Remains of Innocence

Hey, Folks!

Have I mentioned how much I love this blog? It allows me to read REALLY cool books before the general public gets ahold of them, so I can give you all the scoop about the best literature out there. The latest gem I have discovered is JA Jance’s “Remains of Innocence”, which is number 16 in the “Joanna Brady” series. I received this title free of charge at the author’s request from Harper Collins. In exchange, you all get the unvarnished truth from my perspective.

  The action begins with the shocking death of a beloved community member, which leaves Sheriff Brady determined to unmask a killer. Meanwhile across the country, a woman named Liza faces the grotesque task of sorting through the belongings of her mother, a hospice patient, who is also a hoarder. To her surprise, among the stacks of moldy books and magazines, she uncovers a large stash of $100 bills. Liza embarks on a journey to unravel the mystery of the unexpected treasure which will eventually land her in Arizona. Are all these strange events related? If they are, can Joanna and her team figure out the link before more people get hurt?

I am a long time fan of JA Jance’s work, and the most recent addition to her catalog does not disappoint. If you like Linda Fairstein or Mary Higgins Clark in the mainstream mystery genre, you will love Jance. Those not acquainted with this character should begin with the first novel in the series, “Desert Heat,” and progress chronologically from there. It is well worth the time invested. The targeted demographic for this one is 16 years and up. The only content warning I have is that the language tends to be a bit salty, so people sensitive to that should be aware, but I did not feel it distracted from the story at all. The level of violence is appropriate for this type of fiction. It is a murder mystery, after all. The unexpected developments will keep you captivated until the resolution, so my rating is five out of five stars.  I urge all armchair detectives to track down this case today! Until we meet again…
Happy Reading,
Carolyn