Must read 🏆

An excellent reading choice for those who love being left in suspense.

Jeffrey Deaver's Scheme is a dive into the intricate world of crime and cryptography, where a bomber challenges the skill and intellect of the Middleton Police Department.

The story unfolds as Middleton detectives are confronted with a cryptic poem left behind by a cunning bomb maker. Detective Sloan, an experienced investigator, finds himself in need of an unconventional partner. Enter Ciara, an English teacher with a talent for deciphering codes. The collaboration between Sloan and Ciara sets the stage for a cat-and-mouse game with the bomber.

What adds an extra layer of intrigue is the backstory of Ciara's referral from Quantico, courtesy of an agent from Crypto. This twist raises suspicions about Ciara's true identity and motives. I had to look back a couple of chapters to figure out if I missed something in the story.

Deaver decided to leave certain aspects of the story open-ended. The author doesn't spoon-feed the readers a resolution. Deaver's approach encourages readers to form their own conclusions, making the book an excellent choice for those who love being left in suspense.

Could this potentially evolve into a series? I hope so. The characters and the unresolved mystery leave the door wide open for future installments.

Reviewed by

I am an author, an advocate, and former foster parent. I adopted my granddaughter, and we wrote a book together called Carly Shares Her Story. We used the pen names Eve Collins and Morgan Carew. The book is about her experience as a foster child. I worked with inmates for 20+ yrs and now I'm retired