Fatal Illusions
4.8
5
17
17
Extreme Thriller!
Law enforcement authorities in the Cincinnati area are investigating the deaths of four young females murdered by strangulation with a magician's trick rope. A young man with delusions of grandeur fantasizes, practicing and honing his skills in magic, his aspiration to become the next great illusionist. In Chicago, a crazed woman is obsessed with her former pastoral counselor. False accusations and an ensuing scandal require the counselor's family to be placed on sabbatical in the North Woods of Michigan's upper peninsula until the scandal subsides. Caretaker of the grounds at a lighthouse and mansion, the counselor's family experience more than just a sabbatical.
Adam Blumer has unmistakably researched his topics and geographic locations down to the most careful details. His presentation is descriptive and dramatic, yet without gory scenes or obscenities, proof that great novels can be penned without sordid, graphic description. Numerous heightened emotions are encountered throughout this fast-paced novel, and overcome through prayer and faith, forgiveness and grace, harmoniously intertwined, creating a calming spiritual quality in the midst of adversity.
Fatal Illusions is an impressive, masterfully written suspense story containing multiple plots interwoven into an impressive, heart pounding, and unpredictable experience! This is suspense at its best, thrilling and volatile, undeniably the optimum in suspense in religious fiction. Shocking and unforeseen events come to light throughout this novel, creating a roller coaster ride to the very end.
"Fatal Illusions" is as good as it gets! Drama unfolds with an ever-increasing pace. I highly recommend this thriller of a suspense novel.
Disclaimer: For the purposes of FTC compliance, I hereby state that I have no vested financial interest in this book, and I have received no monetary compensation from the author or publisher. I received a PDF copy of this book from the author.
March 17, 2013
Someone is Watchful...Waiting
Haydon Owens, a wanna-be-Houdini, had made four young teenage girls, each with blonde hair, blue eyes, and wire-rimmed glasses, disappear. Wanting to change his life around and avoid police capture, he spirits himself off to a small cabin in Newberry, Michigan, where no one knows anything about him. Little did he know that heâÂÂd find another blonde, blue-eyed girl with wire-rim glasses that would enrage him.
Pastor Marc Thayer has been shot by a woman, Stacey James, who is obsessed with unrealistic romantic interludes with him, who screams that he tried to rape her. To put the media to rest and salvage the churchâÂÂs ministry over an alleged sex scandal, he, along with his wife, Gillian, and daughter, Crystal, is put on sabbatical up in Newberry, Michigan. Little does the Thayer family know who is out there ⦠watching them.
Adam Blumer starts his book, Fatal Illusions, with the murder of a young teenage girl, who feels like someone is always watching her, but she canâÂÂt see anyone is the wings.
He fast forwards us four years into the midst of media frenzy over an alleged rape/possible affair that involves Pastor Marc Thayer and Stacey James. The dialogue between Pastor Marc and his church staff, as well as his wifeâÂÂs questioning conversations are real and relevant for the circumstances. You can feel the anguish of GillianâÂÂs mistrust of her husbandâÂÂs possible infidelity. The reality of a mandated sabbatical leaves all three family members in consternation, yet they are forced to move on.
From the moment that the Thayer family strikes out on their way to Newberry, the author ups the ante with fast-paced twists and turns amongst a serial killer, a rejected woman, and an unsuspecting family. Of course, most of the intense activity is set in the evening, which inflates your level of fear, as nighttime always makes the suspense more eerie and frightful, something the author plays on throughout the story line.
Tucked in between the suspense and danger, Adam throws in some romance to lower the intensity of the scenes, while keeping your mind on the killings at the edges of your mind. ItâÂÂs a fine-line approach that intertwines superbly.
The character that I loved the most is Crystal. Her innocence and love of music endears her to my heart. She doesnâÂÂt like the upheavals in her life, but she doesnâÂÂt make a scene about it.
The constant prayers of newly-involved retired FBI agent Chuck Riley, as well as the Thayers and their friends, is interspersed throughout the episodes naturally. They are constantly giving thanks and glory to the Lord in every circumstance. Yes, they definitely have doubts and anger, but they encourage one another to trust that the Lord is in control of everything that happens.
This book was provided by the author, Adam Blumer, through Susan Sleeman of The Suspense Zone, in exchange for my honest review. No monetary compensation was exchanged.
December 12, 2011
Very good book fast moving, once you start reading you will not want to put it down, I read that this is the first book for this author, I know I will read more of his books when they come out.
March 30, 2010
The thing I loved about this book was the solid,Christian heroes & heroines, showing good values and good judgement. Sad to say, it seems to be "cool" nowadays for Christian authors to focus on less than spiritual heroes. The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 was predtictability. I would've liked to seen a few "red herrings" or plot twists instead of it being so obvious who the bad guy was. All in all, though, an enjoyable read.
February 17, 2010
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