This is a great book and a fast read. I know I read for longer periods of time when the book is good and this book is that in a nut shell. The setting and the characters were believable. I was looking forward to the next page as it went on and couldn't put it down.

The Final Deception is the fifth novel in Heather Graham's New York Confidential series, combining romance, crime, mystery, and suspense. I'll confess that I mistakenly picked up this book without knowing it was part of a series. Yet, I didn't have any trouble diving right into the plot.

FBI Agent Craig Frasier and psychologist Kieran Finnegan have teamed up to hunt a serial killer. Yet, this case will quickly pull them into more danger than they ever could have anticipated. Given the hunt they've taken up, perhaps they should have expected that.

The case quickly takes them throughout the city, forcing them to delve into lots of dark secrets while on the hunt for one killer. What will they dig up in the process, and what price will they pay in the process?

The Final Deception was a thrilling read, as I had hoped and expected. I loved Heather Graham's writing style and felt like she did an excellent job of weaving multiple threads together into one chilling narrative.

As I mentioned above, I haven't read any of the four previous novels in this series. Yet, I didn't have any trouble following along or appreciating much of the nuance that came with these two characters. I love it when new readers can just jump on in like that, so I'm going to give extra credit where it is due.

On that note, the killer really was one that gave me goosebumps. If you ask me, he was terrifying and felt so real – which is always a chilling combination. It made it easy for me to root for his capture.

As much of a mystery thriller as I am, I have never read a book written by Heather Graham. I was excited to be approved to read this copy of the Final Deception. This is book #5 in the New York Confidential series. It follows FBI Agent Craig Frasier and psychologist Kieran Finnegan as they hunt for a serial killer known as the Fireman. Raoul Nicholson is a religious fanatic that has his own following and sect. He is a serial killer that strangles and sets his prey on fire. After he is arrested and jailed, he escapes, and more bodies are discovered. Frasier and Finnegan set out to solve the new cases and wonder if it’s the Fireman all over again, or a copycat. Since this is the first book I have read in this series, I can say that it can be read as a standalone since she does dive into the backstory of the two main characters. The book at times was graphic, and disturbing, but that is the usual avenue taken for books about serial killers. I enjoyed this book and may look for more in the series or start from the beginning to become more invested in the characters.

This was a great story by a great author. I’ve read a number of her books and they don’t disappoint. I really liked both main characters as well as the plot. I recommend.
**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

i really enjoyed reading this book, the characters were great and I loved the mystery in the book. It left me guessing and be on the edge of my seat.

The fifth and final book in the New York Confidential series. I read it as a stand alone, but I do recommend all of the books included in the series because the romantic relationship seemed wanting, however I did really like this couple. Makes me want to go find the other books and read from the beginning. It's a quick read and one I do recommend it.

Criminal psychologist Kieran Finnegan was relieved when she no longer had to evaluate the brutal serial killer known as The Fireman. Her FBI agent boyfriend Craig is called to a gruesome crime scene that matches The Fireman’s MO soon after, then it's apparent that he escaped. Kieran and Craig need to find him, and the search takes them too close to home.


This is book five of the New York Confidential series, but each volume is pretty much standalone. There isn't any need to have read the prior novels in this series, since it explains the role Kieran, her family members and Craig plays in the beginning. The Fireman is of a religious bent, sure that his work was holy because he was killing witches, not people. As a forensic psychologist, Kieran has to determine his state of mind at the time of the killings, because of course his lawyer wants him in a locked forensic psychiatric unit for the criminally insane. It doesn't matter, because he escaped from Riker's Island the next day and there was another body to investigate.


I really enjoy the relationships between the Finnegan siblings, as well as the romantic relationship between Kieran and Craig. They have solid partnerships with their colleagues as well, so that they can seamlessly discuss each new piece of evidence as it's found, including a dog that had been at the scene of the last murder. The investigation progresses throughout the rest of the novel, and Kieran is in the middle of it far more than the average forensic psychologist would be. Part of that is because the killer thinks she's a good person, partly because she has an idea of how he thinks. There are certainly red herrings along the way to keep you guessing until the end, just like all of Heather Graham's other romantic thrillers. This is another great entry in her bibliography.

