Rita M. Boehm’s The Price of Deception is a mystery thriller centered on the murder of Anita Johns and the sudden disappearance of her daughter, Pepper. What begins as a small-town murder investigation in Jamestown, Colorado, soon opens into a much larger story about buried identities, family trauma, religious control, and the long reach of a past Anita tried desperately to escape. It is part crime novel, part survival story, and part emotional reckoning.

What stood out to me most was how grounded the book feels even when the plot grows more intense. Boehm doesn’t just chase clues. She pauses with people. Cassie, Connor, Donnie, Helen, and Pepper all feel tied together by loyalty and shared history, and that gives the mystery real weight. I found myself caring less about the mechanics of the investigation at times and more about the ache underneath it. Pepper isn’t just a missing person. She’s someone who has built a life out of scraps of love, stubbornness, and second chances. That makes every new revelation hit harder.

I also appreciated the author’s choice to let the story move between perspectives. It gives the novel a wider emotional range, especially as the investigation into Anita’s past begins to expose the world of New Zion. The book is candid about control, abuse, and the ways people can be shaped by fear, but it doesn’t feel exploitative. There are moments where the background information slows the pace a little. Still, the emotional pull is strong. The quieter scenes, especially those involving found family and protection, give the thriller elements a warmer pulse.

I would recommend The Price of Deception to readers who enjoy mystery thrillers with heart, especially those who like crime stories rooted in family secrets, small-town bonds, and strong female survival arcs. I think the book will mean the most to people who appreciate a mystery that cares as much about healing as it does about solving the crime.

Pages: 309 | ASIN: B0GYDPSSGG