

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Intriguing, clever, and unputdownable!
Devious Web by Shelley Grandy is a riveting tale of betrayal and suspense. With its mesmerizing plot, clever execution, and a host of surprisingly unlikely suspects, I was glued to the book because I had to find out who could possibly be behind it all!
Tom Oliver is the owner of the multimillion-dollar Toronto tech firm Pellucid, and he's torn about the latest offer to buy his company, which he started from scratch. He's honestly concerned about the impact such a sale would have on everyone involved in helping the business grow but feels like it's probably the right thing to do and the right time to do it. He's a genuinely nice guy who has put everything into building his company and knows his choices have hurt his marriage with Miriam, his wife of many years.Supporting characters are well developed and readers get the opportunity to know them well as their points of view also tell the story. I think I alternated having almost everyone at the top of my suspect list and knocking them off at some point during the book, and I still felt like it could have been any one of them up until the actual reveal.
The plot is well-paced and oh-so-clever. I'm smiling as I write this because devious describes how well I was led all over the place. The suspense throughout was palpable. I was loathe to put the book down once I got into it and the great plot twists only made that more difficult!I recommend DEVIOUS WEB to readers of thrillers, suspense, and mystery, especially those who enjoy a story with a business or tech setting, set during COVID, or a Toronto location.
Content warning: The storyline features negative portrayals of Fox News, Republicans, and then former President Donald Trump.I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.