I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Cold Betrayal by J.A. Jance
Pages: 337
Published by Touchstone
Publication Date March 10, 2015
Source: Netgalley
Genres: Mystery
Goodreads
Revenge isn’t the only dish served cold...
Ali Reynolds’s longtime friend and Taser-carrying nun, Sister Anselm, rushes to the bedside of a young pregnant woman hospitalized for severe injuries after she was hit by a car on a deserted Arizona highway. The girl had been running away from The Family, a polygamous cult with no patience for those who try to leave its ranks. Something about her strikes a chord in Sister Anselm, reminding her of a case she worked years before when another young girl wasn’t so lucky.
Meanwhile, married life agrees with Ali. But any hopes that she and her husband, B. Simpson, will finally slow down and relax now that they’ve tied the knot are dashed when Ali’s new daughter-in-law approaches her, desperate for help. The girl’s grandmother, Betsy, is in danger: she’s been receiving anonymous threats, and someone even broke into her home and turned on the gas burners in the middle of the night. But the local police think the elderly woman’s just not as sharp as she used to be.
While Ali struggles to find a way to protect Betsy before it’s too late, Sister Anselm needs her help as well, and the two race the clock to uncover the secrets that The Family has hidden for so long—before someone comes back to bury them forever.
From the New York Times bestselling author hailed for her “inimitable, take-no-prisoners style” (Kirkus Reviews), Cold Betrayal forces Ali to confront the face of evil, and the women who are being hunted.
First Impressions
Cold Betrayal by J.A. Jance is the second Ali Reynolds novel I have read and like a good wine the series gets better with age.
Impressions While Reading
I thought the subject matter of polygamy, while maybe not original, was well established with an intricate web of action. Certain aspects were a little predictable, such as the identity of a decade old case, but that did not take away its suspenseful nature or the wanting to know of Enid’s future and the conniving tactics of the family.
I was not crazy about the plot line involving Athena’s grandmother Betsy, involving an intruder in her home. At times, it felt like a forgotten plot development that was brushed off from the ashes and never fine tuned.
All of the principal characters returned and after three novels together came back as old friends. Their actions were clear felt at ease, particularly B and Ali.
Final Impressions
Overall, Cold Betrayal by J.A. Jance was a marvelous addition to the Ali Reynolds series and like its predecessors left me wanting more.
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