Book Review ~ Women of Justice Series

I love murder mysteries. Totally love them. So, when I look for a good murder mystery, it has got to have all the elements: complex characters, roller coaster twists and heart stopping turns and who-dun-its that will surprise the heck out of you. Sitting down to read the Women of Justice Series by Lynette Eason gave me all that and more.

If you love fast-paced, amazingly written murder mysteries, then look no further than this worthy crime suspense. You will be swept away into a whirlwind of action and crime, following sisters Samantha, Jamie, & Kit and the rest of their teams as they hunt down the killer of innocent people in a small Indiana town.

Women of Justice Series ~ Book #1 Too Close To Home

Samantha Cash is the F.B.I.’s secret weapon. Her methods are invisible, and she never stops until the case is closed. When missing teens begin turning up dead in a small Southern town, Samantha is assigned to help local chief Connor Wolfe find the killer. And he has two problems with that. There’s her faith in God and herself. And then there’s the fact that she looks exactly like his late wife. As they get close to an answer, the case becomes personal. The killer seems to be taking an interest in Connor’s 16 year old daughter, who thinks her dad is getting way too protective. Can’t a girl just have some fun? Too Close to Home ratchets up the suspense with each page, and will have readers cheering for the characters they love as justice is served and love grows even in the face of danger. Read this one with the lights on!

Too Close to Home is a suspense thriller intended primarily for a Christian audience. Though the religious element is present, many readers will welcome the fact that the book is written without resorting to objectionable and offensive language. Individually, the characters are nicely drawn, but their interpersonal relationships ~ in particular those of the lead characters ~ often seem somewhat unrealistic, lacking real-life credibility. Still, the story is fast-paced, the plot well accomplished with references to modern technology and the role it plays in both committing and solving crimes.

Women of Justice ~ Book #2 Don’t Look Back

One man lives to see her dead—the other is fighting to keep her alive. Twelve years ago, forensic anthropologist Jamie Cash survived a brutal kidnapping. After years of therapy, she has made a life for herself—though one that is haunted by memories of her terrifying past. She finally lets herself believe that she can have a close relationship with a man, when signs start appearing that point to one frightening fact ~ her attacker is back and ready to finish the job he started all those years ago. Can she escape his grasp a second time? And will she ever be able to let down her guard enough to find true love?

Don't Look Back is an intense novel, pulling you into its twists and turns to hold you there until the very last page.  Definitely.not a book to be read late at night if one expects to sleep. The characters are richly drawn and draw the reader in, as if they're part of the action as well. The strongly developed plot races forward, ever fearful but also ever hopeful. This is a solid sequel to the first book in the series, and will have readers anxiously awaiting the next.

Women of Justice Series ~ Book #3 A Killer Among Us

Kit Kenyon is a first-rate hostage negotiator. Noah Lambert is a good detective with excellent instincts. The new partners have hardly had time to get used to each other when they are thrown into a grisly murder case. As evidence mounts up and more victims are found, Kit and Noah realize they are on the hunt for a serial killer. The problem is, he’s hunting one of them too. With nail-biting suspense, clever plot twists, and a hint of sweet romance, it will keep readers up late as they race to discover the killer–and whether Kit and Noah will live to tell about it.

A Killer Among Us is a fairly typical serial killer novel, but the story here is focused more on the detectives and their relationship with each other. They have an immediate bond as detective partners, which quickly develops into mutual trust and then romance. But Kit, trained as a hostage negotiator and very good at her job, has a hard time reconciling some of her own personal issues, something Noah tries to work with her to resolve. The twisty murder mystery story line plays out well, and the small college town setting offers an interesting contrast to the horror of the crimes.

I found all three novels were written with heart-stopping suspense, gritty realism, and a touch of romance, and having certain common elements in each of them. If you appreciate character and story-driven suspense novels that are also written without any coarse language you will enjoy these books.

You’re sure to be hooked from the beginning, and if you’re like me, you're trapped until you turn the very last page.

Take Care