Betrayed by Joseph Lewis – A @Damppebbles Review Tour @JRLewisAuthor @brwpublisher #Betrayed #DamppebblesBlogTours

• Title: Betrayed
• Author: Joseph Lewis
• Publisher: Black Rose Writing on November 12, 2020
• Genre: Crime Thriller
• Pages: 332
• Format: Paperback & Digital
• Rating: 4/5

Many thanks to Emma at Damppebbles Blog Tours, Joseph Lewis, and Black Rose Books for providing me with a copy of Betrayed in exchange for an honest review.

Trigger Warnings: Violence, Murder, Child Rape (alluded to, not graphic)

Available Now: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Black Rose Writing

Betrayed Book Blurb

Integrity is protecting someone who betrayed you. Courage is keeping a promise even though it might mean death.

A late-night phone call turns what was to be a fun hunting trip into a deadly showdown. Fifteen- year-old brothers George Tokay, Brian Evans and Brett McGovern face death on top of a mesa on the Navajo Nation Reservation in Arizona. They have no idea why men are intent on killing them.

Betrayed is a contemporary psychological thriller and an exploration of the heart and of a blended family of adopted kids, their relationships to each other and their parents woven into a tight mystery-thriller.

Provided by Black Rose Writing

My Review

I am going to be honest with you, I have no idea where to start with this book. Betrayed by Joseph Lewis is one part action, one part emotionally crippling, and one part what the heck is going on.

Let’s start with action-packed. I was on the edge of my seat and holding my breath as I waited for these characters to get through the latest scrape. Whether it is drug dealing bar owners, tough guy jerks out for a rampage, or a slimy businessman. These men will stop at nothing to get what they want. I yelled out a few times because I couldn’t take the suspense. 

Now, emotionally crippled is only the beginning of how I felt while reading this book. These boys have a bond that is stronger than anything I have ever seen. At first, I was uncomfortable with their actions until I looked deeper into myself to ask why this was so. I didn’t find the answer, but it is a question that I will keep asking. I ugly cried through most of the novel. I have never read anything like this in my 48 years on this Earth. 

Okay, there are some very unfulfilling moments as well. I felt the entire time that I was reading a sequel because there were a lot of allusions to the “summer of death.” Unfortunately, very little written about what happened then. The results of that summer are a big part of how these characters react to things around them. But the audience is not privy to this information, which is very frustrating.

If it were not for the blank spaces, I would award this book a full 5 out of 5 stars. However, I can’t get that feeling of confusion and frustration out of my system. As such, I award Betrayed 4 out of 5 stars. The book is good, but for that one flaw, but it is a big flaw that I can’t get past. I recommend that anyone with a taste of adventure read this book.

About The Author: Joseph Lewis

After having been in education for forty-four years as a teacher, coach, counselor and administrator, Joseph Lewis has retired. He uses his psychology and counseling background in crafting psychological thriller/mysteries. He has taken creative writing and screen writing courses at UCLA and USC.

Lewis has published six books, all available on Amazon and each to excellent reviews: Taking Lives (August 2014) the prequel to the Lives Trilogy; Stolen Lives (November 2014) Book One of the Lives Trilogy; Shattered Lives (March 2015) Book Two of the Trilogy; and Splintered Lives (November 2015) Book Three of the Trilogy each from True Visions Publications; Caught in a Web (April 2018) from Black Rose Writing, which was a PenCraft Literary Award Winner for Crime Fiction and named “One of the Best Crime Fiction Thrillers of 2018!” by Best Thrillers; Spiral Into Darkness (January 2019) from Black Rose Writing, which was named a Recommended Read by Author’s Favorites. His newest, Betrayed will debut November 2020, also from Black Rose Writing.

Born and raised in Wisconsin, Lewis has been happily married to his wife, Kim. Together they have three wonderful children: Wil (deceased July 2014), Hannah, and Emily. He and his wife now reside in Virginia.

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