It looks like I'm late to the game on this series, but this one is about a serial killer, so I had to check it out. I was a bit worried about being lost since I'm not familiar with the series, but I didn't have any problem at all figuring out the characters and their connections. As far as the Fireman - well, I'll just say that he is one twisted dude, but the story also has its share of twists to keep readers on their toes. The story is everything I expect from Heather Graham. It's well written with a good pace and a steadily rising tension. We get some great characters to connect with as well as a gripping mystery to solve. All in all, another winner from this author.

The Final Deception by Heather Graham
New York Confidential #5

Coming into this series on book five shouldn’t have worked but it did. I have enjoyed this author’s work before and was happy to read a new-to-me book by her again.

Craig Frasier is an FBI agent and his fiance sometimes does pysch consultations for the FBI. In this book Craig is still having nightmares about the tough case of THE FIREMAN and Kieran Finnegan, Craig’s fiance, has just interviewed The Fireman a little while before he escapes from prison. About the time he escapes another murder following the same modus operandi takes place and all of New York is soon intently watching the news to find out what will happen next. Is this a copycat murder or did The Fireman do it?

In addition to the catch-him-if-you-can thread there is the ongoing romance between Craig and Kieran and if/when they will get married, the sibling support of the Finnegan family for one another, the police procedural aspects of solving the murder, the suspense of wondering who might be following Kieran and the question of Ruff the dog and where he will end up in the future.

This was an interesting read that might have been more interesting had I come in on book one and read the four books preceding this one because I would have known the main and supporting characters better than I did going into book five. That said, I still knew them well enough to enjoy the story.

What I liked:
* Kieran: Smart, intuitive, puzzle solver, not clingy, a good sister and fiance and very likable
* Craig: Intelligent, driven, keen to solve cases, not too clingy, a good boyfriend, dependable and bit hearted.
* The relationship between Kieran and Craig – they were mature, knew what they wanted and allowed one another the independence and distance needed to accomplish the goals of their profession.
* The Finnegan brothers – I am sure there is more to each and every one of them that I would love to know.
* Ruff – a scrappy fellow that landed in clover
* Following the threads that lead to the WHO and WHY of the murders
* The twist or two at the end
* The good thwarted evil

What I did not like:
* The psychotic puppet master and those he pulled the strings of

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in this series/by this author? Yes

Thank you to NetGalley, Harper Collins and Harlequin-Mira for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4.5 Stars

I've been following along this New York Confidential series and gotta say I'm loving this new addition! If you are new to this book, this series, this author and love mystery suspense novels your not gonna wanna miss this! I love Heather Grahams books and seriously, shes the queen of mystery novels. Once again Kieran and Craig are working on another dangerous case and I loved that with each thing that happens in the book it kept me on my toes. This book was such a fun read and I loved seeing how they worked together to figure out what was going on with twist and turns and I really enjoyed myself reading this. Highly Recommend this book but even better check out the whole series!

I love Heather Graham's stories and this is the first I read in this series.
It was an exciting and gripping read that kept me on the edge till the end.
I liked the complexity of the locked room mystery and was happy to read about it.
Ms Graham can surely write a story that will keep hooked and this one was no exception as she is a great storyteller.
The plot flows and is fast paced, the characters are well thought and likeable, the mystery is solid and kept me guessing.
I want to read the rest of the series as I loved this book and I hope this is not the last instalment even it I was told it is.
An excellent and entertaining read, highly recommended.
Many thanks to MIRA and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

A Serial Killer Strikes Again, or Is It a Copycat?

Kieran Finnegan, a criminal psychologist, has been asked by her partners to interview the Fireman, a serial killer. The question is whether he’s insane or sane and evil. Kieran isn’t sure. He says he hears voices telling him to kill his victims, but is he faking?

Craig Frasier, an FBI agent and Kieran’s fiancee, is called to the scene of a murder, shortly after Kieran interviews the Fireman. The crime has all the earmarks of the Fireman, and he’s escaped from Riker’s Island, but has he had time to do the killing?

The Fireman contacts Keiran asking for help because he believes she’s good. Craig doesn’t want her anywhere near the killer, but when has anyone been able to stop Kieran?

This is a well done police procedural with lots of action and twists. The author gives plenty of clues, but still the ending was a surprise.

The characters are one of the best parts of the book. Kieran is a feisty redhead who lives up to reputation for getting involved in Craig’s cases. Craig is the perfect handsome hero who wants to protect Kieran, but knows that he can’t control her.

Kieran’s family runs Finnegan’s Pub. The scenes with Kieran and her brothers are some of the most delightful in the book. The family scenes keep the book from become bogged down in the horror of the killings.

I received this book from Harlequin for this review.

