Sometimes the most interesting stories are the ones that don’t rush to reveal everything. Devious Web by Shelley Grandy is a slow-building read that focuses on choices, relationships, and the layers we don’t always see at first.
About Devious Web Book
Book Description:
Gone Girl’s twists, The Social Network‘s scheming, and Agatha Christie’s sleuthing come together in this suspenseful novel, a bingeworthy mystery set in Toronto that spans corporate intrigue, murder, and marital mismatch. Who would want to harm a well-liked CEO at the top of his game, and why? In the summer of 2021, Canadian tech entrepreneur Tom Oliver is considering selling his company to a Silicon Valley buyer when he becomes the target of an unknown perpetrator. As his friend and homicide detective Jason Liu investigates a web of secrets and deceit, Tom’s inner circle of family and colleagues comes under scrutiny.
Devious Web brings you into the world of business, US politics, social media, and family drama. If you were enthralled watching Suits and Succession, you’ll enjoy the high suspense, fast pace, and unexpected plot twists of this compelling novel.
Book Details:
Book Title: Devious Web – A Novel by Shelley Grandy
Category: Adult Fiction, 272 pages
Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
Publisher: SparkPress
Publication Date: October 2024
Content Rating: PG -13 rating for: There are no f-words but there is some violence (attempted murder) and some non-explicit references to sex, alcohol and recreational drugs.
Meet the Author:
Shelley Grandy is a Canadian communications professional whose type-A personality and honors journalism degree from Ottawa’s Carleton University fueled a career that started in newspapers and progressed to twenty-five years at high-tech
company Nortel.
She subsequently founded Grandy Public Relations Inc. and has supported tech sector clients in Ontario and Quebec for the past sixteen years.
After writing countless press releases and technical articles for trade media, Devious
Web is Shelley’s debut fiction novel.
When not writing, Shelley enjoys intriguing Netflix-style productions and is known to frequently reference scenes from Grace and Frankie.
You can also find her at the boarding stable with her horse, Briosa. Shelley lives in Trenton, Ontario, Canada, with husband of thirty-plus years Roy, husky dog Luka, and cat Otto, within spoiling distance of her beautiful granddaughters, Emilia and Olivia Oulds.
connect with the author: website ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ Linkedin ~ Goodreads
Shelley Grandy author of Devious Web Interview
1, You dedicated your debut novel Devious Web to your husband, daughter, and two granddaughters. Why that choice?
I’ve had a long career in journalism, corporate communications, and public relations and during that time I often came up with fiction ideas that I shared with my daughter, Erin. She became accustomed to emails saying, “What do you think of this plot for a book?”. Being busy writing in my full-time career, I didn’t carve out time to write a novel until the pace slowed during the pandemic. Finally, both Erin and I decided that the concept of Devious Web was a keeper. She and my husband, Roy, served as editorial advisors as I developed the plot. And my two granddaughters, who at the time of the book launch were one and three years old, have been great supporters of “Grama”. They earned the book dedication as my most treasured humans.
2. Which character in your book is your favorite and why?
The central character, Tom Oliver, is my favorite because he is a good man who strives to do the right thing in business and in his personal life. He maintains a positive outlook despite the fact that he finds himself a target early on in the novel, and he deals with numerous challenges throughout the book with grace. I admire a strong work ethic tempered with kindness as demonstrated by Tom.
3. Which is your least favourite character?
Tom’s younger brother Nate is someone who has my sympathy for his personal demons but who does not have my admiration because of his callous rejection of Tom’s attempts to maintain their family connection. Nate is self-centered and behaves in an entitled way, and he is my least favorite character as a result.
4. Some characters in your book hold vastly different religious and political views. Was that challenging to portray?
It wasn’t challenging to represent the diametrically opposed viewpoints of some of my characters because the dichotomy reflects the real political dynamics of our times. Many households have had interesting discussions around the dinner table at family occasions, just as Tom and his extended family experience in Devious Web. Set during the summer and fall of 2021, Devious Web captures some of the issues happening at the time as a subplot to the unfolding story.
5. Horses play a role in Devious Web. Is the content related to horses accurate?
Yes, it is accurate. I’ve owned horses for many years and currently have a 20-year-old Friesian mare, Briosa, that I’ve owned since she was several months old. In the book I mention that horses get to know their owners’ characteristics and even recognize what vehicle they drive. Whenever I arrive at the stable where I keep Briosa, her head immediately pops up from grazing or napping when she hears my car approaching. She often waits at the gate for me once she knows I’m on the property. In the novel, Tom’s horse Titan is also a Friesian, with the typical black coat and flowing mane, and Tom and Titan are bonded much like Briosa and I.
My Book Review of Devious Web
Devious Web is one of those stories that slowly pulls you in and makes you start paying closer attention as you go. Not everything is as simple as it first seems, and that’s what keeps you turning the pages.
This isn’t a fast-paced, jump-right-in kind of book. It takes its time building the story. But if you stick with it, you start to see the layers unfold. There were moments where I found myself questioning what was really going on and who could actually be trusted.
What I appreciated most is that it made me think. It took till the ending to be able to fully put the pieces together.
Overall, this is a solid read if you enjoy thrillers and the tech world. If you like mysteries, you’ll enjoy this book as well.
Buy Your Copy Today
📖 Featured Pick
Devious Web
Gone Girl’s twists, The Social Network’s scheming, and Agatha Christie’s detective sleuthing coalesce in this suspenseful mystery fiction novel set in Toronto in a mid-pandemic business environment.
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