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3.95 AVERAGE
3.95 AVERAGE
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Seventeen stab wounds = overkill
That is however the method by which wealthy video game business owner Chuck Brewster was killed, and all the evidence points to his wife Clarice (whom, according to rumor, he was planning to divorce) having done it. The sheer number of times he was stabbed indicates a crime of passion, and Clarice was even found covered in blood and holding the knife in the bedroom where the body lay dead, muttering that she must have stabbed him. Clarice is taken into custody and the police figure that barring any new evidence they have their perpetrator, although one of the detectives suspects that housekeeper Donna Jean (who has a record for killing her abusive husband years earlier) might be involved. Clarice reaches out to her ex-husband (and Chuck's former partner) B. Simpson for advice, but B. is away on business so she reaches B.'s wife Ali instead. When Ali relates the gist of the call to B. he flatly refuses to have anything to do with it...when your wife cheats on you with your friend and partner, it doesn't usually lead to a harmonious divorce...but Ali (who apparently has a hereditary tendency to butt into other people's business) feels compelled to stay involved. She uses Frigg, the AI created by one of their cybersecurity company's employees, to delve into the case, and what Frigg finds leads them to suspect that the police are on the wrong track. Meanwhile Cami, another of the firm's employees, suspects that she is being followed and narrowly avoids being kidnapped (or worse), though she can't figure out who would want to do so or why. Frigg is tasked with identifying possible suspects in that situation as well, and may be the best chance to find out what is going on in both cases.
It has been awhile since I've read a J. A. Jance novel, and even then it was either in the J. P. Beaumont (who has a brief cameo in this outing) or Joanna Brady series. Overkill reads well as a standalone, with enough details provided for the different characters to be able to fill in their connections and backstories. There are two different mysteries going on and chapters bounce between the two, with Ali being the main point of overlap for them. I guessed pretty early on what was happening in the Brewster murder, which was a bit disappointing, but found the story an overall enjoyable read. Readers of the series will likely be pleased to see what is going on with the various characters' lives, and having an AI entity is an interesting twist (though at times if felt like an overly convenient plot device to get the investigations quickly from A to B in ways I expect wouldn't hold up to scrutiny in the real world). I would rate the book at 3.5 ⭐️ (rounded up to 4), and think it will appeal to readers of Karin Slaughter, Jo Callaghan and Lisa Gardner. My thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for allowing me access to a copy of Overkill in exchange for my honest review.
That is however the method by which wealthy video game business owner Chuck Brewster was killed, and all the evidence points to his wife Clarice (whom, according to rumor, he was planning to divorce) having done it. The sheer number of times he was stabbed indicates a crime of passion, and Clarice was even found covered in blood and holding the knife in the bedroom where the body lay dead, muttering that she must have stabbed him. Clarice is taken into custody and the police figure that barring any new evidence they have their perpetrator, although one of the detectives suspects that housekeeper Donna Jean (who has a record for killing her abusive husband years earlier) might be involved. Clarice reaches out to her ex-husband (and Chuck's former partner) B. Simpson for advice, but B. is away on business so she reaches B.'s wife Ali instead. When Ali relates the gist of the call to B. he flatly refuses to have anything to do with it...when your wife cheats on you with your friend and partner, it doesn't usually lead to a harmonious divorce...but Ali (who apparently has a hereditary tendency to butt into other people's business) feels compelled to stay involved. She uses Frigg, the AI created by one of their cybersecurity company's employees, to delve into the case, and what Frigg finds leads them to suspect that the police are on the wrong track. Meanwhile Cami, another of the firm's employees, suspects that she is being followed and narrowly avoids being kidnapped (or worse), though she can't figure out who would want to do so or why. Frigg is tasked with identifying possible suspects in that situation as well, and may be the best chance to find out what is going on in both cases.
It has been awhile since I've read a J. A. Jance novel, and even then it was either in the J. P. Beaumont (who has a brief cameo in this outing) or Joanna Brady series. Overkill reads well as a standalone, with enough details provided for the different characters to be able to fill in their connections and backstories. There are two different mysteries going on and chapters bounce between the two, with Ali being the main point of overlap for them. I guessed pretty early on what was happening in the Brewster murder, which was a bit disappointing, but found the story an overall enjoyable read. Readers of the series will likely be pleased to see what is going on with the various characters' lives, and having an AI entity is an interesting twist (though at times if felt like an overly convenient plot device to get the investigations quickly from A to B in ways I expect wouldn't hold up to scrutiny in the real world). I would rate the book at 3.5 ⭐️ (rounded up to 4), and think it will appeal to readers of Karin Slaughter, Jo Callaghan and Lisa Gardner. My thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for allowing me access to a copy of Overkill in exchange for my honest review.
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
hopeful
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Ms. Jance never disappoints
challenging
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Overkill by JA Jance is proof solid that one never gets too old to write an impressive novel, full of technology and flair. Ali Reynolds is one of her best characters, in a stable of excellent characters. More importantly is Frigg, an AI that Lance had “rescued” several years earlier. He was a God-send despite the fact that his lessons in right/wrong and legal/illegal were not taking hold. That often proved to be a blessing. Ali had answered a call meant for B, who was out of town, only to discover that it was his ex-wife who had been arrested for murdering her husband, once B’s best friend and partner, and was looking for help. She immediately told Frigg to research it and resolved to tell B at the first opportunity. Well, that hadn’t gone well, but Ali and Frigg kept investigating. Cami, meanwhile was on a sales trip to California and had felt she was being watched, then when she ran into a rough looking man several times, she panicked and called the security B had set up for just this sort of situation. She was retrieved shortly and taken to safety. All of a sudden High Noon had a lot going on.
Ali is a sixty-ish woman who had lived several previous lives, including that of a news program anchor. She had been let go over her age and that and a few other things had led her to B and High Noon, a cybersecurity concern that had clients all over the world. Cami has proven to be an excellent salesperson and traveled to sell their services to multiple clients. This book is full of interesting characters, most just doing their daily jobs. It is written in segments, jumping from one storyline to the next. This technique keeps the story moving along nicely. The plot (s) were good and watching Frigg grow has been a high point in the most recent of novels. In this one, he basically solved the murder on his own, cleverly, I might add. A terrific addition to a wonderful series.
I was invited to read Overkill by Gallery Books. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #GalleryBooks #JAJance #Overkill
I have to shetland up, I have been thinking that the Ali Reynolds series has been in decline for some time but Overkill by J.A. Jance shows what a fantastic storyteller she is. Wonderfully written and filled with twist like nothing else. I won't spoil the fun, mothers the word but I like the fact that one of the oldest authors I read is the one with most computer AI in her books. I really enjoyed reading this book and recommend it to all fans of good fiction out there. Thanks to Edelweiss , Simon & Schuster and Gallery Books for letting me read this advance copy.