**** 3.5 stars: A mystery-romance with more of a thriller feel, The Final Deception is just want you'd want in quick-reading escapist read.

Recommended readers:

If you like Heather Graham modern mystery-thriller-romances
If you want an action-packed mystery with some romance

Here's my Rankings:

3/5 for characters
3.5/5 for plot
3.5/5 overall
REVIEW FROM BOOKS FOR HER:

Like other Heather Graham novels, I'm always surprised when characters find romance in other book, but she continues the story into another book. While some of the early passion of romance is missing, you'll enjoy the mystery surrounding a serial killer who has escaped from prison. The Last Deception is a great escapist read - if you you're looking to take a break from the real world and delve into another world. A great mix of mystery, suspense and romance, The Last Deception is easy to get into and a quick read.

Available now: The Last Deception  by Heather Graham

3.5 stars
Raoul Nicholson is a religious fanatic who heads an insular sect. He sets out to rid the world of evil and purify the city of witches. Known as the Fireman because of his mode of killing, Nicholson strangles his victims before mutilating their bodies and setting them aflame. Is it the voices in his head that make him do it or is there something more sinister at play?

Certainly, Craig Frasier, FBI agent and his fiance Kieran Finnegan, criminal psychologist have their work cut out for them when Nicholson escapes Rikers prison and corpses quickly start to mount.

<b>The Final Deception</b> is the 5th book in the <i>New York Confidential</i> series. Although this is my first time reading Heather Graham I didn't have any trouble keeping up with the characters or the storyline. I suspect that earlier books in the series build on the love interest between our two protagonists. Never one for too much romance myself, I found that Graham had just the right touch for this part of the storyline. However, I am a girl who likes her surprises though and I must admit Graham totally caught me off guard with that twist at the end. Overall, <b>The Final Deception</b> was a delightful departure and I will certainly be on the lookout for more of Heather Graham in the future.

<i>Special thanks to NetGalley, Mira Books and Heather Graham for advanced access to this book.</i>

Kieran and Craig are back at it again! And I’m so fucking thrill. I totally love reading about Kieran and Craig so much. Like it’s the must thriller romance read. I fucking love it. And their latest release did not disappoint at all.
The Final Deception will bring the gruesome murders alive than ever. And there are many twists and turns than anyone can expected. But you better know that Kieran and Craig are the middle of it.
FBI Agent Craig is the lead investigator regarding the serial murders going on. And it is definitely getting to him because the murderer seems to focus on Psychologist Kieran. I definitely can understand his fear. He truly love Kieran so much that he does not want nothing to happen to her. But as usual, she is usually in the middle of his cases. It does not surprise me at all. Kieran has eye on things that Craig sometimes mess. She has a brilliant mind that it makes totally sense to have her. And I know that they both need each other with this case.
Don’t expect things as it seems. There are surprises that you won’t. Trust me.

Craig is a FBI agent who is happy to have just captured The Fireman, a serial killer who was killing people he thought were witches, cutting out their tongues and eyes, and burning them. The FBI called in Craig's fiancee, Kieran, a psychologist to interview The Fireman. Later that day, he escapes from prison and another person is found dead, mostly in the same matter. But a few things are different that convinces Craig and his team that this murder was not done by The Fireman. Will they be able to find out who is behind this murder and find The Fireman before he kills again, or he is killed himself.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I was a little skeptical about this book since it is a part of a series, and I hate to start a series in the middle, but this one was pretty good. I will definitely go back and read the rest of the series.

Can you imagine having a killer in your clutches and then he escapes? Even though he has admitted to his crimes, he really feels as though he was doing it for the greater good. Killing people who were considered evil in the world. When Kieran speaks to him, he tells her that she is a good person and there is nothing for her to worry about. She doesn't feel any hardship toward him. But she has this strange feeling that she is being watched. Craig is not happy that Kieran has been brought in on this case, but he knows she can handle her own.

When more people end up dead, Craig feels as though he is on a wild goose chase. Will he be able to find The Fireman before it's too late?

The kind folks at Harper Collins invited me to be part of their blog tour for Heather Graham’s latest mystery THE FINAL DECEPTION, and unfortunately I missed signing up in time, but here I am to tell you that this is a great book!

