New York City, December 1933. When Clara accepts an invitation to a New Year's Eve gala at the Grand Sterling Hotel, she hopes for a night of respite-to leave behind the lingering horrors of Hollowfield House and rekindle her fragile connection with Tuck, the one person who makes her question her self-imposed solitude. But beneath the glittering façade of high society, a chilling mystery drags her back into the darkness she thought she'd escaped. As midnight strikes, the unthinkable happens: a guest is found dead. When a fierce snowstorm traps everyone inside the hotel, tensions among the guests escalate, but the danger at the Grand Sterling isn't confined to the living. With her troubled past making her a prime suspect, Clara is the only one who can confront the malevolent entity that lurks in the shadows, stalking the guests with deadly intent. As more lives hang in the balance, she must unravel the mystery before she's accused of murder-or becomes the next victim herself. A DEADLY DECEPTION is the second book in the Clara Dawson paranormal mystery series set in 1930s New York. Each novel features a standalone mystery, but later books may contain spoilers for previous cases. For the best reading experience, it's recommended to read the series in order.