Murder and intrigue, the perfect ingredients for a thrilling read.
Divorce attorney Olivia and her attorney husband are living a charmed life. Making plans for her retirement, Olivia, who prides herself with reading people and relationships, get the biggest birthday surprise of her life. She receives an anonymous email with a video attachment of her husband having sex with a much younger woman. That woman turns up dead and Olivia is arrested as all the evidence points to her guilt. Is she being framed? Could her husband be responsible? On house arrest will she be able to clear herself and find the real perpetrator?
I found this whodunit to be well written, fast paced with believable characters. I really enjoyed the fact that Olivia is in her sixty's which is rare for a protagonist let alone a woman protagonist. The plot kept me guessing right up to the point where an obvious clue is given and the reveal made soon afterwards. This is the start of a new series and I am a fan of Olivia and can't wait for where the author takes her next. If you're a mystery/thriller enthusiast who appreciates a good whodunit I recommend you check this one out.

Happy Birthday, Olivia Sinclair! And what a birthday it is. She receives a text video showing her husband of many years with a much younger woman and it's obvious they are having an affair. It's all she can do to get through the surprise party given by her husband before advising him to pack his stuff and leave, her intent is to get a divorce. The young lady he is dallying with is his secretary.

It's only a few days later that detectives show up at her door and promptly arrest her for the murder of her husband's lover.

She knows that she's innocent, but all the evidence points to her. The police are happy that they've caught the culprit, so Olivia is going to have to prove her innocence herself.

Someone is framing her for murder .... but who?

This is the start of what looks like a well-written psychological / crime fiction. Being an attorney, Olivia is a smart woman who regrets that she's been to a man she doesn't really know. What she finds during her search for the truth is that her husband has secrets ... lots of secrets ... but is he the one who killed his pregnant mistress. His business is missing millions of dollars ... is he preparing to make a run?

It's a real page turner with twists and turns along the way and plenty of characters to follow without getting lost.

Many thanks to the author / HQ Digital / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

(3.5 stars)


Attorney Olivia Sinclair feels blessed with her life. With her retirement drawing near, she is looking forward to spending more time with her family until someone sent her a video showing her husband, Richard, sleeping with a younger subordinate. Ironically, Olivia handles many divorce cases herself and she thought she's seen them all and would recognise any marriage in trouble. Feeling betrayed, she is ready to leave Richard but what she didn't expect is that the subordinate turns up dead later and she's being suspected for the murder.

As Olivia races against time to try to find evidence to prove her innocence, a cold case twenty years ago is being brought up due to the similarity method of murder. Olivia has already lost her faith and trust in her husband but would he had gone so far as to commit a crime and lead the accusation to her?

This was a fast paced read and the author has captured the setting and the characters' emotions perfectly as the story progresses. From the beginning, the reader learned that Olivia is a strong character who would never let herself go down without a fight; partly due to her profession and that she believes in equality and justice. Richard's infidelity has further fueled her fighting spirit and most importantly, she has to find out the truth, including the cold case and why there are similarities between the two murders? While the plot isn't new and it's not hard to guess the perpetrator if you read carefully, the strength of this story lies in the characters, their narratives and the fast pacing which all makes this a captivating read. At the end, the author stated that this is the first book in the Olivia Sinclair series and although I couldn't think of the direction where Olivia might take us, I suppose we shall all have to wait and see.

The Betrayal is a fast-paced, top-notch thriller that you won't be disappointed by the ending. I absolutely cannot wait to see what happens next with this series!!

Another enjoyable novel that I read quickly! The Betrayal by Terry Lynn Thomas was a great book centering around Olivia, a successful woman who is getting ready for retirement. She’s selling her law practice and looking forward to the next chapter in her life. However, when she receives a video of her husband with another woman, she realizes her perfect husband wasn’t so perfect. And when his mistress ends up dead, all signs point to Olivia as the murderer.

Another murder case comes to the surface that resembles the crime of the woman Olivia is accused of killing. Are the two cases linked? And what if anything, does Olivia have to do with them?

Synopsis:

Attorney Olivia Sinclair is shocked when she receives an anonymous video showing her husband Richard sleeping with someone else. After years of handling other people’s divorces, she thought she could recognise a marriage in trouble.

She angrily throws Richard out of the home they share. But days later she’s arrested—for the murder of his mistress.

Olivia knows she’s innocent but, with all the evidence pointing at her and an obvious motive, she must find the real killer to clear her name.

She may be used to dealing with messy divorces, but this one will be her most difficult case yet. Olivia’s husband has already betrayed her—but would he set her up for murder?

Everything was plotted out well, keeping me interested in the story and guessing at what would happen next. If you are into crime fiction, mysteries or suspense, you will want to read The Betrayal.

This will be published on January 7, pre-order here.

