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Samantha Church Mystery #3
Dead Wrong
Nothing is colder than death. Or is it…
In Dead Wrong, the third book in the continuing mystery series featuring reporter Samantha Church, Samantha is back and turns her attention to helping Abby Love, a young funeral home employee who has come to her with claims that the mortuary is involved in illegally harvesting body parts.
Abby claims that funeral home employees and others with access to the recently deceased are profiting from the dead by secretly dismembering corpses, taking tissues, organs and non-organ body parts from knees, spines, bones to skin without the knowledge or consent of family members to sell on the black market.
Setting her initial skepticism aside, Sam and Abby begin an investigation, which soon reveals that trafficking body parts illegally harvested from the dead is, in fact, a thriving and lucrative, underground business driven by a growing demand for human bones and tissue—and is happening at the mortuary where Abby works.
Their undercover investigation exposes a corrupt mortuary, but who is involved in the clandestine operation remains shrouded in ambiguity. Determined to uncover the truth and hunt down those responsible, Sam and Abby continue their pursuit—despite that it leads the pair down a winding and sinister path of malevolence and malice, which ends up having dire consequences for everyone involved.
In Dead Wrong, the third book in the continuing mystery series featuring reporter Samantha Church, Samantha is back and turns her attention to helping Abby Love, a young funeral home employee who has come to her with claims that the mortuary is involved in illegally harvesting body parts.
Abby claims that funeral home employees and others with access to the recently deceased are profiting from the dead by secretly dismembering corpses, taking tissues, organs and non-organ body parts from knees, spines, bones to skin without the knowledge or consent of family members to sell on the black market.
Setting her initial skepticism aside, Sam and Abby begin an investigation, which soon reveals that trafficking body parts illegally harvested from the dead is, in fact, a thriving and lucrative, underground business driven by a growing demand for human bones and tissue—and is happening at the mortuary where Abby works.
Their undercover investigation exposes a corrupt mortuary, but who is involved in the clandestine operation remains shrouded in ambiguity. Determined to uncover the truth and hunt down those responsible, Sam and Abby continue their pursuit—despite that it leads the pair down a winding and sinister path of malevolence and malice, which ends up having dire consequences for everyone involved.
286 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 7, 2015
460 people are currently reading
1147 people want to read
About the author
Betta Ferrendelli
12 books123 followersI have been an award-winning journalist since 1989, having worked at newspapers and magazines in Denver, Seattle and Albuquerque, New Mexico.
I am the author of the award-winning and Amazon best-selling Samantha Church Mystery Series, featuring The Friday Edition (named one of the best books of 2013 by Kirkus and a Readers' Favorite gold medal winner), Revenge is Sweet, Dead Wrong, Cold Case No. 99-5219 (a Readers' Favorite gold medal winner), On the Border, The Long Way Home and Point of Origin. Dusk, the eighth book in the mystery series, will publish in late 2026.
I have also written two award-winning books in contemporary women's fiction: Last Things and An Invincible Summer.
Be sure to follow me on BookBub for the latest on all my books and to download a free copy of The Friday Edition: https://bit.ly/3JztNtx
I am the author of the award-winning and Amazon best-selling Samantha Church Mystery Series, featuring The Friday Edition (named one of the best books of 2013 by Kirkus and a Readers' Favorite gold medal winner), Revenge is Sweet, Dead Wrong, Cold Case No. 99-5219 (a Readers' Favorite gold medal winner), On the Border, The Long Way Home and Point of Origin. Dusk, the eighth book in the mystery series, will publish in late 2026.
I have also written two award-winning books in contemporary women's fiction: Last Things and An Invincible Summer.
Be sure to follow me on BookBub for the latest on all my books and to download a free copy of The Friday Edition: https://bit.ly/3JztNtx
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
February 18, 2015
I received a copy of “Dead Wrong” A Samantha Church Mystery by Betta Ferrendelli, in exchange for an honest review. This is the third book in the Samantha Church Mystery series of books, and they keep getting better.
In the first novel, “The Friday Edition”, Robin, Sam’s sister, an Assistant DA, had been working to expose a drug smuggling operation, and had died during the process, and Sam, a reporter for Grandview Perspective, in Denver, Colorado, had finished the business her sister started. She had ruined the drug smuggling operation…and for that she would pay!
