A twist on the Shaundra Levy case. Three friends call themselves the "Triple Threat." A prosecuting attorney, FBI agent, and reporter work together to find out who killed a 17-year-old Congressional page. Each woman has some angst in her life. The attorney is pregnant after years of trying and worried about the future. The FBI agent is a single mother untrusting of relationships. The reporter falls in and out of love too easily and encounters an abusive boyfriend. Although I was raised a Catholic, I still find "in your face" faith a bit of a turn off. The attorney is the one character who "prays" within the narrative. She consults her priest regarding her pregnancy and the case. She discusses religion with her friends (one who is an agnostic) and although it separates her from the other characters' beliefs, it was a bit much for this reader who was taught to keep faith private. Hinkey feelings turn me off to a book but I did finish it because I wanted to see who the guilty party was so the plot did move along and did entice me to keep turning the pages. ( )

Katie Converse is a smart, beautiful, seventeen year old Senate page from Portland, Oregon. At home in Portland for Christmas, she disappears while walking the dog. Her parents immediately raise the hue and cry and a desperate search begins.

Local Portland television reporter Cassidy Shaw announces the story of Katie's disappearance on the air. The media firestorm that follows could be the making of her career, if she can keep herself at the forefront of the action. Good thing for Cassidy that her two best friends become involved in the case, as well. Federal prosecutor Allison Pierce and FBI agent Nicole Hedge are Cassidy's buddies. As a group the call themselves "The Triple Threat Club" and they get together regularly to try to sort out the difficulties of their crazy lives. Cassidy is able to glean important bits of information about the case from Allison and Nicole because both women are soon sucked into the investigation that mushrooms around the case.

When Nicole discovers that Katie had a Myspace page that she posted on regularly, things really start to heat up. Turns out Katie was having a little fling with "Senator X." It isn't too hard to figure out that "Senator X" is actually Senator Fairview, who sponsered Katie's page application. Suddenly the case has taken on a whole new aspect, the well known Senator has motive and opportunity. His relationship with Katie is certainly a juicy scandal, but is he really her killer?

This fast paced, interesting suspense novel has a premise that could easily have been ripped from the headlines. All of the characters are well-rounded and their relationships feel authentic. The point of view rotates between Cassidy, Allison and Nicole so the reader gets to know the personal struggles of each woman and how they relate to each other as a group of close friends. Cassidy is a beautiful girl with a promising career, but she is stuck in an abusive relationship. Allison and her husband have been struggling with infertility, under the stress of trying to have a baby for the past several years. Nicole is a single mom, juggling parenting her child and the demands of her job. She doesn't seem to have any time left over for a personal life. Because of their unique relationship they are able to put their heads together and figure out what happened to Katie Converse. Interspersed between the chapters are Katie's Myspace pages. Through these, the reader gets to know a little about Katie's life.

The action keeps the reader guessing and turning pages in this absorbing tale. Ms. Wiehl's experience with the media and the government are apparent and lend the book a veracity that makes it seem to almost read like a non-fiction story.

Looking for an exciting contemporary mystery with strong female characters? Add Face of Betrayal to your summer reading list! ( )

Three friends who met in college and team up to form the Triple Threat Club, and solve a crime in this fast paced suspense novel. There's Cassidy, a TV reporter, who covers crime, Nicole, a police officer, who fights crime, and Allison, an attorney who prosecutes criminals.

There's an understory as one of the friends is threatened and another understory of domestic abuse, giving the reader three stories in one book. Although I guessed the bad guy's identity, I was still surprised at the end. Good read! Reading group guide at the conclusion, along with an interview with the author by Bill O'Reilly. ( )

Face of Betrayal is about 3 women who are friends and who happen to be involved in different aspects of crime fighting. Nicole is an FBI investigator, Allison is a prosecuting attorney and Cassidy is a crime journalist. In this story, they are working to find out what happened to a 17 year old girl who was working in an elite group with U.S. Senators, named Katie Converse. Katie initially is assumed kidnapped, then presumed murdered. While all of this is going on, each of the women have conflicts and personal struggles happening in their own lives.

I struggled with this book when I first started reading it. It starts out a little choppy with short chapters that bounce around from person to person. So, I’d say that I was a little disappointed at the start. However, as I got further into it, the story started to come together. The short chapters still caused several breaks in the story line, but it was making more sense. I expected this book to be a little more tense and suspenseful. While I didn’t know what happened to Katie until the end of the book, I wasn’t kept on the edge of my seat by any action. The story almost seemed to be told from an outsiders view. It just seemed really detached. All that said, I still enjoyed the book. It was a quick read and provided a twist, and even a couple of laughs. ( )

Face of Betrayal is a well written suspense thriller. The author has done her research and it shows in the little details. The book is a fast paced read. But it leaves you wanting more. I am already looking forward to book two of The Triple Threat series