Lethal Judgment: A "Simon Says" Detective Adventure

by P.J. Lawton

Relentless in his quest for retribution, P.I. Winston Simon is shot at, banged up, and literally blown away as he pursues the villains against whom he had sworn vengeance. Before he can reach his goal, however, he will have to face a long and complicated series of bad situations, as well as a list of bad people who would want nothing more than to put an end to his life. A serious injury nearly ends his comeback and any chance for the settling of scores he so desperately seeks. With another lengthy recovery completed, a series of cases contributes to his journey of revenge, culminating with a day of reckoning and final judgment filled with flames, blinding pain, and death. Is this life-changing ordeal finally over for Winston Simon, or is it simply the beginning? Only the passage of time will tell.

200 pages, Paperback

First published April 30, 2006

Reviews

[K.C. Sprayberry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Private Investigator Winston Simon, "Simon, call me Simon." is on a quest to avenge his dead fiancée. This involves finishing off the Galendez brothers, drug dealers and smugglers of illegal aliens. Simon won't mind taking down the cartel these vicious brothers run, too. However, as is always the case in Simon's life, nothing comes easy, and he's faced with quite a few life and death moments, along with some hilarious asides, as he barrels through the quest.
The folksy tone of this noir novel reminiscent of other famous fictional characters such as Sam Spade and Phillip Marlowe. Simon is a likeable character with rough edges and a soft heart, but he won't let anything stand in his way of getting justice. This hardnosed P.I. is always on the edge. He seems to trip into situations where he ends up doing the right thing.
The noir style of this novel what was drew me in first. Fast action, a strong set of characters, and well-developed plotline kept me reading. Like the best of those books from the 1930s and 1940s, Lethal Judgment has the beat and movement of a well-executed jitterbug. The spins, kicks, and frenetic energy never abates. There are moments of weak-kneed wobbling, but above all there is constant movement, a rollicking adventure right up until the end, with a promise of more in the future..
I highly recommend Lethal Judgment. It is a tale unlike modern detective novels, but it is a modern detective novel – with characters who have deep-seated values long buried in the past.