This is more a family drama than a mystery, even if there are some murders (both cold cases ands the more present ones) at play. Yet, at the heart of the story is the idea od forgiveness - this time to the cold, distant father, who might be guilty from having an affair and not being present at the key place at the key time.

While I loved Erin (the lovely side character), I find the story being quite weak and not engaging enough. Could the police really be so ineffective? The characters´s motives for their behaviours are also a bit of a stretch (like Rachel´s reasonings for not dating a colleague - surely this could be dealt with more effectively).

I find this novel being an easy, uncomplicated ride full of family sweetness. Not my (bloody enough) cup of tea, but it might be perfect as an unassuming ride with some food for thought added.

This has been a riveting series. Each book has been just as good as the first. I am really looking forward to the forth and final book to wrap everything up. If you've not read Patricia Bradley you should.

We did not review this series for the blog but it has been added to the church library where it has been received with much excitement.

Justice Betrayed by Patricia Bradley is a thrilling contemporary Christian crime suspense. It is the third book in the Memphis Cold Case series but can be read as a stand-alone. I enjoyed catching up with familiar faces.
Cold cases and a modern murder appear to be linked. As the law enforcement agencies strive to find the connections and join up the pieces, the crimes mount up and so does the reader’s heart rate.
The novel is told from several points of view including that of the perpetrator. We ‘hear’ the thoughts and the planning of future crimes. We see the motivation for the actions. What I could not work out was just who the perpetrator was.
The leading lady is strong and independent but also struggles with past issues. “Maybe she didn’t have peace because she wouldn’t let God in.” She is easy to empathise with. I loved her kind, caring and compassionate nature especially towards Erin with had learning difficulties.
A war veteran struggles with PTSD. Everyone is fighting their inner battles. We have to choose what to do when faced with difficult decisions.
Brilliant minds and good old fashioned policing work together to solve crimes.
Our past affects our future but we are not destined to repeat the sins of our parents. The reader witnesses the fragile state of a character who is haunted by childhood events.
Patricia Bradley has once more produced a fabulous tale that consumed my every waking moment. Justice Betrayed is a cracking read.
I received this book for free. A favourable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

Justice Betrayed is the third book in the Memphis Cold Case series. Even though the story references the previous book, this one reads like a stand-alone novel. It takes place during Elvis Week in Memphis, which is something I didn’t know existed! It was really interesting to get a glimpse of that world. All the Elvis “tribute artists” certainly made for some colorful characters, too! On top of that, the case included multiple murders to solve, including a cold case, without much evidence to go on.

In my opinion, this book was better than the previous one in the series, Justice Buried. I really enjoyed the growth in the relationship of the main characters, Rachel and Brad, and the intriguing storyline. When I was about halfway through the book, I thought I had figured out who the villain was, but I was wrong. I was definitely surprised at the end! If you like the mystery and suspense genres, this will be a great addition to your summer reading list!

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review.

Very well written!

Love the premise of an Elvis week in Memphis. You don't really get a great feel for Memphis the town, but Patricia Bradley does an excellent job of characterizations. These are real Southern people in a big city (not like New York, but not small town, either). Believable characters in a stand alone story, even though it's the 3rd in the series. I didn't get lost or feel like I missed something, or even like I started reading in the middle. That is hard for a writer to do, and Bradley does it well.

Suspense is good, maybe not edge of your seat, but you find out as Dect. Sloane finds out, so you can detect along with her. I really like that. You've also got a nice romance that walks along with you. The romance isn't the main focus, but it is a nice sub-story that lends interest.

The mystery is good. Also rare these days that a mystery author plays by the rules. Nothing is held back for a "surprise" ending. If you pay attention, you'll know whodunit. But that doesn't detract from the story or the mystery.