Heather Graham writes lots of really popular mysteries but I had not read many of hers and I hadn’t read the other books in this series. No worries — this title can be read as a stand alone and it’s fine if you haven’t read the other titles in this series. (This is New York Confidential Book 5).

I really enjoyed her fast-paced writing and the complexity of the story line. It was suspenseful but not overly scary/gruesome.

Please note that I did read this as a standalone, and I don’t think I wasn’t hindered by not reading the previous four books.

If you love psychological thrillers, check out this book! We follow the main character, a criminal psychologist as she investigates into the mind of a serial killer. I always tend to become fascinated by these types of stories that give a whole new perspective into how people tick, and I think the author did a great job in incorporating such a twisted tale with suspense and even some romance!

A solid 3 out of 5 star read that easily engrosses you with dark, thrilling moments.

A chilling, twisted and sinister thriller, The Final Deception is the latest exhilarating and heart-pounding tale in the New York Confidential series from the talented pen of the legendary Heather Graham.

It was one of the most chilling cases psychologist Kieran Finnegan had ever worked on. The Fireman had stalked his prey, tortured and maimed them before eventually killing them in the most gruesome of ways. When Kieran had been asked to give her professional opinion on this man, she’d been chilled to the bone by this devious and evil man capable of committing such devious and barbaric acts. Yet this deeply religious pillar of the community who had believed that he was purging the world from witches was initially thought by his friends, colleagues and neighbours to be a polite and mild-mannered man. But reality proved to be far different. Still, despite the fact that he might still haunt her nightmares – and those of her partner, FBI agent Craig Frasier – the Fireman is behind bars and will not hurt or torture anyone else…or will he? When Craig is called to a crime scene, he is flabbergasted when he realizes that the blood-curdling methods of The Fireman had been used to despatch a real estate mogul – and it just so happens that The Fireman has escaped from prison…

What are the police dealing with? Is it The Fireman striking again? Yet, his previous victims were sex workers or promiscuous and hedonistic people leading sinful lifestyles but this time, the man in question was somebody known for his philanthropy. Did The Fireman have a score to settle? Are there hidden secrets and twisted lies the police simply are not privy to? Or is The Fireman innocent this time and this is the work of a copycat killer? Could it be that this is somebody close to The Fireman charged with carrying out a final act of vengeance? And will this murder set in motion even further killings? Or is it a one-off?

The search is on to find The Fireman and New York’s finest will leave no stone unturned to locate him. Craig and Kieran find themselves working together to uncover an insidious web of greed, privilege, money and power to get to the killer. But they must work fast and ensure that they do not put a single foot wrong because when the investigation brings the danger far too close to home they could stand to lose everything they hold dear to their hearts…

Can Craig and Kieran manage to find whoever is responsible for this heinous murder and have the wedding they’ve been planning? Or will they end up condemned to a lifetime of misery, anguish and regret?

Heather Graham will send your heart rate soaring through the roof with her latest tantalizing thriller, The Final Deception. Nail-biting, action-packed and deliciously twisted, this densely plotted tale is rich in suspense, intrigue and danger and will have you reading all through the night and keep you absolutely glued to the page. Heather Graham is a master storyteller who will send chills down your spine and keep you on the edge of your seat in this electrifying tale of murder, mayhem and revenge.

The Final Deception continues to cement Heather Graham’s standing as a true virtuoso of suspense and a writer who never fails to surprise, delight and entertain.

Heather Graham is a well known for her detective thrillers, and yet I had never heard of her. Shame on me! The Final Deception follows Kieran and Craig, him an FBI agent, her a psychologist, as they hunt an escaped serial killer.

This book was so different. While it was a story about an escaped convict, it was more so a psychological thriller with some crime fighting. I really loved how it was more about Kieran and trying to figure out the motive behind the crime than the crime itself. It was very realistic with how they ran the investigation and interviews. I feel like Graham definitely does her research to get realism.

Usually this is the time I would point out the things I did not like about the book, but honestly I can’t think of any. The characters were well thought out and descriptive. The story flowed smoothly and gave you little pieces of the puzzle slowly so you could try and figure out what was happening on your own along the way. I devoured this book in a little over 24 hours. So honestly, not much I could say but praise.

