The beloved ladies of Rosato & DiNunzio are back. And now, Judy Carrier, an associate at the Philadelphia all-female law firm, has to admit that she is a bit envious of her best friend, Mary DiNunzio, for making partner. Not only is Mary a partner, she is also planning her wedding to a great guy. Meanwhile, Judy is having doubts about her own boyfriend, Frank, and wondering about her status at Rosato & DiNunzio. But deciding what to do about those things is going to have to wait because she has just found out that her Aunt Barb has breast cancer. In just a few days’ time, a life-saving mastectomy will be performed.

"When you open this book, settle in for a bumpy ride and keep an open mind…you’re going to need it."

Judy joins her mother at Aunt Barb’s house in Kennett Square, a Philadelphia suburb. While there, her aunt’s close friend, Iris, dies. With the operation looming, Judy doesn’t want to worry her aunt, but something doesn’t smell right about Iris’ death. Besides being a good friend, the woman was an undocumented immigrant. The community doesn’t trust outsiders, and they don’t involve police. So how can Judy find out what really happened? The more she looks into things around Kennett Square, the less she likes what she finds --- especially when her snooping seems to have the same results as kicking a hornet’s nest. In addition, she encounters resistance from another source: her mother, who keeps insisting that she should simply drop the whole issue. Is her mother jealous of Iris’ relationship to Aunt Barb?

Back in Philly, Judy’s job satisfaction has reached an all-time low. Senior partner Bennie Rosato has recently dumped a slew of cases on her that she finds repugnant and leaves her feeling uncertain about her future with the firm. Thankfully, Mary is still there for her, at least personally, but seems to be finding it harder to support her at work. Then there’s the trouble with Frank. And what’s that, you ask? Where do I start?

This is a book about trust, friendships and, yes, betrayal. Mary knows exactly the right thing to do for Judy. But Frank is clueless, even when Judy spells it out for him. Lovers are different from friends, plain and simple. And family interactions are another animal altogether. Why would Judy’s mother object so strongly to Iris? Barb believed in her and embraced their friendship. She steadfastly refuses to accept any hint that might implicate Iris in anything sinister. But was it illegal activities that got her killed? It certainly begins to look that way. As we all know, though, and as this story points out, looks can be deceiving.

Sometimes knowing who to trust can be tough. BETRAYED will prove that it can be almost impossible. You go your whole life thinking you are making the right choices, placing your faith in the right people and using excellent judgment, when, in fact, the foundation of that belief may be very shaky. When you open this book, settle in for a bumpy ride and keep an open mind…you’re going to need it. Judy has more than a bunch of unwanted cases to untangle. And, at the end of the case, she has a lot of rethinking to do. But maybe it was time for a fresh start anyway. As for Lisa Scottoline’s readers, well, they will find a lot of satisfaction with this one.