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Julia Fairchild #7
Joshua's Tree
A hot air balloon ride…And a body in the desert…In the sunny desert landscape of Palm Desert, Julia Fairchild and her adventurous sister Carly embark on a thrilling hot air balloon ride. Little do they know, this seemingly innocent excursion will thrust them into a web of mystery and intrigue that they never could have imagined. As they float peacefully through the sky, their carefree afternoon takes a dark turn when their eyes catch sight of a lifeless body lying motionless among the unforgiving sands below.Speculations arise when it is revealed that the deceased is believed to be a missing financier, Trevor Lundgren, who had been under investigation for unusual investment practices. Authorities were convinced that he had fled the country to escape the consequences of his actions.However, as Julia and Carly investigate deeper, they unravel a murderous plot which puts them in the line of fire.
210 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 10, 2023
10 people want to read
About the author
P.J. Peterson
14 books150 followersPJ Peterson started writing stories and poems in elementary school. She was selected as the class librarian in 5th grade, editor of the school newspaper in 6th grade, and again in 7th grade. She hasn't stopped writing or reading since.
Retired from her first career as an Internal medicine physician, she now enjoys writing stories that combine mystery and travel (until COVID-19 hit, that is). Her original protagonist, Julia Fairchild, MD, is vicariously based on a younger version of herself.
She promised her adult child that she was never
as reckless as Julia sometimes comes across.
She published the first title BLIND FISH DON'T TALK in the Julia Fairchild Mystery series in October 2018. The second mystery, REMBRANDT RIDES A BIKE, was published in January 2021; PICKLED PINK IN PARIS was published in August 2021.
Retired from her first career as an Internal medicine physician, she now enjoys writing stories that combine mystery and travel (until COVID-19 hit, that is). Her original protagonist, Julia Fairchild, MD, is vicariously based on a younger version of herself.
She promised her adult child that she was never
as reckless as Julia sometimes comes across.
She published the first title BLIND FISH DON'T TALK in the Julia Fairchild Mystery series in October 2018. The second mystery, REMBRANDT RIDES A BIKE, was published in January 2021; PICKLED PINK IN PARIS was published in August 2021.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
November 8, 2023
First and foremost, a large thank you to Reedsy Discovery and P.J. Peterson for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
Always happy to embark on one of P.J. Peterson’s adventures, I gladly accepted this ARC for the latest Julia Fairchild mystery. Peterson has perfected the cozy mystery and keeps the reader highly entertained while learning a little more about a case that always appears to fall at the feet of Dr. Julia Fairchild. While on a brief reprieve with her sister, Julia comes upon a military dog tag in the desert. Soon, she and Carly discover a body in the oddest place and present the news to the authorities, What begins as a missing hiker soon turns into some thing sinister and yet another murder turns Fairchild’s vacation into a full-impact week. Peterson weaves a great story that is easily digested in short order. Another great book in the series.
Enjoying some time away from her practice, Dr. Julia Fairchild and her sister, Carly, choose an adventurous week in the California desert. While out on a hike, they come upon an oddly hanging military dog tag, blowing in the wind on a Joshua tree. While they can identify to whom it belongs, they take it to the authorities in hopes of getting some answers and having it returned. This is soon followed by a hot-air balloon ride, where Julia and Carly see what appears to be a body lying in the open desert. Never one to want to get involved, Carly suggests they alert the authorities and leave it at that. Julia, on the other hand, wants to get all the details and presents the news to the sheriff, in hopes of being pulled into the investigation.
During an evening meal, Julia shares her news with some of the other travellers, discovering that a hiker of some repute has gone missing. Could the body they found in the desert be that same man? Trevor Lundgren’s financial dealings have made him many enemies and some speculate that he fled the country to keep many at bay. Julia’s brain begins to turn and she soon feels that she ought to be in the middle of things, even as Carly pleads that she lets the authorities do their work. All the while, Julia and Carly try to track down the owner of the dog tag, who ends up being a homeless veteran whose life has taken a turn for the worse.
Trying to stay on the periphery and yet get all the intel she can, Julia ends up painting a target on her back with all the questions she asks. Carly tries all she can to keep her elder sister safe, but something has her cautious as well. When the plot thickens and Lundgren’s actions come to the surface, someone adds these two adventurous sisters to the list of those who ought to be silenced. Another great piece by P.J. Peterson that has me eager to see where things are headed in the next books.
While I usually reach for grittier novels in the mystery genre, I have always enjoyed P.J. Peterson’s cozy stories to balance things out. Peterson knows how to tell a story and adds a less jagged aspect to keep things flowing without all the gore and blood. The narrative base provides a sturdy foundation on which the rest of the story can rest, providing great momentum while seemingly keeping things innocent. Things build with ease and soon the reader is neck-deep in the mystery, alongside Julia.
