ISBN-139780800747640
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Publication Date: 10/27/2026
Series: FBI New Recruits
Pages: 320
Synopsis
Special Agent Kira Miller’s new career at the FBI has started—in translations. It’s not the opportunity she was hoping for to show off her skills, until she detects a lead in some paperwork. Now assigned an undercover role, she’s in her element as she gathers intel on an art smuggling ring. She’s daunted not by the mission but by her cover—posing as a married woman to the fake husband she met less than twenty-four hours earlier.
Special Agent Bryce Lambert’s assignment to go undercover as a newlywed couple with Kira has the two of them moving next door to the prime suspects, and a relationship is the last thing he wants, fake or real. With secret auctions and hidden treasures, there’s plenty to keep them busy—if only they can play the part their lives and careers depend upon while keeping their own hearts in check.
My Thoughts
Deadly Charade is a book that is hard to put down because the interactions between the characters and the intriguing plot captivated me from the beginning. Kira is a new FBI agent, eager to get out into the field, but she wasn’t prepared for her assignment with Agent Bryce. Together, the two of them are supposed to find an art smuggling ring and rescue some priceless treasures from pre-WWII Russia. In their undercover disguises as a married couple, Kira and Bryce complement the different talents they two have and they also feel that attraction that opposites feel when in forced proximity. The danger is real but the threats are from an unknown source, so Kira and Bryce have to always be aware of their surroundings, including all of the people around them. The characters are realistically portrayed with a few flaws, especially when they are thrown into high-tension situations. The pace is propulsive, so the book kept me reading long past my bedtime as “one more chapter” became many more. I really wanted to know what would happen next, where the treasure was (if there really was one), and how Kira and Bryce would be able to work out a relationship since they are both FBI agents. The tight plot crackles with tension and head-spinning twists that kept me guessing. This is an expertly plotted page turner with a dramatic climax and some brutally terrifying scenes. I loved the excitement of the danger but was thrilled by the budding romance. Five plus stars for a book that held me enthralled and cleverly kept me turning pages!
I voluntarily received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review and all opinions expressed are my own.
About the Authors
Lynette Eason has won a plethora of awards including the Carol Award, the Selah, the Golden Scroll and been nominated for others like the prestigious Christy Award. Her novel, Her Stolen Past was made into a movie for the Lifetime Movie Network. Lynette teaches and speaks at writing conferences all over the country. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), Mystery Writers of America (MWA), International Thriller Writers (ITW), Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (AWSA) and Faith, Hope, and Love. She lives in upstate SC with her husband, Jack. They have two grown children and a terribly spoiled American Eskimo pup. Lynette can be found online at www.lynetteeason.com and www.facebook.com/lynette.eason and @lynetteeason on Twitter.
Kelly Underwood’s favorite things are reading, writing, and drinking coffee. She was born in New Hampshire, but don’t ask her about snow, because she’s been a Florida girl since she was twelve. Her debut novel with Sunrise Publishing gave Kelly the incredible opportunity to work with Lynette Eason as her mentor and lead author. Defending Honor, part of the Elite Guardians series, was published in October 2022 and earned third place in the Selah Awards and was a finalist in the Carol Awards. Since then, Kelly has continued to captivate readers with multiple romantic suspense novels.
Beyond writing, Kelly shares her love of reading through her blog, Best in Suspense. She also served as the 2024 and 2025 president for the Central Florida chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers. When she’s not plotting twists and turns for her next novel, you’ll find her out and about with her therapy dog—a feisty golden retriever named Maizie—bringing joy to everyone from children to senior citizens. She also loves traveling and has recently fallen in love with Ireland and Scotland—maybe you’ll see these settings as the backdrop to one of her future novels.
Kelly is a sucker for a good suspense novel, the kind you must read cover-to-cover until the mystery is solved and the bad guys are in handcuffs. If you’re looking for her, she’s probably on her back patio with Maizie, a Kindle in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. Website: Kelly Underwood Author
Purchase Links
