A Duty to Betray

Mental health professionals are required by law to keep patient disclosures confidential, yet the law also requires them to “warn and protect” anyone their patient is likely to harm. A Duty to Betray plunges Dr. Ricardo Ruiz, a young psychologist just beginning his career, squarely into the middle of these two seemingly irreconcilable legal obligations.

Set inside the famed Camarillo State Hospital on California’s Central Coast, A Duty to Betray draws the reader into this legal, ethical, and ultimately moral dilemma when Mr. Tran, one of Dr. Ruiz’ patients, reveals a potentially lethal secret during therapy. Cat and mouse confrontations between the two thrust the “tell — don’t tell” conflict into sharp definition since Dr. Ruiz knows that, either way, his decision will have deadly consequences.

Early Readers say: "J. Kelly Moreno's "A Duty to Betray" is a riveting psychological thriller that pits a gifted young psychologist against the diabolical but brilliant former patient he suspects of faking psychosis. A gifted writer and himself a veteran mental health professional, Moreno gets it right, with finely drawn characters, a sinister plot, and a setting that unfolds eerily to the lyrics of "Hotel California," where you can "check out any time you like, but you can never leave." Don't pick up this book if you have other plans for the next several hours. It's unputdownable." David Freed, author of the Cordell Logan mystery series

“A powerful debut novel. Set in a mental institute undergoing the chaos of its closing days, Moreno's chilling suspense story of revenge expertly peels back one of our culture's long standing and unexplored psychological territory regarding the nature of self, sexuality and gender identity. Furiously paced with killer dialogue and suspenseful scene cutting, ‘A Duty to Betray’ runs like a bullet train fast and furious toward an unexpected destination.” James Coffey, author of No Map for the Heart

“In this riveting and passionate drama, Moreno is unsparing in his examples of good and evil, and he uses his intimate knowledge of the psyche to portray the primitive dynamics of forensic psychiatric patients. The thriller's denouement is as surprising as it is revealing of what it means to be human—for all of us.” Elaine Cooper, author of Let’s All Hold Hands and Drop Dead

“Kelly Moreno’s debut novel gives a compelling, moving, and utterly unique insider’s view into the human psyche.” Sean Murphy, Hemingway-Award Winning Author of The Time of New Weather and One Bird, One Stone

“Crackling dialogue, furious pacing, compelling therapy scenes, vivid descriptions, and one cliff hanger after another—I started this book and didn't stop until I was done. Moreno writes up a storm!” Vikki Hansen, author of Seven Habits of Slim People

About the Author: Dr. Kelly Moreno is a professor of psychology at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. He is also a psychologist in private practice and conducts Mentally Disordered Offender Evaluations for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. He has worked at psychiatric facilities in Wash., D.C., Utah, and California, and published over two-dozen articles on psychopathology and its treatment. A Duty to Betray is his first novel.