Happy Friday! It’s time for another First Line Friday, hosted by Hoarding Books. I’m so excited to be sharing Natalie Walter’s newest book, Deadly Deceit, with you today! I absolutely loved her first book that came out last spring, and this book confirmed that Natalie is one of my new favorite authors. Here’s the first line, followed by my review!

“In the face of small-town news, all creativity left Vivian DeMarco.”

Deadly Deceit by Natalie Walters

The Basics

Title: Deadly Deceit by Natalie Walters

Series: Harbored Secrets (Book 2 of 3)

Genre: Christian Romantic Suspense

My Rating: 5/5 stars

From the Back Cover: Welcome back to Walton, Georgia, where everyone knows your name–but no one knows your secret.

Independent and tenacious journalist Vivian DeMarco is back in Walton, Georgia, for one reason–to do her job and get out. When her boss suddenly dies under suspicious circumstances, Vivian’s only hope for finding the truth–and the next big story–is small-town law enforcement’s lanky poster boy, Deputy Ryan Frost. But the deeper they dig, the more twisted the truth becomes. False leads, incriminating emails, and someone called the Watcher force Vivian to fight for answers–and her life.

My Thoughts

I absolutely loved Natalie Walters’ first book, Living Lies, and this one is just as good if not better! Her voice is fresh, witty, and just fun to read. She does a great job at writing suspenseful stories and weaving in some tough issues, like betrayal, abandonment, and forgiveness.

Deputy Ryan Frost and reporter Vivian DeMarco were both side characters in the first book, and it was so fun to get to know them better in this one! It would be hard for any hero to be as great as Charlie in Living Lies, but Ryan is up for the challenge. He is coming into his own as a deputy, and is being recruited by multiple federal agencies for his computer skills. Vivian has also changed as Walton is becoming her home, with a true community of friends and people she cares about more than her career or her next story. Ryan and Vivian are both dealing with the impact of their fathers leaving them, and they both feel unworthy of each other. I love how the spiritual lessons are woven in so naturally, and all the Captain America and Marvel references were the icing on the cake 🙂

Not only were the characters relatable and engaging, but the plot was also so unique and interesting. As Ryan and Vivian try to find the truth about her boss’ murder, they find evidence of a cyber criminal targeting people for extortion. The suspense was really well done, and the ending will have you holding your breath!

If you are a fan of romantic suspense, make sure to read Natalie Walters’ Harbored Secrets series! The third book, Silent Shadows, will be out on March 31, 2020, so you’ll have plenty of time to catch up on the first two by then (and the first book, Living Lies, is on Kindle Unlimited!).

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you, Revell!