OnlineBookClub.org

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Confessions and betrayals" by AC Cumberland.]

Ethan Brandt, a college student, receives a call from his sister Susan, informing him about their parents’ deaths. When he returns home with his friend Mark for the funeral arrangements, what he initially thought to be a simple robbery-murder, as the police had put it, turns out to be more. With every business partner of his late parents looking forward to now working with him and insisting his parents were good people and the FBI and DEA investigations about the murder, Ethan has questions about who his parents actually were. Who is the murderer? Why are the FBI and DEA interested in this case? What is the connection between the past and the murder of his parents?

"Confessions and Betrayals" has it all — crime, mystery, thrill, death and betrayal. The book had a strong storyline with no loopholes. First, I loved the use of dramatic irony in the book. It was exciting watching the characters make wrong guesses about each other. The narration was very good, and I found myself screaming at the characters when they made certain decisions. AC Cumberland is skilled at creating mystery, and nothing is more exciting than having wrong guesses about who the villain in a thriller truly is. I was suspicious about almost all the characters, as they seemed to have strong motives to have committed a murder. I was truly impressed. Then the character development was mindblowing. Ethan, for instance, was a well-rounded character, and I loved how the author portrayed his growth in the novel. This book included a lot of real-life scenarios that made it very relatable. Agent Jacobs’ and Agent Vega’s method of investigation and gathering intel and the use of spies to infiltrate organisations kept me engaged. This book contained everything a true crime should, and I loved how the author linked relationships and motives.

While the storyline was amazing, this book was riddled with errors. The errors could not be ignored; almost every page had misspellings or a wrong use of punctuation. I found it very difficult to follow the dialogue because I could not figure out who was speaking and where a sentence ended due to the lack of quotation marks in the dialogue throughout the book. Commas and full stops were also largely ignored. There were misspellings of the characters’ names throughout the book. For instance, Studabaker was spelt as Studebaker or Studabackers at various points in the book. I am compelled to reluctantly remove two stars from my rating.

As I already mentioned, this book had a strong plot with no loopholes. I would have given it a perfect rating; however, it receives a rating of three out of five from me. The wrong use of punctuations made the book a bit difficult to follow. If this book is properly edited, I would gladly give it a perfect rating. Lovers of crime, mystery and thrillers will love this book.

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Confessions and betrayals
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Ethan's parents die mysteriously, and he goes home to sort things out. At first, it looks like a robbery gone wrong. But Ethan's sister, Susan, acts strangely, and he starts to suspect something isn't right. He and his friend Mark dig deeper, uncovering secrets about his parents' business and their past. It turns out his parents weren't who he thought they were, and they were involved in some shady deals.

Ethan discovers his parents had enemies, and these enemies might be responsible for their deaths. He also learns about a hidden life his parents led, full of lies and betrayals. The police investigation isn't going well, so Ethan and Mark start their own investigation. They meet some helpful people, but they also encounter danger. There are spies and secret organizations involved, making things even more complicated.

Throughout the story, Ethan makes new friends and enemies. He learns a lot about trust and betrayal. There are many twists and turns; people aren't who they seem, and secrets are revealed slowly. In the end, Ethan uncovers the truth about his parents' deaths and the people who were involved. The ending is surprising, but it makes sense given everything that happened before. The whole story is about family secrets, hidden dangers, and finding out the truth, even if it's painful.

This review is honest and spot-on—great story, but the editing clearly let it down. Sounds like a gripping read that just needs a cleanup to truly shine.

The twists and turns in Confessions and Betrayals are a masterclass in suspense. AC Cumberland weaves a web of intrigue that keeps you second-guessing every character’s motives and actions. I was particularly captivated by how Ethan's character evolves throughout the story—his personal journey intertwined with the unraveling of his parents' mysterious death makes for an emotionally charged narrative. What stands out most, though, is the way the author brings real-world investigative tactics into the plot, with agents utilizing espionage and intricate intel gathering. It's a gripping mix of crime, betrayal, and intense character dynamics that pulls you in and doesn't let go.

A rhetorical question is found in this review, can we live with our parents without knowing who they really are,? I mean their character, the work they do and maybe who their close relatives or friends are?. For instance in the case of Ethan, wanders why the FBI and DEA are so concerned with the investigation of the murder of his parents. It is mind-blowing, the twist turn of confession and betrayal portray .

This book's lack of proper editing is a shame, as the story seems engaging with its realism and a well-developed protagonist such as Ethan. I really hope the author does proper proofreading, otherwise, getting distracted while reading a thriller is terrible! Thank you for your honest review!