Heather Graham is right up there at the level I hold Lisa Gardner, which is pretty high on the detective crime novel writings. The Final Deception was unique, fiery, inventive, dark, and bloody! If you love a great… no a fantastic… detective crime novel, pick up The Final Deception by Heather Graham. You will not be disappointed.

The Final Deception is the fifth and final book in the New York Confidential series. It can be read as a stand alone, but I do recommend all of the books included in the series. It also finishes out Kieran and Craig's romance arc. I think this is probably my favorite of the series.I love this couple together. I loved the epilogue! In addition to this wonderful wrap-up to their romance, there was a great mystery with a few surprises. I didn't call the ending. It's a quick read and one I highly recommend.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Netgalley, and Mira Books for this free copy. All quotes in this review are taken from the Advanced Reader Copy and may change in final publication.

These kind of books really make me think about how police procedurals can be translated well in different forms of literature, from novels to TV shows. I have always been interested in procedurals since the days of Law and Order when I was younger, and I think this was such a great novel that gave me really great TV show vibes.

In this novel, we are reunited with FBI agent Craig Fraiser and psychologist Kieran Finnegan and their task to hunt a serial killer with some ties to Finnegan’s Pub. When the bad guy is too close for comfort, things can get really intense, and that’s where things get interesting in this series. With this novel also being the conclusion to this five book series, readers finally come to a head with the cat and mouse chase between our heroes and this serial killer villain. Will things end well?

Graham is a great author, and I’m glad that I was able to experience her writing with this novel. While I did not read the rest of the series before finishing this, I think that I was able to understand the main gist of the plot and I wasn’t left lost with what was going on. I’m curious to see how this partnership between Fraiser and Finnegan started in the first novel, and I’d love to see how their partnership grew from the first book to this one.

Kieran and Craig are back in the middle of another investigation, this time the clock is ticking! Can they find the serial killer who just escaped prison and is thought to be killing again?

Kieran is a psychologist who also lends a hand at her family’s Irish pub. She has just interviewed a serial killer who has know escaped from prison, but she doesn’t think that he has committed the recent murder on the night he escaped. Is he really hearing voices in his head telling him to kill or is it someone planting the ideas? When he reaches out to Kieran can she trust her instincts that he just wants her help and doesn’t want to kill her?

Craig is an FBI agent who is also Kieran’s fiancé. Can he keep her safe while tracking this killer? How is that they she keeps getting tangled into his investigations?
I love not only the relationship between Kieran and Craig, but also the relationship they have with her family. Heather Graham does an amazing job keeping the suspense going but also lightening the story with the interaction with family and friends in a local pub setting. This book is the fifth in the series, but Ms. Graham gives you enough background that it can also be read as a stand a lone novel. Since she is one of my favourite authors, I actually got the other four books and read them as well. This series is fabulous, so don’t miss reading it! Thanks so much to Harlequin, Heather Graham and NetGalley for an advanced copy to read and review.

Kieran, a criminal psychologist, has been called to interview The Fireman. The Fireman is a serial killer. He hears voices telling him which person to kill and why. She just can’t shake the feeling there is more going on behind these voices.

Kieran is smart and I enjoy that in a character. She has good instincts and knows when to follow them. Craig, her FBI Special Agent boyfriend, is a perfect match for her. They really work well together and make a great team.

I have enjoyed Heather Graham’s books for years! She is an author which creates a great escape. There is danger, suspense, mystery and little bit of love scattered throughout her stories! You cannot go wrong with any of that! And this tale is full of suspense and creepiness. Plus, there is a cute, little dog!

This is the final novel in the New York Confidential series. I have not read any of the previous novels. (I will have to remedy that soon!) This is a stand alone tale. There are a few previous cases alluded to but it did not affect this story at all. So, what are you waiting for? Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

This was a pure Heather Graham story where the twists kept popping at delicious intervals.
I hadn't read the earlier books, but I had no problem understanding the characters. The villain The Fireman made the story more delectable. The writing kept me on my toes with the characters well developed. The story was steady in it space where I kept waiting for the final reveal. Intrigue and suspense made me a fan of this author and there were loads of it in this book. Overall, a fun read.