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The Hemingway Deception
Ana Karras is running from her past.
Catalina Reyes is running toward hers.
Two deadly women—one treacherous mission.
A Cuba-America war is at stake.
Why does everyone want them both dead?
The answer is simple . . . Hemingway.
Ana Karras is hiding among the millions in Manhattan, recovering from near-death at the hands of Cuban Intelligence. When she begins an ill-fated quest to find her missionary parents lost somewhere in Latin America, she’s haunted by her past and coerced into a new mission—to capture Catalina “Cat” Reyes, a rogue Cuban assassin bound for Washington. Cat’s mission could well start another Caribbean crisis. To avert a Cuban-American war, Ana must do the unthinkable—she must once again become Ana Montilla, the notorious FARC guerrilla. As Ana struggles to keep from devolving permanently into Ana Montilla, Cat must overcome past failures and reclaim her skills as Cuba’s top assassin—or die. Ana and Cat are on a collision course. Their paths are not separate, but one. Their pasts inexplicably linked. Their futures reliant on each other. Still, it’s the secrets kept from them that will be the end game. Two deadly women. One treacherous mission. What is Operation Perro? Why does everyone want Ana Karras and Cat Reyes dead? The answer is Hemingway.
Catalina Reyes is running toward hers.
Two deadly women—one treacherous mission.
A Cuba-America war is at stake.
Why does everyone want them both dead?
The answer is simple . . . Hemingway.
Ana Karras is hiding among the millions in Manhattan, recovering from near-death at the hands of Cuban Intelligence. When she begins an ill-fated quest to find her missionary parents lost somewhere in Latin America, she’s haunted by her past and coerced into a new mission—to capture Catalina “Cat” Reyes, a rogue Cuban assassin bound for Washington. Cat’s mission could well start another Caribbean crisis. To avert a Cuban-American war, Ana must do the unthinkable—she must once again become Ana Montilla, the notorious FARC guerrilla. As Ana struggles to keep from devolving permanently into Ana Montilla, Cat must overcome past failures and reclaim her skills as Cuba’s top assassin—or die. Ana and Cat are on a collision course. Their paths are not separate, but one. Their pasts inexplicably linked. Their futures reliant on each other. Still, it’s the secrets kept from them that will be the end game. Two deadly women. One treacherous mission. What is Operation Perro? Why does everyone want Ana Karras and Cat Reyes dead? The answer is Hemingway.
- GenresFiction
370 pages, Paperback
First published March 28, 2023
8 people are currently reading
17 people want to read
About the author
Tj O'Connor
7 books175 followersTj O’Connor is an award-winning author of mysteries and thrillers. He’s 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. In his spare time, he’s a Harley Davidson pilot, a man-about-dogs (and now cats), and a lover of adventure, cooking, and good spirits (both kinds). He was raised in New York’s Hudson Valley and now lives with his wife, Labs, and Maine Coon companions in Virginia where they raised five children who are supplying a growing tribe of grands.
Tj’s work has been recognized with: The American Legacy Award for Political Thrillers; the American Fiction Awards for Political Thrillers & Mystery/Suspense; Gold Medal from the Independent Publishers Book Awards (IPPY) for mysteries; Gold Medal Winner—Military Writer’s Society of America; Gold Medal Winner—Readers Favorite Book Awards; Bronze Medal Winner from the Reader’s Favorite Book Awards; and a finalist for The Silver Falchion Award Finalist for Mysteries and Thrillers; Foreword Reviews’ INDIEFAB Mystery Book of the Year; and the Deadly Ink’s David Award Finalist for Best Mystery/Thriller.
Learn about Tj’s world at:
Web Site: www.tjoconnor.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/tjoconnor.author
Blog: https://tjoconnor.com/theplotthickens/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/tjoconnor
Twitter: https://x.com/Tjoconnorauthor
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@tjoconnoraut...
Tj’s work has been recognized with: The American Legacy Award for Political Thrillers; the American Fiction Awards for Political Thrillers & Mystery/Suspense; Gold Medal from the Independent Publishers Book Awards (IPPY) for mysteries; Gold Medal Winner—Military Writer’s Society of America; Gold Medal Winner—Readers Favorite Book Awards; Bronze Medal Winner from the Reader’s Favorite Book Awards; and a finalist for The Silver Falchion Award Finalist for Mysteries and Thrillers; Foreword Reviews’ INDIEFAB Mystery Book of the Year; and the Deadly Ink’s David Award Finalist for Best Mystery/Thriller.
Learn about Tj’s world at:
Web Site: www.tjoconnor.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/tjoconnor.author
Blog: https://tjoconnor.com/theplotthickens/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/tjoconnor
Twitter: https://x.com/Tjoconnorauthor
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@tjoconnoraut...
