I've been reading (well, actually listening to them on tape) Jance's Joanna Brady series for years. I've probably read 5 or 6 of them, all from later in the series. It's no secret that in the later books, she's the sheriff of Cochise County, Arizona, living in the old mining town of Bisbee.
This is the first in the series, and I loved it. As someone else said in their comments, it connects all the dots for those who have read later books in the series, which makes it very satisfying. If you haven't read any of the series, by all means start here. You do want to read this series.
The blurb above tells you about the plot. It's a good story. For most of the book, everyone but Joanna believes that her husband, the deputy sheriff that died of a gunshot wound, killed himself because his crooked dealings with drug dealers were unraveling. Joanna knows that's not possible, but she's the only one who believes it.
If I didn't know things from reading later books, I might have found the depth of the conspiracy against her and her husband too depressing to enjoy the story. Luckily, I know that it all turns out all right, so I could stand it. Things get pretty dark for Joanna before the light comes on in the end.
It's a sign of an excellent writer when the troubles of the characters in the story have that kind of an effect on the reader. Jance is a top-flight, first class mystery writer. Read the book.
This is the first in the series, and I loved it. As someone else said in their comments, it connects all the dots for those who have read later books in the series, which makes it very satisfying. If you haven't read any of the series, by all means start here. You do want to read this series.
The blurb above tells you about the plot. It's a good story. For most of the book, everyone but Joanna believes that her husband, the deputy sheriff that died of a gunshot wound, killed himself because his crooked dealings with drug dealers were unraveling. Joanna knows that's not possible, but she's the only one who believes it.
If I didn't know things from reading later books, I might have found the depth of the conspiracy against her and her husband too depressing to enjoy the story. Luckily, I know that it all turns out all right, so I could stand it. Things get pretty dark for Joanna before the light comes on in the end.
It's a sign of an excellent writer when the troubles of the characters in the story have that kind of an effect on the reader. Jance is a top-flight, first class mystery writer. Read the book.
