Review: The Cost of Betrayal by Dee Henderson, Dani Pettrey, Lynette Eason

My rating: 5 stars / It was amazing

Synopsis

In Dee Henderson's novella "Betrayal," 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.

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?

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 Review

Wow! Each of these stories is amazing, yet so different from each other. I enjoyed them all equally and felt they complemented each other so well. The first story "Betrayal" from Dee Henderson is so fascinating, I loved seeing the process of a cold case break wide open at the hands of a couple of FBI agents who were in the right time at the right place. I thought it was interesting how it switched perspectives to show a broader view of the story. I appreciated that the conclusion was so realistic and didn't take the conventional approach that I expected.

"Deadly Isle" by Dani Pettrey was intense and had great romantic tension! The pace was swift yet the characters felt fully developed as they work to investigate and solve the mystery so tragically close to home. Teni and Callen have a history and the memories that surfaced while they helped each other during the raging storm brought a sense of belonging and relief.

"Code of Ethics" by Lynette Eason also had a fast pace and the sense of working against the clock. I liked that Ruthie was comfortable with law enforcement and their procedures because of her family, even though she is a doctor. There are twists and turns as she and Isaac dodge the killers while searching for the evidence that will prove his suspicions correct. I loved the attraction and bits of romance that were slipped in as Ruthie and Isaac got to know each other while also depending on each other for their lives.

(I received a complimentary copy of the book; all opinions in this review are my own)