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Harlan Donnally #1
Act of Deceit
Mt. Shasta is far from the San Francisco sidewalk on which Harlan Donnally's life nearly ended in a crossfire--
But all too close to a decades-old secret that will force him into another.
The former detective swore he'd never play anyone's postman. But a dying friend's plea takes Donnally bearing a letter alive with tragedy toward a sister long dead, the victim of the bizarre criminality of a counterculture that had lost its way. Stunned to learn that her killer was never prosecuted, Donnally soon finds himself in battle against a broken justice system and on a trail of evil into a dangerous borderland in which the falsely pious and the wealthy abuse the young and the poor. And though each step takes him farther down a perilous path that wrenches him between his inner demons and his mission to redeem a brother's love, he won't stop until he knows the truth.
For Donnally made a promise to a dead man, and he'll keep it--or die trying.
But all too close to a decades-old secret that will force him into another.
The former detective swore he'd never play anyone's postman. But a dying friend's plea takes Donnally bearing a letter alive with tragedy toward a sister long dead, the victim of the bizarre criminality of a counterculture that had lost its way. Stunned to learn that her killer was never prosecuted, Donnally soon finds himself in battle against a broken justice system and on a trail of evil into a dangerous borderland in which the falsely pious and the wealthy abuse the young and the poor. And though each step takes him farther down a perilous path that wrenches him between his inner demons and his mission to redeem a brother's love, he won't stop until he knows the truth.
For Donnally made a promise to a dead man, and he'll keep it--or die trying.
352 pages, Paperback
First published August 30, 2011
About the author
Steven Gore
10 books30 followersSteven Gore is the author of the Graham Gage thrillers and a former private investigator in the San Francisco Bay Area. He has been honored for his investigative achievements, has been featured on 60 Minutes, and has lectured to attorney and investigator organizations on subjects ranging from police misconduct to the design of investigative databases.
Series:
* Graham Gage
Series:
* Graham Gage
Ratings & Reviews
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
August 6, 2011
This is the third book in Steven Gore's Harlan Donnally series but the first I've read. Perhaps my unfamiliarity with the characters altered my perspective. But here is what I liked:
The plot is intricate and full of mystery and suspense. The story starts out slowly, gradually building until all the pieces eventually tumble together. The subject is current and handled incredibly well.
What I didn't like: I found it difficult to relate to Harlan's character. I couldn't quite grasp his motivation for putting his life, and the lives of people he loved, in such danger. The characters' relationships were a little abstract. I would have liked more detail in order to better understand what drove each of them. With the main and recurring characters, this might be found in the two previous books, so I would suggest starting with the first in this series.
The plot is intricate and full of mystery and suspense. The story starts out slowly, gradually building until all the pieces eventually tumble together. The subject is current and handled incredibly well.
What I didn't like: I found it difficult to relate to Harlan's character. I couldn't quite grasp his motivation for putting his life, and the lives of people he loved, in such danger. The characters' relationships were a little abstract. I would have liked more detail in order to better understand what drove each of them. With the main and recurring characters, this might be found in the two previous books, so I would suggest starting with the first in this series.
July 12, 2011
Steven Gore has very quickly, with just 2 books, established himself in the coveted marquee line-up of top male thriller authors. This, his third book, out Sept. 1st. is the first edition of a new series with a new character - Harlan Donnally.
I finished this advance copy of Act of Deceit by Steven Gore on saturday.
The remarkable aspect, which gives our hero Harlan Donnally such legitimate depth and believe-ability lies in Steven Gore's professional background as an investigator. The high end kind who can find out anything about anyone, anywhere in the world and make things happen with what he uncovers.
Fictional reality based in experiential reality, the very best kind.
There is no mistaking Gore's skill level, (he's published by Harper....), and the result is a very engaging, introspective character on a mission to keep a promise and make things right, in memory of the dying man he made that promise to. A man with a past he hopes to keep hidden.
Harlan Donnally is not easy to figure out, in fact we may never figure him out. He doesn't fit the mold of action hero, whatever that is these days, yet the qualities we might look for are there, in spades. Like many of us Harlan is a work in progress but sure of the origins of his expanding convictions.
Really good sub plotting, killer dialogue, narration that draws zero attention to itself, this novel introduces us to a different kind of guy. It's a high speed thrill ride through the seamy darkside of a very controversial issue with a single minded goal that requires some very hard choices by our man. Choices which may cost him his life. Yet he persists and pursues, finding himself up against formidable odds and bad guys in Mexico. The stakes are raised again and again and where most people would walk, no run, away he stays, stands and delivers. Harlan's way of handling things range from pure determination to raw brutality to ultra shrewd thinking. A masterful portrait and character sketch by Gore. No assumptions, presumptions or cookie cutter anything in the dynamic.
Flaws? Sure. In spite of them his single mindedness to get the job done is what will keep this character in your mind and cause you to look forward to the next installment in the series.
As a reader you'll need to bring your A game, it'll be worth it, trust me.
As a writer - bring your note pad and an ice pack.
I think readers and writers alike will love the twists and turns and at the end you'll throw your head back, wipe the sweat from your brow and laugh.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Steven Gore has very quickly, with just 2 books, established himself in the coveted marquee line-up of top male thriller authors. This, his third book, out Sept. 1st. is the first edition of a new series with a new character - Harlan Donnally. I'm excited waiting for an advance copy and as soon as I get it, I'm reading it and I'll let you know. Gore's work has a unique edge, with fresh characters and his professional background gives him narrative authority and descriptive insight that brings his stories to an unforgettable and vibrant life. Read a few pages of one of his first two efforts, you'll see what I mean.....
More soon, you know where to find me.
I finished this advance copy of Act of Deceit by Steven Gore on saturday.
The remarkable aspect, which gives our hero Harlan Donnally such legitimate depth and believe-ability lies in Steven Gore's professional background as an investigator. The high end kind who can find out anything about anyone, anywhere in the world and make things happen with what he uncovers.
Fictional reality based in experiential reality, the very best kind.
There is no mistaking Gore's skill level, (he's published by Harper....), and the result is a very engaging, introspective character on a mission to keep a promise and make things right, in memory of the dying man he made that promise to. A man with a past he hopes to keep hidden.
Harlan Donnally is not easy to figure out, in fact we may never figure him out. He doesn't fit the mold of action hero, whatever that is these days, yet the qualities we might look for are there, in spades. Like many of us Harlan is a work in progress but sure of the origins of his expanding convictions.
Really good sub plotting, killer dialogue, narration that draws zero attention to itself, this novel introduces us to a different kind of guy. It's a high speed thrill ride through the seamy darkside of a very controversial issue with a single minded goal that requires some very hard choices by our man. Choices which may cost him his life. Yet he persists and pursues, finding himself up against formidable odds and bad guys in Mexico. The stakes are raised again and again and where most people would walk, no run, away he stays, stands and delivers. Harlan's way of handling things range from pure determination to raw brutality to ultra shrewd thinking. A masterful portrait and character sketch by Gore. No assumptions, presumptions or cookie cutter anything in the dynamic.
Flaws? Sure. In spite of them his single mindedness to get the job done is what will keep this character in your mind and cause you to look forward to the next installment in the series.
As a reader you'll need to bring your A game, it'll be worth it, trust me.
As a writer - bring your note pad and an ice pack.
I think readers and writers alike will love the twists and turns and at the end you'll throw your head back, wipe the sweat from your brow and laugh.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Steven Gore has very quickly, with just 2 books, established himself in the coveted marquee line-up of top male thriller authors. This, his third book, out Sept. 1st. is the first edition of a new series with a new character - Harlan Donnally. I'm excited waiting for an advance copy and as soon as I get it, I'm reading it and I'll let you know. Gore's work has a unique edge, with fresh characters and his professional background gives him narrative authority and descriptive insight that brings his stories to an unforgettable and vibrant life. Read a few pages of one of his first two efforts, you'll see what I mean.....
More soon, you know where to find me.
September 2, 2011
Harlan Donnally started out to help a dying friend. He told a tale of catching his father molesting his five year old sister and killing him. Just fifteen himself, he knew he couldn't take care of her and left her at a commune.
Now in his twilight years, dying of cancer, he wanted Harlan to find the sister, tell her her history, and make sure she got his considerable estate.
Harlan had ran a cafe since a bullet to the hip forced his retirement from the San Francisco Police department. Mauricio had had the business next door.
The sister wasn't hard to find. A teacher, she'd been murdered many years before and Harlan was incensed to find the killer had never been prosecuted. Deemed incompetent to stand trial, he'd been shuffled from place to place over the years until he'd walked away from the last one and no one cared.
Determined to do something, he keeps pushing and starts to uncover some ugly things the rich and pious do to the young and disadvantaged. He won't stop, wishing to give his late friend some kind of justice and the trail gets more dangerous with each step.
Now in his twilight years, dying of cancer, he wanted Harlan to find the sister, tell her her history, and make sure she got his considerable estate.
Harlan had ran a cafe since a bullet to the hip forced his retirement from the San Francisco Police department. Mauricio had had the business next door.
The sister wasn't hard to find. A teacher, she'd been murdered many years before and Harlan was incensed to find the killer had never been prosecuted. Deemed incompetent to stand trial, he'd been shuffled from place to place over the years until he'd walked away from the last one and no one cared.
Determined to do something, he keeps pushing and starts to uncover some ugly things the rich and pious do to the young and disadvantaged. He won't stop, wishing to give his late friend some kind of justice and the trail gets more dangerous with each step.
November 3, 2017
I really liked the flow of the book and how I could turn each page and be enthralled each time.
December 6, 2017
Lost me early on and I just couldn't get in to it.
April 26, 2021
I had a hard time following this one for some reason. The characters were hard to remember, and some of the situations were hard to track how they progressed.
August 16, 2011
The third thriller for new author Steven Gore and first starring the character he hopes to build a series around, Act of Deceit (Harper 2011) introduces Harlan Donnally, ex-star detective and current bored mountain man. His backstory is he retired from police work at the top of his game, intending to devote himself to becoming one with the earth and getting to know his wife in the rural Northern California community of Mt. Shasta.
Until his sometime buddy and ex-fellow detective (a man whose wit is as quick as his attitude is sour) convinces him to 'consult' on the gory beheading of a bride on her wedding day. The circumstances are heinous, the people involved disturbing, and the clues few. After much mental scrabbling, he accepts and finds a welcome diversion from his day job of hoeing and raking and planting. As he deftly pieces together what appear to be unrelated, even meaningless, clues, he uncovers a wave of murders, all centered around a school for sexually-challenged teens. The closer he gets to unraveling who did it, the stranger the case becomes, and the more personal, until it threatens to ruin his marriage, his reputation and his peace of mind.
Unlike many thrillers, this one spends a good bit of time explaining and developing Harlan Donnally's emotional life with his difficult wife--too much if you're a lover of the thriller's fast-moving story construction as I am (I'll read literary fiction sometime after college math books and Hog-Raising for Dummies). In fact, the plot bogs down often as Gore delves into Donnally's mental and emotional struggles to resolve his wife's disdain for pretty much everything about her husband. But, since this is the first book in the series, this sort of character development is necessary even if it's painful. In fact, because of Gore's facility in this area, it took no more than a few early paragraphs to hook me on Harlan Donnally, find characteristics I could relate to, care that his marriage was struggling, and marvel at his wife's persuasive powers in convincing him to move to a mountain homestead despite his disinterest in that sort of back-to-basics lifestyle.
And that begets my only criticism of the book: I don't believe Gore provides a solid-enough argument for why Donnally threatens his tenuous marriage for the self-absorbed narcissistic people involved in this crime. There are many points in the book where Donnally could reasonably have stopped the investigation, called it complete, yet he continues, driven by some internal demons that are alluded to but poorly defined. Because Gore does a masterful job of building the plot and interleaving pieces, that's good enough to keep me reading.
By the time I finished the book (the first half took a few days, the last half took, oh, no time at all), I had a good understanding of the man who is Harlan Donnally, what drives him, and why he is worthy of many more stories. In fact, I give Gore a rousing round of raucous applause and I'm eager for Donnally's next caper.
If you're reading this, Steven Gore, would you mind sending me your first two books so I can read--er, review--them also.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Jacqui Murray is the editor of a technology curriculum for K-fifth grade and creator of two technology training books for middle school. She is the author of Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy midshipman. She is webmaster for five blogs, an Amazon Vine Voice book reviewer, a columnist for Examiner.com, Editorial Review Board member for Journal for Computing Teachers, an IMS tech expert, and a weekly contributor to Write Anything and Technology in Education. Currently, she’s working on a techno-thriller that should be ready this summer. Contact Jacqui at her writing office or her tech lab, Ask a Tech Teacher.
Follow me.
Until his sometime buddy and ex-fellow detective (a man whose wit is as quick as his attitude is sour) convinces him to 'consult' on the gory beheading of a bride on her wedding day. The circumstances are heinous, the people involved disturbing, and the clues few. After much mental scrabbling, he accepts and finds a welcome diversion from his day job of hoeing and raking and planting. As he deftly pieces together what appear to be unrelated, even meaningless, clues, he uncovers a wave of murders, all centered around a school for sexually-challenged teens. The closer he gets to unraveling who did it, the stranger the case becomes, and the more personal, until it threatens to ruin his marriage, his reputation and his peace of mind.
Unlike many thrillers, this one spends a good bit of time explaining and developing Harlan Donnally's emotional life with his difficult wife--too much if you're a lover of the thriller's fast-moving story construction as I am (I'll read literary fiction sometime after college math books and Hog-Raising for Dummies). In fact, the plot bogs down often as Gore delves into Donnally's mental and emotional struggles to resolve his wife's disdain for pretty much everything about her husband. But, since this is the first book in the series, this sort of character development is necessary even if it's painful. In fact, because of Gore's facility in this area, it took no more than a few early paragraphs to hook me on Harlan Donnally, find characteristics I could relate to, care that his marriage was struggling, and marvel at his wife's persuasive powers in convincing him to move to a mountain homestead despite his disinterest in that sort of back-to-basics lifestyle.
And that begets my only criticism of the book: I don't believe Gore provides a solid-enough argument for why Donnally threatens his tenuous marriage for the self-absorbed narcissistic people involved in this crime. There are many points in the book where Donnally could reasonably have stopped the investigation, called it complete, yet he continues, driven by some internal demons that are alluded to but poorly defined. Because Gore does a masterful job of building the plot and interleaving pieces, that's good enough to keep me reading.
By the time I finished the book (the first half took a few days, the last half took, oh, no time at all), I had a good understanding of the man who is Harlan Donnally, what drives him, and why he is worthy of many more stories. In fact, I give Gore a rousing round of raucous applause and I'm eager for Donnally's next caper.
If you're reading this, Steven Gore, would you mind sending me your first two books so I can read--er, review--them also.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Jacqui Murray is the editor of a technology curriculum for K-fifth grade and creator of two technology training books for middle school. She is the author of Building a Midshipman, the story of her daughter’s journey from high school to United States Naval Academy midshipman. She is webmaster for five blogs, an Amazon Vine Voice book reviewer, a columnist for Examiner.com, Editorial Review Board member for Journal for Computing Teachers, an IMS tech expert, and a weekly contributor to Write Anything and Technology in Education. Currently, she’s working on a techno-thriller that should be ready this summer. Contact Jacqui at her writing office or her tech lab, Ask a Tech Teacher.
Follow me.
September 18, 2011
Note to the Reader: The idea for the story told in Act of Deceit arose out of a number of events...
Act of Deceit
By Steven Gore
Steven Gore hit on so many of the issues that are facing the world today in Act of Deceit. Then I found that he had personal knowledge of everything he had covered, based upon his own career.For many reasons, his Note to the Reader held even more drama than the novel itself...
As I started reading and getting into the novel, I began to wonder just who and what this Harlan Donnally was. By the time I got to the end of the book, he was my...Hero...
ACT OF DECEIT
Out September 1st!
The former detective swore he'd never play anyone's postman. But a dying friend's plea takes Donnally bearing a letter alive with tragedy toward a sister long dead—the victim of the bizarre criminality of a counter culture that had lost its way.
Stunned to learn that her killer was never prosecuted, Donnally soon finds himself in battle against a broken justice system and on a trail of evil into a dangerous borderland in which the falsely pious and the wealthy abuse the young and the poor. And though each step takes him farther down a perilous path that wrenches him between his inner demons and his mission to redeem a brother's love, he won't stop until he knows the truth.
For Donnally made a promise to a dead man, and he'll keep it—or die trying. (Back Blurb)
Now here was the issue...Donnally's friend dies, sharing a deathbed secret. He's asked him to deliver a message to his long-estranged sister, who would receive his inheritance...
When he looks for her, the woman is dead, murdered.
Now, let's face it...most people would stop right there. There are no living relatives now...too bad...
But not this new Hero of mine...He starts looking for who murdered his friend's sister... He discovers that the individual who was accused has become lost "in the system" for more than 20 years! Perfect example for my coined phrase "Mindless Bureaucracy."
Even worse, the man, who has been shoved around all his life related to psychiatric issues, is probably not guilty...
Does my hero stop there?
Nooooooo...and what a mess he got into thereafter! Donnally follows a trail to find the accused murderer and gets him into the hospital, working to get him on the proper medication...
Piecing his story together takes Donnally into drug country, a commune where some members were known to be hiding from the law... and then, finally, into the life of a corrupt psychiatrist, child abuse and sex trafficking!
"It's less running than hiding." Melvin (a priest that was formerly abused by a priest) said. "I didn't realize until after we talked in Vancouver that prayer is a phenomenal form of repression, and I've spent the last decade praying like my sanity depended on it, which it did. I didn't understand until now why so many priests become alcoholics. It's prayer in a bottle..."
Not only does my hero identify everybody involved...but...
Well, let's just say that you'll love the irony of the surprise ending!
Wow! I loved this one! Can't wait for the next Harlan Donnally Novel! If you finding novels that deal with today's main issues, spotlighting corruption where it is found, whether in government, the church, or corporations, then you'll discover, like I did, a new must-read author, Steven Gore!
Book Obtained
Via Amazon Vine
GABixlerReviews
Act of Deceit
By Steven Gore
Steven Gore hit on so many of the issues that are facing the world today in Act of Deceit. Then I found that he had personal knowledge of everything he had covered, based upon his own career.For many reasons, his Note to the Reader held even more drama than the novel itself...
As I started reading and getting into the novel, I began to wonder just who and what this Harlan Donnally was. By the time I got to the end of the book, he was my...Hero...
ACT OF DECEIT
Out September 1st!
The former detective swore he'd never play anyone's postman. But a dying friend's plea takes Donnally bearing a letter alive with tragedy toward a sister long dead—the victim of the bizarre criminality of a counter culture that had lost its way.
Stunned to learn that her killer was never prosecuted, Donnally soon finds himself in battle against a broken justice system and on a trail of evil into a dangerous borderland in which the falsely pious and the wealthy abuse the young and the poor. And though each step takes him farther down a perilous path that wrenches him between his inner demons and his mission to redeem a brother's love, he won't stop until he knows the truth.
For Donnally made a promise to a dead man, and he'll keep it—or die trying. (Back Blurb)
Now here was the issue...Donnally's friend dies, sharing a deathbed secret. He's asked him to deliver a message to his long-estranged sister, who would receive his inheritance...
When he looks for her, the woman is dead, murdered.
Now, let's face it...most people would stop right there. There are no living relatives now...too bad...
But not this new Hero of mine...He starts looking for who murdered his friend's sister... He discovers that the individual who was accused has become lost "in the system" for more than 20 years! Perfect example for my coined phrase "Mindless Bureaucracy."
Even worse, the man, who has been shoved around all his life related to psychiatric issues, is probably not guilty...
Does my hero stop there?
Nooooooo...and what a mess he got into thereafter! Donnally follows a trail to find the accused murderer and gets him into the hospital, working to get him on the proper medication...
Piecing his story together takes Donnally into drug country, a commune where some members were known to be hiding from the law... and then, finally, into the life of a corrupt psychiatrist, child abuse and sex trafficking!
"It's less running than hiding." Melvin (a priest that was formerly abused by a priest) said. "I didn't realize until after we talked in Vancouver that prayer is a phenomenal form of repression, and I've spent the last decade praying like my sanity depended on it, which it did. I didn't understand until now why so many priests become alcoholics. It's prayer in a bottle..."
Not only does my hero identify everybody involved...but...
Well, let's just say that you'll love the irony of the surprise ending!
Wow! I loved this one! Can't wait for the next Harlan Donnally Novel! If you finding novels that deal with today's main issues, spotlighting corruption where it is found, whether in government, the church, or corporations, then you'll discover, like I did, a new must-read author, Steven Gore!
Book Obtained
Via Amazon Vine
GABixlerReviews
September 17, 2011
ACT OF DECEIT by Steven Gore
A Harlan Donnally Novel
08/11 - HarperCollins Publishers - Mass Market Paperback, 352 pages
Will fulfilling a friend’s dying wish bring you closure?
Harlan Donnally wants to accommodate his friend’s dying wish to turn his estate over to his only living heir, the sister he had to part with when she was five. Burying his friend and finding the man’s sister are more complicated than he could have ever imagined as what starts out simple, turns into a hornets nest of trouble. The search and contact, becomes a mystery involving a decades old crime, a commune with questionable dealings, and a broken judicial system all collided into a mishandled murder.
Harlan found his friend’s sister Anna had murdered and no one ever really stopped to question if the man prosecuted really committed the crime as he was deem incompetent to stand trial. The state put him in a mental facility, closed the case and no one ever monitored what happened to him after that. The problem is the man is loose and Harlan needs to find him to confirm the facts but once he does the facts get grayer and the list of suspects larger and more powerful. Harlan keeps digging and what he finds goes beyond criminal misconduct and into the dealings of the Catholic Church, psychiatrists that use their profession to disguise their secrets, drug cartels, and a Charitable Foundation using its funds to hide its secrets while pretending to set the innocent free.
Harlan is still working through the issues with his father, trying to commit to his girlfriend, run his business, and deal with the fact that he is a retired cop on disability. He may carry a gun but he that does not give him the right to shoot first and ask questions later. Harlan still believe the truth means you search until you find it so nothing will stop him from figuring out who is doing what to whom.
Readers will find this book is fascinating, scary, complicated and detailed but most of all riveting. You need to pay attention to who the characters are and the role each plays in story because everyone is important and key to resolving the mystery. I found myself unable to put the book down because I had to know how high the conspiracy went and who was involved and as always shocked when the facts were revealed. Great book and a must read for all readers regardless of your genre preference.
A Harlan Donnally Novel
08/11 - HarperCollins Publishers - Mass Market Paperback, 352 pages
Will fulfilling a friend’s dying wish bring you closure?
Harlan Donnally wants to accommodate his friend’s dying wish to turn his estate over to his only living heir, the sister he had to part with when she was five. Burying his friend and finding the man’s sister are more complicated than he could have ever imagined as what starts out simple, turns into a hornets nest of trouble. The search and contact, becomes a mystery involving a decades old crime, a commune with questionable dealings, and a broken judicial system all collided into a mishandled murder.
Harlan found his friend’s sister Anna had murdered and no one ever really stopped to question if the man prosecuted really committed the crime as he was deem incompetent to stand trial. The state put him in a mental facility, closed the case and no one ever monitored what happened to him after that. The problem is the man is loose and Harlan needs to find him to confirm the facts but once he does the facts get grayer and the list of suspects larger and more powerful. Harlan keeps digging and what he finds goes beyond criminal misconduct and into the dealings of the Catholic Church, psychiatrists that use their profession to disguise their secrets, drug cartels, and a Charitable Foundation using its funds to hide its secrets while pretending to set the innocent free.
Harlan is still working through the issues with his father, trying to commit to his girlfriend, run his business, and deal with the fact that he is a retired cop on disability. He may carry a gun but he that does not give him the right to shoot first and ask questions later. Harlan still believe the truth means you search until you find it so nothing will stop him from figuring out who is doing what to whom.
Readers will find this book is fascinating, scary, complicated and detailed but most of all riveting. You need to pay attention to who the characters are and the role each plays in story because everyone is important and key to resolving the mystery. I found myself unable to put the book down because I had to know how high the conspiracy went and who was involved and as always shocked when the facts were revealed. Great book and a must read for all readers regardless of your genre preference.
December 23, 2013
I requested this paperback book after reading Gore's A Criminal Defense which I enjoyed. I wasn't disappointed at all. Gore is a former private investigator and that shows in his plots. His hero is Harlan Donnally, a good man trying to make up for what he sees as the errors of his father's ways. Dad is a legendary Hollywood movie maker, famous particularly for a movie about Vietnam that Donnally believes got his brother killed in action.
In this story Donnally's friend Mauricio Aguilera confesses on his deathbed to having lived a lie. His name isn't even his real name. Aguilera tells his good friend that he killed his father when he was a boy because he came home to find his father molesting his little sister. Then he took her to a sort of commune where he felt they would take care of her and not go to the police. He has lived ever since wondering if she is all right and whether the police are looking for him to charge him with murder. He hands Donnally a letter and begs him to deliver it to his sister.
That sets our hero off on a search that leads him into ever more fascinating stories. There is a mentally ill man who was charged with murdering Mauricio's sister. The system has abandoned the man and his life has been hell. The people from the commune also have an interesting story and a sad one. They are also hiding from the world. Then Donnally picks up a thread in his investigation that will lead him to an organization of men who molest boys. Donnally's world is a cruel one. However, the local deputy where he lives is a bumbling fool determined to find evidence against him on anything and that provides a few smiles. We need those light moments, and we also need the closeness Donnally finds with his Vietnamese girlfriend as an escape from the sadness.
Don't let that sadness keep you from reading this excellent mystery though. I was glued to the book and yet didn't want it to end. The varied characters are beautifully drawn and seem real, and Donnally's reasons for every move are realistic though of course heroic. The evil people in this story are truly evil; you'll hate them with a vengeance. Please do read Steven Gore's books.
Highly recommended
Source: HarperCollins
In this story Donnally's friend Mauricio Aguilera confesses on his deathbed to having lived a lie. His name isn't even his real name. Aguilera tells his good friend that he killed his father when he was a boy because he came home to find his father molesting his little sister. Then he took her to a sort of commune where he felt they would take care of her and not go to the police. He has lived ever since wondering if she is all right and whether the police are looking for him to charge him with murder. He hands Donnally a letter and begs him to deliver it to his sister.
That sets our hero off on a search that leads him into ever more fascinating stories. There is a mentally ill man who was charged with murdering Mauricio's sister. The system has abandoned the man and his life has been hell. The people from the commune also have an interesting story and a sad one. They are also hiding from the world. Then Donnally picks up a thread in his investigation that will lead him to an organization of men who molest boys. Donnally's world is a cruel one. However, the local deputy where he lives is a bumbling fool determined to find evidence against him on anything and that provides a few smiles. We need those light moments, and we also need the closeness Donnally finds with his Vietnamese girlfriend as an escape from the sadness.
Don't let that sadness keep you from reading this excellent mystery though. I was glued to the book and yet didn't want it to end. The varied characters are beautifully drawn and seem real, and Donnally's reasons for every move are realistic though of course heroic. The evil people in this story are truly evil; you'll hate them with a vengeance. Please do read Steven Gore's books.
Highly recommended
Source: HarperCollins
September 16, 2013
This review can also be seen on Amazon here.
Please note: I read this book in August, 2011 from a copy provided by the Amazon Vine program.
About the Book: The first in a new series by author Steven Gore, Act of Deceit introduces us to Harlan Donnally, a former police detective who now runs a small restaurant in Mt. Shasta, California. When Mauricio, who had worked for him for years, lies dying in a hospice, Harlan learns that Mauricio has been living a lie for decades. On the run since he was a teenager, Mauricio killed his own father when he caught the man molesting his 5-year-old sister, Anna. Now that Mauricio is dying, he wants Harlan to track down his sister and apologize to her for having left her in the hands of a commune when he went on the run.
So, What's the Mystery?: The problem is, Harlan discovers that Anna was murdered. Not only that, but her accused murderer was never convicted, because he was found incompetent to stand trial. Furthermore, Harlan discovers that the man has since disappeared between the cracks of a justice system that provides anything but justice. Investigating Anna's death, Harlan stumbles into a web of deceit and crime that connects to many high-level people and crosses the continent into Mexico. Can he find the answers he seeks - and survive the task?
My Thoughts: Suspenseful and fast-moving, Act of Deceit is a great beginning to a new series - the characters and plot are well-developed and tight, and the writing style is superb. I highly recommend this to anyone who is a fan of thrillers.
Please note: I read this book in August, 2011 from a copy provided by the Amazon Vine program.
About the Book: The first in a new series by author Steven Gore, Act of Deceit introduces us to Harlan Donnally, a former police detective who now runs a small restaurant in Mt. Shasta, California. When Mauricio, who had worked for him for years, lies dying in a hospice, Harlan learns that Mauricio has been living a lie for decades. On the run since he was a teenager, Mauricio killed his own father when he caught the man molesting his 5-year-old sister, Anna. Now that Mauricio is dying, he wants Harlan to track down his sister and apologize to her for having left her in the hands of a commune when he went on the run.
So, What's the Mystery?: The problem is, Harlan discovers that Anna was murdered. Not only that, but her accused murderer was never convicted, because he was found incompetent to stand trial. Furthermore, Harlan discovers that the man has since disappeared between the cracks of a justice system that provides anything but justice. Investigating Anna's death, Harlan stumbles into a web of deceit and crime that connects to many high-level people and crosses the continent into Mexico. Can he find the answers he seeks - and survive the task?
My Thoughts: Suspenseful and fast-moving, Act of Deceit is a great beginning to a new series - the characters and plot are well-developed and tight, and the writing style is superb. I highly recommend this to anyone who is a fan of thrillers.
September 1, 2011
In “Act of deceit” by Steven Gore, detective Harlan Donnally goes on a dangerous mission—find the sister of his dying friend Mauricio Aguilera, Anna, whom Aguilera left on the front steps of a commune some thirty odd years ago, after they escaped from their father who molested her.
The main problem confronting Donnally is that Anna was murdered back in 1986, and her killer—Charles Brown—was seen as unfit for trial, instead scuttling between different medical facilities and detention centers. Except that things are never what they appear. And Donnally is starting to get the feeling that Charles Brown was not her true killer.
As Donnally delves deeper into Anna’s past, he finds a variety of shady characters that she interacted with—people like Father Phil, her troubled student Melvin, two drug dealing brothers, and characters who are not what they appear to be. As Donnally goes from lead to lead, he neglects the fact that he is risking his own life—and that of his girlfriend’s Janie—in the process.
The interesting thing about this book is that Gore based elements of the plot on true stories. This fact makes the story all the more disturbing. If you like mysteries, and stories with some layer to them, then pick this up.
The main problem confronting Donnally is that Anna was murdered back in 1986, and her killer—Charles Brown—was seen as unfit for trial, instead scuttling between different medical facilities and detention centers. Except that things are never what they appear. And Donnally is starting to get the feeling that Charles Brown was not her true killer.
As Donnally delves deeper into Anna’s past, he finds a variety of shady characters that she interacted with—people like Father Phil, her troubled student Melvin, two drug dealing brothers, and characters who are not what they appear to be. As Donnally goes from lead to lead, he neglects the fact that he is risking his own life—and that of his girlfriend’s Janie—in the process.
The interesting thing about this book is that Gore based elements of the plot on true stories. This fact makes the story all the more disturbing. If you like mysteries, and stories with some layer to them, then pick this up.
August 22, 2011
I received an advance copy as a good customer gift from a bookstore in San Francisco. I took it down to the Ferry Building Saturday morning, bought a cup of coffee, and started reading. This is the first time I was actually sitting right where a scene in a book took place right when I was reading it. The first few pages are kind of lyrical, then I hit a line that started me turning pages until I'd read straight through to the end. Great plot, great twists, and a great character in ex-SFPD cop Harlan Donnally. He's a sometimes troubled man who's worried about doing the right thing in a world of wrongs. And wrongs there are: murder, church corruption, sex trafficking, a broken criminal justice system, and a terrible act committed by Donnally's own father that made Donnally who he is and determined what he wants out of life. Gore's background as an investigator lent authenticity to the book beyond the note at the end that explains the real life origins of the story. This is a much different kind of book than those in the Graham Gage international PI series, but I loved every word of it and look forward to the next one.
September 9, 2011
Harlan Donnally was a former SFPD detective who was retired on a disability after being shot on the job.
He promises a dying friend to find the friend's younger sister who his friend placed in a home when she was five. Tragically, when Harlan finds the girl, Anna, he learns she was murdered years ago and her kiler never brought to justice.
He feels he wants to resolve the case for his friend and learns that the accused killer got off because he was found incompetent. When Harlan brings the man to court, an expensive attorney is hired by someone and they make the incompetent man seem like the victim.
Harlan wonders if someone is hiding behind the incompetetent man's craziness and his search takes him to places that neither he nor the reader could forsee. This unique plot development makes the novel very interesting.
Donnally is the kind of detective who doesn't give up and he employs some creative measures to get his answers.
I enjoyed the novel and look forward to other work by the author.
He promises a dying friend to find the friend's younger sister who his friend placed in a home when she was five. Tragically, when Harlan finds the girl, Anna, he learns she was murdered years ago and her kiler never brought to justice.
He feels he wants to resolve the case for his friend and learns that the accused killer got off because he was found incompetent. When Harlan brings the man to court, an expensive attorney is hired by someone and they make the incompetent man seem like the victim.
Harlan wonders if someone is hiding behind the incompetetent man's craziness and his search takes him to places that neither he nor the reader could forsee. This unique plot development makes the novel very interesting.
Donnally is the kind of detective who doesn't give up and he employs some creative measures to get his answers.
I enjoyed the novel and look forward to other work by the author.
November 3, 2011
Harlan Donnally is asked by a dying friend to locate the sister he placed on the doorstep of a commune many years ago and show her the letter of the crime he committed and why he did what he did. But, in his words, Donnally isn’t going to be anyone’s postman. Yet, he goes and takes it upon himself to locate this girl, Anna. Turns out she was murdered some years ago and nobody was ever convicted for the crime. The investigator in Harlan kicks in. It leads him into worlds never expected.
This criminal mystery started out slow, but I liked the character of Harlan and his relationship with his father. The other characters were also well developed and the story somewhat intriguing as the premise was based on truth.
This criminal mystery started out slow, but I liked the character of Harlan and his relationship with his father. The other characters were also well developed and the story somewhat intriguing as the premise was based on truth.
February 22, 2012
A very busy book that just didn't do it for me.
I enjoyed meeting retired detective Harlan Donnally who was forced to retire due to an injury sustained during a shootout. He goes about his business with a battered body but a world class commitment to following the trail to wherever it leads.
But, the book has so many twists and turns that it felt like the author was whipsawing the story around just build an artificial sense of tension...
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2011/...
I enjoyed meeting retired detective Harlan Donnally who was forced to retire due to an injury sustained during a shootout. He goes about his business with a battered body but a world class commitment to following the trail to wherever it leads.
But, the book has so many twists and turns that it felt like the author was whipsawing the story around just build an artificial sense of tension...
Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2011/...
October 15, 2012
After being shot, Donnely was retired out of the SPD and bought a rural California cafe. His neighbor left him a letter of confession on his death bed, asking him to find his sister who'd been molested by their father, who he'd killed. He'd left is 5 year old sister at a commune and new she was in good hands because he'd gone back to see her from a distance when she was in school. Donnely was nearly killed a few time trying to fulfill this dying wish.
May 26, 2012
This book is TERRIBLE! Lots of characters I didn't care about doing things I didn't care about. I couldn't even bring myself to read the last 10 pages. I just wanted to put the book down as fast as possible and never waste my time on another Steven Gore book ever again.
August 26, 2012
A complicated but very interesting story, taking all sorts of twists and turns, you will find falsely pious and the wealthy abusing the young and the poor, a worthwhile read, I enjoyed it from beginning to end, must get some of his other books
February 21, 2016
A car accident of a book. Enough story to keep you reading but nothing to want you to read the next Harlan book. A main character that is hard to like, who whines to much about social injustice, and has relationship problems with everyone.
September 16, 2011
Actully 3 1/2. It is a good story, based on some real incidents.
October 14, 2012
It's ok. Wouldn't mind reading if desperate at an airport, otherwise no need to find more books by this author.
Read
August 9, 2016Read about 10%...I wasn't enjoying it at all and when the woman he was sent to find was found long dead, I just didn't see a point. I guess I'm in an impatient mood...
October 13, 2011
Fun read. If any neighbors want easy entertainment over UEA, you can borrow this.
Read
June 3, 2012liked it. would read more by this author. 4 stars
February 5, 2013
Awful. 0 of 10 stars
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews