Review – The Cost of Betrayal

FAITH WILL BE TESTED. TRUST SHATTERED. THREE BESTSELLING ROMANTIC SUSPENSE WRITERS REUNITE FOR NOVELLAS OF DEADLY BETRAYAL. In Dee Henderson's novella "Betrayed"  Janelle Roberts is freed--thanks to people she doesn't know--after serving six years of a twenty-year sentence for a murder she did not commit. But a murderer is still at large, and Janelle needs to be somewhere safe with someone she can trust. She may not survive another betrayal. My thoughts: BETRAYED is a drama that played out in thought and mind, reliving events of the past when an innocent person is jailed for  a crime she didn't commit. When the murder weapon is found causes the FBI and a retired detective to sit up and take notice. They went through records and found evidence to get the case overturned. But is there enough evidence to convict the real killer? A slow suspense that is more mind-engaging than most. The romance is very weak, and the only dead body is in the past. It is all mind-games. Which was engaging as they worked through different scenerios. If you read this story, I would love to know what you think. In Dani Pettrey's "Deadly Isle"  Tennyson Kent is trapped on the isolated island of her childhood by a storm surge, and she is shocked when the typically idyllic community turns into the hunting grounds of a murderer. Cut off from any help from the mainland, will she and first love Callen Frost be able to identify and stop a killer bent on betrayal before they become the next victims? My thoughts: DEADLY ISLE starts with Ms. Pettrey's usual bang. Teni breaks up with her boyfriend on almost the eve of their wedding, but a race by her teasing cousin, Julia, in hopes of cheering Teni up turns into murder when Julia disappears and is discovered with her head bashed in. Callen is quick to come to Teni's rescue, but he's the last person Teni wants to help since he was the first to break her heart. As the day progresses, an attempt is made to kill Teni and succeeds in destroying all she holds dear. Not only that but Julia's body has gone missing! Who is behind this? This story moves a LOT faster than Ms. Henderson's and I was able to read it in mere hours.  I greatly enjoyed getting to know Teni and Callen and even researched some things Ms Pettrey referred to in her book to see what they were.   If you like romantic suspense, do not miss this novella. In Lynette Eason's "Code of Ethics" Trauma surgeon Ruthie St. John saves the life of Detective Isaac Martinez. After a betrayal leads to him getting shot and then attacked while in recovery, Isaac is now a key witness determined to testify. But someone is intent on silencing him--and those around him--forever. Together, Ruthie and Isaac go on the run, desperate to escape the killers hunting him. My thoughts: Ms. Eason writes fast and furious suspense novels and CODE OF ETHICS is no different. Even though this is a novella, it is based on the St. John family and has a police officer who works at that department. But, there are some corrupt cops and Isaac's life is in danger because he violated the cop's code of ethics and reported that someone had been stealing evidence. I couldn't put the book down and put off my own jobs to read to the end. I enjoyed reading Ruthie's story and it was nice seeing characters from her other books making an appearance in this story. Really, if you love romantic suspense you'll want to read CODE OF ETHICS. And you'll want to have a copy of COST OF BETRAYAL. This is a collection not to be missed.