Liz Loves Books.Com.

Publication Date: Available now

Thank you to the author for the review copy.

Ellie is a dreamer and her dreams often find their way into her writing. Inexperienced, and under no illusions about her own attractiveness, she is shocked and delighted when a fellow student, the enigmatic Adam, starts to pay her attention. Although Adam is secretive about his own life, she resolves to record every moment of this exciting time and her journal will prove to be critical when her friends suspect she is in real danger. What they read seems to confirm all their fears, but how much of it can we believe?

So in “Deceiving Ellie” we are hearing from the main character via her diary entries as she tells the story of how she meets Adam  – an enigmatic and good looking guy who pays her attention and flatters her. He behaves a little strangely but she puts it down to shyness – when he asks her to go away for a caravan holiday, she jumps at the chance. But all may not be as it seems.

This is a well written tale, if a little long winded in places, I still found the ambience of Ellie’s entries to be quite charming. Obviously a bit naive, a girl who dreams of true love and allows herself to trust a little too easily, it has an open and chatty style that suits the character perfectly. Once they arrive at their destination, things take a sinister turn as Adam’s behaviour becomes ever more strange and erratic, but still Ellie is hoping that things will be fine. There was some suspension of disbelief required overall at her inaction to some glaringly obvious danger signals but mostly I was enthralled by the situation she found herself in and there are some terrific plot developments and little twists to the tale that all add to the whole beautifully.

It does feel like a book that needs a sequel – I have to admit to being vaguely confused by the ending, and it didnt feel as finished as I would like personally as a reader – but that is a subjective thing and the main issues are cleared up satisfactorily. Overall a terrific little mystery with a twist in the tale and I do kind of hope to meet Ellie again.

Happy Reading Folks!