Customer Reviews

Face of Betrayal

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3 star:		(1)
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* Summary: 'Face of Betrayal' is an intended thriller about 3 women who are best friends; Cassidy- a news reporter, Nichole- and FBI Agent, and Allison- a prosecutor. Together they solve crimes, the current one a missing girl from Washington, DC who has vanished without a trace.
* Writing Style and Prose: The author does have a talent for writing, and can keep the reader interested enough to wonder what will happen next. She also has the flair for the mystery in her, which is a special talent in itself; she keeps the reader guessing with numerous suspects.
* Contradictions: An event that happens numerous times in the story is that the FBI agent- Nichole, gives her news reporter pal Cassidy confidential details about the case with the promise that Cassidy will not leak it to the press. This is unbelievable, bordering on ridiculous. An FBI agent would never give out any case information without express permission, much less to a reporter. I thought the author should have done her research a little better. Another issue is that, like stated above, the relationship between a prosecutor, news reporter, and an FBI Agent. This "Triple Threat" relationship could not exist in reality, and is again, entirely unbelievable. I must confess that the name made me laugh- it sounds not at all threatening, almost something a high-school kid would make up.
* Theological and Moral Disputes:

>Alcohol Consumption: Parents should know that this novel sheds positive light on alcohol consumption and social drinking. The author incorporates it numerous times, and I felt that the story would have been much better without it.
> Pre-marital Sexual Relations: This was a huge disappointment for me. I expected more out of a Christian company and a "conservative" author. Sexual scenes are described in detail, as well as the promoting of sexual relations, and the acceptance of sexual relations as a minor. This was completely needless and added nothing whatsoever to the story. I was shocked at how inappropriate this book was, and I think the publishers should look over their stories more carefully since they claim to be christian. There are a few sentences that mention God in here but anyone who writes a cheap Harlequin Romance novel can do the same thing. This book was a disappointment; not moral, not conservative, and most definitely not christian.

I really like the way Ms. Wiehl has writtern the story. You get to be part of four different stories that are written as one. Can hardly wait to get her new one "Hand of Fate".

A seventeen year old Senate page home for her winter break takes the family dog for a walk and never comes home. During the course of the investigation into the girl's disappearance, it comes up that she might have been hiding darker secrets than just slipping away from her chaperones. It's up to FBI agent Nicole Hedges and federal prosecutor Allison Pierce to clear up the case. With the help of reporter Cassidy Shaw, they delve deeper into an investigation that gets more intense than they expected.

Does anyone else hear echos of the Women's Murder Club? There's a good reason. Wiehl's Triple Threat Club bears a striking similarity to James Patterson's famous team. And the novel progresses in much the same way, only somehow nicer. If you enjoy crime novels, but find them a little too graphic and sordid for your taste, this story might be right up your alley. I found that while there is certainly intrigue, shocks and crime, there was a feeling of removal, and the worst details aren't described as minutely as they might be in another book. I don't know what it says about me that I would have preferred a few more graphic details...

I enjoyed the side stories of each character almost more than the central storyline. Allison finds out she's pregnant on the same day she starts recieving terrifying death threats. Nicole, burned by men in the past, decides whether to take a chance on love again. Cassidy has a new man in her life, but he might not be the Mr. Perfect she thought he was. These sidelines really made the characters feel more real and interesting.

Final word: Just ok. The story just didn't quite have the oomph to maintain the pacing and suspense you would hope for in this type of novel.

When Katie Converse, a 17-year-old Washington page home for Christmas, goes out on December 13th to walk the dog and never returns, the three members of the Triple Threat Club are naturals to get involved. Allison Pierce, a federal prosecutor earns her bread and butter prosecuting family law cases. Nicole (Nic) Hedges' FBI experience investigating cyber crime against kids gets her posted to the Converse house to work with the distraught parents. Cassidy Shaw, Channel Four journalist, quickly discovers that the position next to her two sleuthing buddies is perfect for breaking new Converse case details nightly.

Katies MySpace blog, the philandering ways of her sponsor, Senator Fairview, anonymous threats from a sexual stalker, and a severed hand make for lots of intrigue, tension and red herrings in this detective mystery.

Lis Wiehl and April Henry's easy-to-read writing style is perfect for this fast-paced and intricate tale. The chapters, each written from the point of view of one of the Triple Threat club members, are short with many a cliffhanger ending to keep the reader turning pages. Katie's blog, a voice from where - maybe the grave? - gives the book a touch of modern realism and provides the reader with one more set of clues with which to try to solve the crime on his/her own. Of course the misty cold setting of Portland in the winter helps add to the story's spooky ambiance.

The three strong women who reconnect at their 10-year high school reunion find they have a common interest in crime. Now they meet frequently for coffee or eats and we get to know them on many levels as they discuss life, love, faith and, of course the Converse case. Of the three, the authors give us the closest view of Allison, whose Christian worldview comes across clearly, although Nic and Cassidy are also satisfyingly complex and portrayed sympathetically. In this department, the characterization feels realistic when Nic doesn't veer from her agnostic belief system, nor does Cassidy stray from her flavor-of-the-month spirituality.

Wiehl and Henry have woven a variety of themes into their whodunit. Within the story we experience the lives of women making their way in male-dominated careers. Allison's involvement with a safe house brings up the subject of abuse, especially as it occurs within families. Friendship is also a main theme as the three women are there for each other despite differences of personality and belief.

Bill O'Reilly of Fox News blurbs Face of Betrayal 'A blast to read.' I agree, and so do many others. The book sits at #34 on the New York Times bestseller list for May 10th/09. The hardback edition concludes with a short Reading Group Guide, the transcript of Wiehl's interview with Bill O'Reilly, and (oh yummy!) the first two chapters of The Hand of Fate, the next Triple Threat novel, available April 2010.