A DEADLY DECEPTION • Tessa Harris • DNF • ⭐️

Thank you to NetGallery and Kensington Books for this eARC in exchange for an honest review. *DISCLAIMER: I read this book as a standalone book. I did not read the first two books in the series. That may have something to do with my sentiments towards this book, so bear that in mind as you read on. I also ultimately decided not to finish this book so it is possible that the story improves as you read on.

Synopsis: This is the third book in the Constance Piper Mystery series. Constance Piper is a flower seller in the seedy streets of Whitechapel, London — a popular haunt of the notorious killer, Jack the Ripper. Several women have already fallen victim to Jack, but after eight months of silence, Constance and the other residents of Whitechapel have begun breathing easy again. That is, until Alice McKenzie is found dead. Constance becomes determined to help solve this mystery and stop Jack the Ripper once and for all using her special psychic gift. With the supernatural help of her late mentor, Miss Emily Tindall, and her ally, police detective Thaddeus Hawkins, Constance discovers there may be more to these murders than everyone thinks.

I could not get into this book. I stopped reading it after I was about 40% of the way through. I hate to DNF a book, especially one that seemed so promising, but here is why I ultimately decided to put it down:

1. The plot was confused and agonizingly slow — I felt I had a firm grasp on who the characters were and understood the start of the many subplots introduced in the early half of the novel. My problem was that it all seemed unnecessarily convoluted, disorganized, and poorly executed. I rotated between being bored at the plot's slow pace, and annoyed at how scattered the story seemed. This made it impossible for me to become invested in the story.

2. Constance's late mentor, Emily Tindall, did not serve a clear function in the novel — This book switches from Constances' perspective to Emily's. At first I enjoyed this set-up, but I quickly realized this was another execution flaw. Sometimes Emily serves as an almost a neutral, third-party narrator. Other times she is a unique character adding her voice to the story. The constant back and forth between these two functions for Emily was weird and did not allow the story to flow well.

3. Constance's character was inconsistent — She is supposed to be an impoverished woman who has recieved little formal education. She knows this about herself and actively tries to "talk proper" because of Miss Tindall's influence. This is entirely believable and realistic considering her station. The problem is that she is often written as a very intelligent character with a pretty solid vocabulary, until the author seems to suddenly remember that Constance is supposed to be an uneducated character and then forces her to revert back to speaking in slang.

My Advice: The synopsis of this book was fantastic and made me want to pick it up right away. If you feel the same way, don't let my review discourage you from giving this book a chance! It has many positive reviews, so I may be a black sheep here. Maybe just lower your expectations a bit and start with the first book in the series. Be prepared to suspend reality often, and do your best to go with the flow of whatever subplot is thrown your way. I think this would have made the book much more enjoyable for me (or at the very least, encouraged me to at least finish it)!

Well-researched, gritty, and realistic. I didn't initially realize this was not a standalone. However, as any good sequel will do, it worked well by itself. Although I might not personally read more of this author's work, I enjoyed this novel and would definitely recommend it to someone into this genre. As a historical mystery/paranormal story, I though that I would be more interested in this, but it just wasn't my cup of tea.

It worked. It wasn't a bad story, and there wasn't enough to really complain about. I liked it, but didn't love it.

There were some issues- certain inconsistencies with characters, a bit slow, and at times the plot was convoluted.

‘Medium’ meets ‘Ripper Street’ in this 3rd installment of the Constance Piper mystery series. Set in Whitechapel, London, just eight months after the final murder attributed to Jack the Ripper, the novel follows title heroine Constance Piper- flower seller and clairvoyant, and police detective Thaddeus Hawkins as they investigate the Ripper-esque killing of one of Constance’s neighbors, and its ties to a violent gang devoted to Irish independence.

I realized after I requested this story that it was a sequel, but true to most mystery stories it works just fine as a standalone. Fair warning- there are references to the 2 previous cases that Constance and Thaddeus have worked on, most notably the first book based on the context.

