Brooklyn's toughest female detective takes on Dallas in this 'violent, sexy, and completely absorbing' novel (Kirkus), the final book in the acclaimed Betty Rhyzyk series.

Things are looking up for Detective Betty Rhyzyk. She's settled into a happy marriage and been promoted to Sergeant in the Dallas Police Department. But when a hostage stand-off puts her on the phone with legendary cartel leader The Knife, things take a turn. A rival is making a play for the Knife's territory: none other than Evangeline Roy. The matriarch of a ruthless cult, Evangeline also holds a personal vendetta against Betty. So who better to draw Evangeline out of hiding? Betty's got two weeks to catch her. Or else.

With the drug dealers of Dallas donning strange red wigs and delivering cryptic messages, Betty's in a race for answers. As the clock ticks down, it will take everything she's got to finally put an end to Evangeline's reign of terror, and to keep her beloved Dallas - and her own family - safe at last.

Reviewers on The Pledge:

'The terrific adrenaline punch you'd expect for the grand finale of Kathleen Kent's Edgar-nominated trilogy.' Julia Heaberlin

'A thrilling last dance with the formidable Betty Rhyzyk.' Steph Cha?

'Detective Betty is one of my favorite queer characters in crime fiction.' Kristen Lepionka

'Satisfying and action-packed.' Publishers Weekly

Kathleen Kent is a New York Times bestselling author and a two-time Edgar Award Nominee. She has also written the award-winning historical novels The Heretic's Daughter, The Traitor's Wife, and The Outcasts, and been published in the crime anthology Dallas Noir. In March 2020 she was inducted into the Texas Institute of Letters for her contribution to Texas literature.

Follow Kathleen on www.kathleenkent.com