What do you think?
Rate this book
Olivia Sinclair #1
The Betrayal
Attorney Olivia Sinclair is shocked when she receives an anonymous video showing her husband Richard sleeping with someone else. After years of handling other people’s divorces, she thought she could recognise a marriage in trouble.
She angrily throws Richard out of the home they share. But days later she’s arrested—for the murder of his mistress.
Olivia knows she’s innocent but, with all the evidence pointing at her and an obvious motive, she must find the real killer to clear her name.
She may be used to dealing with messy divorces, but this one will be her most difficult case yet. Olivia’s husband has already betrayed her—but would he set her up for murder?
She angrily throws Richard out of the home they share. But days later she’s arrested—for the murder of his mistress.
Olivia knows she’s innocent but, with all the evidence pointing at her and an obvious motive, she must find the real killer to clear her name.
She may be used to dealing with messy divorces, but this one will be her most difficult case yet. Olivia’s husband has already betrayed her—but would he set her up for murder?
234 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 28, 2020
About the author
Terry Lynn Thomas
9 books280 followers Terry Lynn Thomas is the USA Today bestselling author of six historical mysteries and two contemporary legal thrillers. The Betrayal and The Witness are Terry’s first foray into the world of domestic suspense, and introduce attorney Olivia Sinclair. When she’s not writing, Terry likes to spend time outdoors gardening and walking in the woods with her husband and her dogs.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 270 reviews
February 15, 2021
Excerpt …Prologue
“She saw the card on the doormat just as she poured her first cup of coffee.
I’ve rented a beach house for us tonight. I’ll send a key and the address by messenger. Meet you there around 10?
Leaning back against the counter, the woman closed her eyes, anticipating their rendezvous. Dear, God, she craved him. She did not know she had less than fifteen hours to live. “
This seemed like it would be just my kind of book-based on the Prologue.
A glimpse into the last hours in the life of Richard Sinclair’s mistress.
And, then his wife, Olivia arrested for the murder.
Framed?
Although it was enjoyable enough, the story relies on too many coincidences to make this plot work.
A buddy read with DeAnn and Debbi, that led to a fun, eye rolling, discussion! 🥺
“She saw the card on the doormat just as she poured her first cup of coffee.
I’ve rented a beach house for us tonight. I’ll send a key and the address by messenger. Meet you there around 10?
Leaning back against the counter, the woman closed her eyes, anticipating their rendezvous. Dear, God, she craved him. She did not know she had less than fifteen hours to live. “
This seemed like it would be just my kind of book-based on the Prologue.
A glimpse into the last hours in the life of Richard Sinclair’s mistress.
And, then his wife, Olivia arrested for the murder.
Framed?
Although it was enjoyable enough, the story relies on too many coincidences to make this plot work.
A buddy read with DeAnn and Debbi, that led to a fun, eye rolling, discussion! 🥺
January 17, 2022
EXCERPT: Sunday October 5th
When the alarm blared the Sunday financial recap, the woman woke with a start. She didn't care about the Dow Jones Industrial Average, nor did she care about market volatility. Fumbling, she unplugged the old-fashioned clock radio and tossed it under the bed. Her thoughts, as they often did, went to her lover. She rolled over and pressed her face into his pillow, taking in the scent of him, that strange concoction of vanilla and citrus that made her senses reel.
Rolling over on her back, she took a deep breath and cradled her belly, thinking of the baby that grew inside her. The positive pregnancy test lay on the table next to her, its vertical pink line a source of unimaginable joy. She snuggled under the duvet as the automatic coffee maker kicked into gear, filling her apartment with the aroma of the dark roast coffee her lover preferred.
She saw the card on the doormat just as she poured her first cup of coffee.
I've rented a beach house for us tonight. I'll send a key and the address by messenger. Meet you there around ten?
Leaning back against the counter, the woman closed her eyes, anticipating their rendezvous. Dear God, she craved him.
She did not know that she had less than fifteen hours to live.
ABOUT 'THE BETRAYAL': Attorney Olivia Sinclair is shocked when she receives an anonymous video showing her husband Richard sleeping with someone else. After years of handling other people’s divorces, she thought she could recognise a marriage in trouble.
She angrily throws Richard out of the home they share. But days later she’s arrested—for the murder of his mistress.
Olivia knows she’s innocent but, with all the evidence pointing at her and an obvious motive, she must find the real killer to clear her name.
She may be used to dealing with messy divorces, but this one will be her most difficult case yet. Olivia’s husband has already betrayed her—but would he set her up for murder?
MY THOUGHTS: Delicious! Tightly plotted. Fast-paced. Gripping. I didn't want to put this down. And even though I suspected who the murderer was quite early on, and for once I was right, I enjoyed the journey. Immensely.
The Betrayal has all the ingredients of a great domestic drama - the cheating husband, the big reveal at the worst possible moment, a dead body, the finger - and a great deal of evidence - pointing to the wronged wife, revenge, and duplicity. And the author whips all these into a delicious, captivating and entertaining read.
Of course, Olivia - a very strong woman - doesn't just have a cheating husband and a murder charge to deal with. She is also having issues with her daughter, who seems determined to cut her mother out of her life.
The characters are well portrayed, realistic and believable, the tension palpable.
I believe that this is the first in a series featuring Olivia. I will definitely be lining up to read the next.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.4
#TheBetrayal #NetGalley
I: @ terrylynnthomasbooks @terrylynnthomas @hqstories
T: @TLThomasBooks @HQStories
#contemporaryfiction #familydrama #murdermystery #psychologicaldrama
THE AUTHOR: The Betrayal and The Witness are Terry’s first foray into the world of domestic suspense, and introduce attorney Olivia Sinclair. When she’s not writing, Terry likes to spend time outdoors gardening and walking in the woods with her husband and her dogs.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to HQ, HQ Digital via Netgalley, for providing a digital ARC of The Betrayal by Terry Lynn Thomas for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
When the alarm blared the Sunday financial recap, the woman woke with a start. She didn't care about the Dow Jones Industrial Average, nor did she care about market volatility. Fumbling, she unplugged the old-fashioned clock radio and tossed it under the bed. Her thoughts, as they often did, went to her lover. She rolled over and pressed her face into his pillow, taking in the scent of him, that strange concoction of vanilla and citrus that made her senses reel.