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 14, 2024
Ana Montilla left her life as a guerilla within The People’s Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). Ana has a child to protect. A child to love. A child named Sarah. Changing her name to Ana Karras, she is healing and restoring her strength under the watchful and caring eyes of her grandmother in New York. However, Ana can only enjoy the changes she has made in her life with Sarah if she finds her parents and brings them out of Columbia.
Catalina (Cat) Reyes has a child to protect. A child to love. A child named Mateo. However, Mateo has been taken from her in Cuba, and Cat must get him back. Ana's father, Dr. Manuel Montilla, is critical to Cat's success. Dr. Montilla's contacts provide the most crucial stepping stones to entry into the United States. Before Cat is reunited with Mateo, Operation Perro must succeed in Washington, D.C.
The international intrigue is gripping. There is armchair travel from the boroughs of New York to Columbia to Washington D.C., to Honduras to Mexico to New Jersey to Virginia to Pennsylvania and circling back and forth through the skies but not for pleasure. This travel by book is not for tourists. Guerillas. Cartels. Government agencies. The actions behind headlines. Truth shielded from direct view. Ruthless. Corrupt. Callous. Secrets layered with more secrets. The mystery, suspense, and tension of deciphering the person behind the name Hemingway is a road with hairpin turns, each curve a red herring before the surprising reveal.
The answer to the authenticity that illuminates every chapter may be discovered by reading About the Author.
Catalina (Cat) Reyes has a child to protect. A child to love. A child named Mateo. However, Mateo has been taken from her in Cuba, and Cat must get him back. Ana's father, Dr. Manuel Montilla, is critical to Cat's success. Dr. Montilla's contacts provide the most crucial stepping stones to entry into the United States. Before Cat is reunited with Mateo, Operation Perro must succeed in Washington, D.C.
The international intrigue is gripping. There is armchair travel from the boroughs of New York to Columbia to Washington D.C., to Honduras to Mexico to New Jersey to Virginia to Pennsylvania and circling back and forth through the skies but not for pleasure. This travel by book is not for tourists. Guerillas. Cartels. Government agencies. The actions behind headlines. Truth shielded from direct view. Ruthless. Corrupt. Callous. Secrets layered with more secrets. The mystery, suspense, and tension of deciphering the person behind the name Hemingway is a road with hairpin turns, each curve a red herring before the surprising reveal.
The answer to the authenticity that illuminates every chapter may be discovered by reading About the Author.
August 6, 2023
The 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. The lives are four people are indelibly linked to his.
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 Dr. 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 Dr. 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 first chapter 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. Stick around. This one is worth it.
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. The lives are four people are indelibly linked to his.
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 Dr. 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 Dr. 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 first chapter 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. Stick around. This one is worth it.
September 13, 2023
THE 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 Dr. 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 Dr. 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. The first chapter 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.
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. The first chapter 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.
May 6, 2023
This novel has a very complex plot. The narrative moves to different locations and time periods and it took me a while to figure out what was going on. There is a very complex political and power situation with police and guerrillas and military and drug lords. About a third of the way into the book we have information to understand some of the action. Around forty percent in we get some of the history behind the current characters and their actions. I do wish more of the background information had been incorporated into the plot earlier. At about twenty percent from the end, Ana, one of the major characters says, “I don't understand...” (4506/5595) I know how she felt.
More becomes clear as the novel nears the end. There were so many surprising twists, I lost count. People weren't who they claimed to be. Events didn't happen as we were told. Even at the very end, just when I thought all had been resolved, there was another surprise.
Much of the intrigue in this novel is based on events from a couple of decades ago, especially attempts to interfere in Cuba's affairs. It certainly highlights the deception of people in the US government and their secret operations. It was not a quick read for me. I had to really think about what was happening to keep all the deceptive people and plot turning events in mind. This is a novel for readers who like a complex situation and characters who are shrouded in layers of deception.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.
More becomes clear as the novel nears the end. There were so many surprising twists, I lost count. People weren't who they claimed to be. Events didn't happen as we were told. Even at the very end, just when I thought all had been resolved, there was another surprise.
Much of the intrigue in this novel is based on events from a couple of decades ago, especially attempts to interfere in Cuba's affairs. It certainly highlights the deception of people in the US government and their secret operations. It was not a quick read for me. I had to really think about what was happening to keep all the deceptive people and plot turning events in mind. This is a novel for readers who like a complex situation and characters who are shrouded in layers of deception.
I received a complimentary egalley of this book through Partners in Crime Book Tours. My comments are an independent and honest review.
May 25, 2023
I received a gifted copy and am providing a review.
