Downfall

Joanna Brady #17

by J.A. Jance

Arizona sheriff Joanna Brady returns in this outstanding new mystery set in the beautiful desert country of the Southwest.

With a baby on the way, sudden deaths in the family from which to recover, a re-election campaign looming, and a daughter heading off for college, Cochise County Sheriff Joanna Brady has her hands full when a puzzling new case hits her department, demanding every resource she has at her disposal.

Two women have fallen to their deaths from a small nearby peak, referred to by Bisbee locals as Geronimo. What’s the connection between these two women? Is this a case of murder/suicide or is it a double homicide? And if someone else is responsible, is it possible that the perpetrator may, even now, be on the hunt for another victim?

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Audiobook, Thriller, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Murder Mystery

Kindle Edition

First published September 6, 2016

About the author

Judith Ann Jance is the top 10 New York Times bestselling author of the Joanna Brady series; the J. P. Beaumont series; three interrelated thrillers featuring the Walker family; and Edge of Evil, the first in a series featuring Ali Reynolds. Born in South Dakota and brought up in Bisbee, Arizona, Jance lives with her husband in Seattle, Washington, and Tucson, Arizona.

Series:
* J.P. Beaumont
* Joanna Brady
* Ali Reynolds
* Walker Family

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Downfall by J.A. Jance is a 2016 William Morrow publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.


Once more J.A Jance puts Joanna Brady into a complex and emotionally charged situation and once more I found myself glued to the pages, riveted as always as Joanna navigates her stressful professional life with her often complex home life.

In this chapter, Joanna, pregnant with her third child, is struggling with the untimely deaths of her mother and step-father, dealing with hurt feelings regarding her brother, Bob, being named executor of her mother’s estate, her election campaign, and by a puzzling double murder of two women that at first glance might suggest a murder/suicide.

This installment in the series finds Joanna feeling melancholy and a little tender. However, when she steps into her professional role, she’s all business. Jance tackles some controversial and disturbing issues as she works to find who murdered two seemingly unconnected women, while drawing parallels between the case and the youthful mistakes both she and her mother made and the consequences of those actions.

This is probably one of the more poignant Brady novels, although faithful followers of the series have followed Joanna on a long, emotional journey, often marred by tragedy. Still, this story has a wistful tone as Joanna looks back on her complicated relationship with her mother and mourns her loss, but also finds a way to celebrate her life.

The crime drama is explosive, shocking, and very disturbing. I was totally engrossed in this story as Joanna and Robin, her FBI partner on the case, uncover one of the most twisted and sickening cases of Joanna’s career.

Jance did a wonderful job of building suspense, keeping me guessing from start to finish, leaving me totally shocked at the outcome. But, she also tells a touching and emotional family story that proves that no matter how many books are written in the series, no matter how familiar we are with a beloved character, there is still room for growth.

Overall, this is a special installment in the series and one any fan of J.A. Jance will not want to miss.

4.5 stars

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

In this 17th book in the 'Sheriff Joanna Brady' series, Joanna investigates the death of two women while dealing with tragedy in her personal life. The book can be read as a standalone.

*****

Background: Sheriff Joanna Brady of Cochise County, Arizona became a law enforcement officer almost a decade ago, when her husband Andy Brady - who was sheriff at the time - was killed.



A lot has changed since then, and Joanna is now married to a supportive man named Butch; is sending her daughter Jenny off to college; has a 5-year-old son named Denny; and is pregnant.

As the story opens, Joanna is at Higgins Funeral Chapel, planning services for her mother Eleanor and stepfather George, both of whom died after a sniper shot their vehicle on the highway. Joanna had a difficult relationship with her mother, and is grieving and sad because she won't get a chance to make amends.



Just as Joanna is completing the funeral arrangements, Chief Deputy Tom Hadlock calls to report two dead women at the base of a twin limestone peak called Geronimo, just east of Bisbee. Tom says the women either jumped or were pushed, and Joanna hurries to the scene to investigate.





It turns out the incident was a double homicide, and the victims are Desirée Wilburton - a teaching assistant and Ph.D. student at the University of Arizona;



and Susan Nelson - an instructor and debate team coach at the Sierra Vista School For Scholastic Excellence.



When Joanna's team interviews people acquainted with the victims, they learn Desirée was a dedicated researcher camping in the area to study hedgehog cacti;



and Susan was a preacher's wife who had a reputation for philandering.



For this case, Joanna gets assistance from her former deputy Frank Montoya, who's now Chief of Police in Bisbee;



and FBI Agent Robin Watkins, who makes a discovery that helps breaks the case open.



Joanna's life is endangered before things are resolved, but as fans know, Joanna is clever and resourceful.



Against the backdrop of the murder investigation, Joanna must write eulogies for her mother and stepfather; prepare for the upcoming sheriff's election; be a mom to 18-year-old Jenny and 5-year-old Denny; maintain a healthy pregnancy; navigate resentment about Bob Brundage, whom she just recently learned was her out-of-wedlock brother; and deal with her long-time nemesis Marliss Shackleford, a journalist who goes out of her way to write critical articles about Sheriff Brady.



Luckily, Joanna has her solicitous husband Butch as backup...and he's even a great cook!





I like strong women characters, and Joanna Brady certainly fits the bill. 😊

You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love all three of J. A. Jance’s ongoing series, but my favorite is the Joanna Brady one. This book starts after the deaths of Joanna’s mother and stepfather ( the actual deaths apparently, covered in a previous novella). Jance does a great job of exploring the personal relationships of her main characters. And one of the main problematic relationships for Joanna was always with her mother. As Marianne says “You're not just mourning the loss of your mother. You're also mourning the loss of a relationship that never became quite what either one of you wanted. Given enough time, that might have happened one day. Now it never will. You not only lost your mother. You also lost what might have been.”

In addition, to the dynamic personal story, there is also a good mystery here. There's also a “fun” homicide thrown in. It's not essential to the story, but I guarantee any wife who’s suffered her husband giving her advice on something will find it amusing. Makes me wonder if Jance was projecting…

There is the addition of a new character, Robin, an FBI agent. Seeing how well she and Joanna got on, I'm hoping she'll show up in future novels. It's always nice when new characters can be added to the mix.

This one will keep you guessing up until the ending and finding an excuse to keep reading.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Two thoughts came to mind as I was finishing up this latest book by J. A. Jance. One was that she does such a good job of covering past events in other books that I think anyone could pretty well enjoy a book in from the middle of the series. In fact there is so much recapping past events that it’s a little bothersome to someone like me who has read the series from the beginning. My other thought was that Jance tells a good story about real people without a lot of bad language or grisly details. I have been listening to a lot of books this year, and the cursing really stands out when it is audible. So if anyone is looking for a good mystery, I highly recommend this book which deals with real-life issues that had me in tears toward the end.

[W. Frazier · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a difficult review. I have read over 40 of Jance's books and have become very invested but the last few entries have been disappointing. This book is fair, but still lacks that engagement. The entire first half plods along in setup. This happens, and oh here's the backstory to this character. That happens, and oh here's the backstory to that event. Finally, in the second half, things pick up speed and excitement. Thinking about it, I'm missing those fun quirky moments that define her characters. The heroes are losing their endearing qualities. The books are starting to read like timelines and I'm starting not to care.

[Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is great to have another Joanna Brady story after such a long break. This series was my introduction to the writings of J. A. Jance and I like this series more so than her other three series. Brady has suffered the death of her mother and step-father. They were killed by a freeway sniper. Their funeral has not been held yet and Joanna faced the double homicide of two young women at the base of Geronimo Peak near Bisbee. Joanna investigates these deaths to determine cause and find out whodunit. She uncovers a kidnapping, a pedophile and domestic abuse during her investigation. Then another murder occurs on the golf course; Joanna has her hands full. The last part of the book was impossible to stop reading until the end, the suspense had me on the edge of the chair.

It is great to have Frank Montoya back. In earlier books he was Joanna’s right- hand man. He quit to become the Chief of Police of Sierra Vista. Now Joanna and Frank are working together because they are sharing jurisdiction also with the FBI. We have a new character, FBI special agent Robin Watkins. I am enjoying the new Cochise County Medical Examiner, Dr. Kendra Baldwin. With all the murder investigations going on Joanna’s life goes on. She is pregnant, running for re-election as Sheriff and has the usual family and Sheriff department problems.

The book is well written. The pace is fast. The plot twists and turns. Jance is superb at capturing human emotions from humor to fear, as well as sorrow and anger. The suspense builds throughout the story as Joanna questions everyone and finds maybe the trust of longtime friends are in question also. Jance is a master story teller. I cannot wait for the next Brady story.

Hillary Huber does an excellent job narrating the book. She is an award winning audiobook narrator.

[Ray Palen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to admit that as a reviewer and reader of thriller/mystery fiction I have not picked up a book by J.A. Jance in years. No real reason for it other than my overcrowded 'to read' pile and review deadlines. I can proudly say that her latest novel DOWNFALL has brought me back into the fold.

The latest in the Sheriff Joanna Brady series, set in Cochise County, Arizona, is intense, brutal, shocking and clever all at once. Sheriff Brady is dealing with two extremely stressful situations. The first was the untimely death of her mother and step-father in a car accident. This is coupled with her being a few months away from giving birth to a baby girl --- while her oldest is still in college.

Brady is taking this as best as she can and is also attempting to keep thoughts off her upcoming re-run for the Sheriff post. All of this is put aside when a double murder/suicide is thrown in her lap. The high peak locals refer to as Geronimo has long been a location for those seeking to step off and end it all. The community is shocked when the bodies of a minister's wife is found side by side with that of a brilliant young P.H.D. student studying to be a microbiologist.

Rumors fly about a possible relationship between the two women but Brady and her team cannot put anything together. Things begin to point towards this being a double murder. Confirming this is the callous response the police get from Reverend Nelson when questioned about the death of his wife Susan. He confesses to them living a loveless marriage where he was well aware of her frequent trysts.

The problem for Sheriff Brady is the fact that Susan Nelson was a High School teacher and some of these supposed trysts may have involved her students and alleged statutory rape. When one of the young men connected to Susan Nelson turns out to be the son of one of Brady's deputies things get too close for comfort. A very pregnant Joanna Brady has no idea that the further she takes this investigation the deeper into danger she sinks.

DOWNFALL takes on hard moral issues and surprises at nearly every turn. The conclusion is a breathless stunner that will have readers quickly flipping the pages. I'm safely on board for the next J.A. Jance Brady novel!

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been reading J.A. Jance mystery novels for a long time, all the way back to her very first JP Beaumont outing "Until Proven Guilty." "Downfall" is the seventeenth adventure with Joanna Brady, a small-town sheriff in Cochise County, Arizona. What makes the series and this book so interesting to read is development of the characters and the area. The mysteries are usually good and not too hard to figure out when following the clues, but the character's including Sheriff Brady, her family, the officers and team members she works with, and the secondary unique local citizens that play a role in the plots really make the difference with the reader.

This book takes those characters along with a strong mystery and packs a lot of punch. Brady is dealing with her mother's death. two homicides, and being pregnant. For me the various plots delivered well. It's like taking a annual visit to your Grandparent's in a small country town. You get to visit everyone and see how they've grown and changed since last year, as well as how they're dealing with challenges. Jance creates strong characters, a riveting and constant-moving plot line that not only keeps our interests, but demands our attention until we're done. If you are a Jance or Sheriff Brady fans, you will probably find this one to be one of the best in the series like I did.

[Jan Priddy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Awful, pathetic, poorly written book. Grammar aside, I was constantly rewriting her words on a sentence level, not only for her awkwardness, but for her obscurity and repetitiveness. She is fond, for example, of the word "instead" when she actually needs something else such as "despite this" or "on the other hand."

Maybe most readers of bad mysteries do not see anything wrong with: "Her initial opinion of Drexel Nelson which had been low to begin with nosedived to reprehensible." Missing commas and "initial" being followed up with "to begin with"?

There are other peculiarities, such as the video "locked and loaded" into "a PowerPoint presentation" instead of simply being shown—no PP necessary; the PhD candidate in microbiology inexplicably researching cacti for her thesis; the main character in her third pregnancy apparently only just needing to size up her pants and shirt, though she is clearly in at least her fourth month; unfortunate use of the phrase "politically incorrect criticism." Many authors keep post-it notes or 3x5 cards with interesting factoids to use in their books. Jance seems to be one of them. I enjoy learning as I read for pleasure, but only if what I am learning is sensible.

Then there are issues with the book as a procedural, despite Jance's seeming familiarity with procedures. As an example: If two bodies were found dead of trauma at the bottom of a "massive limestone cliff", would your immediate declaration be that this was either a double murder or murder-suicide? It is a possibility, of course, but it mostly looks like accidental falls, and yet no one considers these might be accidental deaths, not seriously, not even for a minute, even after the ME notes that the two women seem to have died purely as a result of their falls.

