Customer Reviews

Betrayed

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Sisters, Vicki and Holly Andrews couldn't be more different in personality, life choices and career. Vicki champions underprivileged children all over the world while the glamorous Holly advocates for animals and the environment.

When Vicki's latest assignment sees the sisters reconnect in Guatemala, a tragedy reminiscent of their fractured childhood occurs, leaving Vicki alone and afraid yet determined to uncover the evil lurking in the jungle and find justice for her sister.

I devoured Jeanette Windle's engrossing thrillers set in South America, Crossfire, Firestorm and The DMZ so eagerly anticipated the release of Betrayed from Tyndale House. I was not disappointed.

Jeanette again returns to South America, a world she knows so well from her childhood and later as a missionary. Guatemala comes alive as Jeanette's skilful hand describes the pitiful "garbage people", the immense beauty of the Sierra de las Minas Biosphere and the political minefields that plague this developing nation. The characters are diverse and well developed, complex in both personality and motivation. Intrigue, danger and a subtle and unexpected romance are seamlessly interwoven with a message of God's love and faithfulness in the face of unimaginable human suffering.

Betrayed has confirmed I will read any book with J. M. Windle written on the spine!

Working as an inspector for Children At Risk, a foundation that provides operating funds to children's projects throughout the world, Vicki Andrews travels to Guatemala City on what she thinks is another routine assignment. This assignment takes her to the slums of the city where she will stay at Casa de Esperanza to evaluate their program and determine if they are worthy to receive funding from Children At Risk. Before long Vicki is surprised to learn that she has a personal connection with the place. A connection that helps, Vicki, who was adopted as a young child, to discover her real identity.

But Vicki is not the only foreigner hard at work in the civil war torn nation. Her sister Holly, an environmentalist with the Wildlife Rescue Center, meets with Vicki on her first day in the city and begs her to help investigate the theft of exotic animals from the Rescue Center. Vicki, while downplaying the thefts, refuses to help, and the next time she sees her sister it is too late to change her mind. Vicki finds Holly taking her last breaths in a large black garbage bag in the city's garbage dump. Warning, this scene is vivid and will stay with long after you put down the book. It's not gratuitous gore, but a disturbing and graphic scene that helps the reader realize that the country no more values many of their people than they do their garbage.

The investigation into Holly's death is short lived, soon labeled a simple street crime by the local authorities and is prematurely closed, leaving Vicki determined to investigate and discover the real person responsible for Holly's murder. This is where the thrilling ride begins as Vicki sets off on a trail that leads to powerful people who want their identity kept hidden at all costs. Even if it costs Vicki her very life. If this is not enough of a plot to satisfy the reader, Windle ties the current day events to the death of Vicki's parents when she was but a child.


Betrayed is a well-written, vivid, timely thriller with a rich spiritual message expertly woven into the story. The thoroughly researched details of the struggles in Guatemala draw you into the story from page one of the book, enlightening the reader on the country's current strife and the selfless individuals working to better the situation. Windle's intimate knowledge of the region brings the culture, the scenery, and the suffering to life for the reader.

Having lived for many years in South America, I always appreciate Windle's making the country "come alive". Her vivid descriptions and attention to detail truly make her books exciting and fun to read.

This one is no different. While you read about how the CIA and other American agencies have "covered" up a few of their blunders, you also see that they are not all bad and some of them even think they really are doing it for the good of the United States.

Others have told enough about the story that I don't need to elaborate, only to suggest that as in most of Windle's books (all of which are well written) you have the naive female who just doesn't seem to want to listen to anyone else and just keeps blundering along getting herself and others into trouble until she is "saved". Kind of like what God is doing with each of his children, but it does make you want to rush through to the end and hope that someone finally shakes some sense into her head.

Other than that--great book and it does make South America come alive.

All Things
"Betrayed" is a frightening, but excellent story about what could happen in the boiling cauldren of South America. Mrs. Windle paints a wonderful picture of the rain forest and jungles, while at the same time describes the horrors of the drug trade and how it uses the greed of fallen mankind to propagate itself. She presents the good side of man's redemption when they yield to God. I couldn't put the book down, and it is one of those books that I plan to re-read.

I got this book from the local public library, and read it in 2 sittings.

I can't add much to the other reviews, but I will say that I liked the book enough to come to amazon looking for more by the same author (since our library doesn't carry them).

Very enjoyable and intriguing. I was glad to see that I had the bad guys figured out midway, it adds to the feeling of reading a detective novel ;-)

This is a book I can highly recommend for suspense lovers, and for those who like to learn about other countries. Ms Windle includes a lot of background information about Guatemala and its politics. She also shares much about the geography of the area and the people with their many problems. The story is about Vicki Andrews, who along with her younger sister Holly, is adopted under circumstances unknown to them when their parents are killed during what the US government announces was a robbery. Vicki discovers her sister's dying body in a dump near where she is staying, and the search is on for answers. That search produces more questions than answers at first, and Vicki comes to regret starting it. She learns the history of her sister's singing of This is My Father's World, and she also learns that this is her Father's world. I am eagerly awaiting the next book in my library by this author.

Jeanette's new book Betrayed is an action-packed international thriller that has readers traveling to Guatemala. Anthropologist Vicki Andrews discovers that her sister has been murdered. The Guatemalan authorities are dismissing her death as another one of the country's frequent muggings or a kidnap-for-ransom. Vicki refuses to accept that her sister would be the victim of a random attack.

She launches her own investigation and uncovers corruption buried so deep that it crosses international boundaries and may cost Vicki her life. This book consistently had me wondering what was going to happen next. While reading the book, I knew that even though the story may not be true, many of the problems Vicki faces are problems many people in Guatemala face everyday.

I've lived in Guatemala all my life, actually I was born here, so I read this book from another perspective.

First, Jeanette has opened my eyes to some things I have overlooked of Guatemala, and others of which I was suspicious (the ex-military officials and their current jobs). Last year (2007) we had our presidential elections, and on of the presendial candidates was an ex-general, Perez Molina, who had fought in the civil war. He was one of the Kaibil soldiers (elite) trained by American Green Berets to fight the guerilla. Once you've read this book you will also have your suspicions of Perez Molina, and who knows what massacres he was part of.

Second, the message of the book is very powerful, full of meaning.

Third, this book has a different style to all of the other books. It's very historical, and by that I mean that she uses the past and how it affects the life of most of the characters, now. Also, you don't know who the 'bad' guys are until the very end.

This book and Crossfire are the best books I have ever read. Buy it. You won't be disappointed (and yes Guatemala is as Jeanette says it is).

Vicki works for the Children at Risk Foundation; she is in Guatemala to see if a faith based organization is legitimate and their programs worthwhile. If they are she will approve a grant for them since they care for many of the capital city orphans with no place to go. Her sister Holly clashes with her as she is about to leave to go to the airport. Holy works at the Wildlife Rescue Center and she demands Vicki investigate why animals at the refuge are disappearing. She also has another problem she needs her sister's advice on but Vicki has to go to a meeting and tells her she'll talk to Holly that night.

Holly never gets in touch with her sister and the next time she sees her sibling she is in the capital city's garbage dump and she is dying. When the investigation into her death is closed after a few unfruitful days, Vicki is livid and is determined to find out who killed her sister and why. Her inquiries lead her to a cartel consisting of men who were military fifty years ago and used by the CIA; they are now in positions of power that are unchecked and enable them to perform illegal activities without getting caught. Vicki needs proof that these men are corrupt but she gets in the middle of a CIA operation where she can end up like her sister.

BETRAYED is an exhilarating thriller that shows how people in power who are corrupt can make an entire nation fear and obey them in order to avoid death and torture. Vicki is stubborn and she won't let anyone prevent her from finding out the truth. In a sense of irony the events of today are related to a massacre of a Mayan village two decades ago, in which Vicki was a witness to that event. J.M. Windle is a great thriller writer whose belief in God's plan shines throughout the storyline.

Harriet Klausner

REVIEW:
Jeanette gives you quite an insightful view of Guatemala City's internal government structure and how life works for them over there. She weaves quite a suspenseful story that involves many big players such as the CIA, Guatemalan police and the American Embassy to name just a few. Who are the good guys? Is there a bad guy? If so who? Who killed Vicki's sister Holly? Where? Why? Vicki needed the answers to these questions.

Vicki didn't know who to trust - she suspects everyone is corrupt - the rules are so different in Guatemala City. Vicki soon realizes that being an "American Citizen" means nothing in Guatemala. The longer Vicki stays in this country she sees firsthand how no one has any rights, villages are raided, people tortured and killed no police are called to help the victims, nothing is done about any of these events it's just chalked up to "street crime". Vicki soon discovers that she is in the heart of a Guerilla warfare area and there is a secret about the Sierra de las Mines Biosphere!! What was it? And why was this a area restricted?

Vicki couldn't stand it any longer she had to do something. This was just not right. Her sister along with others had been murdered. She would get to the bottom of this matter or die trying. Who can she turn to? She wants justice for all; but How???

In the middle of her dilemma Vicki comes to the realization that this life isn't our real destination or real home. "In fact, it's just the start. More like boot camp, you might say from the point of view of eternity...After all, we were never called to save the whole world, just our part!". I say Amen to that!!

I also loved it when Vicki says this prayer in the middle of craziness that went like this "God, I can't run your universe or fix it all. Forgive me for being arrogant enough to even think it's my job. All you call me to do is my part... Do what is right and do not give way to fear." It's a powerful message - a powerful book!!!


Nora St.Laurent
Book Club Servant Leader
www.psalm516.blogspot.com