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A Shot at Justice
2023 NYC Big Book Award Distinguished Favorite Thriller
Wyatt Dardin is an artist and successful junkyard operator, with a girlfriend and two beautiful dogs. He believes his violent childhood is behind him until a child shows up with a broken arm and a story about his abusive father. Unable to stand idly by, he confronts the man and inadvertently kills him. He makes the body disappear on his property realizing whether it’s justified or wrong, it finally feels good to be doing something to stop abusers. As his childhood resurfaces, he sets out to find his mother, a woman who fled his father’s abuse all those years ago. Is she still alive? On the journey west, another story of abuse arises. Should he kill again and if so, how many killings are enough to scare potential abusers from committing an act they should pay for? He briefly befriends a young man, who’s mentally broken due to his father’s abuse. Wyatt takes pity on him and helps him. This act of kindness sparks a series of events that puts everything and everyone Wyatt holds dear in grave danger. Has his shot at justice been worth it?
Wyatt Dardin is an artist and successful junkyard operator, with a girlfriend and two beautiful dogs. He believes his violent childhood is behind him until a child shows up with a broken arm and a story about his abusive father. Unable to stand idly by, he confronts the man and inadvertently kills him. He makes the body disappear on his property realizing whether it’s justified or wrong, it finally feels good to be doing something to stop abusers. As his childhood resurfaces, he sets out to find his mother, a woman who fled his father’s abuse all those years ago. Is she still alive? On the journey west, another story of abuse arises. Should he kill again and if so, how many killings are enough to scare potential abusers from committing an act they should pay for? He briefly befriends a young man, who’s mentally broken due to his father’s abuse. Wyatt takes pity on him and helps him. This act of kindness sparks a series of events that puts everything and everyone Wyatt holds dear in grave danger. Has his shot at justice been worth it?
314 pages, Paperback
Published March 1, 2023
76 people are currently reading
4866 people want to read
About the author
Karla M. Jay
8 books585 followersKarla M. Jay is an award-winning historical fiction author. She loves to travel, garden, and to discover a story that has never been told. Follow her on BookBub! https://www.bookbub.com/authors/karla...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
August 2, 2023
A Shot at Justice is the perfect name for this book. The author does a brillant job of developing the main character, Wyatt. He is deeply conflicted by a need to know why his mother abandoned him, and a need to prove he his better than the father who abused him. She shows his mental state spiraling deeper and deeper into a whirlpool of madness as he is drawn to right the wrongs against children and animals he enconters along the way. I enjoyed this story and its quirky ending. Nora Wolfenbarger author of The Blackbird Series.
March 12, 2023
Karla Jay’s A Shot at Justice grips you from its opening scene with Wyatt Darden cleaning his grandfather’s Winchester 30:30 at the kitchen table. The story is told in first person and we see immediately that Darden, a former CIA agent, had a troubled childhood. Later we learn just how troubled it was.
This is a vigilante novel, nail-biting suspense in a neo-noir package. Karla Jay successfully inhabits Darden’s mind as he travels back and forth across the country dispensing his brand of justice and searching for his estranged mother. The author’s grasp of the psychological aspects of a criminal act and its aftermath is impressive.
And while we, as readers, can’t morally agree with Darden’s actions, we empathize. That’s the mark of a really good writer.
The way she builds Darden’s paranoia is as masterful as Cornell Woolrich. The morphing of the character Kaw from what we think he is to who he really is ranks right up there with the villains in some of the works by John D. MacDonald and James Lee Burke.
This is edge-of-your-seat suspense with great character studies. Karla Jay went to some pretty dark places to create A Shot at Justice.
Her aim was true.
This is a vigilante novel, nail-biting suspense in a neo-noir package. Karla Jay successfully inhabits Darden’s mind as he travels back and forth across the country dispensing his brand of justice and searching for his estranged mother. The author’s grasp of the psychological aspects of a criminal act and its aftermath is impressive.
And while we, as readers, can’t morally agree with Darden’s actions, we empathize. That’s the mark of a really good writer.
