POINT DECEPTION is basically a police procedural starring Deputy Sheriff Rhoda Swift. She is haunted by a mass murder dating from the start of her career and as the anniversary of that murder rolls around a New York writer named Guy Newberry shows up to write about the unsolved homicides. More deaths occur in time present, and Rho wants to solve all of the crimes. Rho Swift is a complex character. She carries this book, and she could carry a series. The plot is complicated yet believable, and Ms. Muller's writing is up to its usual highest standards. We have a terrific book here.

writes an outstanding, complex tale of murder and betrayal, even when the book does not feature old favorite Sharon McCone.

Point Deception tells the story of Rhoda Swift, a young deputy in a rural California location who has been unable to bury the past of her first murder case, a case that has never been solved.

A well-known writer is tricked into exploring the area, and uncovering the old case, just as new murders, linked in some way
to the old case, occur. His friendship with Rhoda turns into
a partnership that leads them back in time, and through some terrifying moments, to discover the full truth.

Muller uses different points of view, most notably that of the newest victim, explored before her death takes place, to weave her tale. One of Muller's strong points is her character development; many of the characters here are rich with strong opinions, and no one in this small town can cast stones at any of the other residents - all have contributed to the decay and depression that pervades, and the cynicism that arises from that feeling. Also an impressive creator of scenic areas that come alive under her pen, Muller gives us a stark view of the crime scenes and the forest canyon area that contains the murder secrets of the past.

You'll find the book difficult to put down once you've started, so set aside some time!

Review Summary: Point Deception is a strong novel, built around a superb sense of place. The context is built up lovingly through eerie scenes, action by the characters, and flashbacks. To this, Ms. Muller has added two powerful situations, a mass murder that occurred 13 years earlier that still haunts the town and a young woman stranded with a broken down car while passers-by ignore her. The action revolves around the parallel investigations of current and past events by the local sheriff's department and county detectives and an expose writer looking to create his next book. The main character, Deputy Sheriff Rhoda (Rho) Swift, will inevitably be compared to Sharon McCone, Ms. Muller's most famous fictional character. I found Ms. Swift to be less quirky and less humorous, but just as appealing and feisty. Ms. Muller is talented in setting up a book about having one or two characters take on a whole town, and Point Deception is her best work in that style.

Review: In the best mystery stories, the place sometimes becomes the center of the story. Think about The Hound of the Baskervilles. Rarely do mystery novelists have the skill and the patience to build that element properly. Marcia Muller has done so in Point Deception, and you will feel very rewarded by this richly located story. Ms. Muller always employs place well in her stories, but I think this is her best work in that regard.

Many will inevitably compare this book to Bitterroot. Point Deception is much better done in every way, from handling of the place to unfolding the plot to the development of the characters.

Signal Port, California is a small town with a past that it doesn't like to talk about. In the fall of 1987, two families and a friend were gunned down on their rural property. The investigation was muffed, in part by not calling in the FBI and in part by some misplaced blood samples. Almost everyone who lived in the town then has seen their lives changed by the event . . . for the worse. As a result, they've withdrawn, taken to more drink, and become mean to each other. Five days before the 13th anniversary of the killings, three women disappear. Could there be a connection to the previous massacre?

Point Deception is a brilliantly symbolic name for this novel, because everyone in the book has several major deceptions going on . . . including self-deceptions in some cases. The story opens powerfully with a frantic woman next to a broken down car, anxious to get help. Cars whiz by, including a sheriff's vehicle, but no one helps her. The fog builds, the temperature drops, and she grows frightened. That situation draws you powerfully into the story, and never lets go. That story line continues with flashbacks throughout the book.

The main story is built around the daily activities of Rho Swift as she goes about her sheriff's deputy duties. She has seen the woman who was stranded, but was called away by a shooting just as she was about to stop and help. Early in the book, she meets stranger Guy Newberry, who is a best selling author from New York who specializes in writing exposes on small towns. The locals don't want him around, but cannot get rid of him. Rho and Guy develop a wary relationship that contributes to solving the mystery.

One of the pleasures of this book is that you can arrive with new characters without any preconceptions. In a long-running series, you have expectations. I hope that Ms. Muller will continue with these characters, and leave them open to changes in their lives, work styles, and characters. In this book, people do change . . . or they are harmed in the process of trying to remain the same. With such a rich beginning, this series could become Ms. Muller's best.

After you finish enjoying this fine novel, I suggest you think about how you can be sure that you do not ignore people in trouble. The lesson here seems to be that we should assume that no one else will help unless we do.

Seek out ways to help!

All of them passed her along the road intending to help but other matters drew their attention. Days later, the body of the young woman is found. Those who passed her by share their regrets. Deputy Rhoda Swift was one of them who passed by the stranded motorist. Now as she deals with thid new death, she must face the ghosts of an unsolved mass murder of thirteen years ago. There too, she has her regrets.

Welcome onto the scene this new character of Marcia Muller's canon of mystery. Point Deception puts us into a closed knit community where everyone is responsible for everyone but when a mass murder occurs the place closes tight like a clam shell. This new murder only serves as a catalyst to cause the world to refocus itself on a town gone paranoid.

Swift finds herself attempting to confront those demons while working on the case. A hot shot author from New York comes to town asking questions that people resent. Swift's mentor starts to get overly violent and the town works in a conspiracy to keep things quiet.

Rhoda is methodical, sensitive and cares about her work but you find a side of her that stays in denial. Guy Newberry, the writer, has his own demons to exorcise but feels the deep pain of Rhoda. The two of them team up to solve not only this present murder but to resolve the massacre of years past.