The Fireman has escaped from custody and the serial killings begin again in The Final Deception, the fifth book in the New York Confidential series.

The Fireman strangles his victims, cuts out their tongues, gouges their eyes out, and burns their, then dead, bodies. FBI Agent Craig and his criminal psychologist fiancée Kieran are once again searching for the religious zealot serial killer in the mean streets of NYC.

The Final Deception has the perfect mirroring of the sinister depths of religious obsession/mental illness and the rollicking madness of a big Irish family planning their only sister’s wedding and her reception at the family’s very Irish NYC pub.

There is a great and surprising twist at the end of The Final Deception. The entire book is an exciting whodunit. However, it is the characters that make me love the book even more. If you like police procedurals with genuine characters, you will enjoy this engrossing thriller. 4 stars!

Thanks to MIRA, Harlequin Books, and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

Love...love...love this book. An FBI Agent and his psychologist fiancee get tangled up in a disturbing chilling case and the suspect is on the loose, so the manhunt begin with new victims appear along the way. Oh yesss this one has story that hooked me from the get go, so many suspects that keep me turning the page and keep my heart racing, then add the camarederie of an Irish family and the sweetness of the relationship between Craig and Kieran to this high tension story, yup this book has a perfect concoction that we as suspense reader will love.
So if you're looking page-turner suspense mystery read, this is the book for you.

This is the first book I read in the New York Confidential series, even though it’s supposed to be the last. You can read it without reading the others, but I wouldn’t suggest it because you don’t have the entire world, or the case leading up to this point.
Craig and Keiran are a couple who find themselves in the center of a firestorm. The infamous Fireman has escaped Rikers Island and a scant 4 hours later, a murder is committed that resembles his m.o. Did he have time to get into the secured building, or is someone else using what they know about the case to make it look like his work?
This book can at times be dark and disturbing, it’s about a serial killer after all. It’s fast paced, intriguing, and well written. I can’t recommend this book enough for fans of police procedurals/romantic suspense.
**I received a copy from Harlequin-Mira through Netgalley and this is my honest and voluntary review.

This series keeps a reader coming back for more. Kieran is once again embroiled in a case which involves the FBI. Craig, her fiance is concerned because this latest one, the Fireman seems like a cased closed, yet he is uneasy. Especially as Kieran is a psychologist who works for a practice that interviews and assesses criminals. A criminal who fixates on Kieran is not Craig's idea of a safe.

From the first few pages of this story, I'm pulled in. I could have easily read this book in one sitting if I started it at a reasonable hour. Alas, as usual, I started too late and had to sleep before I could finish this book. The next morning, I started work early just so I could finish early to finish this book. The suspense is what kept my attention. I liked walking through the mystery with Kieran as she discovers each clue and does a bit more sleuthing. She is much more sophisticated than Nancy Drew. She finds herself in just as much trouble, it seems.

Whilst Kieran is chasing down leads, Craig is dealing with more homicides that make everyone question if the police really has the real Fireman. Ms. Graham does a great job of throwing in several red herrings. Still, there was a little something in the way she wrote a character that made me suspect them as the real killer. The betrayals in this story tied all the different thread together. Through all of it, it does seem as if perhaps Kieran should look into a job as a profile for the FBI. Perhaps a bit of training would help her as she seems to get herself into some sticky situations.

The characters in this series both main and secondary are easy to like. This is more than just a suspense story as the reader shares the life of Kieran and her siblings. Their restaurant/bar is described so well I can visualize it. The feeling of welcome and coziness leaps off the pages. The relationship and ties between the characters builds a complex network of friendship and family. This is why I find the series so compelling. These little nuances build a world I wish I could visit. This romantic suspense is recommended to readers who enjoy a mystery with a heart.

5/5 Stars!

This book I would categorize as “romantic suspense” - it had the perfect blend of romance and sexiness, while chronicling a really compelling mystery. Which isn’t surprising, since Heather Graham is a really talented writer and can draw readers into her stories easily.

This is the third in a trilogy, but I had no problem reading it as a standalone.

The mystery itself was really interesting and there were some really great twists that I did not see coming. There’s some nice red herrings and little diversions which keep readers on their feet and guessing. The conclusion was really satisfying and wrapped things up pretty nicely, both with the mystery and the “personal” storyline.

As for the characters themselves, they were very well drawn out. The relationship between Craig and Kieran was super sweet - add her family in and you have a great cast of characters rounding out the story. I’m hoping future books may explore some of these characters more? I would read that!

Overall, if your looking for a story with a good mystery and a little bit of romance, this is your book. I was hooked from the first chapter!