In her second novel, “Revenge is Sweet”, the drug dealers want only one thing…REVENGE, and on a cold February night Sam and her publisher, Wilson Cole Jr. are kidnapped, as they left work. After a few days Sam is released. During the ordeal, Wilson had lost his left hand.
Now in her third novel, “Dead Wrong” reporter Samantha Church is still recuperating from her previous ordeal, but receives a mysterious telephone call from Abby Love, a young medical student/funeral home employee who has contacted her with claims that the mortuary that she is working in, is involved in illegally harvesting body parts.
Sam and Abby join forces and begin an underground investigation, which shows that the mortuary is involved in illegal activity, harvesting body parts, bones and tissues from cadavers and selling them.
But uncovering the truth can put all of their lives in danger.
I have read all three books in the series and can see the growth in character and maturity in Sam’s character. She seems to have gotten her alcohol addiction under control, and is working to get custody of her daughter, April. But she needs more experience in dealing with her love life. At times I wanted to shake her, and tell her not to settle for less.
I enjoyed learning more about Wilson in this book. We also see him dealing with his own alcohol addiction and getting used to his new prosthetic hand. Sam and Wilson have a special relationship and one of respect.
The book ends on a definite cliff-hanger and the reader will have to wait to see what happens in the next series. This series is full of twists and turns and will appeal to a large audience.
In the first novel, “The Friday Edition”, Robin, Sam’s sister, an Assistant DA, had been working to expose a drug smuggling operation, and had died during the process, and Sam, a reporter for Grandview Perspective, in Denver, Colorado, had finished the business her sister started. She had ruined the drug smuggling operation…and for that she would pay!
In her second novel, “Revenge is Sweet”, the drug dealers want only one thing…REVENGE, and on a cold February night Sam and her publisher, Wilson Cole Jr. are kidnapped, as they left work. After a few days Sam is released. During the ordeal, Wilson had lost his left hand.
Now in her third novel, “Dead Wrong” reporter Samantha Church is still recuperating from her previous ordeal, but receives a mysterious telephone call from Abby Love, a young medical student/funeral home employee who has contacted her with claims that the mortuary that she is working in, is involved in illegally harvesting body parts.
Sam and Abby join forces and begin an underground investigation, which shows that the mortuary is involved in illegal activity, harvesting body parts, bones and tissues from cadavers and selling them.
But uncovering the truth can put all of their lives in danger.
I have read all three books in the series and can see the growth in character and maturity in Sam’s character. She seems to have gotten her alcohol addiction under control, and is working to get custody of her daughter, April. But she needs more experience in dealing with her love life. At times I wanted to shake her, and tell her not to settle for less.
I enjoyed learning more about Wilson in this book. We also see him dealing with his own alcohol addiction and getting used to his new prosthetic hand. Sam and Wilson have a special relationship and one of respect.
The book ends on a definite cliff-hanger and the reader will have to wait to see what happens in the next series. This series is full of twists and turns and will appeal to a large audience.
February 16, 2015
The Samantha Church series is s full of surprising turns and twists you don't see coming. The stories are strong and so well written that I am unable to read them at night. Heartpounding, breath holding stories that probably have more truth to them than we really want to think about.
In book three, Samantha's character again comes out strong that you feel her strengths as well as her flaws. Your heart races hoping help gets to her in time. All three books are so believable. I hope there is a book four!
In book three, Samantha's character again comes out strong that you feel her strengths as well as her flaws. Your heart races hoping help gets to her in time. All three books are so believable. I hope there is a book four!
January 29, 2015
One Final Tag – A review of the novel ‘Dead Wrong’
“Death ends a life, not a relationship” ― Mitch Albom
Author Betta Ferrendelli’s latest novel ‘Dead Wrong’ is the third book in the Samantha Church Mystery series of books. Ace reporter Samantha Church is back to her sleuthing ways in this edition, trying to uncover the secrets behind the mysterious happenings in a mortuary. Still recuperating from the physical and emotional toils of her previous adventure, Sam unwittingly finds herself helping a young woman who wants to expose the shady dealings going on in a funeral home. But she soon finds out that these modern day body snatchers have too much to lose and aren’t afraid to eliminate their threats forever.
