Review of The Decoys

[Vanisha Gupta]

[Following is a volunteer review of "The Decoys" by Jeffrey Mechling.]

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2 out of 4 stars

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The Decoys is the third novel from the Tim Hall and Mary Ann Hall crime fiction series by Jeffrey Mechling, which can be said to be his some of his experiences working for The US government. The novel involves the chase and thrills of Tim and Mary Ann Hall while they are working together in a new location in San Francisco, yet not knowing what they're actually working for.

The novel starts to unveil its mysteries as the reader gets to know new characters roles and the unique part of the novel is anyone can be the suspect and that both agents know not whom to trust and somehow the innocent ones deem to be guilty. The novel also enfolds the insights of the married life of a brainy CIA agent and the headstrong iron-wiled FBI agent Mary Ann, while focusing on the secret mission, the couple is sent on. The novelty of this novel is you want to know more of it and what happens next which I think is vital for novels of this genre. The fact stated that the CIA agents and FBI agents aren't all righteous and heroic is a reality check and gives the novel more power and materiality.

The parts where I thought the novel was inappropriate was the unnecessary romance in a crime series and well the suspense factor of the novel could have been more detailed, the description of the characters was shortlived and the impact of the novel on the reader's mind is impermanent too. The mention of local street names and locations sounds realistic yet as I don't know the area it was over the top information that I couldn't relate to, it could have been better if the author could stick to some lesser ranks and street names that the non-Americans could understand as well.

I'm rating this novel 2 out of 4 stars. As the novel is not professionally edited there are a few typos and grammatical errors in the book and I suggest another round of proofreading.The readers who enjoy crime with the indulgence of agents and cops with a tinge of personal romance with surely find this book their type.

Owing to the mature contents of the novel, I'd recommend this book to people aged 16 and above. There are twists and turns that people with mature minds would appreciate and understand well.

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The Decoys
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