Betrayed by Lillian Duncan

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

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Story Notes

Lillian Duncan brings to her readers a mystery and romance that was good but could have used more pages to really develop it into a more complicated storyline.

When I was offered this book for review, I was intrigued with the plot description presented. As I began to read the book, I really enjoyed the content and the mystery involved, but I would have like it better if it had been given more page time. The story began well with a good plot involving an abused widow named Maria who is in the WitSec program of the US Marshals. She and her daughter, Layla, are in hiding from her deceased husband’s violent associates who were upset with his business practices. Determined to keep her daughter safe, Maria does everything she is told and gives up everything from her former life. She has been making a good life in Sunberry, Ohio over the past months and has just started to feel comfortable with her new friends and neighbors when Layla’s best friend Emily disappears. The disappearance is eerily similar to when her husband took Layla, but everyone has assured her that he is dead. Add to this the phone call she receives from a man claiming to be her dead husband, who also claims to have taken Emily to exchange for Layla. Fearing she has been lied to and desperate to ensure she never loses Layla again, Maria hits the road with no set destination other than away from Sunberry. But Maria soon remembers that she has no reason to hide and that there are many who will protect her if she only asks. Returning to Sunberry, she turns to her new friends and the lead investigator for Emily’s disappearance. Working through the mystery of her husbands death and Emily’s kidnapping helps Maria see that not everyone is willing to be bought. But she will have to rely on her deep faith in God and the love of a good man to help her move beyond the nightmares of her past. The context and the subject of this story were very good and it had a lot of potential to really be a great mystery. Unfortunately for me, Ms. Duncan did not give herself enough page time to really flesh out the story and characters. I loved what I learned about each character she presented but felt a little robbed at how quickly everything wrapped up. I would have loved for her to have gone into more detail about Maria’s past and also about her multiple moves while in WitSec. I believe this book is connected to another Ms. Duncan wrote later so perhaps there are more answers to be found there. And as this seems to be one of her earliest books I will give her another chance to prove her writing skills as I believe she has a lot of potential as a mystery writer. I look forward to finding other books she has written to see if she is striving to perfect her craft. I will recommend this book to others but will let them know the ending is rather abrupt and a bit annoying in that respect. I’m not giving up on Ms. Duncan yet but hope she has better to offer readers in her more recent writings

I received this E-Book free of charge from Pelican Book Group via NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review. I will receive no fiscal compensation from either company for this review.

Betrayed is such a good suspense. The plot and characters are well crafted. I couldn’t put this book down. I highly recommend this book to readers who enjoy a good suspense.

On the cover we see Maria holding her right cheek as if she had been hit in the face. Underneath the headline an eye is present as if someone was watching her. One sentence draws attention: "The nightmare is not over, your late husband just called " I loved this book even though I didn't know at the base that it was a 2 volume I read it anyway and no regrets. The story recants the life of Maria who is under witness protection. She has abandoned her family, her friends, her past even her name to protect her daughter Layla because she is not aware that her father was a monster. When one day a girl disappears, she wonders if her past is not catching her. Because where she's going to put her feet, she's going to put herself in danger especially as her late husband has to call him when he's supposed to be dead. Eager to read other books of this author who deserves to be known, her scripts hold the road, the characters are endearing.

Veronica Minor and her daughter Jasmine are not who they say they are. They are actually Maria Hammond and her daughter, Layla. They were placed in Witness Protection because her husband was a terrorist, had tried to kidnap Layla and shot Maria, leaving her for dead. Her husband, Raymond, was killed by the FBI.

But is Raymond really dead? Did the FBI lie to her?

A friend of Layla's goes missing.. something that never happens in this small town. It gets worse when Maria gets a phone call from her 'dead' husband demanding his daughter in return for the child he has already taken.

Maria's first instinct is to run. She's never been one to trust anyone else, especially now. But she knows she needs help. And she turns to a local law enforcement officer and his partner.

But then Layla goes missing ......

This is a fast read ... lots of suspense. The story premise emphasizes what a mother will do to protect her child. Maria comes across as a lot stronger than she believes she is. Layla is a bright, funny little girl. Most of the characters are likable. One of the Officers starts out mistrusting Maria, but turns into someone who plays a huge part in the story ...and someone who becomes good friends with Maria.

This book is for those who like a little romance with their suspense .... clean language ... and no one removing any clothing. This is the 2nd book I've read by this author and I've enjoyed both of them.

Many thanks to the author / Pelican Book Group / Netgalley for the digital copy of this Christian Suspense. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

Betryed is a fantastic story of abuse, safety, trust, a new life and GOD is in it as well. When HE is involved you know where you stand on All Things Great and Small. What a beginning. Miss Duncin really knows how to grab you by the collar and yank, yes yank, you right into her character's life. This book is eye-opening, it is totally going to get you so involved with Maria and her daughter's life. Even the other characters are so wonderful and necessary for her story. You feel the authors feeling for certain situations and boy do you really feel what she is trying to get across about those certain situation that's so many people go through. What a voice for them and what a suspenseful book this is. Dig in and enjoy.

betrayed by Lillian duncan.
Maria and her daughter Layla are in witness protection programme. her husband Raymond has promised he would never let her go. this is her third move. can she stay in this town and keep her daughter Safe?.
a fantastic read. Loved the story and the characters.
I loved the ending too. 5*.