The consistency shown by the author in drawing up the character of Samantha Church even in the third book of the series deserves some serious appreciation. At the same time one can also detect a growth in Sam’s character, she has gotten better at responding to her intuitions and her attitude towards her daughter also show a new level of maturity. Sam has this almost sad, miserable side to her personality that is often offset by this amazing heroic quality of taking the fight to the opposition even when she’s feeling down and out. If the previous books showed her dealing with her alcohol addiction, this time around she seems to have gotten that under control. But another trouble brews in her private life in the form of a terrible relationship with her trainer / boyfriend. Trace is a self -centred individual who becomes possessive about Sam when it suits him and otherwise acts aloof around her.
The second main character of Wilson gets a meatier part to play in this book and his personality shines through all the scenes he’s featured in. We also see him dealing with his own alcohol addiction and getting used to his new prosthetic hand. The special relationship and love shared by Sam and Wilson really comes out in Ferrendelli’s writing. You will also get to feel the genuine affection and respect these two characters have for each other. Even secondary characters like Abby, Peg, Mark, Ralph & Helen too are well etched out and their internal conflicts too have been nicely portrayed. Especially the sub-plot involving Helen and her change of heart when she realizes the pointlessness of her ‘job’ are all well written scenes. The book is well researched and yet doesn’t show off its research by unnecessarily packing in too much information about mortuaries and funeral homes.
The book ends on a definite cliff-hanger and as a reader you will have to undergo a tantalizing wait before you can find out what happens to Sam in light of the shocking revelation made towards the end. So Dead Wrong gets it dead right and the now the wait begins for the next book in the series.
“Death ends a life, not a relationship” ― Mitch Albom
Author Betta Ferrendelli’s latest novel ‘Dead Wrong’ is the third book in the Samantha Church Mystery series of books. Ace reporter Samantha Church is back to her sleuthing ways in this edition, trying to uncover the secrets behind the mysterious happenings in a mortuary. Still recuperating from the physical and emotional toils of her previous adventure, Sam unwittingly finds herself helping a young woman who wants to expose the shady dealings going on in a funeral home. But she soon finds out that these modern day body snatchers have too much to lose and aren’t afraid to eliminate their threats forever.
The consistency shown by the author in drawing up the character of Samantha Church even in the third book of the series deserves some serious appreciation. At the same time one can also detect a growth in Sam’s character, she has gotten better at responding to her intuitions and her attitude towards her daughter also show a new level of maturity. Sam has this almost sad, miserable side to her personality that is often offset by this amazing heroic quality of taking the fight to the opposition even when she’s feeling down and out. If the previous books showed her dealing with her alcohol addiction, this time around she seems to have gotten that under control. But another trouble brews in her private life in the form of a terrible relationship with her trainer / boyfriend. Trace is a self -centred individual who becomes possessive about Sam when it suits him and otherwise acts aloof around her.
The second main character of Wilson gets a meatier part to play in this book and his personality shines through all the scenes he’s featured in. We also see him dealing with his own alcohol addiction and getting used to his new prosthetic hand. The special relationship and love shared by Sam and Wilson really comes out in Ferrendelli’s writing. You will also get to feel the genuine affection and respect these two characters have for each other. Even secondary characters like Abby, Peg, Mark, Ralph & Helen too are well etched out and their internal conflicts too have been nicely portrayed. Especially the sub-plot involving Helen and her change of heart when she realizes the pointlessness of her ‘job’ are all well written scenes. The book is well researched and yet doesn’t show off its research by unnecessarily packing in too much information about mortuaries and funeral homes.
The book ends on a definite cliff-hanger and as a reader you will have to undergo a tantalizing wait before you can find out what happens to Sam in light of the shocking revelation made towards the end. So Dead Wrong gets it dead right and the now the wait begins for the next book in the series.
February 14, 2015
In Betta Ferrendelli's third book documentation of the sleuthing prowess of one Samantha Church, there's a surprise: the local mortuary may be involved in the sinister crime of harvesting dead body parts, dismembering corpses to sell body parts on the black market - in itself a seeming incongruity, because most who know about organ harvesting know that time is of the essence; and by the time a body arrives at a mortuary, it may be too late for profits. Or, is it?
