In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Brilliant Disguise.”

So today’s prompt in the Daily Post got me thinking about whether I’ve ever been fooled by an author. Have they ever managed in a book to pull the wool so completely over my eyes that I don’t see what’s really going on until the big reveal. Have I believed a character to be one thing only to find they are the complete opposite? Or the ultimate deception, have they managed to write a book that seems like one thing but turns out to be something completely different.

I consider myself someone who is not easily fooled. I watch a lot of mysteries and can usually guess who dud it. I’ve actually taken a break from reading mystery and crime books because they are too obvious. I recently read the Girl on the Train and guessed the end about halfway through (although by that point I’d also decided I didn’t actually care what happened).

There are however a few books recently that have managed to throw in a surprise or a twist. There is one short book in particular that managed to completely fool me and it was absolutely fantastic. I was totally absorbed in the story and had no idea that anything was amiss. I think part of what caught me out is that this was not a crime book or a mystery. There was no reason to doubt or look for twists. The story itself, like most of the authors work, is completely ridiculous and unbelievable so why would I not believe it. This is a story about someone who is only awake for one hour a day and has full conversations with his cat Lassie. If I can accept those things why wouldn’t I believe the rest.

I don’t want to spoil it for potential readers, who if you are anything like me will obsess over what the twist is just because you know there is one, but if you do want to know click here to find it on GoodReads.

Personally I was happy to have been fooled in this instance as I didn’t like the way the story was going but what about you. Have you ever been deceived by an author? Were you happy to be surprised or angry they tricked you?