Justice Be Done

by Carla Damron

Social worker Caleb Knowles finds himself in the heart of a firestorm of racial tensions and violence in downtown Columbia, SC. When he interviews young Laquan Harwell, the truth behind Laquan’s crime becomes clear—it was born from years of racial mistreatment. However, Laquan’s assault on a white storekeeper lights the match that sets the town on a hate crime sparks protests. Protests erupt into riots.
Downtown becomes a war zone.
The murder of a racist police officer further fuels the violence, and soon Caleb is entangled in a desperate search for justice. As the riots escalate, Caleb’s brother Sam is injured, leading Caleb to take rash actions that put his career on the line.
As he uncovers the truth about the police officer’s death, Caleb’s efforts to save a client thrust him into the eye of the storm and endanger his life. Will justice prevail, or will the hate-spawned violence take more lives?

A Caleb Knowles Mystery - Book 4

360 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 26, 2023

Reviews

[Marilyn Goncalves · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in South Carolina, things are heating up quickly as racial tensions rise over some incidents that are sending people out to protest. A man loses it after years and years of racial abuse and beats up a store clerk, in retaliation his mom suffers death threatening injuries. Both sides want justice and in the middle of this chaos is Caleb Knowles, a social worker who’s trying to get to the bottom of this because the pieces don’t fit. This is a page turner.

[Literary Titan · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Justice Be Done, Carla Damron delves into the turbulent dynamics of a community caught in the throes of racial conflict as seen through the eyes of social worker Caleb Knowles. Set against the backdrop of Columbia, South Carolina, the narrative unfolds following a volatile incident involving Laquan, a black teenager, and a racist elderly white man. This event sets off a chain reaction, igniting riots and protests in the city.

Caleb, balancing his responsibilities as a social worker and his commitment to his family's safety, finds himself at the heart of this turmoil. He is torn between fostering justice and peace in an increasingly chaotic environment. As the story progresses, it lays bare the extremes to which individuals will go to maintain control, underscoring how hatred and fear can fuel shocking behaviors.

Damron's novel, which marks the fourth installment in her Caleb Knowles series, is notable for its nuanced portrayal of complex characters and themes. The protagonist, Caleb, is introduced with depth and clarity, and this attention to character development extends to the secondary characters as well, all without overshadowing the book's anti-racism message. The author addresses delicate social and racial issues with a thoughtful approach, maintaining reader engagement through a swift narrative pace, diverse perspectives, and an exploration of the broader impacts of these societal problems.

The multi-faceted viewpoints enhance the story's build-up to its climax, allowing readers to experience the growing tension firsthand. Damron's exploration of unchecked hatred and generational trauma offers a poignant look at the repercussions for a community grappling with these deep-seated issues. Justice Be Done is a compelling and thoughtful addition to the Caleb Knowles series, offering a resonant reflection on contemporary social challenges.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Columbia South Carolina becomes a war zone with racial tensions threatening to ignite. A young man is in prison for beating up a store clerk -- his reason is that he just snapped after years of racial treatment and comments. It's enough to ignite racial tensions in the city. A bomb is thrown into the young man's mother's home and she ends up in the hospital near death. Then the protests start - at first there is calm but soon there are protests on both sides and they begin to get violent. There is prejudice in the police department and in the local politicians and the protests keep getting worse until there is a dead police officer and a group of white supremacists who decide that they want justice.

In the middle of all of this is social worker Caleb Knowles who is working to get to the bottom of who is egging on the problems as he tries to restore order to his town. Caleb is good guy who loves his town but also likes working out of the box when he can help other people. This book is a real page turner as tensions in Columbia continue to increase. Caleb is a well written character and I plan to read the previous books about him to get more of his background.

[Debbie Rozier · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is much more than a mystery.

It takes on social injustices and adds in corruption, manipulation, and greed.

It also raises awareness about the hearing impaired and addresses mental health issues.

Even though Caleb Knowles who is a social worker is the primary protagonist, this book is filled with a multitude of well written and interesting characters.

The fact that it is set in Columbia, South Carolina was important to me because I went to undergrad and grad school at the University of South Carolina in Columbia as well as lived and taught in Columbia for 15 years. Three of my daughters were born in a hospital in downtown Columbia so to read a book where that area is the setting of unrest really grounded me.

I highly recommend this book for those that like the complexity of real life intertwined in your mystery read.

[Marina DelVecchio · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading Carla Damron’s ‘The Orchid Tattoo,’ I knew I would also love this book and its hero, Caleb Knowles. When I teach American literature to my students, I tell them that the best writers are the ones who intertwine fiction with social Justice issues, and Damron does this skillfully in her books. In this novel, she tackles racism, corrupt police officers, and the injustices that afflict Black men in our country — and in this case, Laquan from South Carolina. This is a page turner, a mystery, and an eye-opening reflection of our country’s failures to address and redress its racist roots. And at the heart of it is a social worker, one of our society’s true heroes, who sets out to save his client while showing us the realities of racism — heartbreakingly and candidly depicted by a writer whose social consciousness is at the core of her work. Highly recommended.

[Kim Wilch · Rating 5 out of 5]

A closer look at the inner workings of timely headlines. The division of people continues, gun rights, political power, and suspense drives this fictional story of present day issues. The author has created relatable characters, some to love, some to not. With sensitivity to a tough topic, she was able to create a spellbinding story filled with compassion while driving home the point of doing the right thing. It's quite a story and one I won't soon forget.

[Dawnny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Racial tensions and violence erupt in South Carolina when a young black man assaults a white shop owner. His reason is that he snapped from years of mistreatment. This story is an eye-opener and thought-provoking. It's very right now as we see all the division in America, race against race, against religion, political parties on attack. The story is so real and it had me thinking about a lot of things as it gives a very clear view of racism and injustice in our society.

[Catherine Matthews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carla Damron is an exception author with the courage to take on the big questions. She has a gift for addressing the most difficult issues. Not that social justice is difficult to get behind but it is very difficult to untangle the complex relationships and motivations that lead to tragic ends. Carla does it skillfully. I was blown away by Orchid Tattoo and The Stone Necklace. Justice Be Done did not disappoint.

[Rachel Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damron Does It Again!

Justice Be Done is a gripping page-turner filled with mystery, tension, and vivid, layered characters, all while skilfully delving the reader into important social issues with sensitivity and compassion. Damron became an "auto-buy" author for me as soon as I finished The Orchid Tattoo, and Justice Be Done affirms that decision.

[Booksandcoffeemx · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story was compelling and intriguing!
I was engaged since chapter one and couldn’t stop reading. A thriller that explores social injustices, racism, corruption and also raises awareness about mental health. A powerful read.

Thank you Suzy Approved Book Tours for this tour invite.

𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗕𝗲 𝗗𝗼𝗻𝗲 by Carla Damron released October 28, 2023.

https://www.instagram.com/booksandcof...

[Gabi Coatsworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another page-turner from Carla Damron, starring one of my favorite characters, Caleb Knowles, the social worker in Columbia, SC. Via his work, he becomes embroiled in a miscarriage of justice that leads further up the political hierarchy than he could have predicted, causing havoc and life-threatening situations along the way. Unputdownable.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy Carla Damron's writing---I think I am "up to date" thus far, with everything she has written. We are fellow social workers (I was a year behind her in graduate school of social work at USC, Columbia, SC) and I love the way she has Caleb Knowles has her social worker in this series, always speaking to social issues.

[Christy Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This compelling story had me on the edge of my seat many times. It’s very timely with regard to racial injustice and mental health. This was my first in this series and was easy to follow as a stand alone but I liked Caleb so much that I’m very tempted to go back and read the first three.

[Pamela · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent mystery with a backdrop of explosive racial turmoil. With her well-developed characters and careful depiction of racial tension, Ms. Damron has created an enjoyable work of fiction that also educates. Well done. Highly recommend!

[Sarah W · Rating 4 out of 5]

Justice Be Done is a powerful page turner about a subject that is relevant today. It had suspense and a lot of tension as both sides of the story were told through multiple different points of view. The characters were well developed and I loved the determination that Caleb had to help his clients. Mary Beth was easy to root for and I felt for everything she had to go through. I liked how one of the story lines was wrapped up but I would have loved a little more at the end about the person that was the catalyst in the beginning.

Thank you @carladamron and @suzyapprovedbooktours for the gifted copy.

[Christina McComiskie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heart pounding, important book.

[David Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ripped from the headlines, a tale of racial unrest.
As many of you know, I'm not a big fan of politics in my reading. That said, I have to commend the author on her handling of a sensitive but currently relevant topic. While the book isn't political per se, the two sides of the issue are often made political in today's climate. Racism isn't a political subject but sides have been taken and used politically to create division and an 'us against them' mentality. Racism is real though and is always worthy of discussion. White supremacy is real and also worthy of discussion. What the author does here is present the issues in an even handed way that make you think about the underlying reasons of the unrest we've experienced in recent years. Here, they're used as the framework to tell a thrilling story with characters you'll both admire and despise. It is sometimes not an easy thing to read or even think about but when handled with care and insight it can lead to a better understanding and maybe even change some minds.

Thank you to the author, Bella Rosa Books and Suzy Approved Book Tours for the gifted copy and including me on this tour.

[Teri M Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Justice Be Done by Carla Damron is a contemporary suspense novel set in Columbia, South Carolina. The main character, Caleb Knowles, is a social worker who often consults with criminals and suspects for the police department. This time, the criminal is a teenager, and the crime stems from racial mistreatment.

The more Caleb looks, the more he finds. Discrimination in the community. Discrimination in the police force. Discrimination among the political leaders. Finally, the discrimination touches his own family.

Will he be able to save his client? Can he save others? Or will hatred and violence ultimately win? This is a 'can't put down' read!