As Sam and her young mortuary worker friend Abby begin their investigation, they discover plenty of opportunities for illegal activities, plenty of motivation, and a deadly method that involves not only the dead, but the living.
And that's just the beginning of the story, because the real mystery lies not in the presence of the operation, but in revealing who is behind it - and this shrouded perp is a deep, deadly secret.
As with other Samantha Church mysteries, Dead Wrong
is driven by passion and strong characters as well as its murder premise. Moreover, it excels in the unpredictable; and in a genre replete with formula writing where twists and turns are a matter of course, this is really saying something.
Readers follow Samantha down a winding road of deception and intrigue as it's discovered that the bodies haven't always departed willingly, and as a Care Center's actions defy its name.
It's hard to skirt the edges of Dead Wrong without giving away its many surprising turns. One such dose is its probe into not just Samantha's persona or Abby's motivation, but the thoughts and concerns of a host of characters who dance around them, with death and its meaning always omnipresent.
Powerful passages like these that keep Dead Wrong an impressive mystery, with its focus on the funeral industry and its attention to emotional depth and detail that keep even the bad guys human and believable. After all, in an exceptional mystery, it's the living and breathing who are left holding the bag and moving on with their lives - and so Dead Wrong offers satisfying turns where, even in death, there is life and new promises, setting it apart from your usual 'whodunnit' read.
As Sam and her young mortuary worker friend Abby begin their investigation, they discover plenty of opportunities for illegal activities, plenty of motivation, and a deadly method that involves not only the dead, but the living.
And that's just the beginning of the story, because the real mystery lies not in the presence of the operation, but in revealing who is behind it - and this shrouded perp is a deep, deadly secret.
As with other Samantha Church mysteries, Dead Wrong
is driven by passion and strong characters as well as its murder premise. Moreover, it excels in the unpredictable; and in a genre replete with formula writing where twists and turns are a matter of course, this is really saying something.
Readers follow Samantha down a winding road of deception and intrigue as it's discovered that the bodies haven't always departed willingly, and as a Care Center's actions defy its name.
It's hard to skirt the edges of Dead Wrong without giving away its many surprising turns. One such dose is its probe into not just Samantha's persona or Abby's motivation, but the thoughts and concerns of a host of characters who dance around them, with death and its meaning always omnipresent.
Powerful passages like these that keep Dead Wrong an impressive mystery, with its focus on the funeral industry and its attention to emotional depth and detail that keep even the bad guys human and believable. After all, in an exceptional mystery, it's the living and breathing who are left holding the bag and moving on with their lives - and so Dead Wrong offers satisfying turns where, even in death, there is life and new promises, setting it apart from your usual 'whodunnit' read.
February 15, 2015
A good quick read
Sam Church is a reporter for a small weekly newspaper in a small town. Sam noses out the dirt and doesn't always come away from reporting without a lump or two.. she is a recovering alcoholic and a mother trying to get custody of her daughter. There are good characters and plot lines in Samantha Church series.
Sam Church is a reporter for a small weekly newspaper in a small town. Sam noses out the dirt and doesn't always come away from reporting without a lump or two.. she is a recovering alcoholic and a mother trying to get custody of her daughter. There are good characters and plot lines in Samantha Church series.
November 3, 2021
If there is some sort of medical aspect of a mystery, I am game to read it. What starts out as an inquiry into a mishandling charge of a veteran's casket and burial arrangements by a funeral home turns out to just be a result of a family being unable to cover costs of the final internment. So charges are dropped, but suspicions arise that merit being looked into dealing with other mishandling of bodies before cremation or burial. Samantha -- a small town newspaper reporter -- is pulled into investigating suspicions of an illegal business selling body parts and tissues by someone at the funeral home. In addition to handling her own personal problems and helping her publisher deal with getting used to a new prosthetic hand -- she finds herself getting deeper and deeper into the investigation of the funeral home with the assistance of one of the funeral home interns. Needless to say Sam's personal life gets more and more complicated as does the funeral home investigation. How is this all going to end? Well obviously you will just have to pick up the book and read for yourself. Beware, you will not want to put the book down.
