Title: The Pledge by Kathleen Kent
Detective Betty Series Book Three
Publisher: Mulholland Books
Genre: Contemporary, Mystery, Suspense
Length: 400 pages
Book Rating: B+
Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley
Summary:
In this “instantly cinematic and completely compelling” thriller (Hank Phillippi Ryan), Detective Betty has only two weeks to take down her deadliest rival—this time for good.
“The terrific adrenaline punch you’d expect for the grand finale of Kathleen Kent’s Edgar-nominated trilogy.” —Julia Heaberlin
Things are looking up for Detective Betty Rhyzyk. She’s settled into a happy marriage and been promoted to Sergeant in the Dallas Police Department. But when a hostage stand-off puts her on the phone with legendary cartel leader The Knife, things take a turn. The Knife has heard a rival is making a play for the streets of Dallas—none other than Evangeline Roy. The matriarch of a ruthless cult, Evangeline also happens to hold a personal vendetta against Betty. So who better to draw Evangeline out of hiding? Betty’s got two weeks to catch her. Or else.
With Betty’s young charge Mary Grace already missing—having left her seven-month-old baby behind in Betty’s care—and the drug dealers of Dallas donning strange red wigs and delivering cryptic messages, Betty’s in a race for answers. With the clock ticking down, it will take everything she’s got to finally put an end to Evangeline’s reign of terror, and to keep her beloved Dallas—and her own family—safe at last.
Review:
The Pledge by Kathleen Kent is an action-packed mystery. This third installment in the Detective Betty series can easily be read as a standalone.
Detective Sergeant Betty Rhyzyk is a little unsettled that she and her wife, Dr. Jackie Nesbitt, are taking care of missing teenager Mary Grace’s seven-month-old daughter Elizabeth. She hires private detective team Peg Bartles and Rocky Bentner to try to locate Mary Grace. Betty’s attention is then focused on finding her nemesis, cult leader and drug dealer Evangeline Roy, within the two-week time-frame designated by Sineloa drug enforcer El Cuchillo. Evangeline is back in Texas and her drug business is encroaching on the Sineloan cartel’s territory. Betty has experienced near deadly encounters with both and she takes El Cuchillo’s threats seriously. Aided by her team and her partner Detective Seth “Riot” Dutton, Betty is in a race against time to locate Evangeline before she harms any of her loved ones.
Betty is a tough woman who works tirelessly to locate Evangeline Roy. She is also very worried about Mary Grace who inexplicably disappeared with no warning. Betty is uneasy about the thought of parenthood but she will do anything to protect Elizabeth. While she and the rest of the detectives working with her are in the midst of tracking down Evangeline, Mary Grace’s stepfather demands to know where Mary Grace and her baby are. Betty is not intimidated by the wealthy and well-connected property developer and she has no intention of giving in to his demands.
The Pledge is a riveting mystery with plenty of edge of the seat scenes. Betty is fearless in her pursuit of Evangeline but her adversary proves to be elusive. Jackie is patient with Betty but she definitely feels the strain of worry over Mary Grace’s whereabouts and her wife’s latest investigation. Although Seth always has Betty’s back, he is not always on board with some of her decisions. With Betty’s two-week deadline coming to a close, Kathleen Kent brings this suspense-laden mystery to a spine-tingling conclusion. Old and new fans do not want to miss this thrilling conclusion to the Detective Betty series.
