3 out of 4 stars
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Betrayal of Faith by Mark M. Bello is a legal thriller about Jennifer Tracey and her sons, Jake and Kenny. When Jennifer learns a new parish priest has molested both boys, she hires lawyer Zachary Blake to file a lawsuit against the priest and the church. As Jennifer and Zachary investigate the situation further, they uncover a secret group known as The Coalition and a longstanding conspiracy to protect the church. What unfolds is a story of a family seeking justice through the legal system while batting deception, power, and, life-threatening consequences.
I really enjoyed reading this book and think it is a very good example of a suspenseful legal thriller. The author does a great job of balancing an entertaining and engaging storyline with the necessary explanation of legal procedures and terminology. In my experience, legal thrillers sometimes include an abundance of legalese that can become overwhelming, however I found this book easy to understand and only included legalese when necessary. From the moment I started reading it I couldn’t put it down!
My favorite aspect of the book is how consistently suspenseful it is. While the main storyline continues throughout the book, there are additional plot points that create a lot of suspense and demonstrate the high stakes involved in the case. I really enjoy reading crime novels, and this aspect of Betrayal of Faith reminded me of some of my favorite books. I also liked how the author was able to write characters that are easy to connect with and root for. Because the book centers around such an emotional storyline, I think it’s important for the reader to feel invested in the characters in order to appreciate how much is at stake.
One issue I have with the book is the overt sexual commentary around female characters. There are several instances where a female character’s appearance is described in great detail, with a clear focus on her sexual attractiveness. These moments feel out of place in the book, since it’s a legal thriller focused on child molestation. It is also apparent that the sexual commentary is only included about female characters, whereas the men are described in much vaguer terms. I don’t think this aspect of the book added anything to the story and came off as misogynistic and unnecessary. In fact, the inclusions distracted me from the main storylines and made me feel uncomfortable.
Overall, I rate Betrayal of Faith 3 out of 4 stars. I really enjoyed reading this book and found it difficult to put down. I’m certainly looking forward to reading more books in the series! I can’t give this book 4 out of 4 stars because, unfortunately, there were numerous typos in the book I found distracting. I also disliked the sexual commentary around the female characters. It made me uncomfortable, seemed out of place, and diverted me from the actual storyline of the book. Despite those negatives, I recommend this book to readers who enjoy legal thrillers or crime novels, as this book touches upon both. I would also caution that this book centers on child molestation within the church, and may make some readers uncomfortable.
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Betrayal of Faith
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