Despite her tendency to repeat details, sometimes Jance skips essentials. The husband of one of the women understands that his wife is dead and goes directly to answering questions about who might have wanted that to happen. How did she die again? Where? The husband does not speak like any sort of preacher—and I do not mean because he is presented as a lout, but because his words do not seem to be words anyone who reads the Bible would use. I mean "hussy"? Harlot or whore, perhaps. A prayer for her obviously sinful soul? I know he is meant as a straw man, but that is part of the problem. He is obviously not the murderer because he so very obviously could have done it.

And all the characters talk in ways that no one actually talks and all sound alike.

The book is plugged on the cover of the copy I read as "A Brady novel of suspense." No suspense here. This is the 16th book in the series, but have no fear, Jance will catch you up on the entire life of her main character. She assumes readers cannot remember a single detail from ten pages earlier in the narrative. She crawls through Brady's story at a snail's pace (yes, that cliché is likely somewhere on her pages), repeatedly stalling with flashbacks and extraneous concerns that will be repeated in detail and then repeated again and again in detail. If this were a forty-minute television procedural, the script would run about 55 pages, and nothing would be lost from the 400+ page book. It drags on so.

I have read a great many mysteries but never Jance, and now I understand why. Readers should be insulted by this book. I picked this up from a hotel shelf and read bits aloud to my husband until he begged me to stop. Someone left this book behind no more than three months after buying it, and it's clear why.

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

William Morrow
September 2016

Sheriff Joanna Brady is on her way home after making funeral arrangements for her mother, Eleanor, and her step-father, Dr. George Winfield, who were victims of a teen-aged binge killer, when she gets a call from her chief deputy, Tom Hadlock, about two female bodies that could possibly be a double homicide or murder/suicide. After a quick trip home to change clothes and eat, the pregnant sheriff is off again and upsetting her husband, Butch, because she’s working too hard.

The victims were either pushed or jumped off of Geronimo, a double humped limestone peak, and are laying one on top of the other. The bodies were discovered by two young boys who slipped out of their house to go climb Geronimo, which is a tradition in Bisbee. The coroner declares the women were dead when their bodies landed on the ground, and pronounces this is a double murder. Investigation shows that the women weren’t acquainted. Desiree Wilburton, a graduate student, had been camping and looking for a rare cactus. Susan Wilson lives and teaches in Sierra Vista and is married. Her husband, the good Reverend Wilson, has nothing good to say about his wife. With little clues here and there, Joanna Brady is able to find the dark and dirty killer that is hiding in plain sight.

As usual, J. A. Jance leads us on a merry pursuit of chasing shadows and red herrings, while enjoying every bit of time spent. Joanna has a lot on her plate, and the fact she hasn’t slowed down is causing some friction in the marriage. She hasn’t grieved properly over the loss of her mom; her daughter, Jenny has just started college; and, Joanna has some strong issues concerning her newly found half-brother, Bob – he and his wife, Marcie, will be coming to Bisbee for the funerals. Add the fact she is taking care of her job and her five-year-old son, Denny, while expecting a baby girl in a few months, and anyone can understand why Butch is exasperated!

Ms. Jance always delivers a superb mystery starring a core of boldly drawn repeating characters readers care about. DOWNFALL delivers the good with the bad situations, and it is also emotionally beautiful. This is a terrific, evenly paced and gratifying read.

Betty Cox for ReaderToReader.com

[Kevintipple · Rating 5 out of 5]

The last days of August would have been hard enough for Cochise County Sheriff Joanna Brady, as it was. She has to make funeral arrangements for her mom, Eleanor, and her stepfather, George. What was initially believed to be a simple motor vehicle accident involving their RV as they returned to Bisbee, Arizona was actually a crash caused by a sniper. George died at the scene and Eleanor was airlifted to Phoenix where she soon passed as well. The killer was taken down and dealt with just a few days ago. Now Joanna has to deal with funeral arrangements and other family matters all made more complicated by the recent arrival into her life of her adopted brother whom she had known nothing about.

When you are in charge it means your personal situation often has to take a backseat to your job. Moments after finalizing the numeral arrangements, she is called by her Chief Deputy Tom Hadlock. He wants to make her aware that there has been a discovery of two bodies at the base of a nearby rock formation known as “Geronimo.” It may have been a murder/suicide or a double murder. Haddock wants her to take a look. Quickly it becomes clear this was no suicide and it was a double murder. That means everyone on staff including Sheriff Brady, the FBI, and law enforcement in neighboring counties are hard at work on a case that escalates in complexity seemingly by the hour as evidence is uncovered.

The latest in the series, Downfall: A Brady Novel Of Suspense, is a really good read by author J. A. Jance. The author works the heartstrings of the reader to great effect as Brady is faced with a number of personal issues. At the same time, the overarching mystery is complicated with tentacles that go off in many directions. The result is a mighty good book that powers along on all levels to one very suspenseful conclusion.

Downfall: A Brady Novel of Suspense
J. A. Jance
http://www.jajance.com
William Morrow (Imprint of Harper Collins Publishers)
http://www.harpercollins.com
September 2016
ISBN# 978-0-06-229771-6
Hardback (currently also available in audio and eBook formats)
400 Pages (more like 385)
$26.99



I was able to read and review this book because I was able to get it by way of the good folks of the Plano Public Library System.



Kevin R. Tipple ©2016

[Mara Pemberton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hopefully, the next book in the Joanna Brady series will not take almost 3 years to be published. Even though we know the sex of her baby, but I don't want to wait 3 years to find out if she wins the election of Sheriff.

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite Joanna Brady yet. Real character development, focus on a contemporary issue that often ends up causing more turmoil for the "victim" along with a plot twist that reveals the killer and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Loved it!

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 that I am bumping up to 5 stars because JA Jance has created such a good series here starring Arizona sheriff Joanna Brady.

[Jennifer Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this series! I like how Joanna is such a strong, female lead character. Some support her and some don't but she always prevails. There were a couple things happening in this book. First her **SLIGHT SPOILER** mother and stepfather's funeral. Second, two women who may have been murdered. And third, another suspicious homicide. How everything played out made you not want to put the book down! Perfect ending and I'm ready for the next one!

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joanna is busy planning her parents funeral and getting ready for the birth of her baby. Her daughter is leaving for college and her son is getting ready for kindergarten. A challenging case happens at the same time. Two women are found dead at the top of a local climbing hill. They don’t seem to have any connection. The one woman, Susan, had been a popular debate teacher married to a strict preacher. Susan was pregnant when she was killed and it couldn’t be her husband’s. This leads Joanna to a shocking find.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good mystery.

[Kristen Heitzmann · Rating 1 out of 5]

Speechless...in a bad way. Honestly where do I even start? Ms. Jance served up every verbal cliche and colonialism ever invented. Onto these she piled adverbs and superlatives so that the law enforcement characters sounded like hyperbolic hillbillies. The lead, Sheriff Brady, was so inappropriate--and not in a funny way--as to be entirely unlikable. spoiler>>What qualified officer tells the victim of a sexual predator he was one of the perpetrator's boy toys? Every man in the story was stupid, weak, or evil. And Brady, who was supposed to be brave, smart, and committed made stupid, selfish, choices while judging everyone else as incompetent. There's a difference between a fiery, determined woman and a total bitch. You can't claim someone is liked and admired when there is no proof in thought, word, or action that anyone could.

[Spynonu · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am apparently not as in love with this book as other reviewers. I am most confused as to why- the killer kidnapped Brady to take her all the way up the mountain to kill her. That made zero sense- if Jance had wanted the showdown to take place at Geronimo why wouldn't she just have Brady track the killer up there instead of doing the implausible kidnapping? Since the killer intended to kill himself anyway what was the point in wanting to kill Sheriff Brady?
The funeral, the lengthy eulogy, the internal battles regarding her mother, the after climax wrap up= all of it drug on way too long to keep my attention.

[Cynthia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book I have read by this author and I enjoyed both equally. The story is told from the perspective of Sheriff Joanna Brady who is determined to show the small town who elected her that she can handle whatever mayhem comes along, as she deftly tries to investigate what appears to be the deaths of two women while also making funeral arrangements for her mother and stepfather. Don’t want to give anything away and spoil upcoming readers pleasure, but suffice it to say that Sheriff Brady is in for a few surprises. The story begins as a who done it ands takes the reader on a tumultuous ride. Needless to say, this won’t be the last book by this author I want to read!

[Dee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two-haiku review:

Two women are dead
Found at base of mountain cliff
Can't find connection

Also funeral
Delving into character
Exciting ending

[Pmalcpoet Pat Malcolm · Rating 4 out of 5]

So often when we follow a book series it is because we love the characters and are so happy to see them again after an absence. Or we love the setting, nostalgic for a place we know well or enjoying a place we long to visit. One would think the thing to do would be to read the new offering at leisure, savoring the company and the flavor of the story. But there are some series for which that approach simply doesn't work, no matter how good the intentions. We sink into it, completely immersed, not to surface until the very last page is turned. The Joanna Brady series by J A Jance is one of the these. I long for the newest installment, first through the long months of the writing and publication, and then again after putting the book on reserve in the library system. It's a happy day when I finally lay my hands on the actual book. On arriving home, all bets are off. I'm gone into the story. Downfall has been anything but an exception. I finished the book after a marathon session and emerged exhilarated at the growth of the characters and satisfied by the story line and its denouement. Darn it! Another year to wait again!

[Pam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Downfall: A Brady Novel of Suspense is by J. A. Jance. Sheriff Joanna Brady is back in a new suspense novel. J.A. Jance has kept the high standards of her writing up in this new novel. It contains believable characters as well as a plot that could definitely happen. The novel is beautifully written and keeps the reader totally involved as the story unfolds. The suspense is such that the reader is compelled to complete reading as soon as possible. Just as you think you have it figured out, something else happens and you have to go back to square one and start over.
As Sheriff Joanna Brady is clearing her desk to be gone for a couple of days, she gets the call about two young women who are found dead at the base of a nearby peak known as Geronimo. What happened and why were the two women out here at this peak? All the resources Joanna has are brought to bear to figure out what happened. Just how deep does this investigation have to go?
It is a fantastic novel that has the added advantage of having a novella added to the end. The novella involves Sheriff Joanna Brady and Ali Reynolds coming back together to solve a case.

[Dorothy Bennett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bisbee, Arizona, is a relative small community just north of the Mexican border and at a pretty high elevation. Lots of history there. In J.A. Jance's Joanna Brady series, lots of exciting things happen in this town. In DOWNFALL, there are six deaths in less than 72 hours and a funeral for two more people killed a few days before in another part of the state. High body count, but it certainly keeps the reader on the hook. Hard to put down. Major decision on Jance's part to kill off Joanna Brady's mother and stepfather, who have been around in the series for a long time. Very engrossing and I enjoyed every moment of it. A few years back, I wasn't exactly at Joanna Brady fan, but this one held my attention from first page to last.

[Elizabeth Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am in love with J.A. Jance's writing ...what a writing genius! but I am now having a hell of a time figuring out what book is next in the series or style ...this book did include a Bonus Novella "Random Acts" included??! but i sort of wanna keep in the same line... don't wanna go off on way-ness and read totally out of order?!?! ya know??! i hope i can figure it out. love these characters ...such a gripping read. i mean edge of your seat for sure. i thought i had a clue ...but J.A. Jance ... sold!! i am such a new fan!! WELL DONE!! loved it. MUST READ! ( ;

[Isa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my First J.A Jance book and it was so great that I went back to reread it. I prefer mystery books, this did well, and the writing was genius. The murder mystery of the two women went in so much detail to a point that the entire case was clear. This kept me engaged up until the end as well. This story makes me want to read more books from this author. I went and bought the book 'Random Acts' to go with this book because Joanna's story line is empowering and keeps me wanting to read more about this series.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pregnant Sheriff Joanna Brady and her department face challenges as they investigate the deaths of two women who appear to have fallen off the side of a mountain. This happens the week after her mother and stepfather die in an accident caused by a sniper. Along the way they discover that one of the victims was a serial pedophile which complicates the case. Jance gives us another outstanding story.

[Jalee Carder · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this book was too far fetched. And I’m tired of how selfish the main character, Joanna, is. Everything has to be about her. It’s clear her husband, who dotes on her, doesn’t want to name their baby sage, but she insists on it anyways. It’s just one of the multiple things she does that are so completely self centered. I don’t know why I keep reading this series because I really can’t stand the Joanna character.

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Joanna Brady is back in another tale of Bisbee life. Pregnant now and having to bury her mother and step father who were victims of a sniper while driving home from a trip north. There is an election coming up and now she has a double homicide to contend with. Her life become hectic to say the least in the latest book. If you like the series this is one to grab.

[Jennifer Loessin · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was, by far, the best of all of J.A. Jance's novels. It was a moving novel that had me choked up for Sheriff Joanna Brady. This character is one of my favorites and I believe Jance has done an outstanding job slowly showing us all the sides to Brady.