Character development provides a useful tool in this piece. While there is little time for backstory as it relates to the protagonists, the development of the secondary characters, particularly the victim and missing hiker, lends credence to the fact that Peterson knows how to craft those who pepper the pages of her mysteries, There is enough meat to their stories to provide something well worth the reader’s time, which also complements the larger narrative and movement of the story
Plot twists are essential to the story’s advancement and Peterson has them throughout. She crafts an innocent means by which Dr. Fairchild can discover clues or investigative themes, though she makes it clear that danger is only just out of the amateur sleuth’s grasp. While some might call this the new Jessica Fletcher series, I can see how Peterson is using her protagonist to add adventure to a simple getaway. The serious discussion of veteran homelessness is not lost on the attentive reader, as Peterson addresses it throughout the novel. This series keeps getting better and I am eager to see where this are headed, as well as how those around Dr. Julia Fairchild will present themselves in upcoming pieces.
Kudos, Madam Peterson, for a great cozy mystery!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
Always happy to embark on one of P.J. Peterson’s adventures, I gladly accepted this ARC for the latest Julia Fairchild mystery. Peterson has perfected the cozy mystery and keeps the reader highly entertained while learning a little more about a case that always appears to fall at the feet of Dr. Julia Fairchild. While on a brief reprieve with her sister, Julia comes upon a military dog tag in the desert. Soon, she and Carly discover a body in the oddest place and present the news to the authorities, What begins as a missing hiker soon turns into some thing sinister and yet another murder turns Fairchild’s vacation into a full-impact week. Peterson weaves a great story that is easily digested in short order. Another great book in the series.
Enjoying some time away from her practice, Dr. Julia Fairchild and her sister, Carly, choose an adventurous week in the California desert. While out on a hike, they come upon an oddly hanging military dog tag, blowing in the wind on a Joshua tree. While they can identify to whom it belongs, they take it to the authorities in hopes of getting some answers and having it returned. This is soon followed by a hot-air balloon ride, where Julia and Carly see what appears to be a body lying in the open desert. Never one to want to get involved, Carly suggests they alert the authorities and leave it at that. Julia, on the other hand, wants to get all the details and presents the news to the sheriff, in hopes of being pulled into the investigation.
During an evening meal, Julia shares her news with some of the other travellers, discovering that a hiker of some repute has gone missing. Could the body they found in the desert be that same man? Trevor Lundgren’s financial dealings have made him many enemies and some speculate that he fled the country to keep many at bay. Julia’s brain begins to turn and she soon feels that she ought to be in the middle of things, even as Carly pleads that she lets the authorities do their work. All the while, Julia and Carly try to track down the owner of the dog tag, who ends up being a homeless veteran whose life has taken a turn for the worse.
Trying to stay on the periphery and yet get all the intel she can, Julia ends up painting a target on her back with all the questions she asks. Carly tries all she can to keep her elder sister safe, but something has her cautious as well. When the plot thickens and Lundgren’s actions come to the surface, someone adds these two adventurous sisters to the list of those who ought to be silenced. Another great piece by P.J. Peterson that has me eager to see where things are headed in the next books.
While I usually reach for grittier novels in the mystery genre, I have always enjoyed P.J. Peterson’s cozy stories to balance things out. Peterson knows how to tell a story and adds a less jagged aspect to keep things flowing without all the gore and blood. The narrative base provides a sturdy foundation on which the rest of the story can rest, providing great momentum while seemingly keeping things innocent. Things build with ease and soon the reader is neck-deep in the mystery, alongside Julia.
Character development provides a useful tool in this piece. While there is little time for backstory as it relates to the protagonists, the development of the secondary characters, particularly the victim and missing hiker, lends credence to the fact that Peterson knows how to craft those who pepper the pages of her mysteries, There is enough meat to their stories to provide something well worth the reader’s time, which also complements the larger narrative and movement of the story
Plot twists are essential to the story’s advancement and Peterson has them throughout. She crafts an innocent means by which Dr. Fairchild can discover clues or investigative themes, though she makes it clear that danger is only just out of the amateur sleuth’s grasp. While some might call this the new Jessica Fletcher series, I can see how Peterson is using her protagonist to add adventure to a simple getaway. The serious discussion of veteran homelessness is not lost on the attentive reader, as Peterson addresses it throughout the novel. This series keeps getting better and I am eager to see where this are headed, as well as how those around Dr. Julia Fairchild will present themselves in upcoming pieces.
Kudos, Madam Peterson, for a great cozy mystery!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
July 10, 2024
Who killed Trevor Lundgren and why??? Investment Fraud??? A Ponzi Scheme??? I enjoyed this story and recommended the book.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews