When an old friend is accused of murder, Ali Reynolds steps in to investigatein this latest adventure in the "New York Times"-bestselling series by...
read full description
reviews
Feb 19, 2012
Dlora
rated it: 
Reading a J.A. Jance novel in between a Lee Childs and a Michael Connelly is a mistake. Ali Reynolds as a detective just does not compare with Jack Reacher or Harry Bosch. However, if you want a more touchy-feely mystery with a strong female protagonist who also breaks the rules to get the job done like Reacher and Bosch you might enjoy this one. We've got psychopaths and pawns and smart cops and dumb cops. Ali finishes her police course but then doesn't get hired on, which in some ways makes it
More...
Oct 25, 2011
Bruce
rated it: 
This is the 6th book in J.A. Jance's Ali Reynolds series. This book is something of a scatter-shot mix of stories that really have no reason for being told, much less being told together. In the beginning Ali is in the police academy, has Jance's usual difficulties with men (apparently Jance is unaware that women won the battle for equality a generation ago), and finally graduates - but never becomes a cop. In fact, her police career is nothing more than a background thought for the rest of t
More...
Jul 20, 2011
Neil
rated it: 
What a great read, as I noted in another review I too, did not realize this was an Ali Reynolds series, so now must go out and get the other books, hopefully the stories are not intertwined too much like one can read them seperately. i.e. Edge of evil, Web of evil, Hand of evil, Cruel intent, Trial by fire
Love the detective Gil, who has been left by his wife and children due to the fact that his life consisted of his work, no time for family, that must be a tough one to call, one can see b More...
Love the detective Gil, who has been left by his wife and children due to the fact that his life consisted of his work, no time for family, that must be a tough one to call, one can see b More...
May 29, 2011
Cab
rated it:
When I picked up this book I did not realize that it was a part of a series. This one picks up with the main character, Ali Reynolds, completing her final week(s) of training at the Police Academy. If I had read the other books in the series it might have provided me with some insight into Ali’s character but I found that it was not necessary to the overall plot of the story.
As Ali completes her training at the Police Academy she’s contacted by a colleague, Brenda Riley, who knew Ali f More...
As Ali completes her training at the Police Academy she’s contacted by a colleague, Brenda Riley, who knew Ali f More...
Apr 15, 2011
Nancy
rated it:
I do not know how to classify this book. I would not call it a mystery because from the get go you know exactly who the good guys are and who the bad guys are. It is not a thriller, since the book takes a meandering path to an obvious conclusion, but yet, general fiction doesn’t make sense either since there are both mystery and thriller elements associated with the story.
Alison Reynolds is finishing her Arizona Police Academy training when she is informed that due to budget cuts, t More...
Alison Reynolds is finishing her Arizona Police Academy training when she is informed that due to budget cuts, t More...
Feb 13, 2011
Julia
rated it:
Having read a lot of J.A. Jance's books, I find myself wanting the author to grow her tales in skill and complexity and I'm just not finding it here. The Ali Reynolds series is probably my least favorite of Jance's bodies of work and this latest episode explains why. We know who the killer is from the beginning and although some writers would use the opportunity to develop the killer's character, Jance throws out a few too-easy answers and instead focuses on how brilliant Ali is in putting two
More...
3 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Oct 29, 2011
Wendy
rated it: 
I have enjoyed the Ali Reynolds series in the past but this book was awful. The story didn't flow and there were way too many useless side plots going on that didn't matter to the main storyline and I just didn't care about them. There was also a lot of useless detail and background information about characters that didn't matter to the story. Also, knowing who did what right from the beginning makes it not much of a mystery so I didn't even feel compelled to finish the book (I got 2/3 of the
More...
Mar 28, 2011
Michelle
rated it:
Lately, I've been focusing on YA fiction, so much to the point that I'm not even following when my regular authors publish a new title. So when I saw this copy of Fatal Error on our new book shelf, I nabbed it figuring it would be a quick read. And yes, it was a quick read, but only mildly enjoyable, only enough so that I was able to stick it out to the end.
I like Ali Reynolds' character, but unfortunately I guess she always has to be in some sort of trouble, or else there would be n More...
I like Ali Reynolds' character, but unfortunately I guess she always has to be in some sort of trouble, or else there would be n More...
Feb 04, 2012
Paula
rated it: 
I have read most of JA Vances's books. I love the Arizona locale, since I live in Arizona and recoginise the landmarks and intrigue she mentions.
This is a series, Ali Reynolds. She inherited money from a deadbeat husband after he died, so she has more choices in life than many women. Ali has ended up again in Sedona, and is attending the Arizona Police Academy. She becomes involved with a former rival Brenda Riley, in the California TV Newscasting business who calls for help. More...
This is a series, Ali Reynolds. She inherited money from a deadbeat husband after he died, so she has more choices in life than many women. Ali has ended up again in Sedona, and is attending the Arizona Police Academy. She becomes involved with a former rival Brenda Riley, in the California TV Newscasting business who calls for help. More...