Rolling over on her back, she took a deep breath and cradled her belly, thinking of the baby that grew inside her. The positive pregnancy test lay on the table next to her, its vertical pink line a source of unimaginable joy. She snuggled under the duvet as the automatic coffee maker kicked into gear, filling her apartment with the aroma of the dark roast coffee her lover preferred.
She saw the card on the doormat just as she poured her first cup of coffee.
I've rented a beach house for us tonight. I'll send a key and the address by messenger. Meet you there around ten?
Leaning back against the counter, the woman closed her eyes, anticipating their rendezvous. Dear God, she craved him.
She did not know that she had less than fifteen hours to live.
ABOUT 'THE BETRAYAL': Attorney Olivia Sinclair is shocked when she receives an anonymous video showing her husband Richard sleeping with someone else. After years of handling other people’s divorces, she thought she could recognise a marriage in trouble.
She angrily throws Richard out of the home they share. But days later she’s arrested—for the murder of his mistress.
Olivia knows she’s innocent but, with all the evidence pointing at her and an obvious motive, she must find the real killer to clear her name.
She may be used to dealing with messy divorces, but this one will be her most difficult case yet. Olivia’s husband has already betrayed her—but would he set her up for murder?
MY THOUGHTS: Delicious! Tightly plotted. Fast-paced. Gripping. I didn't want to put this down. And even though I suspected who the murderer was quite early on, and for once I was right, I enjoyed the journey. Immensely.
The Betrayal has all the ingredients of a great domestic drama - the cheating husband, the big reveal at the worst possible moment, a dead body, the finger - and a great deal of evidence - pointing to the wronged wife, revenge, and duplicity. And the author whips all these into a delicious, captivating and entertaining read.
Of course, Olivia - a very strong woman - doesn't just have a cheating husband and a murder charge to deal with. She is also having issues with her daughter, who seems determined to cut her mother out of her life.
The characters are well portrayed, realistic and believable, the tension palpable.
I believe that this is the first in a series featuring Olivia. I will definitely be lining up to read the next.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.4
#TheBetrayal #NetGalley
I: @ terrylynnthomasbooks @terrylynnthomas @hqstories
T: @TLThomasBooks @HQStories
#contemporaryfiction #familydrama #murdermystery #psychologicaldrama
THE AUTHOR: The Betrayal and The Witness are Terry’s first foray into the world of domestic suspense, and introduce attorney Olivia Sinclair. When she’s not writing, Terry likes to spend time outdoors gardening and walking in the woods with her husband and her dogs.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to HQ, HQ Digital via Netgalley, for providing a digital ARC of The Betrayal by Terry Lynn Thomas for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
March 22, 2021
Olivia Sinclair has the perfect marriage...or so she thought.. Olivia's life is really coming together, she was entering a new stage of life. She was finally retiring from being a highly successful lawyer. She looked forward to spending time with her husband Richard who was a very high profile lawyer. Until...she opens the email..that email someone sent her on her 62nd birthday...Happy Birthday Olivia...your world is going to spiral out of control...starting...now..
This book is a taut, fast paced domestic thriller that kept me turning the pages late into the night. Holy book hangover. I needed to know how someone ended up dead, someone in jail and why Olivia found herself in the middle of all this. Had she been so wrapped up in her career that she missed the signs of everything falling apart around her?
From being a victim of her husband's torrent affairs, losing her daughter to a controlling son in law..and much, much more....I wondered how Olivia would keep it together...
Huge shoutout to Suzy from Suzy Approved Tours and Terry Lynn Thomas for my gorgeous gifted copy!
This book is a taut, fast paced domestic thriller that kept me turning the pages late into the night. Holy book hangover. I needed to know how someone ended up dead, someone in jail and why Olivia found herself in the middle of all this. Had she been so wrapped up in her career that she missed the signs of everything falling apart around her?
From being a victim of her husband's torrent affairs, losing her daughter to a controlling son in law..and much, much more....I wondered how Olivia would keep it together...
Huge shoutout to Suzy from Suzy Approved Tours and Terry Lynn Thomas for my gorgeous gifted copy!
February 12, 2021
2.0 stars— I usually avoid Kindle books who have subtitles such as “One of the most gripping psychological thriller books of 2020”. But when it became available at the library, I decided to give it a try ... big mistake. Although “The Betrayal” has a good premise: a woman, Olivia, charged with murder of her husband’s lover, who claims she was framed by someone else. That is about all this book has going for it. The dialogue is stilted and seems to get worse the further I got into the novel. The plot also suffers from having a normal behaving character for 3/4 of the novel turn into raging psychopath for the final part of the book. If the person was that crazy, I believe that there would be some signs earlier in the book or at least signs that the characters would have seen. The book also goes off the rails on the plausibility scale with characters magically guessing where other characters are located, every decision made by the main character working out perfectly, and the plot itself being wrapped up in a perfect, tidy bow at the end of the novel. If the book would have started as badly as it ended, I would have never finished it. My opinion is to avoid this one if possible.
February 17, 2021
3 coincidental stars
This one is billed as “one of the most gripping psychological thriller books of 2021” on Amazon. My suggested correction is “one of the most coincidental thriller books of 2021.”
This one started out with a strong first half. We have the main character Olivia, a divorce attorney who in her early 60s is ready to sell her business and retire, giving her time to travel with her husband. That plan is thrown out the window when she discovers her husband is cheating on her and she’s framed for murder.
In the second half of the book, there are just too many convenient coincidences and unlikely events that made it unbelievable. The only saving grace is that I figured out the culprit early on, a rarity for this reader!
The best part of this book was the fun discussion I had with Jayme and Debi as we discussed all of our issues with the second half.
This one is billed as “one of the most gripping psychological thriller books of 2021” on Amazon. My suggested correction is “one of the most coincidental thriller books of 2021.”
