Review of Betrayal Of Trust by J.A. Jance

Publisher: William Morrow & Company
Series: J.P. Beaumont #20
Release Date: July 5, 2011
Buying Links: Amazon     The Book Depository

Book Blurb (from Amazon):
 

Seattle investigator J. P. Beaumont uncovers a dark and deadly conspiracy that reaches deep into the halls of state government, in this latest thriller from New York Times bestselling author J. A. Jance.

At first glance, the video appears to be showing a childish game: a teenage girl with dark wavy hair smiles for the camera, a blue scarf tied around her neck. All of a sudden things turn murderous, and the girl ends up dead. 

It’s as bad as a snuff film can get, and what’s worse, the clip has been discovered on a phone that belongs to the grandson of Washington State’s governor. However, the boy, who has a troubled background, swears that he’s never seen the victim before.
Fortunately, the governor is able to turn to an old friend, J. P. Beaumont, for help. The Seattle private investigator has witnessed many horrific acts over the years, but this one ranks near the top. Even more shocking is that the crime’s multiple perpetrators could be minors.


SStatState’s governor. However, the boy, who has a troubled background, swears that he’s never seen the victim before.
Fortunately, the governor is able to turn to an old friend, J. P. Beaumont, for help. The Seattle private investigator has witnessed many horrific acts over the years, but this one ranks near the top. Even more shocking is that the crime’s multiple perpetrators could be minors.
State’s governor. However, the boy, who has a troubled background, swears that he’s never seen the victim before.
Fortunately, the governor is able to turn to an old friend, J. P. Beaumont, for help. The Seattle private investigator has witnessed many horrific acts over the years, but this one ranks near the top. Even more shocking is that the crime’s multiple perpetrators could be minors.
Along with Mel Soames, his partner in life as well as on the job, Beaumont soon determines that what initially appears to be a childish prank gone wrong has much deeper implications. But Mel and Beau must follow this path of corruption to its very end, before more innocent young lives are lost.

State’s governor. However, the boy, who has a troubled background, swears that he’s never seen the victim before. 

Fortunately, the governor is able to turn to an old friend, J. P. Beaumont, for help. The Seattle private investigator has witnessed many horrific acts over the years, but this one ranks near the top. Even more shocking is that the crime’s multiple perpetrators could be minors. 

Teaser:

We went back to the hotel. It wasn't that late, but it had been a long day, and my knees were killing me. I took some Aleve and went to bed. Mel was still at the desk in the corner checking her e-mail when I drifted off to never-never land, thinking about Gerry Willis's grandson, Josh Deeson.

Mel is more of a night owl than I am. That doesn't mean she's a slugabed in the morning, because she's able to function on far less sleep than I do. I went to bed early, she went to bed late, and we both got up at the same time.

Don't try to tell me that God doesn't have a sense of humor, because S/He does. Just the morning before I had been pondering the joys of separate bathrooms. The next day dawned with us ensconced in the Olympia Red Lion with only a single bathroom in sight. And, in the world of bathroom use, men and women are definitely not created equal. Women win; men lose.

Reviewed By: Bea


My Thoughts:

I won this book quite a while ago in a giveaway on goodreads. I had read many of the books in a different series by Jance and when I saw this on goodreads, I entered. But then the book sat in my TBR pile and kept getting shoved to the bottom. Then recently, after reading urban fantasy for several months, I decided to switch genres and remembered that I had this, so I picked it up.

I was immediately sucked in and read the book in pretty much one sitting. Although it's the 20th book in the series, I had no trouble following along, despite not having read any of the previous books. Jance sprinkles in background throughout; there are a few times when she does some small info dumps but overall she works information and details into the story smoothly. I think it also helped that the main characters, J.P. and Mel, spend most of the book on special assignment outside of their usual district so only a few of the characters were recurring; most were new.

The story is complex and engrossing and very, very topical. Actually, the themes are a mix of topical (texting, online stalking, technology) and perennial (bullying, family dysfunction, responsibility) smoothly blended together. Jance doesn't get preachy nor does she resort to stereotypes. There's little in the story that's all good or all bad; instead we see the spectrum of behaviors and all of the characters are complex. J.P and Mel are likable and make a good pair, both professionally and personally. In addition to the main mystery, there's a secondary plot involving J.P.'s late father. It's mostly separate from the main plot but they parallel each other when it comes to family dysfunction and the choices that family members make for both for themselves and each other.

I really enjoyed this book and regret waiting so long to read it.

I won this book in a Goodreads First Reads Giveaway.