Deadly Ruse: A Mac McClellan Mystery

E. Michael Helms

Nov 2014 · Prometheus Books

About this ebook

Mac’s girlfriend, Kate Bell, thinks she’s seen a ghost. Wes Harrison, Kate’s former boyfriend, supposedly perished twelve years ago in a boating accident. But now she swears a man she spotted in a crowded theater lobby is Wes. Mac has his doubts--it was only a fleeting glimpse. But to calm her shattered nerves, he starts making inquiries.

A clue leads him from his home in St. George, Florida, to a Texas orphanage. There he uncovers startling information that turns both his and Kate’s world upside-down. Diamond smuggling, sex, deceit, and murder are just part of the twisted tale that emerges from Kate’s earlier life. Using wit, grit, and the ingrained military training of a former Marine, Mac starts to fit the pieces of this scrambled puzzle together.

Further clues point to the Palmetto Royale Casino and Resort near St. George. He and Kate discover that the casino is a front for big drug deals. When they barely escape a murder attempt, Mac knows he’s on the right track.

But he better play his cards right–because losing this high-stakes game could cost him his life.

Ratings and reviews

I picked this novel up to “just read a couple of chapters” before bed one night. The next thing I knew the sun was coming up and it was time for work. Helms jumps right into this story from the first sentence and doesn’t let up. It’s like being back with an old friend. He had me mesmerized, trying to unravel the mystery right up until the very last moment. Helms has an approachable, inviting style. I love the way that he writes in the first person, allowing the main character to tell you his story as if he were sitting right next to you. The short chapters increase the intensity of the novel. Also, even though this novel ties in with the first in the series, it could easily be read as a standalone for those looking to start the series here. Helms has developed a cast of characters that really come to life. I loved how their emotions shine through and affect their actions. They were all so real. The local dialect and slang shine through in the dialogue, enhancing this even further. The mix and intermingling of personal and professional relationships was fascinating. It was completely realistic yet also quite complex.

About the author

E. Michael Helms is the author of Deadly Catch, the first Mac McClellan mystery. His memoir of his Vietnam combat service, The Proud Bastards, has remained in print for two decades. Originally published by Kensington/Zebra in 1990, it was republished in 2004 by Simon & Schuster/Pocket Star, and has sold nearly 50,000 copies (Pocket Star edition). The memoir is also a past hardcover selection of The Military Book Club.  Helms is also the author of Of Blood and Brothers, a two-part novel about the Civil War. Helms currently resides with his wife Karen in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in South Carolina.