Birds of Prey

J.P. Beaumont #15

by J.A. Jance

While accompanying his grandmother and her new husband to Alaska, J.P. Beaumont finds himself investigating the murder of a middle-aged divorcée aboard a cruise ship, a crime in which the only witness is an Alzheimer's patient.

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

421 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published February 20, 2001

About the author

Judith Ann Jance is the top 10 New York Times bestselling author of the Joanna Brady series; the J. P. Beaumont series; three interrelated thrillers featuring the Walker family; and Edge of Evil, the first in a series featuring Ali Reynolds. Born in South Dakota and brought up in Bisbee, Arizona, Jance lives with her husband in Seattle, Washington, and Tucson, Arizona.

Series:
* J.P. Beaumont
* Joanna Brady
* Ali Reynolds
* Walker Family

Reviews

[Ginger Weirich · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the things I am really liking about Jance and this series is that there are no “flat” characters. Even those that are peripheral are well-developed. This offering is no exception. Take a cruise – an Alaskan cruise. Add in a fringe of the fringe group killing doctors, several eccentric ladies, a granny and step-granddad on their honeymoon, and a “retired” cop, and you have the makings of a very interesting tale. Very well-written. 5 stars.

[Jerry B · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely Almost for the Birds !

We're avid Jance fans, having read every book she's given us, including her two non-series thrillers, the 14 prior J.P. Beaumont stories and the 6 Joanna Brady tales. We salivated when learning "Birds" was a return to Beaumont after (according to our notes) a 5-year absence since "Name Withheld". But a tasty meal did not follow.

We suspect Jance wrote this book under some sort of pressure -- maybe a tough deadline or something. It's just not her: from too many tertiary characters (like the FBI "couple" that never made another appearance), too much dull setup work (about 300 of the 390 pages before things got going), and some pretty far-fetched ideas (nobody could survive a fall from deck to water on any cruise ship we've been on). In fact, one of the book's potential murders (the train thing) never was resolved -- huh?

Obviously we were disappointed. Maybe Jance just can't figure out how to handle a retired JP. If so, we'd urge her to stick with Joanna Brady and let JP ride off into the "overprinted" bin where I fear this book is headed.

[(NurseLisa) Square Granny from Ohio · Rating 5 out of 5]

TITLE: Birds of Prey
AUTHOR: J.A. Jance
SERIES: J.P. Beaumont #15
RELEASED: 2002
KEYWORDS/GENRE: mystery, murder, crime, law enforcement, FBI, cops, thriller, murder mystery, male hero, detective, series, Seattle.

MY GOODREADS RATING (0-5 STAR SCALE): 4.5 "murder and mayhem liven up dinner conversation" stars.

BRIEF REMARKS:

It is ALWAYS GREAT returning to Beau's adventures - ja, sure ;-)

To be honest, I almost hate to get up to date in the series as I'll have to start waiting for the next one to be written and released! lol.

Seriously though, every time I read a JP novel/story, I ALWAYS think to myself: "why do I wait so long in between reading this series?! it's so damn good!"...no joke!

In brief, "Birds of Prey" takes us on a honeymoon cruise to Alaska as Beau has been recruited to join his newly wedded grandma Beverly and her groom, Beau's pal and sponsor Lars, as their chaperon. How adorable is that, really?! I was already smitten with Grandma Beverly, but that just tickled me! :) I am easily amused, true.

At any rate, naturally this will not be a nice and relaxing getaway for our now-retired homicide detective et al...nope; pretty quickly, the FBI agents aboard and travelling uncover have contacted Beau and put him to work...a "lunatic fringe of the lunatic fringe" group called, "Leave It To God (LITG)" are targeted doctors and patients viewed by them (LITG) as interfering with their version of a natural life cycle. It is scary and believeable. LITG basically hopes to eliminate those who save lives and those who are saved, by using what they view as "unnatural" techniques. For example, in this story, the FBI is on on biard protecting a neurosurgeon who performed a risky and advanced surgery on a young man suffering from severe epilepsy with multiple seizures per day. As a result of this ground breaking surgery, the man has been totally cured and seizure free, enabling him to return to a "normal" life. LITG'S belief is that this man was "given the cross to bear" in the form of his horrible condition, and should have "lived as an example" and not had the treatment, an so on...you get the idea. Cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs stuff, bit we all know this does happen IRL, sadly. As the cruise continues, much more cones tomlught, naturally, and bodies start piling up. Our Beau gets roped in completely and we get to go along for the ride (sail? ha!) as the mystery progresses, peaks, and gets resolved. Some great Red Herrings keep the reader on their toes, which I enjoy. I'm usually bummed if I figure out the "whodunit" at all or easily; I was pleasantly surprised to be stumped all through this journey!

