TT21: The Hemingway Deception

Welcome to Mysteries to Die For and this Toe Tag.I am TG Wolff and am here with Jack, my piano player and producer. This is normally a podcast where we combine storytelling with original music to put you at the heart of mystery, murder, and mayhem. Today is a bonus episode we call a Toe Tag. It is the first chapter from a fresh release in the mystery, crime, and thriller genre.The Hemingway Deception was released from Suspense Books and promoted by Partners in Crime Tours and is available from AMAZON LINK and other book retailers.About Tj O’ConnorTj O’Connor is the author of The Hemingway Deception, Dying with a Secret, (pending publication), The Consultant and four paranormal murder mysteries.Tj is an international security consultant specializing in anti-terrorism, investigations, and threat analysis—life experiences that drive his novels. With his former life as a government agent and years as a consultant, he has lived and worked around the world in places like Greece, Turkey, Italy, Germany, the United Kingdom, and throughout the Americas—among others. Tj is a Harley Davidson pilot, a man-about-dogs, and a lover of adventure, cooking, and good spirits (both kinds). He was raised in New York’s Hudson Valley and lives with his wife and Labrador companions in Virginia where they raised five children who are supply a growing tribe of grands!Catch Up With TJ O’Connor:www.TjOConnor.comBookBub – @tj37Twitter – @TjoconnorauthorInstagram – @tjoconnorauthorFacebook – @TjOConnor.Authorhttps://partnersincrimetours.com/the-hemingway-deception-by-tj-oconnor/TG Wolff ReviewThe Hemingway Deception is a Thriller. Hemingway. No one knows who he is or what he can do, only that he is the ultimate prize. The key lies with Dr. Montilla, who some label a saint and others a guerilla.Ana Karras Montilla survived her upbringing in the jungles of Colombia to establish a ‘normal’ life in Queens. Now her missionary parents have gone missing and saving them means embracing everything she fought to escape. Trane does the dirty work that needs to be done. To protect his Washington-insider bosses, has to find Montilla, then Hemingway to put a permanent end to his plans. Catalina Reyes is a Cuban spy who has lost her husband and has lost her direction. Desperation drives her to take on this mission where succeed or die are the only outcomes and Montilla is her guide. Luke Brennan is NYPD, working to make sense of the mess Karras and Trane leave in their wake. Everyone keeps telling him to let this one go. Right. Like he’s going to listen.Bottom line: The Hemingway Deception is for you if you like multi-hero stories where everyone is out for themselves for damn good reasons and the stakes are so high, losing means war.Strengths of the story. This book has several strengths. Let’s start with motivation. As I said, there are several heroes on this book, each busting their butts to win. O’Connor does an excellent job of creating motivations for the heroes that are deep, personal, and relatable. Next is OMG tension. Several scenes I read through my fingers. Knowing O’Connor works professionally in anti-terrorism and that he draws from his real life experience amped up the tension and negated any certainty that any character was going to survive. Next respect…if not like. By the end of the book, I had connected with the main characters, even if I didn’t necessarily like them. I got why they were doing what they did. They were the heroes in their own stories, just not necessarily this one. Where the story fell short of ideal: Very few criticisms. Even as I thought about the plot in the days since finishing it, I didn’t find big logic gaps. The story lines were consistent within themselves and between each other. One character pulled a Lazarus, which earned an eye roll. I didn’t love some of the final wrap up, but I think that reflects my personal preference, not the strength of the writing. Of all the chapters, the one I read you is probably my least favorite. It was largely backstory and not representative of the rest of the book’s pacing or action. Chapter one is first gear. Chapter two and three are second gear. From there, you are flying by the seat of your pants. Partners In Crime Tours represents a network of 300+ bloggers offering tailor-made virtual book tours and marketing options for crime, mystery and thriller writers from around the world. Founded in 2011, PICT offers virtual book tour services for well-established and best-selling authors, as well as those just starting out with their careers. PICT prides itself on its tailored packages for authors, with a personal touch from the tour coordinators. For more information, check out their website Join Mysteries to Die For next week for Episode 3: This Never Happened to Wolfman Jack by Nikki Knight. DJ Jaye Jordan is working alone, spinning tunes for lonely hearts on a Saturday night. When company arrives, it isn’t her yoga buddies, but a blast from the past…with a gun. Time is running out. If Jaye can’t solve this cold case, she just may have to resort to Jumpin’ Jack Flash.