Network of Deceit (Amara Alvarez) (vuoden 2021 painos)

I was under the impression that Network of Deceit by Tom Threadgill was the first book in the series, from the way the synopsis read and since there is no indication on the jacket that this is a series. So I was a bit surprised when Threadgill started mentioning a previous case. There was enough context that I didn’t get confused, I was just expecting to be introduced to the character more… but that was already done in Collision of Lies. You don’t have to read the first book (obviously, since I didn’t), but I think it is advisable since Threadgill excels at in depth character writing.

Threadgill really was able to capture a detective’s life not just at the station, but her everyday. The way he incorporated her relationship with her fellow detectives, love interest, and family was phenomenal. While I was interested in the case and the mystery, at times I found myself more drawn to her personal life.

As far as the case went, at first I was a bit… not bored, but concerned with the style of writing. So many police procedurals are fast paced. While they are trying to solve the case there is still a lot of action, but Threadgill really focuses on every step of the case. Once I realized this was how the book was going to read, it was much more enjoyable.
I thought Threadgill did a very good job with making cybercrimes easy to understand for someone who isn’t an expert on them or who may not be into technology. He was able to do this by incorporating interesting characters with believable emotions.

Network of Deceit was a great read, especially if you enjoy strong characters with realistic lives. I would suggest reading Collision of Lies first since I think you’ll get even more out of the story. And I look forward to seeing how Amara handles her bully at work, how her relationship with Starsky progresses, and how her family continues to support each other in upcoming books. ( )

Wonderful book, several good twists. I like Amara though she has a blind spot and a chip on her shoulder, despite that she seems to be a great cop with good instincts. There are some interesting dynamics going on in the homicide department that I think will be further cleared up in the next book, while the case was tied up nicely, the ending with her boss had me scratching my head a little bit. ( )

Now I have read the first book that featured Amara Alvarez and loved her, her mind and determination found and rescued children, and she is determined again. Her mind tells her the teenage found dead at the water park was murdered, now to prove it!

I loved the way the mind of this author works, wow, and found myself page turning for answers.

The life of this young detective is so real, we deal with everyday problems, she is the new kid on the block in her office, and she is being bullied. Her mom the cement of her family is sick, she is reflecting on her relationship with her friend, and the guy who comes when she calls, Starsky!

I was surprised how this story unfolded and amazed at how the story ended, some I never saw coming, and now I can't wait for the next book in this story!

I received the book through Net Galley and the Publisher Revell, and was not required to give a positive review. ( )

Network of Lies is the second book in the Amara Alvarez series and I am so glad that I read it. I think the first few chapters were a little slow but once I got into it I couldn't put it down...not even when I looked up and saw it was after midnight. You know you have a good book with twists and turns when you have to scold yourself for thinking of turning to the end because you simply can't wait to find out who done it. I didn't though because I didn't want to ruin it for me. I am now off to order the first book Collision of Lies and hope it is just as good. If so then I have found a new author to follow.

I received this from LibraryThing Early Reviewers for an honest review. ( )

I received an advance copy of this book from Revell Books. Thank you
I hadn't read the first book by Tom Threadgill, but this book stood alone just fine. I found it interesting and pretty fast paced. Amanda Alvarez has recently been promoted to the homicide department and is trying to fit in and be accepted. She catches a case that initially didn't even seem a homicide. A teenage boy dies while at a waterpark, alcohol and/or drugs are probably involved. When the ME notices a few things that conflict with that, Amanda begins to investigate. Zach, the boy who died, and his friends are very much into computer games. When Amanda searches through Zach's room she discovers a lot of cash, confirming her suspicion that he was killed. Figuring out where the money came from leads her to Zach's friends. The day of the murder there was a computer glitch at the waterpark, around town there have been increased incidents of computer hacking, and most scary of all, Amanda gets a call, revealing the caller has accessed her personal information. As the investigation expands, it's clear that Zach and his friends were doing more than just playing games.
There are a lot of twists in this book. ( )