Summer's over and, with the exception of a honeymoon from hell, all the mysteries new this month are set in the workplace.
This series is one of three that J.A. Jance writes and it is interesting to see how Ali Reynolds has evolved as a character along the way, from TV anchor, sheriff’s deputy and a questionable marriage to the newlywed wife of B. Simpson, and who gets deeply involved in contemporary situations. In this latest novel, two subjects, if not three, arise: polygamous cults, elderly persons being taken advantage of and perhaps, the mistreatment of women. How’s that for a mouthful?
The usual setting of an Arizona mystery is not enough to keep Ali Reynolds and B. Simpson busy, so in this entry in the long-standing series, they have to solve two murder/mysteries on both sides of the Atlantic. And on this side, it isn’t even in Arizona, but in Texas, where a brainy young geek is held in a juvenile detention facility because he hacked into his high school’s computer system, incapacitating it, in protest for what the school board planned to do, i.e., make students and faculty wear bracelets so their whereabouts could be determined remotely at all times.
I saved my last Bouchercon column for special friends throughout my career. It is always a pleasure to show off their latest!
How does a hoarder and her fortune connect to a corpse in a limestone cavern in Arizona? Joanna Brady has her hands full in What Remains of Innocence—Joanna Brady #16 by the prolific J.A. Jance.
Here are a bunch of mystery/fantasy book reviews for you to consider for your 2012 reading list! Enjoy! Among them are the latest books from J.A. Jance, Ian Rankin and Iris Johansen.