Nov 29, 2011
Linda
rated it:
In “Fatal Error” Ali Reynolds, the primary character, takes her training in the Arizona Police Academy. She is older than the other candidates and is also a woman, so although her training is not without challenges, she is successful and on successful completion looks forward to returning home and working as a police office when budget cuts begin to have an impact of local police forces. At the same time a former acquaintance Brenda Riley, a former colleague contacts her and then goes missing.
More...
Mar 06, 2011
Mark
rated it:
Author J.A Jance’s latest mystery/suspense novel again centers on main character Ali Reynolds, an ex-broadcasting journalist turned police academy graduate, whose fortysomething efforts earned her the respect of younger police candidates. After achieving success at the academy, she emerges graduation ceremonies with the hopes of entering law enforcement. However, Ali is reluctantly laid off by the sheriff, caught in a budgetary crisis. Ali is not hurting for money—in previous novels readers lear
More...
Feb 02, 2012
Denise
rated it:
This book is a murder mystery. The main character is a rookie from the Police Academy, who happens to be a woman who is older than the typical rookie. The interesting thing about this book is the settings are in familiar places such as Grass Valley, and Scott's Flat, Sacramento, and also Arizona and Southern California.
I was pleased that this author sees no need for excessive profanity, or sex. She is able to tell the story in a vivid way, that created pictures in my mind. Of course More...
I was pleased that this author sees no need for excessive profanity, or sex. She is able to tell the story in a vivid way, that created pictures in my mind. Of course More...
Jul 29, 2011
I have come to like Ali Reynolds almost as much as Joanna Brady a nd more than JP Beaumont, and this book extended those feelings--Ali is graduating from the police academy, but is immediately furloughed from her job, so when her down-on-her luck ex-TV reporter friend asks her to help her find her cyber-boyfriend, she is able to do so. As is so often the case in a murder mystery, scratching the surface leads to more nefarious business underneath, which Ali enlists the aid of local cops to help
More...
May 04, 2011
Donna
rated it:
This book picks up Ali Reynolds' life where "Trial By Fire" ends. Having just completed her training at the Arizona Police Academy, Ali discovers that she is, at least temporarily, unemployed. When an old colleague from her news broadcasting days in California, Brenda, contacts her, she has the time to get involved in her problem with an ex-fiance, Richard. The fact that she had met Richard on computer only didn't seem strange to Brenda, although it starts to get pretty interesting
More...
Mar 08, 2011
E.
rated it:
Ali Reynolds is more comfortable in her own skin, is attending police academy and savoring her relationship with cyberguru B. Simpson when a former colleague embroils her in a cyber-stalking case. Ali's friend and supporter Velma is finally succumbing to her disease and Ali is just able to finish substituting for her parents at their diner in time to go visit. The multiple threads start coming together in California as the body count starts rising and the cyber-stalker's case morphs into one t
More...
0 comments
like
(1 person liked it)
Nov 15, 2011
Macjest
rated it:
Ali Reynolds character has changed quite a bit over the series. She first started out as someone who got dragged into mysteries. Over time she started working for the sheriff’s department and now has gone to the Arizona police academy. I think I actually enjoyed the stories more when her involvement was accidental. In this outing, she is working at her parents’ diner while they’re on vacation. An old friend from her days in television tracks her down and asks for help. The friend is an alcoholic
More...
Mar 01, 2011
Lynn
rated it:
I'm sorry; I love Jance but I just don't get this character. It's one thing for the main character to be involved in law enforcement like her other characters (Beaumont, Brady, etc) but as likable as Ali is, we're pushing the edge of the envelope here. Now she is going to the police academy? Wouldn't it have made more sense to have her use her reporting skills to write true crime and develop stories around that? What "40-something" goes to the police academy? The store started slow and
More...
Mar 16, 2011
Laura
rated it:
I read this book, and enjoyed it. I gave it a 4 star rating (which was probably 3.5 stars, rounded up). I thought I'd come back and write my review in a few days, like I often do. It was almost a week later when I came back, and realized most of the details (of the story, of the characters, of what I did and didn't like) had all slipped my mind.
As I read through the description again, it started coming back, but I'd have to say it was a fast fade, even for me.
So, I cam More...
As I read through the description again, it started coming back, but I'd have to say it was a fast fade, even for me.
So, I cam More...
Aug 06, 2011
Kim
rated it:
Superduper book. JA Jance has been a favorite of mine since I discovered her JP Beaumont books. She has a very authentic voice for each of her series, and I love her women characters who are not super-women, but are strong, determined women. The JP Beaumont character is a male, by the way, but the other two series that I've read, the main characters are women. If you like good, straightforward mysteries without too much dwelling on gore (yes, there's violence in the books, but it isn't the main
More...
