Betrayed (Paperback)

by Jeanette Windle (Author)
Key Phrases: wildlife rescue center, truth commission, zoo administrator, Casa de Esperanza, Guatemala City, Colonel Alpiro (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Windle, author of the Christian suspense novels Firestorm and CrossFire, pens a flawed but engaging thriller with faith themes. Vicki Andrews, 25, is an inspector for Children at Risk, which funnels money to children's projects around the world. Her latest assignment takes her to Guatemala City to determine if a faith-based mission may be a model for future partnerships. There, Vicki's sister, Holly, a passionate environmentalist with Wildlife Rescue Center, is attacked and brutally murdered. In a scene that strains credibility, Vicki discovers her sister just as she is dying. When Vicki journeys to the Sierra de las Minas biosphere, it becomes a journey into her tragic past, which childhood trauma has prevented her from remembering. Her trip also holds the key to the secret of her parents' deaths and perhaps her sister's. Despite some slow pacing and too many suspensions of disbelief, Windle is timely in introducing readers to political rationalizations that cost innocent lives and ably paints the landscape of Guatemala. However, she portrays the tensions between environmental groups and children's mission groups unevenly; greater subtlety would have made her points more powerful. A gratifying twist toward the end will ensure that readers make it to the final pages. (Mar.)
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Review
Betrayed is not only a good mystery, but a good primer on the current state of much of Latin America and the legacy of our involvement there. -- Shelf Awareness, March 28, 2008

Betrayed is a sure-footed journey into suspense and fear illuminated by hope. -- Patricia Sprinkle, author bestselling Thoroughly Southern and Family Tree mystery series

Filled with adventure, suspense and political intrigue, Windle's novel . . . is not to be missed! -- Romantic Times, February 2008

Jeanette Windle is not only a great writer, she knows Latin America. I highly recommend this action-packed novel. -- Dr. Ron Blue, Spanish Dr. of Ministry, Dallas Theological Seminary.

Jeanette Windle spins her tale as only one can who has herself lived and worked in this exciting and often contradictory subculture of the American Empire. -- William K. Smith, Special Agent (retired) US Drug Enforcement Administration

Windle's engrossing story . . . will attract readers who enjoy international suspense thrillers. Recommended for suspense collections. -- Library Journal, February 1, 2008

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Product Details

• Paperback: 365 pages
• Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers (February 6, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1414314744
• ISBN-13: 978-1414314747
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #302,870 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't miss this intriguing tale, March 8, 2008

By	Rel Mollet "RelzReviewz" (Australia) - See all my reviews

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!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Betrayed is a well-written, vivid, timely thriller with a rich spiritual message expertly woven into the story. , March 25, 2008

By	Susan Sleeman "Host of The Christian Suspense... (www.thesuspensezone.com) - See all my reviews

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.

5.0 out of 5 stars Rain forest redemption, March 3, 2009

By	June W. Bare "June W. Bare, writer and poet" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.