A Veiled Deception [Mass Market Paperback]

Madeira Cutler has worked for a prestigious New York clothes designer for many years. Returning home to Mystick Falls, Connecticut, Maddie becomes embroiled in all the small town and family dynamics as her sister Sherry's arch-enemy Jasmine is all too present at the festivities and a little tied to her future mother-in-law and ultimate snob Deborah Vancortland. When Maddie discovers Jasmine strangled by her sister's bridal veil, Maddie investigates to clear her sister's name. Her understanding of fashion takes an unexpected turn when a ghost appears. The wedding gown, a vintage gown given by Deborah to Sherry, possesses a magical power to make its past all too visible. Can Maddie and the magical wedding dress clear her sister? How will a little touch of magic and a vintage gown transform Maddie's life?

Annette Blair's A VEILED DECEPTION is a humorous, light magical feel good story. Maddie's return home elicits the bittersweetness of one's hometown as both good and bad memories are both never too far away. The power plays between Maddie and her friends make the opening chapters fun and endear the reader to both Maddie and her sister. The isolated scenes of Maddie's vision of the gown's past and the ghost itself are a few of the emotional highlights in this mystery. As the tale develops, however, A VEILED DECEPTION loses focus from those parts that give this book its most power and charm. The mystery itself is a bit too easily solved and the reader guesses the connections a bit too quickly despite the clever twist at the end. The mystery becomes more of a subplot for Maddie's self-discovery, a discovery that feels self-indulgement and a bit too self-centered. The sense of compassion that emerges from Maddie's connection to the past disappears too quickly as the mystery becomes more a story of Maddie discovering her true calling. The past revealed by the ghost and the sense of connection he evokes rapidly gets subsumed by Maddie's increasing individualism and focus on her quest for identity. Although in a way, the search for self presents a couple of pleasant ghostly twists, the tone becomes increasingly shallow as the book progresses.

A VEILED DECEPTION with its magical element and vintage take on the clothing so often seen in the chick lit genre will appeal more to romance lovers than mystery buffs looking for a clever mystery with a clever hunt for the culprit. Sweet, funny and heart-warming at times, A VEILED DECEPTION is a charming story of a young woman's homecoming, a homecoming fraught with funny and outrageous incidents. As a mystery, however, A VEILED DECEPTION leaves one wanting more clue twists, more discovered history and more of the center of the story.

COURTESY OF BOOK ILLUMINATIONS

I have always enjoyed Annette Blair's books and so I picked up this one expecting the usual solid read Blair always delivers. But, this book was a delightful surprise, more then a solid read and a great kick off to what looks like a great cozy series.

Perhaps as another reviewer noted there is a little too much romance for mystery readers--but I always like my cozies with a little romance in them and this certainly qualifies as Romantic Suspense.

I loved the paranormal elements and I thought Blair did a great job setting up the series, while still not losing control of the story as she introduced a lot of characters.

I especially love the 103 year old woman and her ghostly lover--what a delight and I can't wait to read more about them.

I also sense a Stephanie Plumesque choice between the solid if sometimes dorky Werner and the ooh la la Nick. Although I have a feeling that there is a lot more to Nick then just his libido.

I loved it when Madeira apologized to Lytton Warner for dubbing him "Little Weiner" in elementary school. He acknowledged that the nickname made him tough (he got in a lot of fights) and may have influenced his becoming a star football player and cop--but I can understand his grudgingly not quite accepting her apology.

The deep backgrounds and long history of these characters add depth to the story and the relationships.

As for the paranormal elements, I lost my Mother last May and the final ghost at the wedding did make me shed a few tears. If only all of us could have that kind of closure--but it made for a great ending.

I also loved the gorgeous cover with the foil accents, I can hardly wait to read the next one in the series.

Madeira "Maddie" Cutler, a vintage clothing designer for a famous fashion house, is on her way to her hometown of Mystick Falls, Connecticut where she hopes to create the gown for her baby sister she raised. Maddie arrives in time for pandemonium; an angry Sherry watches her fiancé Justin's former girlfriend Jasmine hang all over him as if she is the bride. Upset Sherry makes a rash statement that she will kill Jasmine in front of witnesses.

Maddie goes to see the wedding dress Sherry's mother-in-law expects her to wear only to find Jasmine choked to death by a veil. Sherry is the number one and only suspect; she does not help herself as she refuses to provide an alibi. Maddie has visions of another woman wearing the same dress and concludes her visions are related to the Jasmine homicide, but has no idea how. She investigates Sherry's in-laws especially their past since the dress belonged to Justin's mother to understand what she saw and hopes to apply it to identify the killer.

Annette Blair, renowned for her sensational bewitching romantic fantasies provides a new series filled with humor, the paranormal, two related mysteries, and of course romance. The protagonist is a beguiling intelligent free spirit who prefers a laughter and lay back lifestyle, but knows when the situation calls for a serious spin. She is glue that not only holds A VEILED DECEPTION together but turns the tale into an outstanding read.

Harriet Klausner

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