Crimes of Memory

Detective Jackson Mystery #8

by L.J. Sellers

Fresh off the leave-of-absence he took following his ex-wife’s tragic death, Detective Wade Jackson’s life is in upheaval. He struggles to keep his grief-stricken, out-of-control daughter, Katie, from succumbing to the same alcoholism demon as her mother, while trying to reinvigorate a passion for his work. When a body is found in a local storage unit, Jackson hopes a simple open-and-shut homicide case will help him get back on track. But when the victim is identified as ex-con Craig Cooper—a former meth addict who did time for bank robbery, the spoils of which were never recovered—it becomes quickly apparent that the case will be challenging.

The same night Cooper is murdered, a firebomb goes off in a bottled water factory on the other side of town. The prime suspects are from an organization called Love the Earth—eco-terrorists believed to be modeling themselves after the infamous Earth Liberation Front. Fears that new group is plotting another attack bring agents from the ATF and FBI to town, among them Jamie Dallas, an undercover agent with a wild streak, and Carla River, an FBI agent with a complicated past. When Jackson discovers a shocking link between the murder case and the bombing, they will have to work together to solve both crimes before they blow up in their faces.

Genres: Crime, Mystery, Fiction, Audiobook, Thriller, Mystery Thriller

308 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 15, 2013

About the author

I write the bestselling Detective Jackson mystery/thriller series—a four-time Readers Favorite award winner—as well as the Agent Dallas series, the Extractor thrillers, and provocative standalone thrillers. My 30 novels have been highly praised and have sold more than a million copies.

I reside in Eugene, Oregon where my many of my novels are set, and I'm also an award-winning journalist who earned the Grand Neal. When not plotting murders, I enjoy standup comedy, cycling, social networking, and attending mystery conferences. I've also been known to jump out of airplanes.

Reviews

[Ivy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jackson struggles with his teenage daughter Katie, who got out of control while his new case gets more and more complicated when he learns that the ex meth addict, who did jail for bank robbery lived in the storage unit, where he was found dead.
Then his case intertwines with the firebomb, that went off in a bottle water factory, where the FBI got involved because the prime suspects are eco terrorist from "Love the Earth", an organisation already infiltrated by Undercover-Agent Dallas.
And when he learns that someone Katie trusts is involved with his case, things get out of control...

The writing is, as known, detailed but on point. The plot had me guessing till the end. And as always I wondered about the cases, unusual but not completely unbelievable. I mean a man shot with an arrow, then repeatedly stabbed, lots of suspects with difficult pasts - that's creative. And homeless people living in storage units - how sad is that?! And environmental activists and a shrink messing with her patients heads because of what happened to her in the past are new to me.

New characters like River, the FBI-Agent with a complicated past and Agent Dallas, who seems to get her own series, are a good addition to the circle of people we know but I was kind of let down by the fact, that Jackson has a lot going on personally in this one but with the case he seems not much involved.

The personal story was good, especially because I couldn't wait to see how things play out for Jackson and his family after he accidentally stabbed his ex wife. That 15-year-old Katie, who already changed previously gave him a really hard time here with drinking and getting herself in trouble as to punish him for what he did.
What I don't get is his relationship with Kera, that already took so many hits, she puts up with more crap than anyone else would. I really like Jackson but he seems to be the worst boyfriend ever. That she's still with him really is a mystery to me. At least he also wonders.

I read this book practically right after the past one and this time I found it really repetitive with descriptions. The story with Danielle, how Jackson always wanted a son, the making of the Trike, how the department has no money. And the huge twist in the end came somewhat too sudden.
I still enjoyed it but this would be more of a 3,5 Star read.

[David Highton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another reliable police procedural in the Wade Jackson series - Jackson investigates the murder of a semi-vagrant living in a self-storage unit while he worries about his daughter spinning out of control after the death of his ex-wife in the previous book. The local FBI pursue a parallel investigation into a firebomb at a local factory.

[Maureen Mullis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good mystery with a surprising ending. My only complaint was that in this book Detective Jackson seemed to take a back seat. It was an interesting storyline, but it felt like this was more of an introduction to her newest book, "The Trigger." Jamie Dallas is an interesting character and I am going to read her book, but I really like Wade Jackson and want more of him too.

I love LJ Sellers writing style; crisp and detailed and her storytelling is the best. I think I would like most anything she writes. I would highly recommend this book if you are fan of police procedurals.