Jance readers and especially, Beaumont fans, will definitely not want to kiss this one - or any of the series, IMHO - for certain!

Message me with questions; please be kind with comments...feel free to disagree with my review-absolutely! just kindly keep in mind that my review us JUST that: MINE. MY OPINIONS & reactions ONLY. Totally of my own free will, I promise ^_^

Cheers!
Lisa (Nurse Lisa In Ohio)
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[Dindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'd actually rate this at 2.5 stars, mainly because I expect far better from J.A. Jance than this. I definitely am left with the feeling that she just phoned this one in. It contained such scintillating phrases as, "The steward's timely intervention was just in time." And, of course, there is the problem that I've already ranted about below, with the so called association of the religious terrorist group, Leave it to God, with secular humanism, which is a contradiction in terms-- secular groups are, by definition, not religious.

However, I'm ashamed to admit that I did fall for the red herring with which Jance was hitting me over the head, mainly because i was lulled by the poor writing. Nevertheless, since she got me, I upped my rating to a 3 and am am forced to admit that even when her writing is sub par, J.A. Jance's Beaumont series is better than many writers on a good day.

I'm listening to the audio version and am about 1/4 of the way through, however, there is such an egregious error so far that I just have to say something. Beau is accompanying his grandmother and step-grandfather on their honeymoon cruise and he encounters an FBI team who are conducting an undercover operation on board the cruise ship because a domestic terrorist group called "Leave it to God" has threatened one of the participants in an on board medical conference because of his work in saving lives. This group believes that God should decided whether people live or die and that doctors should not develop surgical interventions for life threatening group.

According to the FBI, this group is associated with secular humanism and Beau and the FBI agent refer to them several times as secular humanists. Hello! secular humanist DO NOT believe in God! The definition of "secular" is: "of or relating to worldly things or to things that are not regarded as religious, spiritual, or sacred; temporal".

Not only do humanists not believe in God, but humanists support science and rational thinking.

Secular humanists absolutely would not be associated with a group called "Leave it to God". Come on J.A. Jance! A simple look at a dictionary would have told you that you've created a contradiction in terms!

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

J P Beaumont is going with his grandmother and her new husband on a honeymoon cruise. A woman goes missing and the only one that saw it is a an with Alzheimer’s. He is later killed and they think his wife did it. JP is retired but he gets involved with the FBI and his own investigation.

[Joanne Farley · Rating 4 out of 5]

JP is on holiday with his Grandmother and her new husband lars when a women is murdered. Retired or not JP finds himself neck deep in the investigation. There are a lot of characters to keep track of in this one and in typical Jance fashion we quickly end up with another body.
This one had me guessing all the way through and at the two big reveals I could have kicked myself.
Needless to say this is another great instalment in the JP Beaumont series.

[Judy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've been enjoying the J. P. Beaumont books, but this one was a bit of a disappointment. I still enjoyed the story, but I felt like the attention to detail was lacking a bit. I ended up having to go back to re-read parts because I would be confused by later parts of the story. For instance, I had the impression that the table of women who were Beau's dining companions were older women. I never had the sense that they were contemporaries. So, I was surprised later when Beau developed a romantic relationship with one of them. It would have made sense if there had been some reference to it being a May-December romance, but no reference was made.

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Woman on cruise ship
Goes overboard, is she dead?
Beau looks into it

Cruise ship great setting
Ending is a bit abrupt
But mystery solved

[Chris Gager · Rating 3 out of 5]

So far a routine-seeming, but reasonably entertaining murder mystery. The setting is an Alaskan cruise ship heading north with literally thousands of people on board. An obnoxious one of them goes missing, one who just happens to have made the acquaintance of our retired Seattle police officer narrator(also on board), and the game's afoot. The cruise ship setting is well described. I have NO IDEA why people get on those things!

Finished a couple of nights ago with this mostly flat and boring mystery. I guess when you've already written 14 of these they begin to seen a bit uninspired??? It does have the virtue of lots of descriptions of the background stuff about cruise ships and Alaska(especially about a strip club in Sitka. A barely adequate time-killer...