The way she builds Darden’s paranoia is as masterful as Cornell Woolrich. The morphing of the character Kaw from what we think he is to who he really is ranks right up there with the villains in some of the works by John D. MacDonald and James Lee Burke.
This is edge-of-your-seat suspense with great character studies. Karla Jay went to some pretty dark places to create A Shot at Justice.
Her aim was true.
April 26, 2023
A creative, suspenseful thriller! Read this in a little over 7 or 8 hours (on flights) and it was the perfect book for traveling because it is so exciting and engrossing. I could not put this down and was surprised by quick the time went. Wyatt Dardin is a really well developed, interesting character who is at times loathsome and vile, while heroic and laudable at others. As the reader you feel his calculating control until all of a sudden everything is spiraling. Lots of fun twists and turns in interesting characters. Great read!
This was a refreshing change to my usual picks and I highly recommend it even if you aren't usually a thriller person!
This was a refreshing change to my usual picks and I highly recommend it even if you aren't usually a thriller person!
March 18, 2023
Once again, Karla has shown an uncanny ability to pull the reader into whatever web she chooses to masterfully spin. This time, we are gently, at first, lowered down a darkening shaft into the troubled mind of Wyatt Dardin. Under his respectable, Mr. Nice Guy, everyday citizen, burns a rage planted deep during a childhood bossed by a drunken, abusive father. No protection available from his mother who has fled, leaving Wyatt to his depraved father’s compulsions. Wyatt has tasted the bitterness of injustice but buried it deep, finally acting on it only after an incident surfaces right under his nose that’s too close to the hell suppressed within. His plan is fuzzy but he’s irresistibly compelled to act—to right the wrong. We spend the rest of the book tagging along with ex-CIA agent Wyatt as he slides into a dark chasm unable to abide the apathetic inactions of the courts and society at large. A psychological thriller that’ll keep you awake much too late into the night. This is the forth book of Karla's I’ve read in the last couple of years and once again, I'm awed by her ability to engage all my senses in printed words on a page. I can hardly wait to see what she puts out next.
March 16, 2023
In this dark psychological thriller, Wyatt Dardin makes up for the abuse he suffered as a child by making a good faith attempt to correct an abusive parent. The confrontation quickly ramps up to violence at the highest level and Wyatt is compelled to cover things up. The path of the avenger leads Wyatt into a whirlpool of violence that threatens to engulf him and his long time woman friend. Popular movies like The Equalizer glorify the actions of the avenger or vigilante, but this book provides a rare glimpse into the inner demons that actually drive a person to take action. A propulsive page turner.
March 19, 2023
pins and needles
Karla M Jay gets the reader in the first sentence. From the beginning we see the main character as deeply troubled. As the story progresses will he end up as a sane person who learns to resolve his childhood memories? This is one book I could not put down until the mystery was solved. Oh, how I want to give the resolution in this review but I know that is a no-no. Read it! Read it!
Karla M Jay gets the reader in the first sentence. From the beginning we see the main character as deeply troubled. As the story progresses will he end up as a sane person who learns to resolve his childhood memories? This is one book I could not put down until the mystery was solved. Oh, how I want to give the resolution in this review but I know that is a no-no. Read it! Read it!
April 15, 2023
This is a dark psychological thriller not for the faint of heart. The author does a great job of getting the message across about child and animal abuse without much gory detail, but, yes, there is some. The last 25% of the book is especially gripping. “Turns out most of us can only be our best when we have a reason to live and someone to love.” This is a quote from near the end of the book and summarizes the story perfectly.
May 29, 2023
If you like suspense/revenge this is the book for you. You can't help rooting for Wyatt's mission to help abused animals and people that can't help themselves. He's unique skill set helps him execute this justice and stay under the radar, but how long can he go undetected? Little do you know there is another story at play and that's finding his mother and looking for answers from his childhood. There are a lot of twists and turns leaving you wanting more. I hope there is a sequel.
March 7, 2023
Jay is a diverse writer, from humor to historical fiction, and now a thriller. I love vigilante stories and this one did not disappoint! Pet-owners will rally around Wyatt as he deals with low-lifes that the law has not punished.
