Book excerpt: “Complete with a romantic subplot, DECEPTIONS: A Colonial Jamestown Novel is a strong historical tale that brings the Jamestown Virginia Colony to life through the eyes of the determined heroine Catherine, who manages to travel to the New World in search of her betrothed. Breathtaking suspenseful action follows as Catherine tries to unravel the various mysterious happenings between her husband and the Powhatan Indians. Readers will relish this in-depth look at how the first English colonists struggled to survive in Jamestown, circa 1617-1619.” —Harriet Klausner Desperate to escape a marriage arranged by her aristocratic London guardians and to wed her childhood sweetheart, beautiful but innocent Catherine Parke secretly boards a ship in England bound for the New World in 1617. But the shock of what greets Catherine in Colonial Jamestown nearly destroys her. Her betrothed, now a successful Indian trader seems to be hiding secrets. Although disappointments and disasters repeatedly test Catherine's strength and courage, a burning desire to uncover the truth drives her to unravel a confusing web of deceptions and lies. With her own life in jeopardy, Catherine is drawn to the one man who can save her, but wonders if she can trust him, or will she be swept into an unknown and terrifying wilderness, once again loving the wrong man and paying dearly for it? Vivid historical details bring the Jamestown settlement and Indian villages to life. Marilyn Clay’s suspenseful and compelling tale of one courageous woman determined to forge a new life for herself in a frightening and dangerous New World is an irresistible combination of intrigue, suspense and romance. (Deception was originally published in hardcover by Five Star Gale Cengage and is available in ebook as The Letter, and Dangerous Deceptions) “With realistic, well-researched historical detail, a strong, intelligent heroine, and a fascinating, uncommon setting, this novel will appeal to romance and historical fans alike.” —Library Journal “ A surfeit of fascinating historical details and a refreshingly different setting give DECEPTIONS its unique flavor, making Marilyn Clay’s novel perfect for readers who miss the romance-tinged historical novels of Rosalind Laker.” — Booklist “DECEPTIONS is one of the best historical suspense novels I have ever read! Highly recommended!” — Mary Frasier “Marilyn Clay's DECEPTIONS is a multi-layered story of struggle, lies and the quest for love in the New World. Faithful to historical detail, including language and actions, it was a joy to read such a wonderfully written historical novel. Readers of historical fiction will find themselves completely immersed in the time period and, more importantly, in the story of feisty and intelligent Catherine, whose voyage to Jamestown is the beginning of a life-changing journey.” — Libby Malin DECEPTIONS by Marilyn Clay was originally published in hardcover by Five Star Gale Cengage, but apart from used copies in print, it is no longer available in print. All nine titles in Marilyn Clay's new Juliette Abbott Regency Mystery Series, MURDER AT MORLAND MANOR, MURDER IN MAYFAIR, MURDER IN MARGATE, MURDER AT MEDLEY PARK, MURDER IN MIDDLEWYCH, MURDER IN MAIDSTONE, MURDER AT MONTFORD HALL, MURDER ON MARSH LANE, MURDER IN MARTINDALE, and MURDER AT MARLEY CHASE (coming in late 2022) are all now available in both print and ebook from most major online retailers. Marilyn Clay has also penned seven Regency Romance novels, all of which were originally published in print, and are also now available in ebook format. For more information about Marilyn Clay visit Marilyn Clay Author online.