Praise

I really enjoyed this book, this is book 1 in which I hope will become a very successful series ‘The Grey Cat Files’.

No spoilers here - It’s a slow burn, great characters and world building, oh and the descriptions of things and places just make it all the better. I like Annouie’s character and can’t wait to see where the next book goes with it!

Also the tagline - ‘Think Celaena Sardothien dropped into John Wick’s world’ then you know it’s gonna be good! Give it a read, you won’t be disappointed 😊

5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Spy novels are my guilty pleasure, and this one is no different. Humorous while being action-packed, Mastering the Art of Deception is just that- a work of art.

The tagline that hooked me—“Celaena Sardothien meets John Wick”—actually delivers, and that alone feels worth celebrating. Edison gives us a heroine who is sharp, dangerous, and unapologetically ruthless, but also layered enough to make you pause mid-scene and think, oh, she’s breaking my heart while breaking bones.

The worldbuilding is sleek and cinematic: smoky bars, whispered alliances, fights that read like they were choreographed for the screen. Edison keeps the pacing high and the tension tight, and while there are a few indulgent descriptions of gleaming blades and moonlight, it mostly adds to the atmosphere rather than bogging it down.

What I appreciated most, though, was the voice. The banter crackles. The characters spar with words as much as weapons, and the dialogue often lands with that mix of wit and bite that makes a book compulsively readable. More than once I caught myself thinking, “if anyone spoke to me like that, I’d be furious, and probably a little smitten.”

It’s not perfect, there are a few pacing hiccups, but as a whole, this is the kind of dark, stylish fantasy-thriller hybrid that feels made for both action junkies and readers who love their heroines with equal parts steel and softness.

A really enjoyable book . The mystery of the murders kept me engaged as the plot developed well with questions being answered as the story went on , I cannot wait for book 2 to continue following Annouie .

MArrow Edison has managed to turn trickery into a laugh-out-loud life lesson. Mastering the Art of Deception is less about pulling the wool over anyone’s eyes and more about letting readers in on the joke. Edison’s wit jumps off the page, and even when he’s explaining clever little ruses, the real deception is how entertainingly he sneaks in humor.
The book feels like sitting across from that mischievous friend who can’t resist telling tall tales just to see you laugh—and somehow, you don’t mind falling for them every time. The mix of anecdotes, playful commentary, and tongue-in-cheek “advice” keeps things moving quickly.
It isn’t a heavy read (and it’s not supposed to be), but it is an enjoyable one. The only reason I stopped short of five stars is that some sections felt a little overextended—like a joke told once too often. Still, the charm more than makes up for it.
If you enjoy books that make you chuckle while slyly teaching you a thing or two about human nature, this one’s a delightful pick. Edison proves that deception can be an art form—but in his hands, it’s also just plain fun.

There are many ways to describe a story centred on thrills and suspense, but 'fun' isn’t usually one of them. However, Mastering the Art of Deception is an exception. As someone who reads a lot of thrillers, they have always ignited various emotions of suspense, anticipation and tension, but there was something about this story that felt different. It was an emotional rollercoaster in a typically thrilling way, but it was also a lot of fun to read from start to finish. A lot is going on, which raised some worry of being lost in the plot and not fully grasping all the details; however, that wasn’t the case at all, as it was surprisingly easy to follow along. The way the story is paced makes everything feel fast-paced and exciting. The stakes were high, and the story became addictive as a result.

There were a multitude of different characters, and the uncertainty of who could be trusted kept the suspense high, ensuring that any reader would be on the edge of their seat. The characters were delightful; they had a great deal of depth and felt distinct from one another. I don’t necessarily believe in this novel; it was about connecting with the characters, but it was more about the entertainment they provided that made them likable. They had unique personalities, and as a result, they were incredibly entertaining. A specific shoutout to Annouie Bach, she is a strong character, it was enjoyable to follow her along the journey.

Lastly, the writing was phenomenal. The author's description of a specific situation is not for the faint of heart. There are some grotesque descriptors during some of the action-packed scenes that will have your skin crawling.

Overall, this was a fantastic read. Mastering the Art of Deception was written for those who love an action-packed thriller and those who don’t shy away from the dark and twisted nature of crime.