The Final Deception is the perfect blend of action-packed thrills, professional investigations, and criminally insane creepiness with a delightful touch of amateur whimsy. The story checks all the boxes you can have or want in a thriller, while heartwarming family moments and steamy romantic scenes add a few more reasons to love this story and series. I was engrossed from page 1 and found that the pages quickly turned until the story came to an end.

Favorite Character – Kieran Finnegan

Redheads have to stick together, right? I do find I am drawn to female leads who have red hair, as I do, so I’m going to say a loud, “Yes!” to that. She’s a criminal psychologist who is engaged to an FBI agent, and within all this professional crime-fighting, she still manages to find herself in precarious situations. With a shrug of her shoulders and a smile on her lips, she shows complete innocence about how she ends up in the middle of the danger. I can never resist that fun happenstance character.

What I Love

The murderer is the type of creepy that makes my blood run cold. A man who believes that God is telling him who to kill – fanaticism at it’s utmost worst. He’s creepy, on the loose, and makes the goosebumps rise on more than one occasion.

I loved that among all the serious crime-fighting, there is still time for quirky fun. Between Kieran being Kieran, a new dog in the mix, and a family of protective Irish brothers, there are bits of subtle fun that gives you a delightful break from the goosebumps.

I love it when a book pulls me in and doesn’t let go until I have tried four, five, or six times to go past the last page. The Final Deception is one of those books. I wanted more of it all – the action, the mystery, the family – it all works together to create a story that gives the reader all the thrills and all the feels you could want in a story.

The characters are all delightfully well-developed with reasons to connect to each on a personal level. I truly loved them all and saw the hero potential in every one that surrounds the main characters. The mystery concludes in conventional and somewhat surprising ways for those that love the surprise of a twist at the end. And, the relationships will make you stand up and cheer by the end of the story.

What I Wish

I wish that I had the time to read the previous four books in the series right now. They will be read, but I want to read them now.

To Read or Not to Read

This is a book full of thrills and unexpected charm that should be on the screen - tv or movie. I can’t even imagine a reason why a lover of thrillers would want to miss out on the latest installment of the New York Confidential series.

The gruesome murders confessed to by the killer called the Fireman have left their mark on Kieran and Craig.

Even locked away his name and his story are chilling. When Kieran is asked to consult with the man to see if he is insane or just plain evil, she is not prepared for the man she meets. 

But just days later there is another body. With the same MO and in a bizarre turn of events our serial killer escapes from prison and is now on the loose. While the body count rises, Craig and Kieran may be in the most danger as they chase an escaped killer and try to unravel a web of lies, greed and straight-up crazy!

Graham never fails to give us a good, twisty, thriller of a tale! This was like trying to untangle a Rubick's Cube! So many threads to pull at and everyone had me thinking, "Oh, yeah, he did it. " And every time I was wrong.

Well Done!

NetGalley/ March 31st, 2020 by MIRA

The Final Deception

Rating : 5

Would I recommend it it? Yes

Would I read more of this series ? Yes

Would I read more by this author? yes

No matter the story or the series Heather Graham has never let me down yet, wither its a series I'm reading or a new to me one that I'm just starting like this one and after reading this I want to go back and read the others in this series .As for having trouble following what was going on, I had no trouble at all , in fact once I started reading it I didn't want to stop. Loved the characters and the inter action between them as well as the interaction between Kieran and her family , with that said I want to thank Harlequin -MIRA as well as Netgalley for inviting me to read and review one of my all time favorite authors books and can't wait to see what she comes up with next.

Ho-oh-oh-oh-ly chit!

I don't typically read books with serial killers nor am I a huge fan of any kind of procedural. But this book is not typical and I am so glad I pounced it.

The Fireman is one sick ticket and I loved it! Also,

I also love a book with a credible and badass female lead!

Twisty, turny, disturbing, delish!

Thank you to Heather Graham, HARLEQUIN - MIRA, and NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Fireman, a vicious serial killer, has escaped and more bodies turn up matching the killers previous murders. Have people close to the Fireman been pulled into his evil or is someone else using his escape to fulfill their own agenda. Agent Craig Frasier is one of the agents on the case. Craig’s fiancé psychologist Keiran Finnegan was asked to evaluate the Fireman to evaluate his mental status and hours later he escapes. This book is part of a series but it can be read as a stand alone. There are plenty of twists in this story that will keep you guessing. It has a good plot and a great cast of characters. Thank you to netgalley for an advanced readers copy.

This is one of my favorite authors so I was excited about being able to read an early copy of this book. I haven’t read the previous ones in this series but I had no trouble following this book. I think they all must stand alone. It was fast paced, I was kinda surprised with the twist towards the end. I enjoyed the story and so will everyone that likes FBI books with a strong female character. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the early copy