This is another good Jance mystery. Ali Reynolds, after succeeding to pass the rigors of the Arizona Police Academy is laid off from her position as media relations officer due to budget cuts. Being bored, when Brenda, an acquaintance from her broadcasting days, shows up looking for help to find her missing fiance. Ali says she'll help. Little did she know what a mess she would encounter. The fiance is found dead and Brenda is the prime suspect and she is missing. This one will keep you turning the pages. Good Story! I wanted to like this but...giving it a 2 was being somewhat generous.I like that Jance attempts to work in themes of faith etc but it just falls flat. I have 3 main problems with this book.1- The main character, Ali Reynolds is ultra sweet and perfect, always doing the right thing. She's a bit flat and predictable.2- The main character, Ali Reynolds is absent from a large portion of this book. The first part of the book focuses on her but then she's absent as the investigation gets going. Instead of focusing on the MC, Jance routinely brings in new characters to do the heavy lifting.3- Jance really loses focus in the middle section of this book. It wanders, badly. We get way too much back story on people who just don't matter. For example, there's a 911 call and we get to read all about the 911 operator, where she grew up, what her family was like etc. etc. etc. I don't care. Example 2- since Ali is absent we are introduced to the lead detective Gil. Again, this is in the middle of the book. We learn about his family, divorce, and then great detail about his last case, the suspects, their sibling rivalry, their mother etc etc etc. Again, don't care. I only get going because I wanted to like this book. I may try one more of the Ali Reynolds books, because I liked the first one, but I won't be as patient on the next one if I see the same problems.
What do You think about Fatal Error (2011)?
The Ali Reynold series isn't as good as the Joanne Brady and P.J. Beaumont series are.
—glamgem95
