Dangerous Deception, Raff Rafferty Mystery Series, Book 3 is a police procedural mystery written by Robert Joseph. Denise Cutler was one of the Coombs’ Center for Research of American Sexual Habits' interviewers. A graduate student in psychology, her good looks and smart attire fitted the profile Harold Coombs’ trophy wife, Brittany, had established for the center's interview staff. Her last interviewee of the day was a late-middle-aged man who asserted that he met the center’s requirement that he be abstinent, but then balked at discussing his sexual activities with her, despite her repeating the center’s assurance of absolute confidentiality. He left without completing the interview, and Denise made sure to thoroughly document the circumstances behind his departure for her boss, Dr. Bruce Harner. When the bodies of the security guard and Denise are found the next morning, Fati Rafferty, a rookie officer, and her partner are called to the scene by the division commander, Captain Fregoso. After facing opposition from Harold Coombs and Harner when asked for the files of the center’s interviewees, Fregoso asks Fati to apply for the research interviewer position and investigate the murder undercover.

Robert Joseph’s police procedural mystery, Dangerous Deceptions, Raff Rafferty Mystery Series, Book 3, is fast-paced and enthralling. While this is book 3 in the series, Dangerous Deceptions can be read as a stand-alone murder mystery. Fati, Raff’s daughter, is the main focus of this police procedural, and Raff, who is studying at a seminary to be a priest, appears in brief cameos throughout the book. Fati is a lot like her father and finds herself in similar predicaments as Raff was wont to do when he was a policeman. The story is well-plotted and contains a number of red herrings for the reader to puzzle over. Unlike book 2, this third book is set in California, and I enjoyed the location settings immensely, especially the sailing cruises Fati takes with her boss. Dangerous Deceptions, Raff Rafferty Mystery Series, Book 3 is recommended for fans of the murder mystery and police procedural genres.

In a great new installment to the Raff Rafferty Mystery Series, Dangerous Deception by author Robert Joseph, readers are now offered the opportunity to really get to know Fatima "Fati" Rafferty, Raff's attractive daughter, as she starts out in her own career in crime fighting. Starting her career as an LAPD patrol officer, Fati is convinced by the commander of her division to go undercover to investigate the brutal murder of a young woman who was working as an interviewer for the Center for American Sexual Habits. Funded by a seedy men's magazine, one dedicated to the exploitation of the female form, Fati's undercover work takes her to the underbelly of the gritty world of the adult industry. Not surprisingly, we see her dad, Raff, lending a helping hand to both his daughter and the investigation as whole, even if in an unofficial capacity. And when Fati finds herself in the same position as the young woman who was killed, she begins to wonder if she's at risk for the same fate.

Dangerous Deception was a fantastic read...fast-paced, exciting and a real edge of your seat thrill ride. I very much enjoyed the second generation aspect of the book, with young Fati certainly following in Raff's footsteps. Author Robert Joseph has an immense talent for writing police procedurals that come across as very true to life, and mysteries that will keep you guessing until the end. Dangerous Deception would appeal to any reader who loves a great mystery, police procedurals, a suspenseful book with a lot of action, or just a great work of fiction. I cannot recommend this read any more highly, and I am very much looking forward to the next Raff Rafferty Mystery, which I hope is already in the works!