March 19, 2017
A great book but not for the faint of heart
This is the last in the Samantha Church mystery series. Samantha is an investigative journalist who lost her job at the Denver Post due to her alcoholism. She lost custody of her daughter to her ex-husband for the same reason, and after her husband's death, her ex mother-in-law, who lives on an island in the Pacific Northwest, far from Sam's home in the Denver area, gained custody of Sam's daughter April. Sam now works at a small local weekly newspaper and is working towards regaining custody of her daughter. Maintaining her sobriety is primary for her. In this story she becomes involved in investigating problems at a local mortuary. Becoming friends with a young woman named Abby Love who works at the mortuary and is her confidential informant. I won't going to details because that would be to give away the plot, but if you are squeamish please do not read this book. It is well done and worth reading if you truly love unusual stories.
This is the last in the Samantha Church mystery series. Samantha is an investigative journalist who lost her job at the Denver Post due to her alcoholism. She lost custody of her daughter to her ex-husband for the same reason, and after her husband's death, her ex mother-in-law, who lives on an island in the Pacific Northwest, far from Sam's home in the Denver area, gained custody of Sam's daughter April. Sam now works at a small local weekly newspaper and is working towards regaining custody of her daughter. Maintaining her sobriety is primary for her. In this story she becomes involved in investigating problems at a local mortuary. Becoming friends with a young woman named Abby Love who works at the mortuary and is her confidential informant. I won't going to details because that would be to give away the plot, but if you are squeamish please do not read this book. It is well done and worth reading if you truly love unusual stories.
November 1, 2022
DEAD WRONG, BOOK 3, BY BETTA FERRENDELLI. This story picks up where Book 2 ends. Sam is still struggling with not drinking and worrying about getting her daughter back. She is now living at the ranch with her grandmother and the ranch handy man, Howard. She gets a call from a young woman who wants to tell her about a problem but is afraid. Eventually (several weeks), the woman calls back and tells a story about a mortuary who has a business harvesting some organs from the dead before the funeral. It is fast paced. The author researched the subject matter thoroughly and makes the procedure believable. Unfortunately, the young woman disappears and no one reveals whether she is alive or dead. I’m starting Book 4.
April 26, 2020
Where is Abby?
Samantha. Church has been investigating a report from a service man's family that his body had not been taken care of properly at the funeral home when she receives a call from a young woman who believes there is something not right going on there. The young woman, Abby Love, convinces Sam that things are not right. Abby and Sam enter the funeral home and spy. They get away and do not realize they have been followed. Abby disappears. Sam finds out someone at the funeral home is selling body parts of the cadavers. Can Sam find Abby? As the tension gets stronger, can Sam stay away from the bottle? This book was well written and hard to put down.
Samantha. Church has been investigating a report from a service man's family that his body had not been taken care of properly at the funeral home when she receives a call from a young woman who believes there is something not right going on there. The young woman, Abby Love, convinces Sam that things are not right. Abby and Sam enter the funeral home and spy. They get away and do not realize they have been followed. Abby disappears. Sam finds out someone at the funeral home is selling body parts of the cadavers. Can Sam find Abby? As the tension gets stronger, can Sam stay away from the bottle? This book was well written and hard to put down.
March 19, 2019
Sam gets an early call from a woman about the deals going on at the mortuary. As a reporter and doing some investigating Sam finds it is doing business of selling body parts. Getting involved with her trainer Trace, and realizing that wasn’t good. Her daughter April comes and has to go back to her grandmother. Next visit she will be able to stand at the ranch. A lot of action, several plots, and one sees the maturity coming in Sam.
June 24, 2018
Good book!
Great story telling with strong characters mapped out without extraneous verbiage. Yes I love writing "extraneous verbiage" because it means the story flowed smoothly and I really enjoyed reading it. Trace needs punching really badly but since he's not a real philandering idiot I guess he's safe.
Great story telling with strong characters mapped out without extraneous verbiage. Yes I love writing "extraneous verbiage" because it means the story flowed smoothly and I really enjoyed reading it. Trace needs punching really badly but since he's not a real philandering idiot I guess he's safe.
December 10, 2019
REMARKABLE STORY , OUTSTANDING !😍 BUY THIS BOOK!
Wow, What A Great Time Reading This Author Was An Adventure. WONDERFUL CHARACTERS! 😍YOU NEED TO BUY THIS RIGHT NOW!😍. BUY THIS BOOK!