- 2.75* rounds up to a weak 3*

- I'm still trying to figure out how Mike wound up at the bottom of a canyon when he got pushed off the train. It doesn't add up. BTW, this has nothing to do with the central mystery.

- How does Beau know that the would-be killer is still aboard the ship? Why wouldn't he or she have booked it assuming that she/he had been successful - ?

- Nice to see mentions of AA, Alanon, NarcAnon and OA.

- 1 "whipped" and at least 4 "you see"s.

- Why didn't the would-be victim have her hands taped too? Talk about poor planning!

- Lucy and Mike remind of Alfred and Enid(Eunice?) in The Corrections.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read in the J.P. Beaumont series and I found it interesting. A lot of the interest comes from the time I spent in the Seattle area when I was younger. The setting of this novel on a cruise ship to Alaska is kind of interesting as well. I've been on only one cruise before. I've wanted to go on the Alaskan one, and this helped me see what it might be like. I'll have to read more books in this series.

[Jeff Clausen · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engaging whodunnit that has bad guys, coppers including FBI, and even an Alaskan madam. Apparently Beau Beaumont is featured in a number of her novels, so hopefully I’ll run across more. Recommended.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beau was invited along on his grandmother's honeymoon cruise just to help out if the old couple needed him but ended up sucked into a murder investigation.

[Tracie Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Birds of Prey”
by J. A. Jance

BIBLIOGRAPHIC DETAILS:
-Print: COPYRIGHT ©: 20 Feb 2001; ISBN 9780380716548; PUBLISHER: Avon; PAGES: 352 pages; UNABRIDGED (Hardcover Info Amazon)
-Digital: COPYRIGHT ©: 17 Mar 2009; ISBN: 9780061739637; PUBLISHER: Harper Collins eBooks; PAGES: 452 pages; UNABRIDGED (Digital Info from Amazon)
-*Audio: COPYRIGHT ©: 18 Feb 2008; ISBN: CD ISBN: 1-58116-150-6, MP3-Not found; PUBLISHER: Books in Motion; DURATION: 12.1 hours; Unabridged; (Audiobook Info from Books in Motion)
-Feature Film or tv: No.

SERIES: J. P. Beaumont, Book 15

SUMMARY/ EVALUATION:
-SELECTED: As I said in the previous review, I’d say the selection was a no-brainer, because we’d finished book 14, but actually, I think we need to switch to the Joanna Brady series, as we’ve gotten ahead in this series if you go by when they were written, and I don’t want to get to one where the characters meet (as I think I read will happen) without being up to speed on both of them. Hubby wanted to see what would happen next with Beau after leaving the Seattle police force though, so we’ll go to the other series next time.
-ABOUT: Funny that in my previous review I said the story had a sea change, and this one has a sea location. Beaumont is on a cruise with his newlywed grandmother and his AA mentor, when he discovers that he falls in the category of “once a detective, always a detective”. Aside from the murder mystery that develops, is a potential relationship. I am hopeful that it develops in future episodes.
-OVERALL: In fiction, a writer is free to assign any name to any group of activists, but I was curious if the LITG (Leave it to God) group was fictitious. A brief search in Google lead me to believe that perhaps it is fictitious. I then checked on “Secular Humanists” that the group is reported to refer to themselves in their manifesto, and I found that this term actually is described in Wikipedia, but seems to have an opposite meaning than is ascribed to it in the novel. They are antireligion, and pro science. But for the purposes of this great story, I doubt anyone cares.

AUTHOR:
J. A. Jance
“J.A. Jance is the New York Times best selling author of 46 contemporary mysteries in four different series.
A voracious reader, J. A. Jance knew she wanted to be a writer from the moment she read her first Wizard of Oz book in second grade. Always drawn to mysteries, from Nancy Drew right through John D. McDonald's Travis Magee series, it was only natural that when she tried her hand at writing her first book, it would be a mystery as well.
J. A. Jance went on to become the New York Times bestselling author of the J. P. Beaumont series, the Joanna Brady series, three interrelated thrillers featuring the Walker family, and Edge of Evil. Born in South Dakota and brought up in Bisbee, Arizona, Jance lives with her husband in Seattle, Washington, and Tucson, Arizona.
Jance is an avid crusader for many causes, including the American Cancer Society, Gilda's Club, the Humane Society, the YMCA, and the Girl Scouts. A lover of animals, she has a rescued Dachshund named Bella.” __From Amazon.com

NARRATOR:
Gene Engene
“Gene Engene is an award-winning reader with an astounding catalog of audiobooks to his credit. He is best known as J.P. Beaumont in the J.A. Jance mystery series. Gene is a veteran stage actor, director, and is a retired Professor of Drama at Eastern Washington University. Gene Engene Audiobooks at http://www.booksinmotion.com” __From Books in Motion’s Facebook

*ME: I have grown quite attached to Gene as the narrator of these novels. Gene IS Beau (AKA, JP) Beaumont.

GENRE:
Mystery; Thriller; Detective; Crime; Suspense; Activists

TIME FRAME:
Contemporary (2001)

SUBJECTS: (not comprehensive)
Cruise; Alaska; Juno

DEDICATION:
"For Pat Hall and Mary Daise"

SAMPLE QUOTATION:
Excerpt from Prologue:
“DURING DINNER I did my best to hold up my end of the conversation. That wasn’t too difficult, since I was no longer Margaret Featherman’s principal target. That dubious honor was now bestowed on poor Marc Alley. Casting herself in the role of magnanimous hostess, Margaret saw to it that wine—a high-priced Cabernet—flowed like water. So did the double entendres.
From the moment Marc sat down at the table, I suspected that Margaret had every intention of using him, later that evening, to tick off another notch on her bedpost. By the time the second bottle of Cabernet had made the rounds, I think Marc was picking up on that same message. I don’t believe he was particularly happy about it.
The tipsy looks Margaret beamed in Marc’s direction were about as subtle as a fully loaded Mack truck. And about that enticing. Reynaldo and his assistant waiter, an attentive Portuguese named Joaô, were delivering the crème brûleé when Naomi Pepper, the woman sitting next to me, leaned over and whispered, “If Marc hadn’t shown up, my money would have been on Joaô to get lucky tonight. As things stand, I’m betting Marc is it.”
Startled and struck momentarily dumb by her comment, I glanced furtively in Naomi’s direction, only to have her wink at me. That little bit of byplay was enough to draw Margaret Featherman’s sharp-eyed attention. “Wait a minute, you two,” she said. “What’s going on over there? No secrets allowed.”
According to my scorecard, Margaret was well on her way to being snockered. I was grateful the only kind of driving she’d be doing at the end of the evening would be in the elevator going back to whichever deck her cabin was on.
“Don’t work yourself into a lather, Margaret,” Naomi said. “I was just asking Mr. Beaumont here if this was his first cruise.”
This was, in fact, a bald-faced lie, but I figured my best tactic was to follow Naomi’s lead. “First one ever,” I responded brightly. “If this is how they feed us at every meal, no one is likely to starve.”
Margaret was looking straight at me when I started to answer, but then her eyes wavered and her glance slid away. The back-and-forth movement of her irises told me she was watching someone make his or her way across the room. From the tightening of her bare shoulders and the down-turned stiffening of her lips, I could tell that this new arrival was someone Margaret wasn’t thrilled to see.
“Mother!”
“Why, Chloe,” Margaret Featherman responded enthusiastically. As she spoke, she rearranged the separate features of her face into what passed for a welcoming smile. “How wonderful to see you.”
I looked up and saw at once that Chloe could be none other than Margaret Featherman’s daughter. She was a blonde, unreconstituted, and younger, early-thirties version of her mother, but the resemblance between the two women was striking. In terms of prickly personality, she was evidently a carbon copy.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Chloe Featherman demanded.
“I’m taking a cruise,” Margaret returned. “And don’t be so rude. Say hello to my friends. You know this is the time of year when we always get together. We usually spend the week in Reno. This time we decided to come cruising on the Starfire Breeze instead.”
