Saturday, August 18, 2012

Review: Judgment Call: A Brady Novel of Suspense by J. A. Jance







  • Hardcover: 400 pages
  • Publisher: William Morrow; First Edition edition (July 24, 2012)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0061731161
  • ISBN-13: 978-0061731167

Book Description



New York Times" bestselling author J. A. Jance brings back acclaimed sheriff Joanna Brady in an exciting and twisting mystery set against the beauty and isolation of the Arizona desert.

"Judgment Call"

When Joanna Brady's daughter, Jenny, stumbles across the body of her high school principal, Debra Highsmith, in the desert, the Cochise County sheriff's personal and professional worlds collide, forcing her to tread the difficult middle ground between being an officer of the law and a mother. While investigating murders has always meant discovering unpleasant facts and disquieting truths, the experienced Joanna isn't prepared for the knowledge she's about to uncover. Though she's tried to protect her children from the dangers of the grown-up world, the search for justice leads straight to her own door and forces her to face the possibility that her beloved daughter may be less perfect than she seems--especially when a photo from the crime scene ends up on Facebook. A photo only one person close to the crime scene could have taken.

The gruesome picture is just the tip of the iceberg. Even a small, close-knit town like Bisbee has its secrets. Navigating her way through the unfamiliar world of social media, Joanna discovers shocking--and incriminating--information. The details build, from a hushed-up suspension, to a group of teenagers with a grudge against the late Ms. Highsmith, to a hateful video calling for the principal's death. The video evidence points to one particular privileged boy, who's already lawyered up thanks to his father, a well-to-do doctor determined to protect his son's reputation. Yet the deeper Joanna digs, the more complications she uncovers. It seems the quiet, upstanding principal had a hidden past, full of mysterious secrets she'd successfully kept buried for years.

As the seasoned sheriff juggles professional constraints and personal demands--budget cuts, new team members, an arrogant coroner, a confused teenager, a precocious toddler, and a high-maintenance mother--she finds herself walking a fine line between justice and family that has never been so blurred.



About The Author

 J. A. Jance is the New York Times bestselling author of the J. P. Beaumont series, the Joanna Brady series, the Ali Reynolds series, and four interrelated thrillers about the Walker family. Born in South Dakota and brought up in Bisbee, Arizona, Jance lives with her husband in Seattle, Washington, and Tucson, Arizona.

My Review

 First of all I have a bit of an issue with book pricing.  I bought the trade paperback of this book at Costco for three dollars less than the Kindle edition is priced.  I find that really annoying.  I have a lot of books and to save on clutter I prefer ebooks these days of novels.  I don't think that any ebook should be over $9.99 and if they are priced more than that then it is very unlikely I will purchase it.  I will wait my turn at the library usually.

Anyways, another good read by J.A. Jance. I've always enjoyed this series set in Bisbee, Arizona.  Sheriff Joanna Brady has a lot to deal with having a new husband, young son, teenage daughter and a mother who is a piece of work!  The mystery around the murder of the high school principal hits close to home in more ways than one.  But there is an interesting back story about her father's death.  

Good, easy read!


 

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