[Marsali Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Detective Jackson isn’t having a good week. His teenage daughter has taken to drink, and he’s in charge of a homicide case – the death of an ex-con involved in a bank robbery. The other perp was shot by the cops, and $125,000 went missing ... He’s also got to work with FBI agent Carla Rivers over a firebomb in a local factory, thought to be planted by local activists Love the Earth, who’re being investigated by an undercover agent.

This police procedural gave a real sense of all the people involved in an investigation, with the interesting addition of an FBI involvement. The book begins with a cast list, but the author introduced each character well, so that I didn’t need to refer to it. Jackson was an interesting and sympathetic cop (though what is it about policemen that they only ever seem to have daughters?) and I enjoyed learning about Rivers. There was a good feel of a different area of America – Eugene, Oreg. The book was fast moving, cutting from police to FBI, and the plot was beautifully pulled together at the end of the book, with a surprise perp.

This is the eighth book in the Detective Jackson series, and for me, coming new to it, it was slightly over-loaded with back story and series characters. I’d definitely recommend the series, but if you’re new to L J Seller too, and enjoy American police procedurals, then I’d start at the beginning with The Sex Club.

[Cathy Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the latest book in the Detective Jackson series, we catch up with Wade Jackson as he returns to work after a leave of absence after accidentally shooting his ex wife. His daughter, Katie, blames her father for her mother's death and is rebellious and angry, dabbling in alcohol and drugs. Jackson is finding it very hard to cope with the turn his life has taken.

I've followed this series from the start and have enjoyed it very much. The characters are believable with real problems and issues. The story lines are never as simple as they first appear and usually have two plots woven together as well as following personal lives. In this instance Jackson investigates a suspicious death at a storage facility which leads on to a bombing at a local factory by a potential terrorist.

Patrick Lawlor has narrated most of the series (apart from the first two) and I like the regularity of listening to the same narrator. He does a great job, especially with Jackson, and differentiates well between the characters.

[Georgia C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

good story

as with all the series I read, this one is a favorite. I have come to love and understand the recurring cast and will miss them when I finish. to the author's on Amazon. is it true that authors are paid per page read? I find that disturbing if true because often I listen to the audio book completely, never actually turning but a few pages of the actual written book. I certainly hope each author I read is fully getting credit for each audiobook I listen to. if they haven't I would go back and page through every book I have read (many!) and make sure I turned each and every page! if anyone knows if this is true or false leave me a comment.

[Susan Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

ANOTHER WINNING MYSTERY WITH A GOOD PLOT AND SUBPLOTS.

I enjoy Sellers' books because of the character interactions, the mystery and action, and the location accuracy is fun to hear about (GO DUCKS!). Seriously though, the author is a talented writer and she has a good editor as well. The price is also appreciated. I really enjoyed the ending compared to the last book. I also enjoy the relationships the main character has with his daughter, girlfriend, and co-workers, but not necessarily in that order.

[Milissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Great Book

An ex convict living in a storage facility is killed. A bottled water factory is targeted by eco terrorists. Are these cases related and if so, how? In this book, Detective Jackson, Detective Evans And FBI Agent Carla River are trying to solve these cases. Meanwhile at home. Detective Jackson is trying to improve his relationship with his daughter Katie since his ex wife died. I am a true fan of this author. I hope she continues this series.

[Tulay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Homeless living in storage units, and much more...

Death of the homeless man dying in storage unit, Love the Earth people trying stop bottle water company to stop production. Foster homes and treatment of foster children, read the book see how could all this could be tied together. Mean time Jackson again faces his problems and shows us he is a good father and person.

[Gerd Mueller · Rating 1 out of 5]

so many cliches in one book, and to top it all of, all turns out well and swell on the last page. I am proud of myself that I made it all the way through.

[Sam Martin · Rating 3 out of 5]

WHERE IS Jackson?

I'm giving this book a rating of 3.5 out of 5. This book was 50% FBI agents, 25% Jackson personal life, & 25% Jackson's case. This is my least favorite book in the series. WHO is Dallas & why should l care about her? This maybe sound harsh but the last book left us where Jackson shot his ex-wife by accident. Than you read his daughter is out of control and blame him. Which is understanding but this book barely touch the surface of them dealing with the issues! I know in real life it take time to deal with this kind of issues. It's one of the reason l like this series! I like how the author brings two different cases together. But l feel this book was flat & left me hanging on what will happen to the Jackson family! I guess I was hoping Jackson & Katie will resolve their problem in this book or the very least Katie move back in with family. If not him then her Aunt Jan. She not the only one who is hurting for the loss of her mother. Jackson and his ex-sister-in law (Jan) are too! Him dealing with shooting his wife, mother of his child & Jan the loss of a sister. How would she feel if she had loss him too? He has a tough job that needed his focus. Worrying about her could put him or his team in danger when Jackson should be keeping his head in the case. They needed counsel together as well apart dealing with the loss of Renee. Katie wanted to be treated as a young adult but not wanted to face the issues of her dad killing her mom. She needed to talks to him about how she feel and get it off her chest in order to more forward. Running away won't bring back her mother or solve her problem with her dad. I thought she was more level head in the other books. Shock to see her drinking, especially dealing with her mother drinking problem.

This book seen more about the FBI agents than Jackson & his gang. Yeah it mashed at the end but l wanted more screen time with Jackson! I have nothing against River. In fact, l like her!

If you are a fan of the series, this book isn't bad! It's not going to have closer with Jackson's family. Katie is still not living at home with Jackson by the in of the book. The cases are very interesting! It's just doesn't have a lot of dealing with the main character or his crews.
I'm Planning to read/ listening to the next book. Wish you the best and hope this will help!

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

An intriguing thriller

This was a twisted, complex, and suspenseful thriller with many unexpected twists that you certainly won't see coming. There were a couple of situations that the conclusions weren't included, either that or I completely missed them, but overall it's definitely not a story that you'll want to miss.
I would definitely recommend this book, series, and author.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this author. If you like police procedurals, you can't miss with this book, or any of the Jackson Series. But it's way more than that. Cops are real people and Sellers always keeps it real. Don't miss it.

[Ellen White · Rating 5 out of 5]

This deals with the environmental group, with a bombing and murder. Led more by Rivers than Jackson. He is still dealing with the death of his ex wife. And now his daughter Katie has turned to alcohol. Love her books, and will go on to the next

[Sarah Joanne Garner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love it

Yet again an amazing advance in the series! I can't put these books down im on to the next one

[Russ Leavitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really, really like this series and it's author.
Well done!

[Cheryl]

Not my favorite

I didn't care for this one as much, hopefully Wade will be more involved in the
next book, much rather keep focused on him.

[Gloria Feit · Rating 3 out of 5]

This new novel by L.J. Sellers brings back Wade Jackson, now after 20 years a senior detective in the Violent Crimes Unit of the Eugene, Oregon P.D., in this 8th book in the series. The events take place over a period of only a few days, with the first of these bringing several serious events in quick succession: A firebomb goes off in a bottled water factory, which the police believe to be the work of an eco-terrorist group. Very shortly after that, a dead body is discovered in a storage unit not far from the factory, the victim an ex-con who was apparently living there.

On a personal level, Wade’s 15-year-old daughter is still dealing with rage and hostility in the aftermath of her mother’s death (in the last novel) in an abduction rescue gone wrong, wherein his ex-wife died at his hand in a tragic accidental shooting. He has only recently returned to the force after a three-week leave. The three story lines alternate (somewhat disconcertingly at times, a chapter dealing with one of them ending in a cliffhanger and the next chapter returning to another), but that quibble aside, it is easy to follow each of them, with the reader wondering if any of them connect. There are several suspects in each of the investigations, but no clear evidence pointing to any particular person as the perpetrator. The suspense increases appreciably as the book nears its conclusion, along with a totally unexpected twist.

The novel suffers from some poor editing, and for some reason this book felt more like a debut novel than one from a writer with several good books to her credit. But despite that, the novel reads quickly, and this protagonist is one to whom readers can relate, and who readers are always going to be anxious to meet again in the next book in the series, to see how he will deal with the difficulties in his personal life and continue to be the good cop that he has always been, dealing like the professional he is with the challenges brought on by his next case. Recommended.

[Jacqui · Rating 5 out of 5]

If "Crimes of Memory" (Thomas & Mercer 2013) is your first L.J. Sellers' Detective Jackson mystery, be patient. I've read all nine books in the series and it took me a bit to get used to the unique introspective style of this thoughtful detective. He is clever, intelligent, and caring, not necessarily in that order when he's fighting crime. In his world, his life is as important as the crime he's fighting. By that I mean he cares how his job--the long hours, the lawless people, even the mental anguish it puts him through--affects those he loves. In many series, authors deal with that by destroying any semblance of a personal life their heroes have (read Alex Berenson's latest John Wells thriller, "The Counterfeit Agent"--you'll see what I mean). In this series, Sellers actually tries to mesh job and personal in a workable formula.

In "Crimes of Memory", Detective Jackson struggles with several seemingly disparate crimes (a body stuffed in a storage container, a bomb explosion at a factory) in the aftermath of his ex-wife's death, his daughter's grief, and his personal struggle with 'is it all worth it'. Even as his own life seems headed for a breakdown, he can't stop himself from following the clues, making connections, and ultimately solving the crime. Since this is a series, there is no real ending to the story, just a sense that there's a light in the darkness that might not be an attack helicopter.

If this were my first Detective Jackson book, I might rate this a three or four star book, wishing Jackson was more like other lawmen heroes--hard-bitten, jaded, cynical, driven to protect the world. But there are a lot of great books that deliver that character. Here, I get change, an unusual character, a peak into how a family life can mesh successfully (if rockily) with saving the world. That's worth five stars and a recommendation to read the entire series.

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

CRIMES OF MEMORY begins with two incidents. First, an intruder, attempts to start a fire in a bottled water company. The second incident is the discovery of a homeless man in a rental storage unit. The first crime involves environmental wackos ( or green activists if you prefer) who are distressed at the use of plastic bottles which they rate as ruinously dangerous to the environment. While the second crime apparently involves an old robbery and missing money.
The cases, and this is not a spoiler at all, eventually become enmeshed, though in a surprising way. It is the author's way to build the case methodically , just as a police procedural should , as it builds to a fast, exciting climax.
If you are new to this series of Sgt. Jackson mysteries, you might find the background of the main characters a bit sketchy, but that should not reduce your enjoyment of the novel. At any rate, if this book with the nicely managed plotting and well- developed story leads new readers to catch up on earlier books in the series, it is worth their time, while for regular readers of the series will enjoy re-acquaintance with Jackson, his connections with family and with his co-workers in the Eugene PD.

No gore, some violence, no bad language, sexual incidents referenced but nothing offensive. The books in the series are pretty much self- contained and can be read separately, but reading them in order is best.
This book purchased by me in Kindle version.

[Stephen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the latest Detective Jackson story by LJ Sellers.The setting as usual is Eugene, Oregon. Jackson is especially frustrated these days, because his teenage daughter Katie is uncontrollable... hanging out with the wrong crowd and resenting her dad. Jackson's relationship with his girl friend , Kera is fine but his own health is facing some challenges. Maybe it really is time to think about retirement. Everything has to be put on hold when a body is discovered at a storage facility. It appears that several 'renters' are using the storage bins as their homes !! At the same time a homemade device explodes at a water bottling plant which had been picketed by some eco-terrorists. The FBI is handling the bombing while Jackson is tackling the murder. The murder may involve two brothers convicted in a bank robbery where the money was never found.
There is a chance that the two incidents may have a connecting factor. Jackson is torn between solving the murder and trying to get his daughter into treatment for substance abuse while attempting to repair his relationship with her. That is relationship has been going down hill since the accidental death of her mother.....Jackson's ex-wife, Renee.
LJ Sellers keeps the action flowing at a good pace and the reader is never disappointed with her stories.

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although the back cover said Detective Jackson discovers a shocking link between the murder of a homeless ex-con and the bombing of a water bottling plant by an environmental group, this link is not revealed to the reader until the last fifteen pages or so. As a result the book consists of parallel investigations--one led by Jackson, with very little progress, the other led by the sex-changed FBI agent, Carla River. While the stories were interesting and worth reading, there were several themes which contributed nothing to the cases: Jackson's impotence with his girlfriend, whom neither he nor the reader encountered very much; River's sexual arousal by the handy man she's hired to refurbish her house; the revelation that the FBI undercover agent, Dallas, enjoys sex with strangers but not with men she cares about--none of whom we ever meet, stranger or beloved.

Needless to say, with these clues, it was not hard to realize that somehow the crimes, if connected at all, would be connected through some sexual event. Perhaps I should have paid closer attention to the title of the book, which was a first reads giveaway.

[Madelon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this (CRIMES OF MEMORY), and the seven books in the Detective Jackson Mystery series that precede it.

I don't do spoilers, but I will say that this is the eighth police procedural in the series that takes place in Eugene, Oregon. Ms Sellers is a Eugene native, so I tend to think that she writes from a place of first hand knowledge of the attitudes and policies of her home town. I visited Eugene a while back and was told more than once that Eugene has some strange politics - hippies on one side of town and rednecks on the other. I found Eugene to be a totally charming place to visit.

The main character is a man with a story filled with family and flaws. He could be a real person. I would add that this is a series that needs to be read in order. Although each mystery could stand on its own, the back story of Jackson, his family and his co-workers continues pretty seamlessly from book to book.

I hope that this series continues. I will read them all.

The seven books preceding CRIMES OF MEMORY are:

The Sex Club
Secrets to Die For
Thrilled to Death
Passions of the Dead
Dying for Justice
Liars, Cheaters & Thieves
Rules of Crime

[Kathleen Hagen]

Crimes of Memory, by L. J. Sellers, b-plus, Narrated by Patrick Lawlor, Produced by Brilliance Audio, Downloaded from audible.com.



This is a Detective Wade Jackson mystery. Jackson was responsible in a previous book, although clearly an accident, for the death of his ex-wife. His daughter, Katie is having difficulty dealing with her grief and determining her feelings about her father. And she’s in highschool, so she starts drinking and going off the rails. While dealing with getting his daughter into treatment, Jackson is called to a murder scene. A homeless man was murdered in the storage space he was renting. On the same night, a water bottling plant is bombed. There is an eco-terrorist group who are demonstrating against groups that they feel are not promoting good ecology, but this bombing of a factory is a step beyond that. Is it the same group, or, as Jackson and Evans suspect, the work of a rogue member of the group? If a rogue member who is he? As Jackson investigates both cases, he finds that there are ties between them. A very good mystery.

[Nikki Bywater · Rating 4 out of 5]

Detective Jackson is called onto a new homicide case, the murder of a homeless man. Wade Jackson needs, and want to be at home spending more time with his teenage daughter Katie, since the death of her mother her behaviour is getting seriously out of control.

Agents River and Dallas are investigating an explosion in a water bottle factory; they think it may be linked to an eco-terrorist group named Love the Earth. With a long line of suspects each one holding back the truth the agents must move fast before the bombers strike again.

From the books explosive start at the beginning of the book; I knew I was in for a good read. L.J. Sellers never disappoints, with her perfectly put together crime thrillers that leave you reading on, and on without wanting to stop. You are so gripped that you cannot wait to see what will happen next, as each chapter is action packed full of action and tension.

[Patrick · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was just ridiculously bad. Despite that it says "A Detective Jackson Mystery" most of it is dedicated to an FBI agent, apparently to set up a spin-off. I definitely wouldn't be reading that. The characters new and old are wooden and the author has a real tin ear for dialogue. I slogged through this dull mess wondering how the two cases (the murder of a homeless man and bombing of a bottled water plant) tied together. The reason was pretty absurd and involves a character who was barely in the first 250 pages of the book. And at the end we really don't have much of an explanation for the bombing of the plant or another homeless guy who dies along the way.

It's really hard to believe there are 8 more of these books.

That is all.

[Bud Mallar · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think at this point I've had enough of this series.

The whodunit part was fine, the police procedures fine, the 'problems' in our hero's personal life are beginning to detract from the solving of the crime, but maybe I'm just getting jaded.

And, what struck me more often in this way was a deep dip into YA, if not juvenile, logic and actions on the part of some folks who should know better. I always had the sense this series leaned toward the grit lit side, but.....

There are two more in the series, and although the crime solving aspect is okay, and they are quick easy reads, I'm not sure #9 is high on my priority list

[Henry Lawrence · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this series of books, but this one is not up to the quality of the previous volumes. The culprit was not revealed until very late in the book and the circumstances of how the crimes were done seemed a stretch.
The personal story of the problems Jackson is having with his daughter is good. Jackson's girlfriend is hardly mentioned and the sexual tension with Detective Evans is not touched at all.

[Elaine · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was the only one in the series I didn't care for. Since the introduction in the last book of FBI agent Carla Rivers, I think the series started deteriorating. Detective Jackson is no longer the main character. This one had too many POV's including a secondary FBI agent. I'm really glad a relationship wasn't initiated between two of the characters because that would have been seriously awkward!

[Terry Turrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it! Unexpected twist at the end! Set in Eugene, Oregon, I can visualize this small city/big town as I read, reminding me of time I've spent there. As a fellow Oregonian, I enjoy reading a story that incorporates the real diversity of characters in our state. Can't wait for the next book by L.J. Sellers!