March 16, 2023
This is the fourth of Karla's books I have read. Every one of them well written and hard to put down. Wyatt is a character that is easy to have empathy for and a story woven so well that every thread makes you want to finish the cloak. Thanks Karla - looking forward to number 5!
May 29, 2023
Realistic Heart-Tugging Read!
The author obviously writes with genuine feeling and knowledge of animal abusers and what some of us would like to see done to them! Great, enjoyable story!
The author obviously writes with genuine feeling and knowledge of animal abusers and what some of us would like to see done to them! Great, enjoyable story!
April 15, 2023
A twisted ending
I could not put this riveting book down. The fast pace twist and turns kept me reading. The ending took me by surprise but I liked it.
I could not put this riveting book down. The fast pace twist and turns kept me reading. The ending took me by surprise but I liked it.
December 19, 2023
When amazing story! I wasn't sure when I first started reading this book ! It was Decidely different from most of the books I read! Its engaging, brilliant and a story about life in another time! It brings to life the inherent ways we, as a nation, treat others around! We nay never see these people again but they deserve to be treated fairly!!
July 14, 2023
I won this e-book book by Karla M. Jay as part of a Goodreads giveaway.
This book was very engaging and a page turner. Wyatt took it upon himself to rid the world of people who abuse animals. Unfortunately along the way he encountered a crazy man who was set on destroying everyone and everything in Wyatt's life.
#Goodreads giveaway
This book was very engaging and a page turner. Wyatt took it upon himself to rid the world of people who abuse animals. Unfortunately along the way he encountered a crazy man who was set on destroying everyone and everything in Wyatt's life.
#Goodreads giveaway
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 13, 2023
Really great book
This is a great story, well-written and with interesting characters. After every interruption, I couldn't wait to get back to it.
Wyatt Dardin is ex-CIA, now an artist, living in his grandparents' house and running a junkyard with his two Dobermans. Twice a week, he volunteers at the Boys and Girls Club with art projects.
When one of the boys comes in with a broken arm due to child abuse, Wyatt sees red. He cannot tolerate people who abuse people or animals. He decides to look up the boy's father and put a scare into him.
The story deals with child abuse and animal abuse in case you can't cope with that. It's not overly graphic and much of it takes place off the page.
9
This is a great story, well-written and with interesting characters. After every interruption, I couldn't wait to get back to it.
Wyatt Dardin is ex-CIA, now an artist, living in his grandparents' house and running a junkyard with his two Dobermans. Twice a week, he volunteers at the Boys and Girls Club with art projects.
When one of the boys comes in with a broken arm due to child abuse, Wyatt sees red. He cannot tolerate people who abuse people or animals. He decides to look up the boy's father and put a scare into him.
The story deals with child abuse and animal abuse in case you can't cope with that. It's not overly graphic and much of it takes place off the page.
9
June 9, 2023
loved it
This book impressed me. Once I started reading I didn’t want to put it down. The main character is Wyatt. He had a traumatic childhood that he still struggles with as an adult. Because of this he has a soft spot for abused kids and animals. He has 2 dogs he treats as children and those were my favorite parts to read about. We see Wyatt start to take the law into his own hands and try to make a difference while also finding answers to the questions from his past. 5 stars for me.
TW there is a death of a dog that is brought up a few times through out the book.
This book impressed me. Once I started reading I didn’t want to put it down. The main character is Wyatt. He had a traumatic childhood that he still struggles with as an adult. Because of this he has a soft spot for abused kids and animals. He has 2 dogs he treats as children and those were my favorite parts to read about. We see Wyatt start to take the law into his own hands and try to make a difference while also finding answers to the questions from his past. 5 stars for me.
TW there is a death of a dog that is brought up a few times through out the book.
June 23, 2023
An addicting and mind-tearing novel! I went back and forth between whether I sides with Wyatt or whether I thought he should have kept his record clean. But.......I feel his actions were justified. He was abused himself when he was younger and just wanted to help give a voice to those who are abused and silenced and unable to speak out themselves. If you have not yet heard about this book, I assure you you will soon.
