The texts in this thematic collection organized around the idea of Loyalty & Betrayal range from Dennis Lehane's Mystic River to Lynn Nottage's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Sweat. But each book explores the idea in its own way, revealing the intricate ways we may maintain loyalty at all costs — or test the bonds of family and friend relationships through deep betrayal.
Publication year 2014
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Mental Health, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
The Long Way Home (2014) is the 10th novel in the Inspector Gamache series written by the Canadian author Louise Penny. Like the other books in the series, the novel revolves around the village of Three Pines, Quebec, although it also encompasses events in other places. In addition to a central mystery focused on a wife’s attempt to find her estranged husband, the novel explores themes of art, creativity, ambition, and loss. This guide references... Read The Long Way Home Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Gender, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Historical Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World, Fantasy
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, WWII / World War II, Military / War, French Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction
Publication year 1930
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Politics & Government, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Immigration
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Classic Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Roaring Twenties, Great Depression
Dashiell Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon (1930) is a detective novel that was first serialized in the magazine Black Mask. As Hammett’s third novel, The Maltese Falcon includes the introduction of Sam Spade as the protagonist, a departure from the nameless Continental Op who narrated his previous stories. Spade’s hard exterior, cool detachment, and reliance on his own moral code would become staples of the hardboiled genre, and The Maltese Falcon has since been named one... Read The Maltese Falcon Summary
Publication year 1988
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Education, Education
“The Management of Grief” is a short story by Bharati Mukherjee. It was published in 1988 as a part of her collection entitled The Middleman and Other Stories. It also appeared in The Best American Short Stories of 1989 and in The Best American Short Stories of the Eighties.“The Management of Grief” is narrated from the perspective of Shaila Bhave, a middle-aged Indian widow and an immigrant to Canada. She has recently lost her husband... Read The Management of Grief Summary
Publication year 1850
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed
Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Action / Adventure, French Literature, History: World
Among the most widely read and translated of all French authors, Alexandre Dumas lived and worked in the 19th century. A playwright, journalist, and travel writer, Dumas is likely best known for his historical fiction, much of which was initially published in serialized form. Along with The Count of Monte Cristo, his most enduring works are the three books that make up his D’Artagnan Romances: The Three Musketeers, Twenty Years After, and The Vicomte de... Read The Man In The Iron Mask Summary
Publication year 1890
Genre Short Story Collection, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction
British author Rudyard Kipling is perhaps best known for his children’s works like The Jungle Book and the Just So Stories and for his adventure writing, like the short story “Gunga Din” and the novel Captains Courageous. Kipling’s short story “The Mark of the Beast” can be classified within the horror genre as well as a representative work of colonial literature. When first published in 1890, critics found “The Mark of the Beast” both fascinating... Read The Mark Of The Beast Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Teams, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 1883
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Classic Fiction, Poverty, Social Justice, Class, Medieval Literature / Middle Ages, Renaissance, Children's Literature, History: World, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Action / Adventure
The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood is a much-beloved adventure novel by Howard Pyle (1853-1911), published in 1883. Pyle, an American illustrator and children’s author, wove together several of the early ballads about the famed medieval outlaw Robin Hood and his companions, the Merry Men, in an episodic and entertaining plot aimed at young readers of the late nineteenth century. Written in a pseudo-archaic English actually modeled on Elizabethan-era English, the book reflects a colorful... Read The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood Summary
Publication year 1981
Genre Biography, Nonfiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Identity: Mental Health, Self Discovery, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Crime / Legal, Psychology, Mental Illness, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, American Literature, Psychology, Biography
The Minds of Billy Milligan (1981) is a nonfiction work by Daniel Keyes, documenting the life and experiences of William Stanley “Billy” Milligan, the first defendant found not guilty by reason of insanity because of dissociative identity disorder (DID). The book follows Milligan’s early life experiences that led to his illness, arrest, and trial after the rapes of three women on the Ohio State University campus, as well as the years he spent in different... Read The Minds of Billy Milligan Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Future, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Globalization, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags History: World, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction
Publication year 2018
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Identity: Disability, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Self Discovery, Natural World: Animals, Relationships: Family, Natural World: Appearance & Reality
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Science / Nature, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Natural World: Animals, Emotions/Behavior: Apathy, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Gratitude, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Society: Colonialism, Society: Community, Society: Globalization, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Science & Technology, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt
Tags Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Science / Nature, Animals
Publication year 1870
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Victorian Period, Classic Fiction, Gothic Literature, Historical Fiction, British Literature, History: World, Victorian Literature / Period
The Mystery of Edwin Drood is the final novel written by English novelist Charles Dickens. Dickens completed about half of the novel before he died in June 1870, and he had already begun publishing the novel in serial form. Because the novel revolves around the mysterious disappearance, and possible murder, of the titular character, many individuals have speculated about how Dickens would have resolved the mystery had he completed the text. In the existing portion... Read The Mystery of Edwin Drood Summary
Publication year 2024
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 2025
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Identity: Race, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction
Publication year 2022
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Family
Tags Fantasy, Children's Literature, Fairy Tale / Folklore
Publication year 2004
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Life/Time: Childhood & Youth, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Relationships: Family, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Fantasy, Grief / Death, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Children's Literature, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Relationships: Siblings
Tags Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Gender / Feminism, LGBTQ, Fairy Tale / Folklore, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, History: World, Religion / Spirituality
Publication year 2012
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Realistic Fiction, Children's Literature, Animals, Fantasy
The One and Only Ivan (2012) is a children’s novel by Katherine Applegate, author of many popular children's, middle grade, and young adult books, including Crenshaw (2015), Willodeen (2021), and the Animorphs series. Winner of the John Newbery Medal, the highest honor for US children’s literature, The One and Only Ivan received starred reviews in Kirkus and the School Library Journal and was a New York Times bestseller.The novel is based on the true story... Read The One And Only Ivan Summary