I'm afraid, rather than agreeing with a lot of reviewers, I was very disappointed with this book. To all intents Olivia is very happy with her husband, Richard, within a marriage that has lasted almost 30 years. They have a good relationship and a satisfying sex life. . Or so it seems. I did find it hard to believe that Richard, without wanting to spoil it for other readers still to enjoy this book, was a serial cheater and had been for a very long time. Olivia is a clever woman who holds a high level professional job related to family law, yet she was totally oblivious to what was going on right under her own roof. It did read quite a lot like Murder She Wrote, an unreal world. The beginning was very good, I was eager to find out what scorn and revenge Olivia was going to throw at Richard, the muddier the better, but instead it turned into a mild murder mystery novel. Thrown into the mix was Olivia and Richard's daughter, Denny and her loathsome husband, David. Sad to say, I knew who the villain was pretty quickly so that was no surprise. The ending was ultimately far fetched and again read like an afternoon soap opera scene. I had high hopes for this book at the start but unfortunately for me it dwindled into la la land.

#TheBetrayal. #NetGalley
Thank you Netgalley and HQ for providing me with this Arc in exchange for an honest review.
I am very disappointed to read this novel, it's not goof at all, i am very excited when i requested it.

A thriller set in the US that moves along at a rapid pace, with good dialogue and clearly drawn characters. I could see it as a tv series.


Unfortunately I guessed who the 'baddy' was early on and didn't find many twists to make me doubt my thinking.

This fast-moving narrative grabs you from the beginning as you realise that Olivia is in a race against time to prove her innocence. What once was an idyllic and charming life, suddenly moves to suspicion and house arrest. Can she find out who murdered the mistress? Can she ever trust her husband again?

This was such an intriguing narrative that I finished this book very quickly. However, I did find that the ending dragged a little once the perpetrator had been captured. In addition, I correctly identified the criminal very early on in the narrative so, for me, it did not feel like the most original of plots.

What I enjoyed most about Thomas’s writing is how quickly she establishes the setting before it crumbles down in crime and deceit. On the surface, Olivia seems to have it all and is preparing for a slower-paced life that comes with retirement. However, when the revelation arrives about her husband’s infidelity, suddenly it becomes clear that Olivia’s marriage was based on deception. I found this particularly ironic considering that Olivia’s career is a divorce lawyer. Even Olivia recognises that she has been able to help other divorcees but not identify what was lacking in her own relationship.

I think this book was an example of great crime and thriller fiction. The unsolved case from twenty years ago comes back as it is shown to have connections to Olivia’s arrest. Furthermore, Thomas adds in a further secondary plot with Olivia’s daughter, Denny, and her seemingly volatile marriage. It is like Olivia is witnessing what her clients experience, just with her own daughter.

After concluding the novel, I was surprised to learn that this book is going to be the first of a series. I cannot picture how Olivia will feature in the next story and can only hope it is completely different to this plot. I would be interested to see where Thomas takes the story and also, to discover what Olivia is up to post murder-accusation. Furthermore, will some of the characters feature again from this novel?

This was a pretty good read. I think my biggest disappointment was guessing the perpetrator so early on in the novel. As a result, I was more interested in seeing if my predictions were correct, rather than taking greater enjoyment from the plot itself.

With thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Pulls you in from the very beginning and doesn't let you go. Such a fantastic book. Loved the people in the book even the ones doing wrong.
Be sure to add this one to you to read list you wont he disappointed

Thanks to the Author, the publisher and NetGalley for an early release if this book.

Holy Moly...... Now that is a 5 STAR book!! From beginning to end this book will have you so engrossed you won't be able to stop reading. Highly Recommend

The Betrayal is a captivating and immersive contemporary thriller that had me in the first few pages. Olivia Sinclair has the perfect marriage, the perfect career, the perfect life, until the betrayal. What I love about this book is that the betrayal happens early, so you are thrown into the intrigue and suspense right away. No chapter is read without being on edge, no page slips by without being enthralled. The events that happen in this book happen so effortlessly, so flawlessly, you literally are turning the pages one after the other. A fantastic book by a USA Today bestselling author. As a huge fan of the author’s historical fiction books, I can say that Terry Lynn Thomas is a fresh voice in this genre, one to watch, one to read, and one to celebrate. Bravo!

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with this eArc in exchange for an honest review.

Although I enjoyed the premise, the setting and story plot, I just found myself not caring so much about the characters per se. And since I am a huge character driven person, this costs some points in my rating of this book. The characters felt too distant, too mechanic and too perfect to fit the story for it to go on.

Sadly, I was thus a bit dissapointed overall.

This was such a quick read for me, Thomas’ writing style made it seem like there was always something just about to happen that kept me captivated. I’m already looking forward to seeing what the author does with the rest of the series - I think some of the unanswered questions I had from this book might be resolved in a future book — I gave it 4 stars because there were quite a few characters and events that left me wondering, and if it had been a stand-alone title I would’ve needed them wrapped up a little bit more.

This book was fantastic! I love a thriller based around solicitors/ attorneys. It even kept me guessing until the end, I honestly had no idea who did it. I couldn’t put my phone down until I finished this book. Highly recommend physcological thriller.

