Two detectives are called in when a snuff film is found on a young man's cell phone. The young man happens to be the step grandson of the Governor of Washingston State. The boy denies knowing anything about the film which shows the strangulation of a young girl, or who sent it to him. Detectives J.P. Beaumont and his partner and wife, Detective Mel Soames, are assigned to the case.
The story is about high school adolescents unsupervised by adults and others betrayed by the adults they trust. The book points out the dangers adolescents sometimes face, not only from adults, but also from each other.
Title: Betrayal of Trust by J.A. Jance
Hardcover, 352 pages
Published July 5th 2011 by William Morrow & Company
Objective rating: 4.5/5
A book with a similar overall theme is Laura's Lippman's The Most Dangerous Thing. Five adults were best friends growing up together. Now, Gordon, in his 40s, has died after crashing his car into a tree. Was it suicide or the result of drinking and speeding? The novel is written with flashbacks in every other chapter, to reveal what happened during their childhood and the consequences in adulthood. Slow to start off, the book nevertheless grabs you in the second half with its startling revelations about the adults and the children that they were.
Title: The Most Dangerous Thing by Laura Lippman
Hardcover, 384 pages
Published September 1st 2011 by William Morrow (first published August 23rd 2011)
Objective rating: 4/5
These two books were sent to me by the publisher. My reviews and ratings are in no way influenced by my receiving complimentary copies.
Another one with an adolescent is The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton. It's very good, I thought!
ReplyDeleterhapsody: I've read the Lock Artist. Quite good.
ReplyDeleteYou are on a reading roll...I have both of these but haven't even come close to being able to get to read them yet. Looks like I'm in for some great reading!
ReplyDeleteI haven't read either of these authors yet. Both sound good. Although I'm glad my daughter's not a teenager, yet.
ReplyDeleteHaven't heard about this Lippman title, but it sounds great. Was considering I'd Know You Anywhere ... now I'm not sure what to read next!
ReplyDeleteFinally catching up on reading blogs--both of these are among my favorite mystery series writers. I'm always happy to hear about new(er?) ones I haven't seen before. They've both just gone onto the TBR pile.
ReplyDelete