The characters are captivating and the mystery itself is intriguing as you attempt to understand what makes this community tick. Swift is a great character in this new series that will put Sharon McCone to shame. Enjoy Point Deception.

Soledad County Deputy Sheriff, Rhoda Swift, had only been on the job three weeks when she was called to the scene of the mass murders in Cascada Canyon. A terrifying, grisly scene with eight dead, two of them children, all shot. Mistakes were made, evidence was lost and the case was still unsolved. The town and townspeople of Signal Port had never been the same, circling in a downward spiral ever since that fateful night. Now, thirteen years later, on the anniversary of the murders, New York City true-crime writer, Guy Newberry, has shown up to research the massacre for a book he's planning to write about a "town in trouble". No one wants Guy bringing attention to what is left of their small town and the infamous event most feel is best forgotten and Signal Port closes ranks. But when the body of a young woman is found, washed up off Point Deception, and within days two other women go missing, the town hunkers down, full of fear and suspicion, afraid that their lurid history may be repeating itself..... Marcia Muller has written an intriguing mystery/thriller that's about to take you on a fast paced, roller coaster of a ride. The tight, compelling and intricate plot and vivid, riveting scenes are full of atmosphere and you can almost feel the damp, chilly fog and smell the ocean as you read. Her well drawn, interesting characters come alive on the page and Ms Muller's indepth knowledge of Northern California and her painstaking attention to detail add real credibility to the story. Add to that a stunning climax and very satisfying ending and you have the makings of a well written, superb thriller that should be at the top of every mystery fan's "must read" list. Marcia Muller never disappoints and she's not starting now!

Almost thirteen years ago, Rhoda Swift's career in law enforcement seemed over before it started. She was a rookie when she was the first officer to arrive at the site of the massacre of two families including children. However, the blood samples needed to potentially identify the killer were somehow lost and the first year cop took the blame though she knew she was innocent.

Hard work has helped her overcome some of her loss of credibility with the Soledad County, California deputy sheriff department. Five days before the anniversary that started Rhoda's nightmares, journalist Guy Newberry arrives to write the definitive true story about the crime. October would have been enough to raise fears, but with the New Yorker mucking around followed by a new murder, apprehensions attain dangerous levels, as no one in the county trusts anyone else.

POINT DECEPTION is an exciting police procedural that centers on collective guilt and redemption. The townsfolk still feel culpable for the deaths of the two families and the recent homicide while Rhoda sees a second chance to prove her worthiness as a detective. The story line is cleverly designed to highlight emotions and reactions and Guy brings in the right mix of romance and cynicism that strengthens those feelings. However, most Marcia Muller fans will keep expecting for the great Sharon McCone to show up at High Noon. Rhoda is a good protagonist, but readers know McCone, and consider McCone a friend, and Rhoda is definitely no McCone.

Harriet Klausner

Thinking that I had one of the latest Sharon McCone mysteries, I happily took it home from the library, only to discover that this book is about an entirely new character, Rhoda Swift, a sheriff's deputy. In spite of my negative vibes I proceeded with the book and enjoyed it thoroughly. As always, Marcia Muller catches the essence of the California coast and she weaves a wonderful story into a beautiful background. Deputy Rhoda Swift has never gotten over the multiple murders which occurred in her territory 13 years previously, and old memories are dredged up when another murder occurs near the anniversary of the deaths. A writer named Guy Newberry comes to town with a plan to write about the murders,and he and Rhoda form a bond based on past hurts in their lives. Muller creates a nice blend of mystery and romance and leaves plenty of room for future installments in this series.

I've read three Marcia Muller mysteries recently. The first two were from her Sharon McCone series, and I found a later McCone much better than an earlier book. Was I astounded to discover that Point Deception (not part of the McCone series) is an awesome story!

Point Deception is seen through the eyes of two scarred individuals. Guy Newberry is a writer whose specialty is finding the secrets of towns in trouble. But he's pretty much given up his lucrative career when his photographer-wife was killed on a joint story three years previous. Rhoda "Rho" Swift is a sheriff's deputy in fictional Soledad County, California. Rho is still haunted by demons from her first crime scene--the grisly murder of eight people living commune-style in Cascada Canyon. The 13 year old crime was never solved, and the county closed ranks to outsiders. The brother of one of the victims convinces Newberry to investigate this unsolved case, and Newberry is intrigued enough to travel from NYC to California.

Newberry faces many obstacles in his investigation. Many townspeople continue to be spooked by the murders. Some refuse to cooperate with him. The sheriff's department made multiple errors that hindered the investigation, which calls suspicion to them as well. But there are several residents who have secrets to share that may shed light on this case. When Newberry arrives, it looks like another killing spree may have started on the eve of the anniversary of the Cascada Canyon murders. This opens up the old wounds and brings the nightmares back. But it also unleashes a chain of events that will ultimately help Newberry and Swift to solve the mystery together.

It is hard for me to believe that Point Deception is written by Marcia Muller--the same author who writes the Sharon McCone series. The writing is hard and gritty and the characters are more deep and tortured. It's a book I'd expect from Michael Connelly. Muller's husband is writer Bill Pronzini, so it's possible that some of his influence has rubbed off. If I were Muller, I'd start a series with Rhoda Swift. I think she's a much more interesting character.

I just happened upon this book and bought it because it sounded interesting and I was looking for something different. I am happy I picked it up. It was a very good mystery that had interesting and believable characters, and a wonderful atmosphere. I liked the two main characters and their background stories. Everything came together very nicely and it was an enjoyable ending. I will definitely be reading another one of Muller's books. My only complaint was that the narratives were a little choppy at times, but it was only a minor flaw in the book and didn't significantly affect the overall feel of the book. I highly recommend it to all murder mystery lovers.