Great read. The author really draws the reader into the story. Will definitely read another book by this author. I felt like I was part of the story. Could not put the book down.

What a fabulous read 📖!!!!

THE BETRAYAL- marriages are built on trust, this one's built on lies.
by
@terrylynnthomasbooks @digital.hq @harpercollins

✨RELEASING on my birthday 🎂 i.e. 28th Oct. 2020 !

#preordernow ✨
_____________
🕸 Kickstarting with suspense, right from the beginning, this
234 page, 37 chapter long book is
unputdownable and gripping.

🕸 A #psychologicalthriller which holds you tight, till the very last with its amazing, captivating writing style!

🕸 I would like to put it in the genre of #womenfiction too, which I totally love!
____________
"TRUE LOVE IS KNOWING YOUR SPOUSE HAS YOUR BACK NO MATTER WHAT."--

🕸 But what if, that assumed true love, betrays you, breaks your trust? Especially, if you are a self dependent woman?

📌Olivia Sinclair, aged 62 years, a well accomplished attorney, decides to retire & spend sometime with her loving husband.

But she receives an email from an unknown sender with a video clip, on her birthday. It puts on display the obscene side of her very highly-held, husband.

She's heartbroken and shocked & decides to face her husband, directly. But..he's not at all ashamed of his act & shoves it under the cover of masculinity.

What happens further is even more shocking, the said mistress dies and the blame comes on Olivia.

On the other hand, their only daughter, Denny who had married David Grayson, out of love, seems dominated & suffocated. No matter how much Olivia tries to intervene, her intention is termed as interference.

"THAT IMPULSIVE, NO-FILTER CHILD HAD MARRIED A MAN HELL-BENT ON PUTTING OUT HER. "--

What follows, is even more disturbing.. It looks like both their marriages, the mom & daughter duo are on the verge of breaking..

🕸🕸Will the women stand up for themselves?
What about Denny, she's powerless, dependent & pregnant?
How will she fight her husband, if need be?
And what about Olivia, how will she prove herself innocent in the murder case?
__________
Read 📖it to know more!

✨TERRY LYNN THOMAS is the USA Today BESTSELLING AUTHOR of SIX HISTORICAL MYSTERIES.

THE BETRAYAL is Terry’s first foray into the world of DOMESTIC SUSPENSE.

👌This is my 2nd read from the author!

This is a great break out book for a new series by Terry Lynn Thomas. I enjoyed the book and thought it was a good read! I recommend reading this book when it becomes available for purchase. Thank you again to @netgalley for the ARC and @HQStories
Reasons I gave this book only 4 stars instead of 5: I figured out who was the murderer before the book told me, and I like it better when I can't figure it out. Also, there are a lot of characters in this book and other storylines that detracted from the main plot. While it seems that this going to be a new series of books with these characters, too much information and introduction to characters muddied the book.
All that aside, it was a great book and worth its 4 stars! I am looking forward the next book in the series!

Terry Lynn Thomas, author of “The Betrayal” has written an intense, captivating, and intriguing thriller. The genres for this novel are Psychological Thriller, Mystery and Suspense, and Fiction. The timeline for this story is set in the present and goes to the past when it pertains to the characters or events. The author describes her characters as manipulative, complex, and complicated. There are twists, turns, betrayals, threats, danger, and murder. Several of the characters are very suspicious. As you read, pay attention to the different clues and see if you can discover the murderer and person of “The Betrayal”. This is a fast-moving book that I would highly recommend.

Olivia Sinclair, an attorney, is ready to retire and sell her law practice and wishes to spend more time with her ambitious husband. It is Olivia’s special day, and she has absolutely no clue what her day will be like. She certainly doesn’t want any surprises. Little does she know what is in store for her.

Olivia’s phone rings and someone has sent her a video of her husband sleeping with someone else. Olivia is furious, and pieces together her husband’s frequent business travels. If only she hadn’t been so blind to all the clues. To top this off, Olivia has no idea who provided the video. Olivia angrily throws her husband out.

The next day, the body of the woman who had been sleeping with Olivia’s husband is discovered, and she is dead!. Someone has called the police and they search Olivia’s house and discover possible links to the woman’s murder. It points all to Olivia. How will she clear her name and be able to move on? I would suggest that you read this novel to find what is going on.

This book definitely lives up to it’s title, betrayal, murder and lies abound throughout to keep you guessing in this great thriller. Olivia Sinclair has a enviable life, she is successful, has a loving husband and daughter and a beautiful home. But she wakes up on her 62nd birthday to a day that changes her life forever.
The characters were believable and that really draws you into the story, I was hooked from the first page. It was fast paced and well written, I particularly liked the way all the loose ends came together at the end. I would recommend for anyone who enjoys a ‘whodunnit’ style mystery.
I was also ‘thrilled‘ to read that this is the first in a series about Olivia Sinclair and I can’t wait for the next one!