Jun 24, 2011
Sheila
rated it:
Intriguing story. A ex TV anchorman woman, Ali Reynolds is completing a 6 week police academy course. Another ex TV anchorwoman, Brenda shows up wanting to talk to her. Brenda is inebriated but tells Ali, her internet fiance whom she has never met is missing and she wants help in finding him. The fiance, Richard is found murdered and the police discover there are more than one woman who claim to be his fiance. Women are missing, including Brenda and Ali travels to California to help investigate
More...
May 11, 2011
Charlene
rated it:
A quick read -- I rather liked the fact that it wasn't a true mystery, the reader got the details of who did what when at the beginning of the book. Since I wasn't solving the puzzle along with the main character, I felt free to skip a bit (there are a couple of grisly scenes) and skim. The "Ali" character is likeable, interesting but a bit unbelieveable -- going to the police academy at age 45 or so to be the media relations officer? Wonder if Gil, police detective from Grass Vall
More...
Mar 01, 2011
Mark
rated it:
Computer dating takes a new twist, in Jance’s “Fatal Error”. Richard Lowensdale is a despicable man who preys on vulnerable women in an online dating scam. Using fake names he has several fiancés around the country until he becomes bored with their particular neurosis and cuts loose, usually dropping them right after he has had them pick out their engagement rings. When he is murdered and several of his girl friends suddenly show up at the same time to check on him, there are suspects aplenty.
More...
More...
Mar 30, 2011
Shelley
rated it:
**Review** Fatal Error is the 6th installment by J.A. Jance in the Ali Reynolds series, and probably one of the weakest story wise, in my opinion. Ali Reynolds is a former TV news anchor out of Los Angeles. She was let go after the station owners thought she was too old. She sued the station and won. She also lost her first husband while still pregnant with her son Christopher, who is now married and expecting twins at any moment. Later she married Paul Grayson, who cheated on her constantly, an
More...
Apr 18, 2011
Mhd
rated it:
This is #6 in the 'Ali Reynolds' series, but it's the first one I've read. Evidently, she's a civilian-type murder-solver. This one begins with her graduating from a police academy, but suffers a budget-cut-lay-off. I like how she spends her money. I skipped the parts detailing a hostage's torture. Otherwise, it's pretty good, and I really liked the tech stuff. One of the police officers she meets along the way seems a more interesting character to me and I bet we see him again.
Feb 02, 2011
Charlotte
rated it:
I think readers who have followed Ali Reynolds from the beginning will really enjoy Fatal Error. If you have never read a book from this series, I suggest you start with book one. There are just too many references to the past in order to really feel as if you know this character. It can be frustrating, like walking in on a movie that is half over. You have missed a lot of the back story and are completely lost.
http://charlotteswebofbooks.blogspot.com...
http://charlotteswebofbooks.blogspot.com...
Jan 03, 2012
Sheila
rated it:
Another entertaining, engrossing Ali Reynolds novel in my favorite of J.A. Jance's series. This one is a thriller, not a mystery, since we know early on who the villains are. It wasn't only the fast-paced, complex story that held my attention; it was also the intelligent, likable characters that are reliably found in all of this author's mysteries and suspense novels. Especially recommended for readers who enjoy crime fiction set in the southwestern U.S.
Mar 22, 2011
Jennie
rated it:
I normally love J.A. Jance's books...this one just falls into the "ok" category though. I never really connected with the story and while most of the main characters were carryovers, I never really connected with them either. It wasn't overly exciting as a mystery, or not even a story that got you drawn into the characters like a drama. It was ok, and I'll continue to read and enjoy Ms. Jance I'm sure, but this one just didn't do it for me.
May 06, 2011
Joyce
rated it:
A good rainy day read. Ali is contacted by an alcoholic former associate who is searching for her fiance, whom she has never met face to face but only on line. This leads to the woman's disappearance fueled by the murder of the fiance, who was involved with software for drones, antagonists who are violent and cold, cops who are attempting to solve murders with little or no overtime and all the 'usual' conundrums connected with this type of fiction.
Feb 13, 2012
Terry
rated it:
OK, I normally really enjoy J A Jance's book - Ali is a relatively new character for me. I found the relationship between Ali and B, to be unexplained in the first section. It wasn't till the last portion of the book I realized L Stanton was not her boyfriend.
And maybe this is just plain picky - but there is no Target in Grass Valley. The closest is in Auburn. It is on Grass Valley highway. Maybe that is the confusion.
And maybe this is just plain picky - but there is no Target in Grass Valley. The closest is in Auburn. It is on Grass Valley highway. Maybe that is the confusion.
Jul 26, 2011
Valley Cottage
rated it:
SUMMER READING REVIEW: "This is a great summer read. It starts with Ali Reynolds, who desires to be a police person and gets involved with the problems of her friend Brenda Riley. The characters are interesting, and there are several murders that get solved by Ali and Detective Gil Morris. I'm sure these characters will be in Jance's next book.. In many respects, we know that there is more to come!" -Gene Homicki