One thing I don't like is for an author to get into the head of the murderer for a chapter or so. Why? There was really no point here, either. Motive for murder is totally different than the reason why someone is capable of murder (or even has committed murder before). Motive is a driving force. It's compelling and must be believable. Here motive is believable, but it is a little blurred. Yet, that blurring is rather compelling as well. Sorry for the mixed signals here, it's just that I'm waffling between the extra info and if it was really necessary to move the story along, or if it was kept because it was good writing and very suspenseful. Don't know. So you'll have to get the book and find out for yourself. If you form an opinion on it, I'd appreciate it if you'd let me know.

Received this book from Netgalley. This is my honest opinion.

This review has been facebooked and tweeted.

Justice Betrayed is the 3rd book in the Memphis Cold Case series. What could be more "Memphis" than Elvis impersonator week? And the cold case Rachel Sloan is working is her own mother's murder 17 years ago. Patricia Bradley writes great mysteries that can be read by all ages without having to censure the language or scenes. When you can share your favorite scenes with everyone on your book friends list, a good book becomes great! The characters lives have progressed steadily through all three books to the point where you feel you can see them as they walk into the room. Characters all, it's not until the end that you figure out who the bad guy is. Do yourself a favor and binge read all three Memphis Cold case books.

Detective Rachel Sloan has believed for 17 years that her mother's death was more than just a break-in gone wrong. When another Elvis Week in Memphis rolls around, she is surrounded by memories. Vic Vegas, a tribute artist who was a friend of her mother's, asks her to look into a cold case. He says he has been investigating the death of another Elvis impersonator, and that he believes his death is somehow tied to her mother's murder. He asks for Rachel's help, and she agrees. Before she can check out his files, Vic turns up dead. Can she find his files when no one else seems to even believe they exist?

Lieutenant Boone Callahan fell for Rachel the last case they worked on together. Unfortunately, now he's her superior in the homicide division, and she doesn't want any hint of impropriety between them, so she calls off their budding romance. That doesn't mean, however, that he's done looking out for her, or that he's done pleading his case. Working together to solve Vic's death shows Boone what a capable cop Rachel is, but it also proves that his feelings are the real deal. Can he convince her that they are worth taking a chance on?

When the danger targets Rachel and those she holds dear, can she and Boone protect those she loves while catching a killer that has killed more than once?

Justice Betrayed is the third book in Patricia Bradley's Memphis Cold Case series. While it is part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone. Those who enjoy romantic suspense, with a heavier emphasis on the suspense, will love Justice Betrayed. I definitely recommend!

Once you start reading, you'll be all "booked" up trying to figure out if Elvis has left the building!

From the shocking opening action sequence to the pulse-pounding conclusion, this book delivers thrilling suspense and impressive pacing into a well-crafted mystery that will definitely keep you guessing until the very end!

I highly enjoyed that not only do you get the opportunity to solve the case right along with the detectives, there were several chapters devoted to being inside the antagonist's perspective. While this develops a sense of confidence in understanding what is going on, there are so many well done twists and turns that you begin to question everything you thought you knew. Ultimately, it all culminates in an astonishingly dramatic, but satisfying final reveal.

Rachel and Boone are incredibly relatable characters that were so well developed they seemed to jump off the page! These two make this story about so much more than the romance label or the Elvis hype would suggest and I greatly appreciated the author's focus on the suspense of the story rather than the romance. Both are highly vulnerable with intense baggage and not at all inclined to open themselves up completely to any relationship; however, their interactions and conversations with each other and those around them is inspiring and realistically presented. Issues and past histories surrounding abuse and guilt affect thinking and decision-making but are appropriately confronted as justice is finally served. Additionally, the intriguing cast of secondary characters adds layers to the puzzle while also rounding out some suspicious family dynamics!

Overall, this highly entertaining read is highly recommended and has set some fairly high expectations for the previous books in the series that I can't wait to start reading!

If you want an education on how to properly pace a Suspense/Thriller novel, you need to read Justice Betrayed! I was hooked before the end of the first chapter.