Wow, What A Great Time Reading This Author Was An Adventure. WONDERFUL CHARACTERS! 😍YOU NEED TO BUY THIS RIGHT NOW!😍. BUY THIS BOOK!
January 14, 2020
This is a thoroughly engrossing tale that centers on something that can go viciously wrong in a vital industry rooted in every community. There are clearly described heroes and villains but also people caught in the middle who also have to take a moral stand. I read it in one sitting!
March 12, 2020
Review
Loved this book! I would recommend this book highly. Easy to dead, kept my interest throughout the story., Wish the character that ended up missing and most likely dead had been somehow found alive. Otherwise very likable and definitely worth the read.
Loved this book! I would recommend this book highly. Easy to dead, kept my interest throughout the story., Wish the character that ended up missing and most likely dead had been somehow found alive. Otherwise very likable and definitely worth the read.
June 7, 2020
Couldn't put it down
I really enjoyed Dead Wrong, it is everything a full story should be. It has a mystery that needs figured out, a believable person willing to figure it out and enough evil to go around.
I really enjoyed Dead Wrong, it is everything a full story should be. It has a mystery that needs figured out, a believable person willing to figure it out and enough evil to go around.
May 22, 2023
Live and learn!
Sam's first husband was an ass, and now she's dating another one. How she can not see how Wilson feels for her makes her too stupid to live. No wonder she gets into such terrifying situations.
Sam's first husband was an ass, and now she's dating another one. How she can not see how Wilson feels for her makes her too stupid to live. No wonder she gets into such terrifying situations.
May 27, 2023
Great Right to the End
Samantha worked to find the action on the article covering the mortician selling body parts. She followed the information as she lost of her friend. The end comes with much excitement.
Samantha worked to find the action on the article covering the mortician selling body parts. She followed the information as she lost of her friend. The end comes with much excitement.
November 15, 2023
Intriguing and fast paced
The story was well written and engaging. I don't care for the bad language but can read part that and enjoy the book anyway. A couple things could have been wrapped up at the end but still an enjoying read.
The story was well written and engaging. I don't care for the bad language but can read part that and enjoy the book anyway. A couple things could have been wrapped up at the end but still an enjoying read.
April 9, 2024
Enjoy the series
I really enjoy this book. It answers and address many of the questions from first two books. Samantha is well written and comes across as a character with flaws and she is working to become a better peson.
I really enjoy this book. It answers and address many of the questions from first two books. Samantha is well written and comes across as a character with flaws and she is working to become a better peson.
March 9, 2021
A pleasant, easy read. Keeps the reader's interest throughout. And, leads one to seek the next book in the series!
March 10, 2021
I enjoyed it very much. Found it hard to put down. Characters were interesting and the story moved along quickly.
June 5, 2021
Different from other books
The story is different than other books in a good way. Characters were well developed and all added to the story. This one was hard to put down.
The story is different than other books in a good way. Characters were well developed and all added to the story. This one was hard to put down.
April 19, 2022
Not my kind of book. It's hard to find the actual story within the pages and pages of description of every little thing. After a while I gave up hope that we'd ever get back to the story.
September 10, 2022
WOW, really enjoyed the book, what a thrill ride, not sure my heart can take it...
October 16, 2022
Must say second in the series just as intriguing as the first. I really am enjoying this.
February 16, 2023
Dead Right
I've read some of the books about Sam Church before. I haven't read them in order but that didn't change the enjoyment of reading a very good mystery.
I've read some of the books about Sam Church before. I haven't read them in order but that didn't change the enjoyment of reading a very good mystery.
May 28, 2023
The plot is just OK. I gave up on reporting all the typos about halfway through. It was extremely difficult for me to finish.
June 14, 2023
One of my new favorite authors.
August 22, 2023
Sad and exciting all at once
I wanted Sam and Wilson to be together but many other factors came to light in the end. The book ended with many questions for many futures.
I wanted Sam and Wilson to be together but many other factors came to light in the end. The book ended with many questions for many futures.
April 6, 2025
This was another good read…but a little too descriptive in parts. When you read the book you will know what I mean. That said, I’m going on to Samantha Church #4.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews