Loyalty & Betrayal

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 1999

Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Poverty, Race / Racism, Education, Education, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Irish Literature, Biography

All Souls: A Family Story from Southie is a 1999 memoir by Michael MacDonald in which the author examines his experiences of growing up in the Old Colony neighborhood of South Boston, also known as Southie. The memoir contextualizes the MacDonald family’s personal tragedies amid the tumultuous historical events that took place in Boston during the 1970s, with a particular focus on the racist violence that occurred during the desegregation busing crisis. Michael Patrick MacDonald was... Read All Souls Summary


Publication year 1946

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Relationships: Family, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Southern Literature, Politics / Government

All the King’s Men by Robert Penn Warren is a fictional political novel originally published in 1946 by Harcourt Brace & Company. Robert Penn Warren was an acclaimed novelist and poet from the American South. Along with fellow Southerners Cleanth Brooks and John Crowe Ransom, he was a leading proponent of the literary critical approach known as New Criticism. His best-known novel, All the King’s Men follows the political rise and fall of Governor Willie... Read All the King's Men Summary


Publication year 2021

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Gender, Identity: Sexuality, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Self Discovery, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Historical Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, LGBTQ, Edwardian Era


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Family

Tags Realistic Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction, Magical Realism, Romance

American Street is a contemporary coming-of-age novel by Haitian American young adult author Ibi Zoboi. It was published in 2017 and was a finalist for the National Book Award for Young People's Literature the same year. Plot SummaryAmerican Street tells the story of a teenage Haitian immigrant named Fabiola who moves back home to the United States, her country of birth. As she and her mother are reentering the US, immigrant authorities seize Fabiola’s mother... Read American Street Summary


Publication year 1927

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Society: Immigration, Relationships: Friendship, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Society: Class

Tags Classic Fiction, Immigration / Refugee, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Action / Adventure, Satire, Class


Publication year 2023

Genre Book, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags Crime / Legal, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Journalism, Sociology, History: World


Publication year 2009

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Conflict

Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Magical Realism, Action / Adventure, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, History: World

An Echo in the Bone (2009) is the seventh novel in the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. Combining elements of the historical fiction, adventure, fantasy, magical realism, and romance genres, the series follows the adventures of Claire Randall, a WWII battle nurse who accidentally time travels to 18th-century Scotland and falls in love with Jamie Fraser, a Highland warrior. Over the course of 10 planned novels, Gabaldon follows Claire, Jamie, and their family as they... Read An Echo in the Bone Summary


Publication year 2015

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Society: War

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction

Book DetailAn Ember in the Ashes, published by Razorbill in 2015, is the first in Sabaa Tahir's An Ember in the Ashes series. The novel debuted at number two on the young adult New York Times best seller list and was also a USA Today and international bestselling book. In addition, TIME magazine named it one of the 100 Best Fantasy Books of all Time. It won the People’s Choice Award for favorite fantasy in... Read An Ember in the Ashes Summary


Publication year 2003

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Love, Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Modern Classic Fiction, Historical Fiction, Humor


Publication year 1897

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Society: Colonialism, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil

Tags Classic Fiction, Colonialism / Postcolonialism, Depression / Suicide, Existentialism, Education, Education, British Literature, History: World

In “An Outpost of Progress,” Joseph Conrad (1857-1924), a Ukrainian-born Polish-British novelist and short story writer, presents a disturbing psychological case study centered on the struggle between good and evil in the hearts and souls of two white traders dispatched to a remote corner of Africa to oversee a trading station along the Congo River. The story probes how easily the heart can lose its moral and ethical bearings amid the oppressive emptiness of the... Read An Outpost Of Progress Summary


Publication year 1986

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction

A Perfect Spy is a 1986 spy novel by British author John le Carré. Described by the author as his most autobiographical work, the story involves the unexpected disappearance of British spy Magnus Pym after his father’s funeral. While hiding from his superiors, Pym reflects on his father’s influence and his lifetime spent lying to the world. A Perfect Spy has been adapted for television and radio. The story explores themes common to the world... Read A Perfect Spy Summary


Publication year 1794

Genre Poem, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger

Tags Lyric Poem, Trauma / Abuse / Violence


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Natural World: Animals, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Siblings, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Humor


Publication year 1894

Genre Short Story, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Relationships: Marriage, Self Discovery

Tags Classic Fiction, Gender / Feminism, American Literature, Education, Education, Realistic Fiction


Publication year 1941

Genre Play, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature

Tags Play: Comedy / Satire, Mystery / Crime Fiction, History: World, Drama / Tragedy, Humor, Classic Fiction

Arsenic and Old Lace is a three-act, farcical dark comedy by American playwright Joseph Kesselring. It made its Broadway debut in 1941 and enjoyed a successful three-year run. The play was made famous by the 1944 film adaptation directed by Frank Capra and starring Cary Grant as Mortimer Brewster. It is still commonly read and performed today. This guide correlates to the official script published by Dramatists Play Service Inc.Page numbers in your edition may... Read Arsenic and Old Lace Summary


Publication year 2017

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Relationships: Friendship

Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction, Modern Classic Fiction

A Simple Favor is New York Times bestselling author Darcey Bell’s debut novel. Published in 2017 by Harper, the novel was praised for its chilling portrayals of its characters and shocking plot twists, and quickly became a New York Times bestseller. Bell followed this novel in 2020 with Something She’s Not Telling Us, cementing her reputation for domestic noir psychological thrillers. In 2018, A Simple Favor was adapted into a movie starring Blake Lively and... Read A Simple Favor Summary


Publication year 2024

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Class, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose

Tags History: World, Biography, Politics / Government, Gender / Feminism


Publication year 2024

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Mothers, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Fantasy, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction


Publication year 2023

Genre Novel, Fiction

Themes Relationships: Family, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Teams, Self Discovery, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal

Tags Fantasy, Romance, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Humor


Publication year 2023

Genre Biography, Nonfiction

Themes Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: The Past, Society: Class, Society: Community, Society: Economics, Society: Immigration, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Values/Ideas: Equality, Values/Ideas: Fame, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Power & Greed

Tags History: U.S., Politics / Government, Business / Economics