Witness Betrayed

Working in tandem with the New Orleans police, Will Novak spies a young woman, bruised, barefooted and wearing what looks like nothing except a raincoat. Will also sees two men who seem to be chasing her. Much to this surprise, she winds up in his apartment ... holding a gun to his head. Neither of them trust the other, but she has a compelling story to tell him ... and to ask for his help. What he learns is a crooked judge, a whistle blower that has been kidnapped, and young girls in life-threatening danger ... one of whom is his friend's 13-year-old daughter. A trickle of rot connects the powerful to the desperate and corrupts the men and women who are supposed to stand against it. Deceit is everywhere. This is a page-turning action-packed thriller full of twists and turns and surprises on almost every page. Will Novak is a great character. Although this is 3rd in this series, WITNESS BETRAYED is easily read as a stand alone. Many thanks to the author / Kensington Books - Lyrical Underground / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime fiction. Opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.

Witness Betrayed by Linda Ladd Will Novak #3 Will Novak’s background includes spending his formative years in Australia, inheriting significant property and wealth in Louisiana, being a Navy SEAL, working for the NYPD, losing his wife and children and joining an investigative firm that is run by Claire Morgan. He is an intriguing, intelligent and interesting person who seems more than capable of dealing with the difficult situations he has encountered in the stories told about him so far. At the beginning of this book he is spotting potential problems during Mardi Gras and passing on to the police what he sees. As he watches the street he notices a woman watching him – a woman that is injured then followed by two intimidating thuggish men. Little does he know that sighting that woman and what happens next will lead him into his next case – and – what a case it is! This story had me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end. It is intense, disturbing and difficult to read at times with corruption, abuse, torture, abduction, sex trafficking and betrayal. The people you think you can trust may not be trustworthy at all and who one can trust not always easy to ascertain. This book has me thinking and caring and hoping for happy endings that some would and some would not get. It made me feel and want to know the characters and left me eager to find out what will happen in the next book. It also has me wondering about Claire and the series it seems she has starred in prior to Novak getting a series of his own. Did I like this book? Definitely! Do I want to read more in this series? Can’t wait :) Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books – Lyrical Underground for the ARC – This is my honest review. 5 Stars