CAN ONE HAVE FAITH WHEN FAITH ITSELF IS CORRUPT?SPOTLIGHT meets THE FIRM in this Award-Winning First Installment of the Zachary Blake Legal Thriller Series . . .Zachary Blake—once Detroit’s King of Justice, his partners stole his practice—his wife kicked him out and took everything. He spends his time getting plastered at the local strip club or hustling traffic cases. Things are about to change … are about to change . . .
The Coalition—the church’s super-secret organization whose leader will stop at nothing to protect it. Will these evil actors thwart justice once again?
Jennifer Tracy—a woman of deep faith and grim determination whose children have fallen victim to a vicious predator. Will the unconscionable evil of The Coalition victimize Jennifer and her boys a second time?
The three converge in Detroit for the trial of the century.
This compelling and realistic courtroom action drama spins a web of greed, power, and unspeakable acts of betrayal—will victims and perpetrators get the justice they so richly deserve? Bello keeps you guessing until the jury speaks . . . Scroll and hit the ‘buy’ button to find the answers in this controversial first Zachary Blake Legal Thriller today!
What readers are saying about Betrayal of Faith:
***** “One of the Best I’ve Read This Year.”
***** “Great Legal Thriller Candy for those that miss Old John Grisham.”
***** “Poignant, heartbreaking, relevant, and redemptive. Not one to miss.”
***** “Clear Your Schedule. You won’t want to put this down.”
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This novel was an emotional rollercoaster of a ride, dealing with so many different emotions and scenes surrounding child sex abuse from both the victims and the parents point of view. The story takes you on an emotional journey from the begining to the end including the trial for justice.
Highly recommended.
This book is hard to put down, but it’s also rather dark. Bello claws at every emotion the readers have at their disposal and rips them into the open. The book tackles a few really important topics: sexual abuse, systemic corruption in the religious and legal systems, and the almighty dollar superseding motivation (which, thankfully, isn’t a through-theme, just my take on Zach’s initial motivations). I actually felt for the characters, I was rooting for a win against the legal team of the pastor and the pastor himself. This book really is a good snapshot into the disparity between motivated do-good lawyers and regular lawyers…but please don’t mistake this for a book focused on law. It is a theme, but the story here is certainly rooted in justice for the abused.
I will say that this feels a lot like Bello is pulling from his own experience as a lawyer. There is a good amount of jargon, which isn’t a problem as it’s mostly in context but can be a bit off-putting. I like law and have a lot of lawyer friends so it wasn’t so terrible for me, but I can see someone not being able to keep pace due to having to look up terms. I do recommend this book. It’s a great start to a series that I hope continues just as powerful as the first book.
What an incredible start to a series! I was drawn in right away and found myself unable to put the book down. Each chapter pushed this story forward, kept me entertained, and left me needing more.
The characters that were created for each part of this book couldn’t have been crafted any better for this plot.
If you enjoy legal thrillers that keep you guessing and that throw twist after twist at you, this is for you!
I’ve purchased the entire series and am ready to binge read my way through them! Highly recommend!
This is a fantastic book and the author chose a great theme for a suspenseful crime thriller. The subject is very controversial and doesn’t shy away from the very tough topic of pedophilia in the church. The author did well to play out so many different roles within the story and capture the feelings as well as the technical and legal aspects, quite reminiscent of Jodi Picoult who is one of my favorites. Highly recommend.
Betrayal of Faith by Mark M. Bello is the first novel in the Zachary Black Legal Thriller series. Zachary Blake is at the bottom of his career as an attorney when Jennifer Tracey retains him to represent her and her two sons. She met him three years previous when Blake was at the top of his game and life was good to him. Now Blake is just a shell of what he uses to be. Can he become the man he used to be to get justice for the Tracey family after they lost so much to a man and organization they were supposed to trust?
There are some novels that are hard because of the subject, yet you cannot tear yourself away, Betrayal by Faith is that kind of book. Mark M. Bello is a master at writing about a topic that is every parent’s nightmare, yet keeps the reader focused on the thrill of the outcome. This novel is so well written and places you there with the Tracey family. I could not recommend this book enough. I was in awe at the details and complexity of the plot and characters. I am looking forward to the next in this series, Betrayal of Justice.
I found this book so incredibly entertaining but equally maddening. The author does a great job of evoking extreme emotions in the reader from sorrow and pain to hate and anger. Switching from deep involvement and intensity with the characters directly effected by the events to the objective coldness of people on the outside shows real talent from Mark M. Bello. I loved this book and felt really involved in the story as if watching it being broadcast on the news. Highly recommend.
Wow! This book is amazing, I love crime thrillers and this one did not disappoint. The topic as you’ll have already seen is highly controversial and it’s something that has come up time and time again for far too long. The characters were fantastic and felt very real and the suspense and frustration throughout will keep you on the end of your seat. This is such an emotive and rousing book, and also intriguing to see the tactics used by a powerful society to keep people quiet – I highly recommend this book.
Michigan author Mark M. Bello is an attorney and a justice advocate, having earned his BA in English Literature from Oakland University and his law degree form Thomas M. Cooley Law School. He spent forty years in the courtroom with high profile legal cases, and now offers his knowledge on his website Legal Examiner and Injury Board writing posts about safety, fairness and justice in the civil justice system. Mark consolidates his experiences in this series of novels – THE ZACHARY BLAKE LEGAL THRILLERS, of which BETRAYAL OF FAITH is Book 1.
What will become a recognizable trait in this series is the manner in which background and subplots set a stage for the thrilling mystery to come. BETRAYAL OF FAITH opens with a reference to the Our Lady Of The Lakes Church and School and the padres associated with it. A fine country setting in Michigan draws the curtain open for a camping trip – ‘[Jennifer Tracy] pulled into the parking lot of Our Lady of the Lakes Church and School, parked, exited the old truck, and headed for the rectory…She was the first parent to arrive, not surprising considering she was a half-hour early. Jennifer was excited to see the boys. This was their first overnight since Father Bill’s transfer. Father Bill was the only man the boys warmed up to since their dad, Jim, passed away…’ Intrigue in place and the story unwinds gradually before the title character Zachary Blake is even mentioned!
The synopsis is a fine guide – ‘Zachary Blake—once Detroit’s King of Justice, his partners stole his practice —his wife kicked him out and took everything. He spends his time getting plastered at the local strip club or hustling traffic cases. Things are about to change . . .The Coalition — the church’s super-secret organization whose leader will stop at nothing to protect it. Will these evil actors thwart justice once again? Jennifer Tracy—a woman of deep faith and grim determination whose children have fallen victim to a vicious predator. Will the unconscionable evil of The Coalition victimize Jennifer and her boys a second time? The three converge in Detroit for the trial of the century.’
Once Zachary Blake is introduced he undergoes a transformation out of his ‘down time’ and into the superb lawyer an rapidly becomes a significant character creation. To say much more may possibly result in spoilers, and that is the last thing a fine thriller deserves. Mark M. Bello is a master craftsman – both in the depth of his legal knowledge and his eloquent prose. The language is appropriate for each character, and the manner in which the multiple characters interweave is mesmerizing. This is a terrific opening for a series, one that practically guarantees the reader will move on to the next volume very soon! Highly recommended.
The ‘Betrayal’ series of books by Mark M. Bello was recommended to me by a friend, as they knew I am a big fan of John Grisham and thought I would like these legal thrillers. I started with book 1, ‘Betrayal of Faith’ and it had me gripped from the very first page.
Once a hotshot lawyer, Zachary Blake has fallen from grace – instead of frequenting the courtroom, he frequents bars and strip clubs. But, things are about to change, when he is contacted by Jennifer, the wife of a former client. She is heavily involved in the Church, and believes a new preacher has abused her boys. But with mysterious higher powers determined to sweep the allegations under the rug, will there be justice for Jennifer’s boys and redemption for Blake.
It’s heartbreaking in parts, so relevant, well-written, and so engrossing! After reading ‘Betrayal of Faith’ in a single sitting on the weekend, I purchased the remaining books in the Zachary Blake series (including one on pre-order) and I can’t wait to read them all.
What a controversial book and I absolutely loved it. I love tv crime dramas and this book is just like that, only more absorbing and detailed than you would ever see on screen. The author tells the story from multiple perspectives and this really creates strong emotions in the reader. Seeing “behind the scenes” of the attempted cover up etc is shocking and gripping, I couldn’t wait to see the outcome. An incredibly emotive book and trust me you’ll be left absolutely floored by this one.
Terrific book about how the civil and criminal justice system handles clergy abuse. 5 stars!
I love legal thrillers and betrayal of faith exact Blake legal drama didn’t let me down. Jennifer Tracy is a widowed mother up to Kenny and Jake and she is so happy they took an interest in the new priest and went on a camping trip with him. Only to have her sons returned and bitter, unhappy and violent. The Head priest of the parish it’s on to him though and when he is contacted by an unknown counsel who refuses to tell him who they are they tell him they also know about his past deeds Ian more than likely his current activities. The secret counsel is the ones who bring in the investigators and yes the legal team. This book was so good I loved it I especially thought the realism was fantastic. I can’t recommend it enough if you love true crime you’ll love this book I know I did tell!
Betrayal of Faith (A Zachary Blake Legal Thriller Book 1) is a gripping story that features the rather sensitive topic of abuse. The main character Jennifer seeks justice when it comes to her two sons after they have been abused by a trusted member of the clergy. She reaches out to Zachary Blake, a down on his luck lawyer to take the case. This is a riveting well-written story that grabs your attention right from the first few pages and once you get reading, you can’t stop. With fantastic character development, concise dialogue, and a plot that resonates, you will find this book highly immersive and intriguing. The italics used in spots depicting the various characters’ thoughts were somewhat distracting and didn’t feel necessary. Otherwise a finely written book with a lot of legal jargon to wade through. If you are a fan of legal thrillers with plenty of mystery, this is a book that can’t be missed. Highly recommend.
Betrayal of Faith by Mark M. Bello is a book in the Zachary Blake thrillers and I found this book to be quite an emotional read, containing detailed descriptions of the abuse that took place leaving me with a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes! This book in my opinion is a must read that takes you on a roller coaster ride of emotions to expose the truth of the abuse that so many children have and continue to suffer from. A real page turner.
I enjoyed the first book in the Betrayal series. The book kept my attention and engaged me from the very beginning.
The novel begins as a young widow retrieves her 2 sons from a camping trip chaperoned by their local priest. Instantly, she notices that the boys are different, but they won’t tell her why.
Eventually, it is discovered that the children were sexually abused by the priest. Jennifer, the mother, reaches out to a lawyer who handled her husband’s industrial accident case to represent her and her children. Now, the lawyer has fallen on hard times. Jennifer retains him anyway.
What follows is a court case where Jenny and her sons are up against the Catholic Church. It will be hard to prove that the church knew about the priest’s actions. Jenny is adamant that she doesn’t want the priest to be able to harm another child.
This is a well done courtroom drama with a bit of suspense and romance mixed in. The final lines wrap up the story nicely and give an update on the character’s lives after the court case. This is a book relevant to what has happened in the church and the sexual abuse cover-up scandal.
I look forward to the next installment.
#BetrayalOfFaith #MarkMBello
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