Illusion of Truth by James L'Etoile Blog Tour and Book Review

 

The first book in this series is Face of Greed where we are introduced to Emily Hunter and Javier Medina, her partner. The second book is River of Lies. I am really enjoying this series.

In Illusion of Truth, Emily and Javier are faced with someone who is up to no good, but on the other hand is trying to get Emily’s attention.

Book three maintains the police procedural genre but also pulls in some unexpected actions by the apparent bad guy. Emily finds herself going down one road, only to be met with resistance from forces she wasn’t expecting. She wanted to find out the why behind the roadblocks she faced.

If you’ve read any of this series, you know that Emily does not give up. This is something I like about her character. I also like the fact that she faces everyday issues just like the rest of us – a mom with dementia; a relationship she wants to take to the next level but isn’t sure how or if it would be a mistake; a cat that appears at her door seemingly uninvited. I also like the banter that has continued between Emily and Javier, makes me chuckle at their interactions, even in the most serious of situations.

This is one of the better police procedural series I’ve had the opportunity to read. I like the real-life feeling the author is able to incorporate into his stories, the humanness that is captured with all that Emily (and even Javier with his own relationship issues) deals with on a day-to-day basis. These tidbits make the characters more relatable, at least to me. I look forward to more of this series.

 

Purchase Links:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Illusion-Truth-Detective-Hunter-Mystery-ebook/dp/B0F638PQ4P/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3QTNU53T83YD4&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ipknntuTnmnlMUKZyS5npQ.GsBVGVsW_CtFgAgaA4TBC8RAVjEVjLGGkJeoDiUPvyY&dib_tag=se&keywords=illusion+of+truth+james+l+etoile&qid=1765726608&sprefix=illusion+of+truth%2Caps%2C223&sr=8-1

Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/illusion-of-truth-james-letoile/1147329201?ean=9781608096497

 

 

Find Mr. L’Etoile:

Website: https://jamesletoile.com/#deaddrop

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJamesLetoile/#deaddrop

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/james-l-etoile#deaddrop

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7076886.James_L_Etoile#deaddrop

Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/JamesLEtoile#deaaddrop

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorjamesletoile/

 

Interested in your own book tour?

Partners in Crime: https://www.partnersincrimetours.net/

 

Need a proofreader? I’ve got you covered - https://www.melissaproofs.com/

 

January 2026 Reads

THE DROWNING WOMAN - I actually picked this one up at Bouchercon in San Diego a couple years ago and finally got around to reading it. The women portrayed were actually drowning in more than one thing, most importantly that of life. I thought it was a good read and really enjoyed it.

THE SUNDAY POTLUCK CLUB - I've had this one sitting on my shelf for a while ... wasn't quite what I was expecting. A potluck club of women who met during chemo treatment for their loved ones. To me, this one focused too much on grief, but also shines a light on what it is like to be a caregiver who loses a loved one. 

ANXIOUS PEOPLE - This one has also been on my shelf for a while. I literally had no idea what to expect and don't even really know what it's about. I can say that I chuckled along the way and really enjoyed Mr. Backman's writing style.

COLD WATERS - I bought this one along with Scorched Grounds quite a while ago. I don't know what took me so long to read either one of them. I tore through this book in a couple of days. Ms. Herbert is definitely going on my auto buy author list.

SCORCHED GROUNDS - I liked this one as well. I like the fact that it is told in different POVs. I'll definitely be reading more books by Ms. Herbert.

SHE DIDN'T SEE IT COMING - A fast read for sure. Puts me in the mind of Ms. McFadden's writing style. Not too twisty, but still a good read.

WE LIVE HERE NOW - Set in London. Gave me a haunted house vibe. I liked that aspect. Do Emily and her husband have secrets, or is it just the house with secrets?

THE GIRL IN 6E - To be honest I almost did not finish this one. It's an older book by A.R. Torre, so not the usual writing style by her in more recent times. I'm glad I stuck with it as it 'took off' about midway. The main character has quite an odd job. 

The Trafficker by Scott Douglas Gerber Book Review

 If you are a sensitive reader, I am putting some trigger warnings on this one. I normally don’t, but what “Jane Doe” went through as a child (though not explained in great detail) may upset some readers.

Essentially, a 12-year-old went missing and was found two years later. Obviously, after everything she saw and was forced to do, she was a traumatized little girl who didn’t know how to trust, nor did she know whom she could trust. Even the Warrens couldn’t reach her, unfortunately.

I can only imagine what children in Jane Doe’s situation go through, the trauma they experience. I think this is a good book to bring light to this extreme tragedy, told in such a nonjudgmental, straightforward way (something I appreciated), with caring people who wanted to help. Unfortunately, these children don’t know who to trust or where to turn. In the end, Jane Doe made the only decision she knew how to make, based on what she had been through.

The thing about these kinds of stories is sometimes they get bogged down in facts and statistics. For me, those sorts of things are a bit over the top and make some stories rather dull in places. This one was not like that. It was told in a straightforward way to bring light to this terrifying subject.