June 16, 2023
Is revenge ever required for justice? This nailbiter story follows a man's belief that it is. The ending almost made me fall off the chair! Enjoyed the author immensely in this e-book from Goodreads.
June 9, 2024
A rolacoaster
More twist and turns than a fishing worm. And an ending that will have you scratching your head. By all means grab a copy, you will be glad you did. And yeah, Mikey liked it!
More twist and turns than a fishing worm. And an ending that will have you scratching your head. By all means grab a copy, you will be glad you did. And yeah, Mikey liked it!
April 30, 2023
awesome book
Page turning book that was just awesome. Thank you to Karla for the wonderful writing. I highly recommend this book.
Page turning book that was just awesome. Thank you to Karla for the wonderful writing. I highly recommend this book.
June 29, 2024
Shot at Justice
I really enjoyed this book, however at times I was a bit disappointed in some of choices that were made did not fit his background. Over all it was a good read.
I really enjoyed this book, however at times I was a bit disappointed in some of choices that were made did not fit his background. Over all it was a good read.
June 1, 2023
This is a book that animal lovers will embrace and totally empathize with. There are few triggers in the world that impact so many like an animal being abused. It almost generates a basic instinct. Those offended by this behavior are nearly driven to act to protect the defenseless creatures. Here, the logical step forward is not to just protect but avenge.
The lead character of Wyatt is a troubled mess who was imprinted with the impact of animal cruelty against him at a very young age. The impetus for his behaviors is worthy of a long psychological study. The author does an admirable job of showing the layers upon layers of the complex Wyatt.
The character development is top notch, and you can really feel for the central characters. His girlfriend’s character is left a bit more as an enigma. This is truly representative of how Wyatt tries to piece her into his relationship tree. There are action scenes that are intense and very well written. The overall core image of him stridently protecting animals at any personal cost to himself will warm the hearts of many readers.
There is but one tiny issue in this book. You have a former CIA operative who spent years in the field. At one point in the book, he is helpless to defend himself when attacked. Later in the book, his CIA training comes in hand as he is able to defend himself. For consistency, Wyatt either has to be able to defend himself all the time...or not. It just doesn't work to have it cut both ways.
If you can't stand the abuse of animals, then this is a must read for you. A very well-done book that deserves to be widely read. A truly wonderful presentation of the feelings that many get when they witness the pitiful abuse of animals.
Disclaimer: I bought a copy on Amazon CA.
My Rating: 4.75 stars
Reviewed by: Mr. N
This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/po...
The lead character of Wyatt is a troubled mess who was imprinted with the impact of animal cruelty against him at a very young age. The impetus for his behaviors is worthy of a long psychological study. The author does an admirable job of showing the layers upon layers of the complex Wyatt.
The character development is top notch, and you can really feel for the central characters. His girlfriend’s character is left a bit more as an enigma. This is truly representative of how Wyatt tries to piece her into his relationship tree. There are action scenes that are intense and very well written. The overall core image of him stridently protecting animals at any personal cost to himself will warm the hearts of many readers.
There is but one tiny issue in this book. You have a former CIA operative who spent years in the field. At one point in the book, he is helpless to defend himself when attacked. Later in the book, his CIA training comes in hand as he is able to defend himself. For consistency, Wyatt either has to be able to defend himself all the time...or not. It just doesn't work to have it cut both ways.
If you can't stand the abuse of animals, then this is a must read for you. A very well-done book that deserves to be widely read. A truly wonderful presentation of the feelings that many get when they witness the pitiful abuse of animals.
Disclaimer: I bought a copy on Amazon CA.
My Rating: 4.75 stars
Reviewed by: Mr. N
This review first appeared: https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/po...
March 16, 2023
From the opening page, I was thoroughly vested in this gripping vigilante story. Having suffered abuse from his father as a child, Wyatt has great compassion for neglected and mistreated animals and humans. He begins taking criminal action against perpetrators to make them pay for their violent acts. Karla masterfully portrays the psyche of Wyatt as he takes justice into his own hands while evading the authorities and destroying evidence of his crimes.
I thoroughly enjoyed this well written, page-turning novel of suspense by one of my favorite authors and can’t wait to see what Karla has in store for us next. I have read every book she has published and just love her writing style. She never fails to entertain!
I thoroughly enjoyed this well written, page-turning novel of suspense by one of my favorite authors and can’t wait to see what Karla has in store for us next. I have read every book she has published and just love her writing style. She never fails to entertain!
May 12, 2023
From the first page of A Shot at Justice, Karla M. Jay introduces a conflicted character; just how conflicted remains to be revealed. This suspense novel has many twisty threads and despite taking place in the late 1990's (with earlier flashbacks), it touches on issues still timely today such as child and animal abuse, PTSD and mental illness. As the "conflicted" character seemingly descends deeper into paranoia and compulsive violence which I found a bit gut wrenching and sometimes needing to take a break from reading. Thankfully, I always returned to the novel and found that Ms. Jay deftly weaved the twisty threads together for a satisfactory conclusion. I won this Kindle Edition in a Goodreads Giveway.
September 18, 2023
***I received a free Kindle copy via Goodreads Giveaways in exchange for a honest review. ***
I won a copy of this in March 2023. Obviously, it took me some serious time to get around to it. I barely remembered what the book was about when I won, much least by the time that I got around to actually reading it 5 months later.
I knew that I needed to get it read, rated and reviewed, so I finally jumped into it, blind. I figured that was the best way to go, just in case the blurb made me less inclined to start and tempted me towards one of the other 1500+ books, currently in my possession.
The first couple of chapters moved along at a good pace, keeping my attention, but sometime after Wyatt dealt with the first problem, the book flipped back and forth, feeling like two novels swirled into one. There was way too much going on for this to be a great read. I am all for standalone novels, love them, but this felt like it could have been either a much longer book (please, no), or edited to be a duology. There was so much going on: child abuse, domestic violence, childhood trauma, animal abuse, child abandonment, the hunting down of one's mom, murder(s), dealing with the perpetrators of the forementioned animal and child abuse, plus running a junkyard, owning a store, remembering lost grandparents, recalling the death of a parent, volunteering, traveling, just to list a few. I think the book could have done without the Mom subplot and just focused on Wyatt and his need for "justice".
We got a small sense of Wyatt and his career (didn't feel like that was important to the overall story, at all), and his current world, featuring The Boys' and Girls' Club, his love of painting, the junkyard, the dogs and the "girlfriend". Then we get why the title has subtitle attached (a vigilante story) and things start to get interesting, for a bit, but then the author starts to lose me and fast. I was fully invested in the Jasper, Millie, Wyatt arc, all before Wyatt started traveling and taking his brand of vengeance on the road. Thats when the book started to lag for me, as it felt like just a bunch of random scenarios tossed together. Nothing felt organic, but rather forced, all for the sake of a message.
Wyatt was likable, for the most part, except in terms of his romantic entanglements. Victoria came across as filler and an add-on to make our MC relatable. Their relationship added nothing to the overall story and at times, took me out of the story. The number of times that Victoria was described as being disappointed/sounding disappointed grated. Their ties made no sense, except for a persisting hunch that she would be used against him later in the book.
I liked the writing style of the author, as well as the general story. I think that the tale could have used a few more swipes at editing, to streamline the overall story as there was a bit of excess fluff that had no impact on the main arc. Some of his junkyard interactions with customers, served no great purpose, as did just some random paragraphs that disrupted the flow of the story. Within about 2-3 pages, mention of not discovering his mom's death, "no record of it", was made three times, twice on the same page. It's that kind of thing that drops my attention span. I need the information once, maybe a tiny remind 200 pages later, at the end, but it doesn't have to be force fed to me, especially when it isn't even major plot points.
Everything wrapped up by the end, tidy with a bow on top, when it was so clear from the back summary that this should not have been the type of book that ended with an HEA. AT ALL.
While I don't regret winning or reading this, I have no intentions of seeking out other books by the author. This simply wasn't my type of read.
I won a copy of this in March 2023. Obviously, it took me some serious time to get around to it. I barely remembered what the book was about when I won, much least by the time that I got around to actually reading it 5 months later.