Bradley spreads her puzzle pieces out pretty well in the first few chapters. Once you get halfway through the book, they slowly (emphasize slowly) start coming together. I don’t mean this as a bad thing, either. This author requires her readers to have patience. You know, that virtue we’ve always heard about. She saves the final puzzle piece for the climax, but she does provide a few hints as we inch closer to that point.

In some novels like this, when the climax comes, it’s like popping a balloon – it deflates quickly. Not so with Justice Betrayed! We get to cling to the edge of our seats for a number of pages!

**The Protagonist of Justice Betrayed**

Rachel Sloan, a somewhat new homicide detective, is our protagonist. I love characters like Rachel because they’re full of all kinds of flaws. Remember how we talked about patience? Rachel has none. She also has an internal footlocker full of repressed emotions and blocked memories about the night her mother died. She also has insecurities about her former marriage, which ended tragically when her husband was killed.

There are a number of other delightfully flawed characters that help make this story work. Her somewhat estranged father, a judge, who wanted Rachel to follow in his footsteps as an attorney. There’s also a fellow cop who Rachel briefly dated after her marriage, who she still has feelings for, but since he is now her boss, she must keep her emotions in check. Add in her grandmothers and a few other friends, and that’s a pretty formidable cast.

I should also mention that it’s August in Memphis, where the story takes place, and that means two things: lots of hot days and Elvis Week. Thus, there are all sorts of Elvis impersonators running around! Oops – sorry! That should be Elvis tribute artists.

**Technically Speaking**

The electronic copy I read was not a final text, so any SPAG errors are moot.

The character arcs are there, but the ones to really watch are Rachel’s and her father’s. If you’ve already started this novel, you may not think the arcs are there, but just keep reading. You’ll find them!

I previously touched on the pacing. It’s really incredible! When those super duper big airliners start rolling down the runway, they start off slowly. You don’t think it’s ever going to get off the ground. However, it starts speeding up, and the plane gets off the ground before the end of the runway. The same is true for this story. The pacing is slow at first, but it’s very consistent, and it ever so slowly begins to build, and then it just takes off!! Please ensure your seat belts are securely fastened before takeoff!

This was a highly entertaining read, and thanks to the pacing, I got through it quickly. Do you know what that means? I now have time to get through the first two books in this series!

This book is highly recommended!

(I received a free copy of this book from Lone Star Book Blog Tours in exchange for my honest review.)

Justice Betrayed starts off with a powerful punch of action, mystery, and suspense. That prologue sets the wheels in motion for a story that will keep you guessing, make you think you know what's going on, pull you in another direction, and leave you breathless in those climactic scenes. Don't get me wrong. This healthy dose of confusion pushes you to keep reading. In the meantime, the characters are extremely well developed, and the backstory of these characters is doled out as needed, making them interesting and believable.

Rachel Sloan is a great main character. I love that she is determined to go her own way and be a cop instead of a lawyer, but she never stops thinking of others. Her relationship with Erin, who is a special needs adult and sister of Rachel's long-time friend, Terri, is incredibly well written and touching. The other main character, Boone Callahan, is no slouch either. I really like that the author gave Rachel and Boone a little bit of dating history, rather than have them meet for the first time in this story. With Boone as Rachel's boss in Homicide, dating is now out of the question, but does that stop their two hearts from fluttering? Read this light romance/heavy suspense story to find out for yourself.

As an added bonus, Elvis, or I should say an Elvis tribute artist, is alive and well in Justice Betrayed. Or is he? It's all a big mystery, and it's up to Boone and Rachel to solve a cold case, a hot case, and a semi-warm case before the killer does it again. Easy, right? Not if the killer is a messed-up individual who hears voices and decides you are getting too close and need to be eliminated.

Lots of action going on, but the plot is also thick with interesting relationships between family, friends, and some weird suspects. A few serious topics are touched upon, such as past family abuse, misplaced guilt, and not keeping those lines of communication open, but these issues show the importance of having true friends, speaking up for yourself, being honest with loved ones, and pursuing justice the right way.

