Author’s latest thriller inspired by Kavanaugh hearings
Award-winning author Mark M. Bello says that while his latest legal thriller, “Supreme Betrayal,” is inspired by Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation hearings, it’s not based on them.
“A parallel to the Kavanaugh confirmation hearings will probably be obvious to most readers,” Bello says. “However, Kavanaugh was accused of sexual misconduct — he was never charged with a crime. No corroborating witnesses testified in support of his accuser, Christine Blasey Ford. And, as we all know, Kavanaugh secured the nomination.”
“Supreme Betrayal” is a work of fiction, emphasizes the West Bloomfield Township author, 69, who practiced law for more than 40 years.
On July 9, 2018, then-President Donald Trump nominated Kavanaugh to the U.S. Supreme Court. Ford, a professor at Palo Alto University in California, testified before Congress that Kavanaugh sexually assaulted her when they were in high school. Kavanaugh denied it. White House officials announced they found no proof of Ford’s allegation after reviewing an FBI investigation. On Oct. 6, 2018, Kavanaugh was sworn in as an associate justice.
“Supreme Betrayal,” Bello’s sixth novel to feature legal eagle Zachary Blake, was released April 6. In it, when Oliver Wilkinson is nominated to fill a vacant seat on the Supreme Court, Hayley Larson comes forward and accuses Wilkinson of raping her at his family’s lakefront mansion in West Bloomfield while they were in high school. Wilkinson denies this and retaliates, so she turns to Blake for help.
“Oliver Wilkinson is a vicious, predatory, narcissistic, evil antagonist,” Bello says. “He will stop at nothing — and I do mean NOTHING — to secure an appointment to the U.S. Supreme Court. While we may have our own political views and biases, we cannot say these things about Kavanaugh.”
Bello says Wilkinson is the evilest of all his villains.
“I have created some seriously evil, unbalanced antagonists in my writing career: A pedophile priest in ‘Betrayal of Faith’ (his first book); white supremacists in ‘Betrayal of Justice’ and ‘Betrayal in Blue’; an ethically and morally challenged criminal (president of the United States) in multiple books; a tormented, bullied school shooter and evil greed-driven gun manufacturer in ‘Betrayal High,’” he says. “Oliver Wilkinson, however, might be the embodiment of all of these guys — the most evil character I have ever created. He has no conscience, cares about nobody or nothing unless they might assure the achievement of his personal and political goals . ... He is the ultimate power-driven, evil narcissist.”
As for Hayley…
“Hayley is a compilation of strong women inspired by those who came forward during the #MeToo movement,” Bello says. “I wouldn’t say that any particular woman stands out as the model for Hayley. Sexual assault is a particularly vicious, powerdriven crime. I felt it was important to shine a bright light on the issue, especially in the context of political and financial power, and feature a woman strong enough to stand up to power in the most public of forums. Hayley embodies (Ford), Tarana Burke, Alyssa Milano, Anita Hill, and all the women who had the courage to come forward in the face of adversity and public scorn.”
Bello considers the importance of the #MeToo movement.
“America continues to glorify power, money, and — especially — fame,” he says. “Typically, these cases involve famous men and previously unknown women, the powerful vs. the powerless.
Before #MeToo, women feared consequences, a loss of their precious privacy, perhaps public embarrassment or shame. There is a terrible fear their stories won’t be believed and they will be vilified in the press. Things seems to be changing these days and, in my view, it is a change for the better.”
When Bello debuted his character, Blake was a hard-drinking, ambulance chaser who underwent a bitter divorce and frequented strip clubs. His path to redemption began at the end of the first book. Blake has since remarried and become respected in the legal community.
“He has a successful practice, takes on only important cases, causes and challenges, has become a family man and a very charitable guy,” Bello says. “He’s taken on white supremacy, the blue wall, an evil (president), powerful corporate forces, a Supreme Court candidate and the country’s immigration system. He is relentless, fearless, caring, compassionate, and everyman of the law.”
Currently, Bello’s writing his seventh novel in the series, “Betrayal of the Border.” It takes place on two continents, focusing on the nation’s immigration crisis.
“When did this nation of immigrants become so closed minded about the plight of immigrants?” He muses. “Our great-grandparents and grandparents came to
America seeking a better life. For the most part, they were welcomed into this country and we reaped the benefits. Suddenly, our borders are closed to others who are being oppressed or worse in their countries of origin. What happened to ‘Bring us your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free’? (‘Border’) will look at these issues from multiple perspectives.”
Readers who subscribe to Bello’s newsletter can download a free copy of “L’Dor V’Dor — From Generation to Generation.” This novella features a conversation about Blake and his grandfather on the eve of Blake’s bar mitzvah, when he finally tells Blake about escaping from Auschwitz.
“The novella not only tells the rather thrilling tale but presents the fulfillment of that promise from grandfather to grandson. It also provides some insight into why Blake decided to become a lawyer,” Bello says.
“The best part of writing these books is exposing anti-justice issues and characters to the American people and demonstrating how a single legal force can bring these issues to light and take down the bad guys. At their core, my books are David vs. Goliath adventures.”