Tuesday, June 3, 2025

Dangerous Betrayals by Susan Hunter Book Review

About the Book:


A stranger’s plea. A web of lies. A truth Leah can no longer ignore.
 
When Australian psychologist Marguerite Pierce lands unannounced in Himmel, Wisconsin, investigative journalist Leah Nash wants nothing to do with her desperate request: exonerate Marguerite’s sister, Hannah, convicted of murdering her married lover. Leah’s plate is full—her struggling small-town newspaper is hemorrhaging advertisers and her latest book deadline looms. But Marguerite’s plea strikes a raw nerve: “You know what it's like to lose a sister. You’re my last chance to save mine.”
 
Digging into the victim Matthew Ferguson’s life, Leah uncovers a minefield of motives. His wife mourns with suspicious fervor. His sister nurses a decades-old grudge. A political rival seethes over ruined ambitions. The husband of Matthew’s mistress can’t hide his fury at the man who destroyed his marriage. But it’s Hannah’s own daughter—bitter, evasive, and desperate to derail Leah’s investigation—who raises the sharpest questions. What secrets are worth killing to protect?
 
As Leah races to untangle the truth, her own life becomes increasingly chaotic. A zealous fan’s admiration becomes a dangerous fixation, her newspaper teeters on collapse, and a looming personal decision threatens to upend her relationship with longtime partner David Cooper. Worse still, the case forces Leah to confront the ghosts of her past—and the realization that her relentless pursuit of justice may come at the cost of her own future.

My Review:

I love it when everything comes together in a novel. The plot is well crafted so it takes time to figure out the mystery. There is a surprising twist near the end. The characters are full of life. I have become quite engaged with Leah. I have read nearly every book in the series and I still find her fun to follow. She's impulsive and moves too quickly on her conclusions some times but she has good support characters to help her along. That Miguel is something else! Coop is a nice calming support. And she also has wise support in Father Lindstrom. There are a couple of quirky characters too. They all come together to make an entertaining novel.

A great plot, really well developed characters, some humor, and twist near the end followed by a surprise, I loved this novel. While it is down the line in the series, it reads very well on its own. I'll be waiting impatiently for the next adventure for Leah.

My rating: 5/5 stars.

 

About the Author:

Susan Hunter is a happy introvert who lives with her husband Gary, an extreme extrovert, in rural Michigan. She spent some years as a reporter and then as the managing editor of a small daily newspaper. From there Susan went on to work at a university in publications and marketing where she honed her skills at appearing engaged in academic meetings, while internally composing her grocery list. She also taught a few classes as well—in English composition, that is, not in faking your way through meetings. In addition to writing the Leah Nash series, Susan enjoys reading other people’s writing, watching classic films, occasional walks and snarky conversation with old friends and family, eating chocolate chip cookies, and answering emails from her readers.

Severn River Publishing, 332 pages.

I received a complimentary egalley of this book from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

(My star ratings: 5-I love it, 4-I like it, 3-It's OK, 2-I don't like it, 1-I hate it.)

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