I readily admit that I was wrong in my assumption of the killer's identity. Justice Betrayed is a well-crafted puzzle, and I enjoyed the challenge!

I love all things Elvis and this murder investigation begins when Elvis impersonator Vic Vegas shows up at Detective Rachael Sloan's office (that's right Elvis was in the building).  Vic was decked out in his white sequined jumpsuit and rhinestone belt when he showed her a photo that gave her chills down her spine. Her murdered mother was in the photo along with other Elvis impersonators.  It's a cold-case and her interest is now peaked because there has been another murder. The connection between the two cases was very intriguing and gave the story a real-life feel. Could this be related to her mother's killer in any way?

I really enjoyed getting to know Rachael and her Supervisor Lt. Boone Callahan. I thought they were well-developed characters and both carried some baggage from their past that felt authentic. A bit of romantic tension exists between them and I couldn't resist rooting for them to get together.

As the murder mystery moves forward, we get to follow the investigation, piece together the clues and even "hear from the killer" (who thought they would never be caught).  I honestly wasn't able to figure out who it was, but had a great time following the pros- Rachael and company.

Recommend to fans of a good who-dunnit with a hint of romance. Elvis is an added gem/rhinestone!

4 STARS

Justice Betrayed – Patricia Bradley

This is the third book in the Memphis Cold Case series. This particular story follows Homicide Detective Rachel Sloan and Lieutenant Boone Callahan and a series of murders during Elvis Week. An Elvis impersonator contacts Rachel and says he needs to talk to her regarding some information regarding Rachel’s mothers’ murder from years ago. Rachel needs to decide if any of the information that is presented to her is valid or not, but as more impersonators are found dead, she feels like she needs to follow the clues to maybe solve the current crimes, but also who killer her mother all those years ago.

I wasn’t sure what to think about this book but decided to read it anyways. The idea that it follows Elvis week and impersonators didn’t sound too appealing since I know nothing about that lifestyle, however I was pleasantly surprised. I think a lot of readers who may be thinking the same thing, will enjoy the story. The author does a good job explaining about impersonators and competitions for readers who have no background with that type of thing, but still follows along with a story and brings an element of excitement with the story. Overall, I say give it a chance, it is a good plot and the characters are likeable.


** I was given a copy of the book from Netgalley for an unbiased review **

Someone doesn't want her to solve the cold case. But she isn't giving up. She needs to find her mother's killer. She needs to find the truth.

This story is quite the page turner. The suspense keeps building from one page to the next and never stops. Family drama and a seventeen year old unsolved murder collide to make Rachel’s investigation of this cold case take a very personal turn. As she and Boone dive deeper into the hidden secrets of this case, the one person she does not want to depend on becomes one of the only people she can trust.
Patricia Bradley’s book is an excellent example of what a mystery/suspense story should be. The characters have depth and pull you into the emotional side of their story. Although I was reading quickly to find the answer to the mystery, I was sorry to see this book come to an end.

This is a clean story with no bad language or embarrassing scenes. It was a pleasure to read such a well-written Christian fiction novel.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

I have enjoyed this series set in Memphis as I can can picture many of the places that they wind up. I think it would be great to finally solve a cold case, but would hate to have the case hanging over me as it waits to be solved and would hate it even more to realize that someone was still out there and was still killing. Rachel soon finds out that there is more to her mother's death as she meets up with an Elvis impersonator. She soon finds herself looking into it again as another murder occurs and she has to work together with someone from her past before anything happens again.
I received a copy from the publisher, the review is my own.

Boone Callahan is a lieutenant with the Memphis Police Department, and is in charge of the homicide division. He can't help but be a little uncomfortable around the newest member of their team, Rachel Sloan. He and Rachel went out a few times before she transferred to his division, and Boone still has feelings for her, but he won't let it get in the way of his job.



It's Elvis Week in Memphis, and Elvises are everywhere, including at the Police Station asking for Rachel, with a lead connecting a recent murder to her mother's death many years ago. But before he can show them his files of evidence, the impersonator is discovered dead in his home with no files of evidence to be found.



Rachel doesn't like working with Boone at first, and feels like he's micro-managing her. But as they continue to work together, they come to trust each other, and even Rachel's grandmothers love Boone. I like how the Elvis Week adds an unexpected and fun element to the story.



Rachel had a difficult upbringing and has a strained relationship with her father, as well as a history of failed relationships. She is diligent and committed to her job. I like how she comes to appreciate Boone fore his strength, support, and protection.



I also really liked side characters like Erin and Terri. Erin loves Elvis, and even though everything isn't easy for her, she brings out the best in everyone.



An action packed and suspenseful read, with lots of suspects and complications due to lots of Elvises running around Memphis. Great characters and a riveting storyline. Fantastic read!



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and testimonials in Advertising."

Memphis Cold Case #3 focuses on the death of an Elvis impersonator, Vic Vegas, who came to see homicide detective Rachel Sloan with a picture of her mother with 4 Elvis impersonators one of whom was murdered right after her mother was murdered. Are the three deaths connected? It's the middle of Elvis week in Memphis and Rachel and her superior Boone Callahan race to find the connection between present day murder and 2 cold cases.

With an exhilarating speed, Bradley forges through the ups and downs and twists and turns of this complex suspense drama. Both Rachel and Brad are dealing with past histories that have affected their thinking and feelings at present; yet, at the same time, they are great partners as they share the workload and bounce ideas off one another. I loved seeing the suspense at the forefront and their developing feelings playing second role. I still would like to see Bradley develop more depth in her spiritual content rather than just a mention here or there, but I am really looking forward to book 4 in this series to see where the focus goes next.

**I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell Publishing through NetGalley. Opinions are mine alone. I was not compensated for this review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this thrilling conclusion to Patricia Bradley's Memphis Cold Case series. I've enjoyed all the books in this series, but I think this might be the best yet.
Rachel Sloan, the detective in this story, is such a compelling character. She's carried guilt for many years, something to do with her mom's death, and she's tried to keep it buried, but now it's come back and is really bothering her. She's sure that it wasn't an accidental burglary-gone-wrong as it was declared, and a few recent murders seem to be tied to it, but how? And by whom?
For a bit there, at the beginning, I thought Ms. Bradley was going to make this one to easy, by telling us right away who the killer was. And then. I realized what she'd done. And I kept guessing, trying figure out which one it was.
This story is full of twists and turns. Unexpected plot twists. And just when I was sure which character was the guilty party, something new would come up, and I'd totally change my conclusions.
This book really did keep me guessing until the end.
The suspense and intrigue made me want to keep reading without stopping!
And there was just a bit of romance involved, for me it was about right, just a bit here and there, to keep the story line going, but not too much that it felt like a romance story.
In spite of the fact that this is a 3rd book in a series, this could very easily be read as a stand alone.
(characters from earlier stories may have played a small part in this book, but you don't have to know what happened previously to make this one work)
Disclaimer: I receive complimentary books from various sources, including, publishers, publicists, authors, and/or NetGalley. I am not required to write a positive review, and have not received any compensation. The opinions shared here are my own entirely. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Great book in the series. I love the suspense. I love Boone and Rachel. This story has a lot of twists and turns. I hope there are many more books in this series. I love the way Patricia Bradley puts a case together. I received a copy of this book from Revell for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will.

Justice Betrayed by Patricia Bradley is book 3 in the Memphis Cold Cases series. Detective Rachel Sloan is confronted with her own past in this novel. It's Elvis Week in Memphis, and this brings back memories of her own mother's death years ago. Who can she trust? This book is full of very interesting characters and a mysterious criminal to track. It is a great read for anyone who enjoys suspense. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher. These opinions are entirely my own.