This one started out with a strong first half. We have the main character Olivia, a divorce attorney who in her early 60s is ready to sell her business and retire, giving her time to travel with her husband. That plan is thrown out the window when she discovers her husband is cheating on her and she’s framed for murder.
In the second half of the book, there are just too many convenient coincidences and unlikely events that made it unbelievable. The only saving grace is that I figured out the culprit early on, a rarity for this reader!
The best part of this book was the fun discussion I had with Jayme and Debi as we discussed all of our issues with the second half.
Read
January 1, 2021Olivia is sent a video of her husband having an affair. She throws him out, and shortly after, his mistress is murdered, and Olivia is named the suspect. The evidence begins to mount, and she has to prove her innocence.
Did her husband set her up?
The Betrayal is one of those guilty pleasure type mysteries filled with drama, tension, and unlikable characters. I was able to read this one super quickly which only added to its suspense. Olivia is a great character, and I look forward to watching the series develop and unfold!
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
Did her husband set her up?
The Betrayal is one of those guilty pleasure type mysteries filled with drama, tension, and unlikable characters. I was able to read this one super quickly which only added to its suspense. Olivia is a great character, and I look forward to watching the series develop and unfold!
I received a gifted copy. All opinions are my own.
Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader
February 3, 2021
Olivia is an attorney and planning to retire so she can spend more time with her husband and daughter and also to enjoy some overdue vacations and do some travelling that has been put off for many years due to both her and her husband's (also lawyer) careers. An anonymous email comes through on her phone and has a video attachment of her husband having sex with a young beautiful woman. Suddenly Olivia's world falls apart and she kicks her husband of twenty-five years out and then finds two detectives knocking at her door with a search warrant and finds herself arrested for the murder of her husband's mistress. Olivia is innocent but why is someone framing her for this brutal murder? Would her husband really stoop that low to commit murder and frame her? Olivia knows she must prove her innocence but she also wants to catch the killer so she can claim her dignity back and live out the rest of her years enjoying a new freedom that she hopes she will still be able to experience instead of being a convicted killer in prison cell.
I enjoyed the storyline and how the key players were mostly over sixty years old but were shown to be good looking, attractive and vibrant individuals instead of being old and aching and unattractive people whose lives would be confined to rocking chairs and canes. The book was fast paced with several twists and turns that were fun and exciting. The parts I didn't enjoy were Olivia was a supposedly brilliant woman yet she never saw any of her husband's narcissism throughout their marriage and the relationship with her daughter left me baffled and disappointed. A great deal of negative emphasis was placed on the son-in-law's character yet there were so many pieces missing to this puzzle that never made any sense to me and maybe should have been left out completely (imo). The writing style was also a problem for me and a pet peeve of mine is when a book is being written as American but there are many slips with U.K. terminology that Americans do not use because I love U.K. books and enjoy them for their own culture and speech. There were just too many unrealistic events that took place that unfortunately took away from a good story. Please remember these are just my personal opinions and there are many other good reviews on this book.
I want to thank the publisher "HQ" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book and any thoughts and opinions are unbiased and mine alone!
I have given a rating of 2 1/2 Entertaining 🌟🌟🌠 Stars!!
I enjoyed the storyline and how the key players were mostly over sixty years old but were shown to be good looking, attractive and vibrant individuals instead of being old and aching and unattractive people whose lives would be confined to rocking chairs and canes. The book was fast paced with several twists and turns that were fun and exciting. The parts I didn't enjoy were Olivia was a supposedly brilliant woman yet she never saw any of her husband's narcissism throughout their marriage and the relationship with her daughter left me baffled and disappointed. A great deal of negative emphasis was placed on the son-in-law's character yet there were so many pieces missing to this puzzle that never made any sense to me and maybe should have been left out completely (imo). The writing style was also a problem for me and a pet peeve of mine is when a book is being written as American but there are many slips with U.K. terminology that Americans do not use because I love U.K. books and enjoy them for their own culture and speech. There were just too many unrealistic events that took place that unfortunately took away from a good story. Please remember these are just my personal opinions and there are many other good reviews on this book.
I want to thank the publisher "HQ" and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book and any thoughts and opinions are unbiased and mine alone!
I have given a rating of 2 1/2 Entertaining 🌟🌟🌠 Stars!!
July 16, 2022
“Women judge each other, compare themselves to each other. That, my friend, is the tragedy.”
― Terry Lynn Thomas, The Betrayal
So this wasn't a bad book. Not at all. But it wasn't really for me.
It is one of those husband betrays you, mistress winds up dead books. I like these types of books for when one doesn't want to think to much. And I liked some things about the story including the protagonist.
But it's far to predictable. Without giving anything away -- I knew who did it in about -- a minute?
Seriously, I did. That does not take away from the writing which I liked. Olivia made for a fine main character and her story was compelling.
But I just felt the story could have been a real Agatha Christie style who done it. The pieces were in place for such a novel.
But there was no tension -- none at all. I didn't feel scared or intrigued. I felt mildly curious. But like I said -- extremely easy to guess -- from the beginning.
So I spent time hoping I was wrong. I wasn't.
I also do not usually go in for police proceedurals nor "cozy" mysteries. This one had a bit of both which I did not know it would when I picked it.
I prefer "Gone girl" type of mysteries. Verity is another. Dark and scary novels more than cozy procedurals.
I also felt there was little depth to the male characters. I'd have liked to know more about them -- perhaps by flashback -- what made them tick, why the women fell in love with them.
I''d have liked to see their charm. By "they" I include the daughter's husband.
Instead I just saw caricatures.
In spite of the negatives, it was a pleasant night of reading. I did like Olivia and though this wasn't really my type of book, people who prefer the type of book it IS will likely enjoy this one.
― Terry Lynn Thomas, The Betrayal
So this wasn't a bad book. Not at all. But it wasn't really for me.
It is one of those husband betrays you, mistress winds up dead books. I like these types of books for when one doesn't want to think to much. And I liked some things about the story including the protagonist.
But it's far to predictable. Without giving anything away -- I knew who did it in about -- a minute?
Seriously, I did. That does not take away from the writing which I liked. Olivia made for a fine main character and her story was compelling.
But I just felt the story could have been a real Agatha Christie style who done it. The pieces were in place for such a novel.
But there was no tension -- none at all. I didn't feel scared or intrigued. I felt mildly curious. But like I said -- extremely easy to guess -- from the beginning.
So I spent time hoping I was wrong. I wasn't.
I also do not usually go in for police proceedurals nor "cozy" mysteries. This one had a bit of both which I did not know it would when I picked it.
I prefer "Gone girl" type of mysteries. Verity is another. Dark and scary novels more than cozy procedurals.
I also felt there was little depth to the male characters. I'd have liked to know more about them -- perhaps by flashback -- what made them tick, why the women fell in love with them.
I''d have liked to see their charm. By "they" I include the daughter's husband.
Instead I just saw caricatures.
In spite of the negatives, it was a pleasant night of reading. I did like Olivia and though this wasn't really my type of book, people who prefer the type of book it IS will likely enjoy this one.
February 19, 2021
“The Betrayal” is a well-written classic mystery about a retirement-age divorce lawyer who learns her husband is cheating...and then finds herself enmeshed in an even more serious (and dangerous) situation.
I found this book entertaining and liked the setup of the mystery, and the writer is able. However, I found the writing somewhat formal, leaning towards old-fashioned. This is probably just a personal quirk, and those who like more classic mysteries or cozies will still be entertained. This book also struck me on one of my personal biases as I formerly worked at the San Francisco DA’s office, and the story didn’t really capture the right tone or procedure of that office. To me it was somehow the tone of a British mystery but set in the Bay Area, which was confusing. Nevertheless, I suspect my personal quirks probably just make me a less than ideal reader for this book. The writer is good, the mystery is good, and I would definitely recommend this book more for fans of cozies or detective series - just not the right fit for me on a day when I was expecting a contemporary domestic thriller.
Thanks to HQ Digital, NetGalley and the author for the ARC!
I found this book entertaining and liked the setup of the mystery, and the writer is able. However, I found the writing somewhat formal, leaning towards old-fashioned. This is probably just a personal quirk, and those who like more classic mysteries or cozies will still be entertained. This book also struck me on one of my personal biases as I formerly worked at the San Francisco DA’s office, and the story didn’t really capture the right tone or procedure of that office. To me it was somehow the tone of a British mystery but set in the Bay Area, which was confusing. Nevertheless, I suspect my personal quirks probably just make me a less than ideal reader for this book. The writer is good, the mystery is good, and I would definitely recommend this book more for fans of cozies or detective series - just not the right fit for me on a day when I was expecting a contemporary domestic thriller.
Thanks to HQ Digital, NetGalley and the author for the ARC!
December 10, 2020
On her birthday Olivia Sinclair receives a video showing her husband Richard sleeping with his secretary . A few days later detectives show up at her door and arrest Olivia for her husband’s mistresses murder. With all the evidence pointing towards her Olivia knows she has to prove her innocence herself.
Overall The Betrayal is a well written psychological thriller with some twists and turns along the way and enough suspects to make it an entertaining read
I would like to thank the the author for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review
Overall The Betrayal is a well written psychological thriller with some twists and turns along the way and enough suspects to make it an entertaining read
I would like to thank the the author for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review
November 27, 2020
THE BETRAYAL is book 1 in the Olivia Sinclair series, a psychological suspense crime thriller by USA bestselling author Terry Lynn Thomas. This is a gripping thriller about a divorce attorney who’s about to discover her own marriage is based on lies when she’s arrested for murder.
On Olivia Sinclair’s sixtieth birthday, her life changed completely.
Olivia and her husband Richard had been happily married for thirty-two years. Olivia, a family law attorney was in the process of selling her practice and planning to retire and travel with her attorney husband.
Attorney Olivia Sinclair is shocked when she receives in an email a video from an anonymous sender showing her husband Richard having sex with a younger woman. After years of handling other people’s divorces, she thought she could recognize a marriage in trouble.
After Olivia confronts her husband with the video, Richard confesses that the young lady was his secretary, Sandy Watson. She angrily throws Richard out of the home they share. Olivia had been secure in her marriage but all that was gone now. He had betrayed her, and she had trusted him. As a divorce lawyer, she should have seen it coming. Now all she wanted was a divorce!
But days later she’s arrested—for the murder of his mistress.
Olivia knows she’s innocent but, with all the evidence pointing at her. Someone is framing her but who? Richard?! She must find the real killer to clear her name.
This was a gripping fast-paced thriller that never let up. Very enjoyable read. Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the author, and The Book Club Reviewer Request Group (FB) for my digital copy.
On Olivia Sinclair’s sixtieth birthday, her life changed completely.
Olivia and her husband Richard had been happily married for thirty-two years. Olivia, a family law attorney was in the process of selling her practice and planning to retire and travel with her attorney husband.
Attorney Olivia Sinclair is shocked when she receives in an email a video from an anonymous sender showing her husband Richard having sex with a younger woman. After years of handling other people’s divorces, she thought she could recognize a marriage in trouble.
After Olivia confronts her husband with the video, Richard confesses that the young lady was his secretary, Sandy Watson. She angrily throws Richard out of the home they share. Olivia had been secure in her marriage but all that was gone now. He had betrayed her, and she had trusted him. As a divorce lawyer, she should have seen it coming. Now all she wanted was a divorce!
But days later she’s arrested—for the murder of his mistress.
Olivia knows she’s innocent but, with all the evidence pointing at her. Someone is framing her but who? Richard?! She must find the real killer to clear her name.
This was a gripping fast-paced thriller that never let up. Very enjoyable read. Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the author, and The Book Club Reviewer Request Group (FB) for my digital copy.
January 6, 2021
Attorney Olivia Sinclair is shocked when she recieves an anonymous video showing her husband Richard sleeping with someone else. She throws Richard out of the house they share. But days later she's arrested for the murder of his mistress. Olivia knows she's innocent, but with all the evidence pointing at her and an obvious motive, she must find the real killer to clear her name.
This is a well written, gripping, page turning and thought provoking read. I was pulled in from th first page. Olivia is a great character but she walked about with blinkers on where her husband was concerned. There's a mixed bunch of characters who are all well developed. The pace is steady throughout the book. The suspense builds keeping you on the edge of your seat. This is a really Interesting whodunit.
I woud like to thank #NetGalley, #HQ and the author #TerryLynnThomas for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is a well written, gripping, page turning and thought provoking read. I was pulled in from th first page. Olivia is a great character but she walked about with blinkers on where her husband was concerned. There's a mixed bunch of characters who are all well developed. The pace is steady throughout the book. The suspense builds keeping you on the edge of your seat. This is a really Interesting whodunit.
I woud like to thank #NetGalley, #HQ and the author #TerryLynnThomas for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 3, 2021
The first book of Olivia Sinclair series by Terry Lynn Thomas. I am looking forward to the next in this series.
Olivia Sinclair is an almost retired divorce lawyer, her birthday gift is a video of her husband having an affair with a very young lady. She happily married, and had a beautiful and calm life with her trusted husband, now feels awful and betrayed, everything fall apart. But this is not the worst that happens, she arrests, her stupid daughter has a psycho husband and the story goes on.
The Betrayal is easy to read, well written, each chapter tells by different persons. The storyline is engaging with a twist, I suspected almost everyone. The characters describe complete and Olivia is great.
Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read The Betrayal by Terry Lynn Thomas in exchange for an honest review.
Olivia Sinclair is an almost retired divorce lawyer, her birthday gift is a video of her husband having an affair with a very young lady. She happily married, and had a beautiful and calm life with her trusted husband, now feels awful and betrayed, everything fall apart. But this is not the worst that happens, she arrests, her stupid daughter has a psycho husband and the story goes on.
The Betrayal is easy to read, well written, each chapter tells by different persons. The storyline is engaging with a twist, I suspected almost everyone. The characters describe complete and Olivia is great.
Thanks to HQ and NetGalley for giving me the chance to read The Betrayal by Terry Lynn Thomas in exchange for an honest review.
December 26, 2020
3.5 ⭐ rounded up.
This is a pretty decent police procedural.
The characters are all highly likeable (even the detestable ones lol).
Interesting story and great flow to the writing make this easy to get through.
Thanks to NetGalley & HQ for my DRC.
This is a pretty decent police procedural.
The characters are all highly likeable (even the detestable ones lol).
Interesting story and great flow to the writing make this easy to get through.
Thanks to NetGalley & HQ for my DRC.
February 7, 2021
Thank you NetGalley and HQ Digital for my ARC. Olivia is a women who appears to have it all. She is an accomplished lawyer in a happy marriage with a loving husband and daughter. On her birthday, Olivia receives a video showing her husband having sex with another woman. In that moment her dream life is shattered into a million pieces. Not only is her marriage over, but soon she is fighting for her life when she is arrested for the murder of her husband’s mistress. Loyalties are tested and friendships are put to the test, as Olivia struggles to prove her innocence. Is she guilty or just a victim of circumstance? Will justice prevail, or will someone get away with murder?
December 21, 2020
I started this last week and like most of us ( here in the UK/, and especially in London and the new ‘Tier 4’ areas ) had a bad weekend and real life took over as more fiction than fiction, I didn’t feel like reading like I normally do nor reviewing tbh and I think a lot of books would have been discarded in the midst of what was announced and processing it all
Yet, when I did read, 10/15 mins here and there, middle of the night with anxiety high this book held its own and did keep me going back
A tale of a marriage gone wrong, revenge, murder, false accusation and proving innocence,for me it was more thriller than psychological but at telling a story and freeing my mind for a few mins it worked whatever the genre was
I guessed the ‘whodunit’ part fairly early on but was one of those books where that didn’t matter, good characters to dislike! and a worthy plot led to a dramatic ending and also ‘tied up’ a sub story loose end
So, this weekend I needed a book I could pick up, fling down and pick back up and this was it, I even forgave the mention of the word ‘mulch’
Got to be a 5 star, maybe it wouldnt be last week or next but for the time I was reading it it deserves that
9/10
5 Stars
Yet, when I did read, 10/15 mins here and there, middle of the night with anxiety high this book held its own and did keep me going back
A tale of a marriage gone wrong, revenge, murder, false accusation and proving innocence,for me it was more thriller than psychological but at telling a story and freeing my mind for a few mins it worked whatever the genre was
I guessed the ‘whodunit’ part fairly early on but was one of those books where that didn’t matter, good characters to dislike! and a worthy plot led to a dramatic ending and also ‘tied up’ a sub story loose end
So, this weekend I needed a book I could pick up, fling down and pick back up and this was it, I even forgave the mention of the word ‘mulch’
Got to be a 5 star, maybe it wouldnt be last week or next but for the time I was reading it it deserves that
9/10
5 Stars
July 13, 2021
Happy Birthday, Olivia Sinclair! And what a birthday it is. She receives a text video showing her husband of many years with a much younger woman and it's obvious they are having an affair. It's all she can do to get through the surprise party given by her husband before advising him to pack his stuff and leave, her intent is to get a divorce. The young lady he is dallying with is his secretary.
It's only a few days later that detectives show up at her door and promptly arrest her for the murder of her husband's lover.
She knows that she's innocent, but all the evidence points to her. The police are happy that they've caught the culprit, so Olivia is going to have to prove her innocence herself.
Someone is framing her for murder .... but who?
This is the start of what looks like a well-written psychological / crime fiction. Being an attorney, Olivia is a smart woman who regrets that she's been to a man she doesn't really know. What she finds during her search for the truth is that her husband has secrets ... lots of secrets ... but is he the one who killed his pregnant mistress. His business is missing millions of dollars ... is he preparing to make a run?
It's a real page turner with twists and turns along the way and plenty of characters to follow without getting lost.
