A Cruel Deception

by Charles Todd Book 11 in the Bess Crawford Mysteries series.

First published 2019

Amazon

4.5(2,204)

With the fighting over but the peace unsettled, Bess Crawford travels to Paris to locate a young officer needed by his family and government colleagues. She finds him physically safe but psychologically broken, dependent on drugs and convinced that someone intends to kill him. As Bess tries to discover what happened during his wartime service, a second threat emerges from the crowded hotels and political offices of the peace negotiations.

The novel places personal trauma beside the diplomatic effort to rebuild Europe. Paris is filled with officials, soldiers, refugees and opportunists, while the men who survived the front are expected to resume useful lives immediately. Bess must distinguish persecution from fear without underestimating either, and decide how much truth a damaged officer can bear.