Chloe Featherman glanced perfunctorily around the table and nodded briefly to each of the women seated there. When her eyes reached Marc Alley, who was fumbling to his feet, napkin in hand, her jaw dropped.
“Marc!” she exclaimed. “What are you doing here? You were supposed to sit at the same table with Dad and me and some of the others. We’re upstairs—in the other dining room.”
“I’m so sorry,” he stammered uncomfortably. “There must have been some kind of misunderstanding. When I got to my cabin, there was a message waiting for me about a change in the dining arrangements. The note said I would be at table sixty-three in the Crystal Dining Room rather than upstairs in the Regal.”
With her face a study in barely controlled fury, Chloe Featherman swung back to face her mother. “I doubt there’s been any misunderstanding,” she said pointedly. “And I’m sure I know who it is who left you that message. Stay out of Dad’s business, Mother,” Chloe warned. “You have no idea what’s at stake here.”
“Oh, I know what’s at stake, all right,” Margaret Featherman replied. Her voice dripped ice and so did her eyes. Clearly there was no love lost between this mother-and-daughter duo—in either direction. Moments earlier, Margaret had been flirting with Marc and giggling like a drunken schoolgirl. Now she seemed much older and stone-cold sober.
“It’s the same thing Harrison’s been chasing all his life,” she continued. “Some multimillion-dollar grant, I’ll bet, with a skirt or two thrown in on the side. Marc here was telling us all just a little while ago that he’s along on the cruise as Dr. Featherman’s exhibit A. Which reminds me, how is the lovely Leila? Has she finished up her degree yet? And doesn’t it bother you having a stepmother who’s three whole years younger than you are?”
Muscles tightened in Chloe Featherman’s slender jaw. “It happens that Leila and Dad are very happy together,” she said stiffly. “As you well know, whatever makes Daddy happy makes me happy.”
“How touching,” Margaret returned. “But then you always were Daddy’s little girl. There’s certainly nothing new and different about that. However did you know to come looking for me here?”
Chloe Featherman held out her hand. In it was an envelope with the cruise line’s distinctive logo on it. “I guess no one in the purser’s office thought there might be more than one M. C. Featherman on board the Starfire Breeze. Since it’s marked ‘urgent,’ someone brought it to me at our table upstairs. I opened it by mistake.”
Margaret took the envelope. Without even glancing at it, she stuck it into her purse. “That’s quite all right,” she said. “I’m sure you have no interest in my personal dealings.”
“You’ve got that right,” Chloe Featherman said. Then, with one final glare in poor Marc Alley’s direction, she turned and stalked off. He stood looking longingly after her as she made her way out of the dining room.
“Oh, Marc, do sit down,” Margaret Featherman said impatiently. “Obviously we’re not going to have the benefit of your company for another meal. Chloe will see to that. So we’d best make the most of the time we have.”
Snubbed by the daughter and too polite to tell the mother where to go, Marc sank back into his chair, but he made no effort to return to his crème brûlée. Margaret resumed her role of head honcho. “So what are we doing after dinner?” she said.
“There’s a musical in the theater,” Naomi offered. “That looked like it might be fun. Or else there’s a pianist/comedian in the Twilight Lounge, followed by big band music and dancing.”
“I do so love dancing to all that wonderful old music from the thirties, forties, and fifties,” Margaret said. “The Twilight Lounge sounds good to me.” Margaret Featherman made her pronouncement with all the authority of a papal decree and with the obvious expectation that everyone else in the group would agree with her. Naturally, they did so at once, with the single exception of Marc Alley, who had nerve enough to raise an objection. “I think I’ll turn in early,” he protested. “I have an interview with a reporter early tomorrow morning. I should probably get some sleep.””