1880s Whitechapel and all of its gritty glory were great to see from the perspective of the working-class and poor folk living there. Constance and Thaddeus were charming, and I appreciate the slow-burn romance that seems to be teased more and more throughout the novel. Constance is an active participant in the story, but to a believable level, interviewing people and tracking down clues, but also not turning into Sherlock Holmes on the audience. Thaddeus is also believable, willing to work with this woman in an unconventional partnership because her talents are helpful, but at the same time he’s extremely conscientious that anything they uncover can’t be traced back to clairvoyant visions or premonitions. This forces the two to work apart for much of the story and compare notes when possible. There’s also the fact that they have to be careful being seen together, to avoid any suspicion of romantic entanglement that could undermine their findings.

My favorite detail though was the portrayal of the ghost of Emily Tindall, Constance’s mentor and source of supernatural insights. Except on a few rare occasions when Emily is able to “possess” Constance, communication is stifled between the two. The difficulty of the dead effectively speaking to the living, combined with Constance’s own feelings and doubts muddling her abilities, ensure that Constance and Thaddeus receive no easy answers from beyond the grave. At best they receive images or cryptic words that must then be puzzled out like any other lead.

I’m going to decline to go into the plot as I don’t want to accidentally give specific spoilers, but I will say that I enjoyed it and Victorian London and all of its many facets were very well researched.

I would recommend A Deadly Deception to anyone who loves Victorian era mysteries with a supernatural twist, and *very* slow-burn romance.

The streets of Victorian London are clothed in shadows and secrets in Tessa Harris’s gripping new mystery featuring flower seller Constance Piper …

London, July 1889. Eight months have passed since the horrific murder of Mary Jane Kelly. The residents of Whitechapel have begun breathing easy again—daring to leave windows open and walk about at twilight. But when old Alice McKenzie is found dead, throat slashed from ear to ear, the whispers begin once more: Jack the Ripper is back.

Constance Piper, a flower seller with a psychic gift, was a friend to both women. With the supernatural help of her late mentor, Miss Emily Tindall, and her more grounded ally, police detective Thaddeus Hawkins, she uncovers links between the murders and a Fenian gang. The Fenians, committed to violence to further their goal of an independent Ireland, are also implicated in a vicious attack in which the Countess of Kildane’s uncle was killed. Could the Whitechapel murders be a ruse to make the British police look helpless?

Soon, Constance is called upon for help. But there are spies everywhere in the city, and a bomb plot intended to incur devastating carnage. And as Constance is fast discovering, the greatest evil may not lurk in the grimy alleys of the East End, but in a conspiracy that runs from Whitechapel to the highest office in the land.

My thoughts
Would I recommend it? Yes
Will I read more of this series? yes, in fact I'm so looking forward to the next one when it comes out.
Will I read more of this author? Yes
Every time I read this series, and it keeps getting better with each book, and the characters become more real, this author not only knows how to write but she also does her research for that time period which is the Victorian London and the setting of Jack the Ripper. That was other thing that drew me to this series and how will the author writes. Another thing is not only is this a historical mystery but it has a touch of the paranormal as well. And as your reading it the series is told in two different perspectives. Which is Constance and other one is Miss Emily Tindall. And the more you read the more you begin to understand that there is more going on behind the scenes then meets the eye but to find out what you have to read the series for yourself. With that said I want to think NetGalley and Kensington for letting me read and review it because this is one of my favorite series to read .

Tessa Harris involves Constance Piper in A Deadly Deception. The plot is a cross between Jack the Ripper murders in Whitechapel and Fenian plots. Are the authorities playing up Jack the Ripper as a Fenian? Can ordinary inhabitants of Whitechapel avoid entanglement in plots? Is the secret service using Jack the Ripper?
Too many subplots.

Constance Piper is a flower seller in Whitechapel.  It is eight months after the death of Mary Kelly and the body of Alice McKenzie has just been found.  Residents of Whitechapel worry that Jack the Ripper is responsible.  Constance and her recently deceased friend, Emily Tindall, join forces with police detective Thaddeus Hawkins to solve the murder.  