Catalina Reyes is on a mission. Ana is struggling with her new life as Ana Karras, raising Sarah, and her old life as Ana Montilla. Ana finds herself ultimately working with the CIA - her mission is to help them find her parents. Is Ana able to trust Agent Trane and his team to fulfill their end of the bargain? After all, it is her Mama and Pappa they are going after. Will Cat be able to save her son, Mateo, from his stepfather, Nico? And what about Ana’s Yiayia Poppi (her grandmother) - now there’s a character full of surprises!
For me, this story didn’t really take off until after the first hundred pages or so that cover the backstories of both Catalina and Ana, describing the incidents that led them to the present day. This tale is full of political intrigue, if you will, with opposing sides going after each other - the traditional bad versus good.
The quest for each of these women is to find Hemingway, for different reasons. The question is - who is Hemingway? That answer came as quite a surprise. How the officials in this tale were dealt with … that story holds some surprises of its own. I found Cat and Ana both to be strong women but in different ways. Sarah, the little girl, is also brave for such a young child and all she’d been through, plus her faithful companion, Lobo, the three-legged dog, is a survivor in his own right. There is just a hint of romance that’s enough to keep a reader’s interest wondering how that will play out.
Catalina Reyes is on a mission. Ana is struggling with her new life as Ana Karras, raising Sarah, and her old life as Ana Montilla. Ana finds herself ultimately working with the CIA - her mission is to help them find her parents. Is Ana able to trust Agent Trane and his team to fulfill their end of the bargain? After all, it is her Mama and Pappa they are going after. Will Cat be able to save her son, Mateo, from his stepfather, Nico? And what about Ana’s Yiayia Poppi (her grandmother) - now there’s a character full of surprises!
For me, this story didn’t really take off until after the first hundred pages or so that cover the backstories of both Catalina and Ana, describing the incidents that led them to the present day. This tale is full of political intrigue, if you will, with opposing sides going after each other - the traditional bad versus good.
The quest for each of these women is to find Hemingway, for different reasons. The question is - who is Hemingway? That answer came as quite a surprise. How the officials in this tale were dealt with … that story holds some surprises of its own. I found Cat and Ana both to be strong women but in different ways. Sarah, the little girl, is also brave for such a young child and all she’d been through, plus her faithful companion, Lobo, the three-legged dog, is a survivor in his own right. There is just a hint of romance that’s enough to keep a reader’s interest wondering how that will play out.
April 8, 2024
O'Connor tried to cram too much into this and as such there are some leaps that can't really be followed or explained. Main character, Ana Karras, aka Ana Montilla, is savvy one minute and naive the next. Her getting roped into the clutches of the CIA seemed too far-fetched and what she endured would've killed a mere mortal -- the same can be said of Brennan when he's punched, kicked, pistol-whipped. And I always have issues with proofing. All throughout it's Cannon, until the very end, then it's Canon. And to use "lay" when it s/b "lie" is an obvious proofing error, as is the use of "I" when it should be "me." Okay, this was only once for each of these, and towards the very end, so the proofreader/editor may have been tired and missed these things, but they always jump out at me making me say "tsk, tsk."
Was this overall if good political thriller? Maybe for some, but it left me cold.
Was this overall if good political thriller? Maybe for some, but it left me cold.
July 7, 2024
I got this book at a local book festival. There’s so many options for acquiring books so I am very picky when buying one. I like to support local when I can and the author was really nice and he did a fantastic job talking about his books without being overbearing. The concept of this book intrigued me from the start: two strong female characters caught up in a world of politics and espionage. Right from the beginning it was a page turner. The author had you guessing throughout the entire book, up through the very end. The chapters were short, so it made it easy to do some quick reads when I only had a moment, but it was also very easy to say “just one more chapter.” I can’t comment on the accuracy of some of the political information, but the way all of the pieces were intertwined was very believable. In all, it’s a very engaging book.
May 2, 2023
The Hemingway Deception by Tj O'Connor is a high action-packed geopolitical thriller. Think of James Bond and Jason Bourne movies/novels! The main characters go through similar situations as my top favorite fictional characters did. The scenes are vivid and entertaining. Never a dull moment. I love how the Tj O'Connor made this book come a live with the way everything was setup. From the characters to the organizations to the foreign groups-this book was amazing! I could not guess what nor how this book would end...what a thrill ride!
I received this copy from the publisher. This is my voluntary review.
I received this copy from the publisher. This is my voluntary review.
December 4, 2023
I thought the book was fantastic! It was thrilling from beginning to end, with well-developed characters and an intriguing plot that developed over the course of the book. I had a hard time putting it down, as I wanted to know what was really going on and how everything tied together. And though I suspected a few things, I was very surprised with others.
April 5, 2023
Great international suspense thriller by an author who understands the genre. It’s a page turner that grabs you and won’t let go. Well done 😎
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews