Justice Denied

I read a J.P. Beaumont book by Jance many (20?) years ago and thought it was just OK, but didn’t like it enough to read another until now. I wondered whether my opinion would change with this relatively recent release. It did. I couldn’t stand it. I got the audio book version on CD, and I stopped listening after the second disc. Enormous amounts of backstory have accumulated over the years, much of which was trotted out to pad the thread of a plot. Domestic doings may be fine if you’ve read the intervening books, but they seemed tedious, gratuitous, and trivial to me. Through disc 2, the total “detection” done by Beaumont was one poorly handled interview and one phone call to a police buddy who gave him all the basics of the show more case.

Just as annoying to me is the tone of Beaumont’s narration, which seems to be aimed at someone with a sixth-grade education. I felt like I was being talked down to.

I’m giving this book two stars on the chance that the next 6 discs hold treasure. Otherwise, it would be one. show less

J. P. Beaumont has been given a top-secret special assignment by his boss to look into the murder of an ex-con released when DNA evidence proved him innocent. Mel, J.P.'s live-in girlfriend and partner, has been given an assignment to investigate released sex offenders who have died under suspicious circumstances. Life at home gets very tense when J. P. has to keep his investigation from Mel.

Soon their cases collide and there are lots of strains put on their relationship as well. Can they untangle the web of these deaths and put things right at home as well?

I haven't read a bad J.P. Beumont book yet. I really enjoy Beau's thought process and how he seems to put his foot in it without meaning to. Great book with lots of twists and turns.

JP Beaumont is is a former homicide detective now working for the Special Homicide Investigative Team for the state of Washington, as is his partner, Mel Sloanes. He is investigating a special crime for the Washington Attorney General. Mel is doing a routine check on registered sex offenders. However, she is finding that they are dying at an unusual rate after they serve their sentence. The death that JP (Beau) is investigating appears to tie in with Mel's. Mel is also on the Board of a women's victim's help organization. The AG wants to know what is going on. it's an interesting tale of twists, turns, nuns, vigilantes, family grief, and justice.

I really enjoyed this book. It was a fast read for a cop procedural mystery. The story show more unfolded quickly with interesting red herrings thrown in along the way. The dialogue was quick and often witty. Very enjoyable and not the least bit gory or overly gruesome. show less

An ex-con drug dealer, now supposedly rehabilitated, is gunned down at his mother’s home. Beau is assigned to this case. Meanwhile, sex offenders in different cities have been dying at an alarming rate and not from natural causes. These seemingly unrelated cases eventually get tied together. And although Beau has repeatedly said he didn’t want another partner, because it never turns out well for them, Mel has become his unofficial partner. And though they sometimes have differing opinions, they work well together. This audio had a different narrator, J. R. Horne, who does a good job, but, of course, doesn’t sound like Beau to me. The addition of background music was a bit startling at first but adds some drama to the story.

The book opens with the murder of an ex con who seemed to be on the straight and narrow. J.P. Beaumont is called in to investigate, while his colleague/girlfriend Mel Soames is investigating a series of murders of registered sex offenders. Soon their investigations collide. The pacing is good, and the characters are very likeable, but I was not amused by the repeated references to the Special Homicide Investigation Team (the acronym is a 'joke' that is overplayed) and the ending fell flat for me. LS

Our hero is tracking down a killer of excons who were rapists. Good action with the usual family stuff mixed in. Good, quick read.

I started reading Jance years ago with this series and subsequently discovered Joanna Brady series, which I like as well. It's puzzling that an accomplished author can turn out such poor stand-alones like Web of Evil.