Tessa Harris' Dr. Thomas Silkstone series is one of my favorites, so when I saw A Deadly Deception on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to read it.  I am sorry to say that I just didn't care for this story.  The writing was good, but the supernatural twist was just not my cup of tea.  I will be eagerly awaiting the next installment of the Dr. Thomas Silkstone series, but will pass on the Constance Piper books.

(NetGalley ebook -  I received a complimentary advanced reader copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

Princess Fuzzypants here: When I first met Constance Piper, flower seller, psychic and assistant to the police in Victorian London at the time of Jack the Ripper, the book was filled with atmosphere and tension. I confess it took me a while to figure out who was who but I had no problems this time. In fact, it grabbed me from the very beginning and never let go.
It is months since Mary Kelly was the last Ripper victim. Many hoped that the Ripper was dead. One of the leading suspects had committed suicide and the killings had stopped. Or had they? Another “unfortunate” is murdered and while there are similarities, there are also differences. There are also some deep connections between Mary and Alice, the new victim, not the least being Mary’s son. There are also forces at play and at odds within the policing community. Special Branch is looking to destroy the Fenians and willing to do anything to cushion their personal nests. But the Commissioner of Police realizes secrets are being hidden and if he wants the truth, he will need to use people he can trust, like Hawkins, the friend of Constance.
It is all a deadly mess and danger lurks behind every corner as Constance, aided by her dead friend Emily, and Hawkins try to piece together the story and prevent further bloodshed. Are there forces abroad even more treacherous than the wicked knife of Jack? The reader can almost smell and taste the grime of Whitechapel. The characters are compelling, the suspense is tangible and the story is fascinating. It makes for a great read that you will not want to put down.
Five purrs and two paws up.

This is the third book in the Constance Piper Mysteries. First book I read by this Author and it left me wanting to know more about Constance I put the first two books on my wish list The story brings us back to Victorian England. It is a bit different from the typical historical novel because of the connection between Constance and her dead friend's spirit who indirectly helps Constance solve the crime. Following items play a role. Corruption within the security services. Live in Victorian England riddled with crime but also lots of honest people trying to survive. The strong bond between a mother and her child. Lots of twist and turns in this story that keeps you on reading.

This is the first book I have read by Tessa Harris and it certainly will not be my last. The mystery, suspense, paranormal and amazing characters have drawn me in and have me only wanting to read more!
There was such a different twist with the Constance Piper, A flower seller being a psychic and getting help from Miss Emily Tindall, her old mentor and a ghost. Oh yes and that made the story even more fascinating! This time period with the horror of Jack the Ripper, which has fascinated almost everyone since that time, is talked about again as another victim is found dead with the same MO. But there is a lot of unrest with the Fenians, who are stirring up trouble violence in trying to gain the independence of Ireland.
Thaddeus Hawkins is a police detective who uses Constance's help in trying to solve the murders. There seems to be a lot going on though with evil being found in some unlikely places.
Prepare to sit back and not be able to stop once you start this amazing tale written by an author who uses fiction and facts to hold you captive until the end! By the way I love this cover! It sets the mood wonderfully!

The newest Constance Piper mystery, by Tessa Harris, returns to Victorian London, where women are still being killed by Jack the Ripper, or perhaps a copy-cat killer. The theme this time is the Irish Nationalists who are setting off bombs in London, and being hunted by the Special Branch, formed as the Special Irish Branch to deal with the threat.

Constance doesn’t know who to trust, except for her friend and policeman Thaddeus Hawkins, and her spirit companion, her dead teacher Emily Tindall. Tindall tells much of the story, in her role as omniscient spirit, a gimmick that I’m not particularly fond of. But, like the previous novel, their is much to like here in the atmospheric setting.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A Deadly Deception by Tessa Harris is the third in the Constance Piper Mysteries series. Although I normally love a good historical mystery I found myself unable to connect with this book. It takes place in London in 1889 around the time of the Jack the Ripper murders. Several women are dead and it may indeed be Jack. Constance is naturally curious and has been helpful to the constabulary in the past. Miss Emily Tindall is Constance' mentor, even now that she has passed away. The problem is that she is not always available. Her friend, Inspector Thaddeus Hawkins, is with the Metropolitan Police, in fact, is temporarily in charge of the Commercial Street station. He seeks her counsel despite the fact his bosses don't like it but she has been warned away from the station so they need to be careful. The Parnell Commission is in session investigating the Irish problem so there is plenty going on in London at the moment.

The mystery was a decent one but it was convoluted and there were a lot of characters to keep straight. There were also several subplots, which made it even more complicated. In short, I am not in love with this book.

I received a free ARC of A Deadly Deception. All opinions and interpretations contained herein are solely my own. #netgalley #adeadlydeception

First, I like historical mysteries but, in almost all cases, I have a hard time with multiple points of view. It's a special mystery that makes it to my must read list and this series is one of those. I also tend towards the cozier genre but this series, though tied to Jack the Ripper, kept me up way past my bedtime. The sign of a well written book.
It's July 1889 and Victorian London is feeling less stress, feeling free to leave their windows open and free to walk some streets at some times of the day without worrying that it will cost them their life. Constance Piper continues to sell flowers to help keep her mother and older sister off the streets. It's a very hard life for all of them. She is one of the voices of this story. Miss Emily Tindall was not only Constance's teacher, she was her mentor - 'was' being the key word here for Miss Emily Tindall was murdered and the killer is still at large. She can connect with Constance and help guide her in catching killers. And no, it's not over the top spooky, trust me, it works. The third member of the 'team' is Acting Inspector Thaddeus Hawkins. I had no trouble keeping all three voices separate.
When, 8 months after the last Ripper killing, Miss Alice, aka Clay Pipe Alice (because she smoked a pipe) is found slaughtered in an alley, the fears return and Constance is drawn into the case partly because Alice was her mother's friend. Added to the possible return of Jack the Ripper (or is it a new killer on the prowl?) Thaddeus has been tasked with an investigation that focuses on the Fenians and their violent acts of terrorism on London.
Each thread got my attention and carried me along. I can't say if this needs to be read in order or as a stand alone because, while I had read the other series by Tessa Harris - the Thomas Silkstone mysteries (6 in the series) I was new to this one and missed reading the previous two books. I plan to catch up very soon and I will add the next in the series to my must read list.

Victorian mysteries and Jack the Ripper go together like True till death, which is Cockney rhyming slang for breath. The hovering shadow of Jack the Ripper is the breath of life to Victorian mysteries since one of the unsolved mysteries of our age is his identity. The fear he instilled in the population of London crossed class lines because the mutilated bodies were vivisected with a surgeon’s well-trained skills.

It’s been eight months since the brutal murder of Mary Jane Kelly, who died at the hands of Saucy Jack. Whitechapel, in the heart of London’s East End, is beginning to “breathe easy.” Residents aren’t terrified to leave their windows open a crack or stroll about in the gloaming. “But when old Alice Mackenzie is found dead, throat slashed from ear to ear, the whispers begin once more: Jack the Ripper is back.” It’s a natural conclusion, but three people think not: flower seller and psychically-gifted Constance Piper; revenant Miss Emily Tindall, Connie’s former teacher from the Great Beyond; and Acting Inspector Thaddeus Hawkins.

The three work, each in their own lane, to catch the killer. Tessa Harris tells the story of A Deadly Deception from two points of view: Constance in the first person; the observations of the late Miss Emily Tindall, “a person who has returned, especially supposedly from the dead,” in the third. Emily weighs in from various spots like a mortuary, a police station, and an upper-class “rather splendid neo-Gothic gentlemen’s club on the Embankment” as she “live-streams” the action. That’s how we know what Thaddeus is up to. Tessa Harris juggles the disparate strands deftly and seamlessly.

Constance Piper knows everyone in Whitechapel. To help her friend Thaddeus and to find out for herself who killed Alice, Constance conducts informal interviews.

