A Halloween mystery treat - Click this link to hear Kendall & Cooper Talk Mysteries, the Haunted kind, with author Deb Cuyle.  We also talk K&C ghost mystery stories, and offer some reading recommendations especially for this time of year

Suspenseful Downfall

J. A. Jance giving an engaging talk for a crowd at the Sno-Isle Libraries Foundation event

Downfall

By J. A. Jance

Did you say you’re looking to solve a murder mystery?  Here’s one that will heat you up with the ferocity of the chase and with the heat of Arizona.  Gather clues about a double murder with no-nonsense Sheriff Joanna Brady, to discover what leads to someone’s final downfall.  Whether or not you’re already a series fan, you’ll be thrilled to hear that the latest installment in the Joanna Brady saga delivers a suspenseful mystery.  If you haven’t dipped into this series before, you can dive right into this novel and fully enjoy it.

The bodies of two women are found at the base of a local, distinctive peak in the foothills that are just outside town.  Led by Joanna Brady, the police investigate to determine if this tragedy is an accident, a murder suicide, or a double homicide.  The investigation uncovers desperate circumstances behind seemingly quiet lives.  One of the enjoyable aspects of this book is that many clues uncovered lead in different, interesting directions.  How some of these converge into a relevant suspect is up to the reader, and the Sheriff to puzzle out.

Author J. A. Jance knows a lot about the setting. She spent much of her childhood in Bisbee, Arizona.  She still splits her time between Arizona and her home in the Seattle area.  At a recent event with the Sno-Isle Libraries Foundation, she spoke touchingly about her life, the strong women she’s known, and the obstacles she overcame becoming an author.  The stories of her life influence the characters of the mystery, creating a suspense that’s akin to reality.

Enjoy the researched information about the small town police department, and it’s partnerships with other enforcement agencies on particular cases.  Also an interesting K-9 patrol officer team contributes to the investigation.  Besides her job and the murder, Joanna is dealing with other cases, a re-election race for Sheriff, and some big family changes.

When you make tracks to your own investigation of Downfall you’ll see how Joanna Brady handles it all.

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