Many thanks to the author for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
It's only a few days later that detectives show up at her door and promptly arrest her for the murder of her husband's lover.
She knows that she's innocent, but all the evidence points to her. The police are happy that they've caught the culprit, so Olivia is going to have to prove her innocence herself.
Someone is framing her for murder .... but who?
This is the start of what looks like a well-written psychological / crime fiction. Being an attorney, Olivia is a smart woman who regrets that she's been to a man she doesn't really know. What she finds during her search for the truth is that her husband has secrets ... lots of secrets ... but is he the one who killed his pregnant mistress. His business is missing millions of dollars ... is he preparing to make a run?
It's a real page turner with twists and turns along the way and plenty of characters to follow without getting lost.
Many thanks to the author for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
December 24, 2020
Entertaining mystery but not quite edge of my seat material. Mysteries were my go to for years, but since my HP/romance inundation I just haven’t read as many recently.
I would argue with the tagline, One of the most gripping psychological thriller books of 2020, the start of a new suspense series as the mystery murder isn’t all that psychological, but it’s good.
Olivia finds out that she’s been duped into thinking her husband is a good one when in fact he’s a self-centered, cheating rat bastard. She finds herself the prime suspect thanks to her husband’s faithless ways, and the resulting story is her trying to prove her innocence.
Two things were jarring. How could this incredibly intelligent woman have been fooled by her creep of a spouse for SOOOOO long, and the bizarre relationship sketched out with her daughter. Her mother receives a sex video, finds out her husband has been cheating on her yonks, and she is now the prime suspect in a murder, and none of those subjects EVER come up in the few conversations Olivia and her daughter have. That’s kind of big stuff.
Despite those issues, there’s a sequel coming in the spring that I definitely plan to read.
I would argue with the tagline, One of the most gripping psychological thriller books of 2020, the start of a new suspense series as the mystery murder isn’t all that psychological, but it’s good.
Olivia finds out that she’s been duped into thinking her husband is a good one when in fact he’s a self-centered, cheating rat bastard. She finds herself the prime suspect thanks to her husband’s faithless ways, and the resulting story is her trying to prove her innocence.
Two things were jarring. How could this incredibly intelligent woman have been fooled by her creep of a spouse for SOOOOO long, and the bizarre relationship sketched out with her daughter. Her mother receives a sex video, finds out her husband has been cheating on her yonks, and she is now the prime suspect in a murder, and none of those subjects EVER come up in the few conversations Olivia and her daughter have. That’s kind of big stuff.
Despite those issues, there’s a sequel coming in the spring that I definitely plan to read.
October 30, 2020
This fast-moving narrative grabs you from the beginning as you realise that Olivia is in a race against time to prove her innocence. What once was an idyllic and charming life, suddenly moves to suspicion and house arrest. Can she find out who murdered the mistress? Can she ever trust her husband again?
This was such an intriguing narrative that I finished this book very quickly. However, I did find that the ending dragged a little once the perpetrator had been captured. In addition, I correctly identified the criminal very early on in the narrative so, for me, it did not feel like the most original of plots.
What I enjoyed most about Thomas’s writing is how quickly she establishes the setting before it crumbles down in crime and deceit. On the surface, Olivia seems to have it all and is preparing for a slower-paced life that comes with retirement. However, when the revelation arrives about her husband’s infidelity, suddenly it becomes clear that Olivia’s marriage was based on deception. I found this particularly ironic considering that Olivia’s career is a divorce lawyer. Even Olivia recognises that she has been able to help other divorcees but not identify what was lacking in her own relationship.
I think this book was an example of great crime and thriller fiction. The unsolved case from twenty years ago comes back as it is shown to have connections to Olivia’s arrest. Furthermore, Thomas adds in a further secondary plot with Olivia’s daughter, Denny, and her seemingly volatile marriage. It is like Olivia is witnessing what her clients experience, just with her own daughter.
After concluding the novel, I was surprised to learn that this book is going to be the first of a series. I cannot picture how Olivia will feature in the next story and can only hope it is completely different to this plot. I would be interested to see where Thomas takes the story and also, to discover what Olivia is up to post murder-accusation. Furthermore, will some of the characters feature again from this novel?
This was a pretty good read. I think my biggest disappointment was guessing the perpetrator so early on in the novel. As a result, I was more interested in seeing if my predictions were correct, rather than taking greater enjoyment from the plot itself.
With thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This was such an intriguing narrative that I finished this book very quickly. However, I did find that the ending dragged a little once the perpetrator had been captured. In addition, I correctly identified the criminal very early on in the narrative so, for me, it did not feel like the most original of plots.
What I enjoyed most about Thomas’s writing is how quickly she establishes the setting before it crumbles down in crime and deceit. On the surface, Olivia seems to have it all and is preparing for a slower-paced life that comes with retirement. However, when the revelation arrives about her husband’s infidelity, suddenly it becomes clear that Olivia’s marriage was based on deception. I found this particularly ironic considering that Olivia’s career is a divorce lawyer. Even Olivia recognises that she has been able to help other divorcees but not identify what was lacking in her own relationship.
I think this book was an example of great crime and thriller fiction. The unsolved case from twenty years ago comes back as it is shown to have connections to Olivia’s arrest. Furthermore, Thomas adds in a further secondary plot with Olivia’s daughter, Denny, and her seemingly volatile marriage. It is like Olivia is witnessing what her clients experience, just with her own daughter.
After concluding the novel, I was surprised to learn that this book is going to be the first of a series. I cannot picture how Olivia will feature in the next story and can only hope it is completely different to this plot. I would be interested to see where Thomas takes the story and also, to discover what Olivia is up to post murder-accusation. Furthermore, will some of the characters feature again from this novel?
This was a pretty good read. I think my biggest disappointment was guessing the perpetrator so early on in the novel. As a result, I was more interested in seeing if my predictions were correct, rather than taking greater enjoyment from the plot itself.
With thanks to HQ Digital and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Want to read
November 16, 2022A gripping and unputdownable thriller for fans of Gillian McAllister and Alafair Burke, 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙚𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙮𝙖𝙡 is a backlist must. It was described as one of the most gripping psychological thriller books of 2020, and is the start of a new suspense series (Olivia Sinclair series), which author Terry Lynn Thomas will be adding to later this year.
𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆:
From the USA Today bestselling author Terry Lynn Thomas comes a gripping thriller about a divorce attorney who’s about to discover her own marriage is based on lies when she’s arrested for murder.
Attorney Olivia Sinclair is shocked when she receives an anonymous video showing her husband Richard sleeping with someone else. After years of handling other people’s divorces, she thought she could recognize a marriage in trouble.
She angrily throws Richard out of the home they share. But days later she’s arrested—for the murder of his mistress. Olivia knows she’s innocent but, with all the evidence pointing at her and an obvious motive, she must find the real killer to clear her name.
She may be used to dealing with messy divorces, but this one will be her most difficult case yet. Olivia’s husband has already betrayed her—but would he set her up for murder?
I breezed through this page turner in only two days. As Olivia scrambles to prove her innocence, the reader is held captive through many twists and turns and a very suspenseful plot. The characters were believable and even though I figured out the villain (always try to!), I still wanted to know how it ended and why it happened. This was a fast-paced, enjoyable mystery. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Huge thanks to @suzyapprovedbooktours and @terrylynnthomasbooks for the gifted copy. I look forward to the second book in this series!
𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆:
From the USA Today bestselling author Terry Lynn Thomas comes a gripping thriller about a divorce attorney who’s about to discover her own marriage is based on lies when she’s arrested for murder.
Attorney Olivia Sinclair is shocked when she receives an anonymous video showing her husband Richard sleeping with someone else. After years of handling other people’s divorces, she thought she could recognize a marriage in trouble.
She angrily throws Richard out of the home they share. But days later she’s arrested—for the murder of his mistress. Olivia knows she’s innocent but, with all the evidence pointing at her and an obvious motive, she must find the real killer to clear her name.
She may be used to dealing with messy divorces, but this one will be her most difficult case yet. Olivia’s husband has already betrayed her—but would he set her up for murder?
I breezed through this page turner in only two days. As Olivia scrambles to prove her innocence, the reader is held captive through many twists and turns and a very suspenseful plot. The characters were believable and even though I figured out the villain (always try to!), I still wanted to know how it ended and why it happened. This was a fast-paced, enjoyable mystery. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Huge thanks to @suzyapprovedbooktours and @terrylynnthomasbooks for the gifted copy. I look forward to the second book in this series!
February 15, 2021
Olivia (Liv), has a neat life...until she gets texted a video of her husband doing the nasty with a young woman who later ends up being murdered. Liv becomes the prime suspect.
I really enjoyed the first half. Was rooting for Liv all the way. I did want to see her solve the murder (became murders) and save herself. The second half left me very disappointed. Some events were not believable and it got wrapped up too neatly for me.
I did enjoy doing this as a buddy read with friends Jayme and DeAnn. I'd likely read another by book this author but this one didn't really work for me.
I listened on audio and the narrator was not very good. Sorry!
I really enjoyed the first half. Was rooting for Liv all the way. I did want to see her solve the murder (became murders) and save herself. The second half left me very disappointed. Some events were not believable and it got wrapped up too neatly for me.
I did enjoy doing this as a buddy read with friends Jayme and DeAnn. I'd likely read another by book this author but this one didn't really work for me.
I listened on audio and the narrator was not very good. Sorry!
December 21, 2020
This was a quick read, more of a mystery than a psychological thriller, in my opinion. It centers on Olivia, who thinks she has the perfect marriage and is planning on retiring and spending more time with her family, when she finds out her husband had an affair. To make matters worse, the mistress ends up being murdered and all signs point to Olivia. The story focuses on Olivia's relationships with her husband, family, and other characters within the book as well as trying to figure out who really killed the mistress.
The book was fast-paced, with action from almost the very beginning. There were a few different ways that this could have played out, and I had an inkling of who the villain might be, but it wasn't the person on my slate. When it all comes out, it made total sense and I thought the story was tied up nicely.
My couple nits with the book were that I didn't understand how the situation with Olivia's daughter and her husband really fit in with the rest of the book- it felt like it needed to be developed further or left out entirely, but not just thrown in there as it was. I also had to suspend my disbelief a little bit that Olivia honestly had no idea that her husband was a cheater as more information comes out throughout the book. That being said, I still enjoyed it.
Overall, I think this is a quick and fun read and would recommend it to those who like mysteries as well as domestic suspense and police procedurals. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The book was fast-paced, with action from almost the very beginning. There were a few different ways that this could have played out, and I had an inkling of who the villain might be, but it wasn't the person on my slate. When it all comes out, it made total sense and I thought the story was tied up nicely.
My couple nits with the book were that I didn't understand how the situation with Olivia's daughter and her husband really fit in with the rest of the book- it felt like it needed to be developed further or left out entirely, but not just thrown in there as it was. I also had to suspend my disbelief a little bit that Olivia honestly had no idea that her husband was a cheater as more information comes out throughout the book. That being said, I still enjoyed it.
Overall, I think this is a quick and fun read and would recommend it to those who like mysteries as well as domestic suspense and police procedurals. Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 20, 2021
The book delved right into Olivia and Richard Sinclair’s joyous occasion, Olivia’s birthday and retirement. Olivia’s life is changed in an instant, she receives a video of her husband in a compromising position with one of his young lovers then is arrested for the girl’s murder. She’s being framed, but luckily she has people on her side supporting her. Her attorney, Stephen, and Brian, an investigator, work tirelessly in proving her innocence and it pays off. This is fast paced, suspenseful, and twisty. I thought I had it figured out and then wham nope! I’m looking forward to book #2! Thank you to HQ Digital, the author, and NetGalley for a gifted arc. This is my honest review.
March 28, 2021
This is book one in the Olivia Sinclair series , a psychological suspense crime thriller. I devoured this in less than 24 hours.