I knew that I needed to get it read, rated and reviewed, so I finally jumped into it, blind. I figured that was the best way to go, just in case the blurb made me less inclined to start and tempted me towards one of the other 1500+ books, currently in my possession.
The first couple of chapters moved along at a good pace, keeping my attention, but sometime after Wyatt dealt with the first problem, the book flipped back and forth, feeling like two novels swirled into one. There was way too much going on for this to be a great read. I am all for standalone novels, love them, but this felt like it could have been either a much longer book (please, no), or edited to be a duology. There was so much going on: child abuse, domestic violence, childhood trauma, animal abuse, child abandonment, the hunting down of one's mom, murder(s), dealing with the perpetrators of the forementioned animal and child abuse, plus running a junkyard, owning a store, remembering lost grandparents, recalling the death of a parent, volunteering, traveling, just to list a few. I think the book could have done without the Mom subplot and just focused on Wyatt and his need for "justice".
We got a small sense of Wyatt and his career (didn't feel like that was important to the overall story, at all), and his current world, featuring The Boys' and Girls' Club, his love of painting, the junkyard, the dogs and the "girlfriend". Then we get why the title has subtitle attached (a vigilante story) and things start to get interesting, for a bit, but then the author starts to lose me and fast. I was fully invested in the Jasper, Millie, Wyatt arc, all before Wyatt started traveling and taking his brand of vengeance on the road. Thats when the book started to lag for me, as it felt like just a bunch of random scenarios tossed together. Nothing felt organic, but rather forced, all for the sake of a message.
Wyatt was likable, for the most part, except in terms of his romantic entanglements. Victoria came across as filler and an add-on to make our MC relatable. Their relationship added nothing to the overall story and at times, took me out of the story. The number of times that Victoria was described as being disappointed/sounding disappointed grated. Their ties made no sense, except for a persisting hunch that she would be used against him later in the book.
I liked the writing style of the author, as well as the general story. I think that the tale could have used a few more swipes at editing, to streamline the overall story as there was a bit of excess fluff that had no impact on the main arc. Some of his junkyard interactions with customers, served no great purpose, as did just some random paragraphs that disrupted the flow of the story. Within about 2-3 pages, mention of not discovering his mom's death, "no record of it", was made three times, twice on the same page. It's that kind of thing that drops my attention span. I need the information once, maybe a tiny remind 200 pages later, at the end, but it doesn't have to be force fed to me, especially when it isn't even major plot points.
Everything wrapped up by the end, tidy with a bow on top, when it was so clear from the back summary that this should not have been the type of book that ended with an HEA. AT ALL.
While I don't regret winning or reading this, I have no intentions of seeking out other books by the author. This simply wasn't my type of read.
September 24, 2023
I received an ARC through Goodreads. Wow. This one touched a nerve. A young man, who had a horrible childhood, takes on a vigilante role to protect abused animals and people, including kids. Despite his upbringing, he is a decent guy, just trying to make it in a troublesome world. While on his vigilante runs, he finds out multiple things about his family he never knew. The ending was unexpected but fits perfectly. Worth a read definitely. Warning, animal abuse, child abuse.
March 7, 2023
10% of the profit goes to ASPCA! Something different from Jay but she proves that versatility is not a problem for her. Although Wyatt Dardin believes he's put his dark childhood behind him, Wyatt snaps when a kiddo he cares about shares a story of an abusive father. This was a page-turner for sure!
❤️
❤️
March 7, 2023
Loved it! Think "Dexter for Dogs" although the main character saves many types of animals. I enjoyed this multi-layered story: Wyatt searching for his missing mother, Wyatt's interesting art, and how unexpected it is that he's a wealthy junkyard owner. Who knew. I hope there's a sequel!
March 23, 2023
Unusual but 3+***
Childhood trauma, CIA training, a love of the unprotected, just what turned one man into a vigilante. That was unusual to start but then making friends with someone who had more than one screw lose. Different and unusual and at times hard to believe.
Childhood trauma, CIA training, a love of the unprotected, just what turned one man into a vigilante. That was unusual to start but then making friends with someone who had more than one screw lose. Different and unusual and at times hard to believe.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews