Portrait of Deception by Kathryn Dodson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Portrait of Deception is a fast paced, action packed, suspense filled thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat until the final pages. The story centers around the character of a photographer named Margo who has been nominated for a prestigious award. If she wins the coveted Butler Prize it will not only help her financially but most of all it will open numerous doors for her and launch her career as a professional photographer. On the day of the award ceremony, Margo awakens in her motel room and discovers that it has been trashed and she must pay the hotel $46,000 in damages. Margo has no recollection of the night before because she blacked out. She was on her way back to her room with a fellow photographer who was also nominated for the prize and vaguely recalls seeing glimpses of faces of people she did not recognize. The rest of the night is a blank and she feels that she must have been drugged. Margo not only has to pay the hotel damages, but the Butler Prize Committee found out about damages to her room, and she is taken out of the running for the prize. Margo is horrified, shocked, and saddened that she now has this reputation and must find a way to salvage what is left of both her career and her reputation. She has no other option but to accept an offer put forth by a tyrannical and sleazy foreign politician to visit his castle and take his portrait for the sum of $100,000. Once there, things take a dark turn for Margo, and she must fight to save her life.

This was a gripping story with an intriguing storyline, well developed characters, and twists and turns that fully immerse you into the story. I immediately felt a connection to Margo because she is smart, feisty, determined, and courageous. As a photographer myself, I loved that she is a photographer and was really drawn into the scenes through the author’s vivid descriptions. I found myself wanting to stand alongside Margo and photograph the magic and beauty of the setting sun in the park, the old part of the city, and the graffiti. I must add that I loved the cover for this book! It captured my attention and had me picking up the book to read and I am so glad that I did.

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