The first book in the Paul Nichols Series — Murder by Truth
The story of how I was murdered.
In the shadowed corridors of power, where secrets are traded and betrayal is currency, one man becomes the target of a deadly conspiracy. When Paul Nichols realizes his life is in imminent danger, he makes a decision few would dare—he must disappear.
But vanishing isn’t enough.
Newly married and surrounded by unseen enemies, Paul devises an audacious plan not only to save himself, but to protect the woman he loves. If his enemies succeed, the truth must still survive. And so he prepares for his own death—on his terms.
As threats close in, Paul documents everything: the names, the schemes, the forces determined to silence him. Sealed envelopes, regularly updated and entrusted to his lawyer, become his final safeguard—a dead man’s trigger designed to expose the truth and protect his wife should he be killed.
What follows is a gripping tale of deception, survival, and calculated disappearance, set against the dark underbelly of New Zealand’s criminal and political world.
Take a journey into New Zealand’s crime underworld—where the truth can be deadly, and survival demands the ultimate lie.
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Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review. 4 out of 5 stars
Paul is dead, and he left a message for his wife, Martina, on what led to his demise. Murder by Truth by Gary Paul Stephenson is a thriller about Paul's letters to his wife. Conveyed by his trusted lawyer, Mr. Seifert, Martina gets these letters containing the truth of her late husband's secret mission and his expected death. Paul, a New Zealander, was an only child after his mother lost his junior brother after birth. He was spoiled and received the best of everything. Surprisingly, without the consent of his parents, Paul joined the Army. He trained in the Special Air Services and Mossad. His obtained skill sets, abilities, and knowledge made him fit for the job.
Martina learns various things from these letters, from Paul's consistent duo, Jenkin and Arthur, to how the mission led to Paul meeting her, the love of his life. The unfolding secrets will puzzle readers. One would wonder why Paul's killers killed him as soon as mentioned in his first letter. The anonymity of the individuals that assigned him on the mission will also steer questions. What is Martina's reaction after reading Paul's letters? What happens after she finds out the truth?
Murder by Truth is a compelling narrative that comprises 19 chapters and about 240 pages. The story begins in Mr. Seifert's office with old decorations a day after Paul's funeral. The way Gary Paul Stephenson introduced the story from the prologue was engaging. The profound description of the book's characters enthralled me. I liked Paul as a character even though he was dead. He seemed like an intelligent, brave, and tactical person.
Goodreads Review 22 September 2025 5 stars
Stephenson doesn’t romanticize Paul Nichols, and that’s exactly why this book hit me so hard. Instead of a polished, untouchable operative, we get a man whose humanity is inseparable from his lethality. Paul is dangerous, yes, but he’s also scarred, weary, and oddly fragile at times. Watching him navigate the layers of betrayal, personal and political, was like watching a slow unravelling of someone who had already given too much.
What I admire most is the refusal to turn Paul into a cliché. He isn’t a James Bond, he isn’t an action hero. He’s a man who has been used by institutions and discarded when his presence threatened to expose uncomfortable truths. That made me pause and think: how many real men and women are erased in silence when their usefulness runs out? It’s disturbingly believable, and that believability is the book’s sharpest weapon.
Goodreads review 22 September 2025 5 stars
This book left me reflective, unsettled, and oddly grateful for the discomfort. Thrillers are often written to entertain, but Murder By Truth goes further: it provokes. Stephenson forces us to wrestle with uncomfortable questions about loyalty, morality, and the expendability of human lives when truth threatens the powerful.
For me, that’s what elevated it beyond genre. I wasn’t just flipping pages for suspense; I was also circling back to think about what it means when truth becomes more dangerous than violence itself. That kind of resonance is rare, and it’s why I’ll be recommending this book to others.
Goodreads Review 23 September 2025 5 stars
The strength of Murder by Truth lies in how it humanises its protagonist. Paul Nichols isn’t written as a stereotype; he’s adventurous, thoughtful, skilled, and above all, believable. That believability makes the betrayals in the book hit so much harder.
I found myself racing through the last third of the book because I couldn’t wait to see how it all played out. It’s one of those stories where you’re simultaneously eager to reach the ending and dreading it because you don’t want it to be over. If you want a thriller that keeps your heart racing but also makes you care, don’t miss this one.
Goodreads Review 23 September 2025 5 stars
One of the highlights of Murder by Truth for me was how vividly the author painted Paul’s background in New Zealand and his love for rugged adventures. It gave such a contrast to the cold, calculated betrayal he faced later in life. I was swept along by the fast pacing, but also found myself pausing to admire the way Gary Paul Stephenson wove in themes of loyalty, corruption, and sacrifice. Our community readers’ chat couldn’t stop talking about the way the book asks us what the price of truth really is. For anyone considering this read, trust me, it’s worth it.