Olivia receives a video on her birthday of her husband engaging in sexual activity with a young woman , within a few days this young woman Sandy is found murdered and Olivia is arrested for the murder.
Between the main storyline there is plenty going on with side storylines and characters , I am really looking forward to book number 2
Olivia receives a video on her birthday of her husband engaging in sexual activity with a young woman , within a few days this young woman Sandy is found murdered and Olivia is arrested for the murder.
Between the main storyline there is plenty going on with side storylines and characters , I am really looking forward to book number 2
October 2, 2020
I'm so sorry to say this but I just couldn't get into this book. I just felt nothing towards any of the characters. A quick and easy read though
Thanks to netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review
Thanks to netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review
December 24, 2020
This was a quick fast paced read about attorney Olivia Sinclair and her quest to prove her innocence in this whodunnit mystery. The storyline grabs you right from the beginning with Olivia receiving a video of her husband with another women. Thus setting the stage for the ensuing drama. Betrayal, cheating & murder all in one with lots of twists and turns along the way.
I liked the character portrayals and the way the author makes them relatable. The characters all have their individual issues they are dealing with that are intertwined in the story. As the story unfolds things are not what they appear to be...
Olivia is devastated by the video of her cheating husband. She plans to confront him with the video and divorce him. What she doesn’t plan is being accused of murdering her husband’s mistress! The storyline kept my interest peaked as the quest for who and why seemed to point one direction yet there was always a new twist coming.
This was my first read by this author and I can’t wait to read more. This is a great first start to a new series.
Thank you to the author & Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I liked the character portrayals and the way the author makes them relatable. The characters all have their individual issues they are dealing with that are intertwined in the story. As the story unfolds things are not what they appear to be...
Olivia is devastated by the video of her cheating husband. She plans to confront him with the video and divorce him. What she doesn’t plan is being accused of murdering her husband’s mistress! The storyline kept my interest peaked as the quest for who and why seemed to point one direction yet there was always a new twist coming.
This was my first read by this author and I can’t wait to read more. This is a great first start to a new series.
Thank you to the author & Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
December 22, 2020
A slow burn mystery about a woman, Olivia, who receives a video on her birthday which shows her husband and his mistress together. When the mistress is found murdered, Olivia is arrested and forced to find out who has framed her. This story has a very neatly wrapped up ending. I thank Netgalley and HQ Digital for the opportunity to read and review this book.
October 2, 2020
I really loved the premise of this one and aside from a couple of minor issues, the plot was one I really enjoyed. I loved the outline of the characters but probably just needed more depth and the conversations felt too literal for me. Definitely an author I would try more by in the future.
January 1, 2021
This was an enjoyable, fast paced read. I liked the characters and the plot was gripping the whole way through.
Whilst I don't think it is an exceptionally memorable book, it was good enough to get my attention back to reading, after struggling with concentration in the last few days.
I worked out the ending very early on, which I never do! I feel like more could have been done to give the reader more red herrings to make it more 'jaw-dropping'.
Whilst I don't think it is an exceptionally memorable book, it was good enough to get my attention back to reading, after struggling with concentration in the last few days.
I worked out the ending very early on, which I never do! I feel like more could have been done to give the reader more red herrings to make it more 'jaw-dropping'.
December 2, 2020
There is almost no worse feeling than that of being betrayed unless you're betrayed by the one person you love with all your heart. Believing your love for each other is forever. This is what Olivia has believed her 32-year marriage to Richard has been. True love. "True love isn't about romance. True love, the kind of love that withstands the test of time, is what you have when the romance wears away. True love is knowing your spouse has your back no matter what. It's about devotion and family. I thought I had that with Richard." But Olivia gets an annoymous text message on her birthday with an incriminating video of Richard and his secretary and her world comes crashing down.
Ms. Thomas then creates a psychological suspense novel that pulled me in. I don't read many books in this genre so I was suspicous of almost every character that was involved in Olivia's life. Not only was Olivia betrayed by her husband but she's been set up to take the fall for his secretary's murder. Olivia is then dependent on herself to clear herself of the murder. Ms. Thomas had me turning the pages to find out how Olivia was going to manage doing that. She adds diverse and intricately developed supporting characters that had me guessing if they were actually on Olivia's side or if they were betraying her, too. All that is except Brian. His story had my heart and his desire to help Olivia was so honest. "Brian was an old-school cop who believed in working his cases on a personal level."
There is so much that kept me reading the book. The fast pace, the twists, turns, the clues that surfaced from surprising places, the vivid details within the scenes....it's a well written novel. Olivia is a very well developed protagonist and I felt connected to her the entire time. It was nice to read about a character who's age is very close to my own, too. The plots in the story are realistic and plausible.
I want to thank the author, Terry Lynn Thomas, for the honor of reading this thrilling book. I'm excited this is the first novel of the series! Can't wait to jump into the next one! All opinions and thoughts in this review are my heartfelt own.
Ms. Thomas then creates a psychological suspense novel that pulled me in. I don't read many books in this genre so I was suspicous of almost every character that was involved in Olivia's life. Not only was Olivia betrayed by her husband but she's been set up to take the fall for his secretary's murder. Olivia is then dependent on herself to clear herself of the murder. Ms. Thomas had me turning the pages to find out how Olivia was going to manage doing that. She adds diverse and intricately developed supporting characters that had me guessing if they were actually on Olivia's side or if they were betraying her, too. All that is except Brian. His story had my heart and his desire to help Olivia was so honest. "Brian was an old-school cop who believed in working his cases on a personal level."
There is so much that kept me reading the book. The fast pace, the twists, turns, the clues that surfaced from surprising places, the vivid details within the scenes....it's a well written novel. Olivia is a very well developed protagonist and I felt connected to her the entire time. It was nice to read about a character who's age is very close to my own, too. The plots in the story are realistic and plausible.
I want to thank the author, Terry Lynn Thomas, for the honor of reading this thrilling book. I'm excited this is the first novel of the series! Can't wait to jump into the next one! All opinions and thoughts in this review are my heartfelt own.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 270 reviews