I have mixed feelings about the fourth book in the Joanna Brady series. Since the book is older, (and I suspect few people will be looking at this review), I am just going to touch briefly on my thoughts.On a positive note, I found the plot in this novel to be much more involved than earlier ones in the series. There are also several subplots that occur in addition to the main one and Jance does a good job tying them altogether to make an interesting story. The reader also gets more detailed knowledge about Joanna's struggle to balance work and family life and why she feels it is so important to succeed as Sheriff. Finally, Jance provides the reader with a more in-depth look at some of the supporting characters' personal lives which is fantastic. Up to this point in the series, it seems the character focus has been primarily on Joanna and her daughter Jenny. It was nice to get a better understanding about Joanna's friends Marianne and Jeff, as well as a peek at what is behind the tumultuous relationship she has with Chief Deputy Richard Voland.On the flip side, there was one thing that REALLY bothered me. Jance portrays her protagonist as moderately progressive. In addition, the character is always defending the rights of others and viewed as always taking the moral high road. So I was shocked when the main character uses quite a derogatory term more than once to refer to a group of immigrants involved in a motor vehicle crash. This language was so out of character that I thought I must have misread it. I feel I must give an example from this book as to why I found this problematic. In the beginning pages of this book, Joanna explains how she became so close to her best friend Marianne. Basically, in their middle school years, someone at school calls Marianne a "half-breed" and Joanna was so upset by the "casual indifference" that the comment was delivered with that she immediately takes to her defense and they become life-long friends. So why then would Joanna feel it is okay to use derogatory slang, especially in the workplace?With that said, I will continue reading the series. I am hoping that the remarks were nothing more than an oversight by Jance and that they will not be present in the future.
My wife and I are reading the Sheriff Joanne Brady and and J. P.Beaumont novels in chronological order. She is several titles ahead of me in both series. In this, the fourth Brady novel, Jance appears to be hitting her stride. There is more action, more suspense, and more complexity. All of the major continuing characters and their back stories have been introduced. (When you encounter new characters in a Brady novel, they are likely to be the murderers or victims, especially if they are from out of town.) Forget trying to solve the main mystery; much of the motivation for that murder is withheld until the end. In this tale, which takes place four months after husband Andy's death, the main focus is on the various characters' story arcs: Joanna caught in a crossfire between her nine year old still grieving daughter and her interfering mother, her continuing friction with Chief Deputy Voland (who has his own issues), a budding romance with her recent acquaintance Butch Dixon, the Maculyeas' adoption issues, and her own mother's liaison with the town coroner. BTW, said coroner is overworked. There are at least three murders, three vehicular homicides, and two suicides over the course of the novel. All of which means that the Cochise County Sheriff's Department and Joanna in particular are overstressed and desparate for a night's sleep.
What do You think about Dead To Rights (1997)?
The fourth installment of the Joanna Brady series, it was a good read. Not sure if it was because I wasn't paying close attention but it did surprise me who the culprits were at the end. It touched on things like drunk driving, mental health and domestic violence. On book 3 there was a reference about illegal immigration and on book 4 it was more pronounced. Trying to do a good cop/bad cop on the debate, the good cop doesn't really try to give a defense. Then again the book was published in 1996 and since then things haven't changed much in Arizona.Apart from that, it's nice to re-visit Joanna, her friends and family and see what they are up to. And you can see some of the seeds being planted for romance on future books.
—Yvonne Mendez
Jance is an old hand at writing strong mystery plots. For me, though, her real magic lies in her series set in her native Seattle. When she takes up with characters in the desert southwest, she still spins a good tale, and yet the heart of the matter is different. There are subtle language changes that imply a different sense toward undocumented workers than my own, one that is lacking in tolerance or a sense of ambiguity.Are Seattle's cops angels? Not so much. But Jance is able to create an alternate universe that I buy into so that I believe they are, at least while I'm reading, and until the story ends.When Joanna Brady wears the badge, we can almost hear her gossiping at the cafe about all those pesky "illegals". I read her work because she writes good mysteries, but this series makes me gag now and then. I won't pay full jacket price for any of the Brady series. Sometimes I find it absorbing, but then I'll turn a page and feel my breakfast roll over in my stomach. It's not a good feeling.
—Donna Davis
Joanna Brady is a single mother dealing with grief over the loss of her husband. She has to deal with an over-bearing mother and a 9-year-old daughter as she struggles to balance her life. She is also Sheriff of a large county in southern Arizona, where she works with some men who resent her in the position. But Brady is able to handle the demands of being a law-enforcement officer with common sense and sympathy. J. A. Jance's writing of the Arizona terrain resonates with those who know the area. It is rich with a history of Apache strongholds and mining. This is the 4th in the Joanna Brady series, and Jance portrays a real-life character that the reader cheers for, worries about, and is happy when she is successful in solving crimes. I look forward to reading the next episode in Joanna Brady's life.
—Judy