That’s why I’m wanting to know what Alice did in her last hours before she was killed. Like I said, the police have been ferreting and taking witness statements, but they can’t read people as I can. Faces are like books to me in this neighborhood. Miss Tindall used to say it was my “intuition.” I can sense when a person’s lying, or keeping something back, just like I knew Thaddeus was holding his cards close to his chest. I need an excuse to visit him, so I’ll do some poking myself on Alice’s old stomping ground and tell him what I’ve gleaned. Seeing him yesterday with that haggard look on his face makes me think he can do with all the help he can get.

Acting Inspector Thaddeus Hawkins has every reason to look haggard. He receives a handwritten letter bearing “the crest of the Metropolitan Police.”

Dear Acting Inspector Hawkins,



It is with great concern that I learned of the latest killing in Whitechapel. I would therefore be most grateful if you could meet with me in my office at your earliest convenience to discuss the case.



I am sure you will understand the confidential nature of my request.



Yours,

James Monro (CB)

Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis

Well, this is very much out of the ordinary since Thaddeus reports to “others far more senior than him.” He concludes that “whatever the commissioner has up his sleeve, he clearly doesn’t want to involve any senior officers.” The why becomes clear when the commissioner tells him the “latest Whitechapel atrocity is not the work of a lone psychopath, the so-called Jack the Ripper, but of a Fenian.”

Fenians were “Irish supporters of an uprising against British rule.” They conducted bombings, political assassinations, and plotted against Queen Victoria to further their goal of an independent Irish Republic. Hawkins wonders how the murders of “desperate, penniless nobodies” like Mary Jane Kelly and Alice Mackenzie help the Fenian cause. Cui bono comes to mind, “who stands, or stood, to gain (from a crime, and so might have been responsible for it).” Monro explains.

“By perpetuating the terror seemingly wrought by this Jack, the terrorists are making the police look helpless,” he explains. “In the meantime they are regrouping in order to commit more mainland atrocities.”



The notion jolts Hawkins back in the moment and he takes up the thread. “You crushed the network before, but now they are planning to make a comeback. The Whitechapel murders are decoys.”

Tessa Harris leavens A Deadly Deception with humor, Cockney slang, and the patois of the East End. For example, Mrs. Ryder gives Constance “a good shufti” before she consents to be interviewed about Alice, shufti being “a quick look or reconnoiter.” When Constance’s sister Flo whispers to her about a good-looking copper, Harris slips in some slang, “As if he can feel we’re giving him a good old butcher’s hook, I mean look, he turns and throws us a look with a pair of brown eyes bright as garnets.”

Asymmetrical warfare, however, conducted on a guerrilla level in the East End and stretching to the corridors of power in Whitehall, is at the core of the mystery. Jack the Ripper is a ruse in a fierce struggle between the burgeoning secretive Special Branch and the offices of the London Commissioner of Police. Commissioner Munro has nothing but contempt for the shadowy methods of his former colleague “Bernard Royston and his ilk.”

His spies called themselves policemen, but they were of no more assistance than novelists in solving crime. Such secrecy may be favored in Russia, but we are not a police state and, as long as I have breath in my body, will never be.

Constance, Thaddeus, and Emily have their marching orders. It’s not necessary to have read the first two Constance Piper Mysteries, The Sixth Victim and The Angel Makers, to enjoy A Deadly Deception, but who can resist the temptation to explore the world that Tessa Harris has created?

I received an ARC of this book to read through NetGalley in exchange for a fair review. A Deadly Deception by Tessa Harris is the 3rd book in her Constance Piper Mystery series.
When flower seller Constance Piper’s mothers friend Alice MacKenzie is murdered rumours abound that she was a victim of Jack the Ripper. Constance does not think so and with the help of the ghost of her teacher Emily Tindall she and police detective Thadedeus Hawkins set out to solve a mystery that gets murkier with each clue she uncovers. I found the story a bit hard to get into as chapters are narrated alternately by Constance and the ghost of Emily Tindale, with Constance’s chapters in the first person and Emily’s in neutral third party narration it made for an uneven flow in the story. Emily supposedly communicates with Constance but there was very little of that which made me wonder what was the point of it.
Perhaps if I had read the first two books I would have enjoyed this one more because it has some fascinating historical detail but also things that don’t make sense such as Constance’s not needing to actually sell flowers and at times she seems much more sophisticated than one would expect. Publishing Date August 27, 2019 #NetGalley #DeadlyDeception #TessaHarris #HistoricalMystery #ConstancePiperMystery #Bookstagram

A very good historical mystery with paranormal elements.
I was fascinated by how well the author mixes historical, paranormal and mystery elements making this book gripping and entertaining.
I like Costance and I think that the entire cast of characters is well written and interesting.
I appreciated a historical mystery that is not set in a high society environment but in the slums of Whitechapel.
I didn't read the previous instalment but I had no issue with the plot or the characters.
I look forward to reading the next book in this series.
Highly recommended!
Many thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

Book 3 in the Constance Piper Mystery series finds us dealing with both Fenian and Jack the Ripper conspiracies - or are we? Is anything ever as it seems for our Inspector, flower girl and her teacher/spirit guide?

Tessa Harris has really found her storytelling groove with Constance, Emily and Thaddeus. This was a really tight mystery, neatly tied to book 1, that really kept me guessing until the end. Not all plots were tied up neatly, so I’m really looking forward to the next installment.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This is the third book in the Constance Piper series by Tessa Harris. However, this is the first book I have read in the series. The writing style of the book is very unique being written from the point of view of Constance and her dead teacher, Emily Tindall. Really amazing story; it keeps you guessing from the beginning and the change in point of view relays such different perpectives. I've alreay gone and bought the first book in the series to fill in a few of the gaps from starting with book three. However, you can also read this as a stand-alone as well without missing too much.

I read the other two installments of this series too, and I recommend to read those before reading this book.

Jack the Ripper is one gruesome part of London's history out of many, and one that peaks my interest. That is why I started reading the books about Constance Piper. I just could not let the chance go by to read fiction about this!

For most parts, I could feel the oppressive and scary mood of the place and time. I love how, meanwhile, things also went on as normal. Another great thing about this book - and it's predecessors - is how it hooks into the interest for mediums and the occult that happened quite a lot in this time. I would have liked it better though, if Constance had not prayed to her beloved miss Tindall all the time, like she could not think for herself anymore.

Another pet peeve of mine is that Constance changed from the girl that helped her sister pickpocketing by getting the attention of people with her flowers in part one, to a Mary Sue who all but condemned her sister for her occupation now, while she hardly had time to sell flowers anymore. Girl, how else would there be food on the table and payed rent, while you are too busy nosing around and calling for your ghost friend to sell flowers?

In the end this was mostly a pet peeve though. I'd certainly pick up this book again if I had to choose again, and I hope there will be more books about Constance to come!

Constance is back- and so, maybe, is Jack the Ripper! Constance, a flower seller, has a gift and she also has the voice of Emily, her beloved and quite dead friend, in her ear. In fact, this is told alternately by Constance and Emily (go with it- it's not woo woo) as Constance tries to find the murderer of her mother's friend Ol'Alice, which was killed in a way reminiscent of the Ripper. Constance has a good friend, ally, and associate in Inspector Thaddeus Hawkins, who frankly takes advantage of her skills. This is less about the Ripper, however, than the Fenians, a violent group which is wrecking havoc in London. I learned a bit (always a plus) and this made the mystery more complex. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. For fans of historical mysteries. While this is the third of a series, it could easily be read as a standalone.

It was way too slow and this cockney accent made reading this novel even more difficult. I am pretty sure it is just not my cup of tea but there are other people out there that may love this third installments in this series where a girl selling flowers, is helped by a spirit to solve crimes.

È una storia lentissima in cui dialetto londinese della fine dell'800 complica ulteriormente una situazione già compromessa. Sono sicura che il problema sia solo mio e là fuori sia pieno di gente in grado di apprezzare non solo il romanzo, ma tutta la serie incentrata su una venditrice di fiori che viene aiutata da uno spirito a risolvere i crimini.

THANKS NETGALLEY FOR THE PREVIEW!