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Burden of Truth

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For reporter Birdie Keane, someone else’s worst day can be her best. This time both days belong to her.

When investigative journalist Birdie Keane last saw the love of her life—LAPD cop Matt Whelan—she was caught in his passionate embrace, looking forward to a future with him and free from her alcohol addiction. The next day, Matt is dead.

Suspicious of Matt’s supposedly accidental drug over-dose, Birdie follows the twisting trail of clues he left behind. Each stunning revelation brings her closer to the dark past of the man she thought she knew. Was he a dirty cop? Did he know the truth about a cold case she’s currently researching?

When Birdie uncovers what Matt was hiding, she must make an impossible choice. But the deeper the secret, the higher the price, and Birdie must face the ultimate betrayal she never saw coming.

386 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2013

24 people want to read

About the author

Terri Nolan

6 books4 followers
Terri Nolan is a California native and lives in Orange County. She has a B.A. in Radio/Television from the University of Texas at Arlington and is a former freelance crime reporter. Her Birdie Keane novels include Burden of Truth, Glass Houses, Blue Bird, and the short story, Hobo Joe. Please visit her at www.terrinolan.com

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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
Profile Image for Darlene Stericker.
155 reviews1 follower
July 28, 2020
The incongruity of people's characteristics / past way of being and their involvement in the overarching crime makes this book frustrating and unbelievable. I also thought the use of jargon and acronyms was over the top.
391 reviews5 followers
January 14, 2015
Matt Whelan is Birdie Keane’s best friend. She’s known and loved him since she met him when she was fifteen. When he dies, she is devastated. She doesn’t believe he died as the result of a drug overdose which is what the police investigation shows. A police officer, Matt has been coping with extreme pain since a family dispute call landed him in the hospital and almost killed him.

Another possibility is that Matt killed himself. He left Birdie everything he owned which included three houses, several million dollars plus a substantial insurance policy. Birdie can’t believe he died of a drug overdose or that he killed himself. Nor does she believe the rumor that he is a dirty cop. Birdie grew up in a cop family. Now a journalist and crime writer, Birdie begins an investigation that takes her much too close to home.

The romance between Matt and Birdie makes this a different kind of mystery even though the novel begins with Matt’s death. This is a page turner with an abundance of clues that keep you guessing until the end.
Profile Image for Nancy.
350 reviews11 followers
December 22, 2012
Birdie Keane, investigative journalist and recovering alcoholic, gets suspicious when the love of her life, LAPD officer Matt Whelan, is suddenly dead (an apparent suicide). Matt had left Birdie clues regarding a cold case he'd worked on some 16 years ago. Birdie has to look both to her family (her father is an LAPD captain) and the Whelans (six of their seven sons in their proud Irish Catholic family are LAPD). Things get dangerous for Birdie as she delves further into possible corruption in the LAPD; what Birdie finds out may be shocking in more ways than one!

This one's intense with a lot of detail and has a dark tone. I would not call this a breeze-thru by any means. Maybe a bit melodramatic for my taste, but can be like a roller-coaster ride in parts.
Profile Image for S.M. Freedman.
Author 5 books100 followers
May 9, 2016
Loved this book! It was full of twists and turns, and fully engrossing from start to finish. Just couldn't put it down! Birdie Keane is a character full of depth, flaws, and beauty. Her struggles were so real, and her blend of faith and secularism was just so perfect. Loved this book, through and through!
Profile Image for Kim.
52 reviews
April 1, 2013
Fun read. Surprising twist at the end. Met the author at our book club. She was great. Will read #2 and #3 in the series when they come out. Liked the setting (LA) and the characters. Especially Birdy with all of her flaws.
Profile Image for Amy.
1,532 reviews6 followers
February 24, 2014
A good mystery full of twists and turns. I did get a bit frustrated as Birdie talked her way through things, but I kept on going. I'm looking forward to the next installment!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews

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