RATING:.
5

STARTED READING – FINISHED READING
5/20/24 to 5/27/24

[Michael O'Leary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another excellent read in the J.P. Beaumont series by J. A. Jance.

[Jim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Retired Seattle Detective J.P. Beaumount has gone on a cruise to Alaska, accompanying his grandmother and her new husband Lars Jenssen, but leaving the city doesn't leave crime behind. On board the Starfire Breeze, J.P. finds himself enmeshed in a murder case and the cruise turns into a real busman's holiday.

One of the reasons I enjoy reading this mystery series is that the stories are set in and around Seattle, familiar territory for me, but this book takes place on the cruise ship and in Alaska so that local place recognition wasn't a factor. The plot has plenty of twists and turns and the shipboard setting makes it an interesting sort of oversized "locked door" mystery. I was pleasantly surprised by a secondary story line involving an investment that Lars had made while a fisherman in Alaska. If you like this series you will probably enjoy this book, though the setting gives it a decidedly different feel.

[Betsy · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is several books into a series about Seattle police detective J.P Beaumont. I am fond of many series of this type (from Nancy Drew to Nero Wolfe to Sue Grafton to name just a few). I was hoping to add another author to my list of reliable reads. Although Birds of Prey was readable, I found it a bit simplistic for my taste. The characters seemed one-dimensional and underdeveloped. Since this book is a long ways from the beginning of the series I would have expected more character development. The plot was also fairly linear without well developed red herrings and subtlety. There are so many other better detective series on the market that I don't think I will waste time reading any more of these.

[LadyCalico · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can't really find anything wrong with this book, but I just didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would. I guess any crime novel is more interesting if you care about the characters, and I just couldn't care about any of these characters, beyond the usual crew. I thought the story line about J.P. going along on his grandmother's honeymoon on a ship full of senior citizen's and divorcees had the potential to be a lot cuter than this book turned out to be. I just saw it as a waste of a great story-line--wished it could be re-written with more warmth and wit. An OK mystery but also a lost opportunity.

[Patrick Gibson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good one there JA. I think murder (maybe) on a cruise ship is perfect. I’ve taken a couple cruises—felt like killing a few. You have so many characters interconnected with each other with such complicated back stories I kept thinking ‘girl, how does your mind work?’ And how can you crank out so many books so well written? You and Janet Evanovich have become my estrogen champions.

[Brenda Schumacher · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm loving the Beaumont series, however, this was not my favorite. It was terribly slow until about the last quarter. Also, part of what I like best about this series are all the references to the Seattle area, this book had none as it took place on a cruise ship. A plus was that I never suspected the person who attempted the murder so that always makes it a bit more interesting.

[Zai Zai · Rating 2 out of 5]

This novel was rough, the characters were so tentative and annoying. Nothing exciting happened!??? C'mon! Also, this book spoiled several early books in the series but I'm not worried 'coz I'll be skipping totally.

I mean I do enjoy retro-ish fare but this isn't one of the good ones, there's nothing to latch on to, no intrigue, no pizazz. It's the book equivalent of chicken breast. 2 stars.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

This audio book was our choice for whiling away the hours during a long car ride, and my husband and I both enjoyed it. It's #15 in the J.P. Beaumont mystery series, and takes place on an Alaskan cruise. Fun, diverting, a tad predictable.

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh... this book was good I guess. My first thought though was that the book gave me the impression of a 1930's or 40's noir movie. The language was somewhat old and helped with the impression that I had. I may give JA Janice another chance, but not too many.

[Bonnie Dieffenbacher · Rating 4 out of 5]

2nd time i have read this book, but even though I remembered part of it, I did not remember all. When I realized I had read it before, I thought I would not finish it, but got caught up in the story and read right through it. A great read.

[Anita Drake · Rating 4 out of 5]

Detective J.P. Beaumont series

[Nolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

J. P. Beaumont has dealt with more than his share of hard times lately. He has developed poor sleeping habits, and his recent retirement from the Seattle Police Department has proven a hard adjustment. But surely an Alaskan cruise could set things right. That is his reasoning when his grandma and step grandpa invite him to go on a cruise with them just in case they need a younger person's help. He figures it can't hurt, and he signs up.

He encounters some interesting characters. There is a group of middle-aged women there who do a reunion cruise every so often. The passenger list also comprises a group of noted fertility physicians. Included also in the passenger list is a small but dedicated group of fanatics who oppose the work the physicians are doing. They are more than mere fertility doctors. Some of them use preborn baby cells to alter the brain. One young man on the cruise is the beneficiary of the work of one of the doctors. He no longer has the debilitating seizures he once had.

One of the four middle-aged women who are on the reunion cruise is rather demanding and shrill. But people can overlook that for the most part. Everything changes when on a late afternoon while the ship is not far from a shore, someone hurls the woman off the back of the ship. Beaumont quickly learns that, while you can retire, you can never really leave the game of detection and the quest for justice. When FBI representatives aboard the crews ask for his help in finding the missing woman, he agrees. If you read this, you will see how that relationship will sour to some degree. FBI agents are on the ship to protect some of the doctors from the fanatics.

Before the book ends, an old man steeped in Alzheimer’s will die in a scene I could only title “Throw Grandpa from the Train.” Wow!

I enjoyed this book a great deal. I'm relieved that the series seems to have elevated itself out of the unfortunate slump into which it fell in previous books. I liked this enough that I'm looking forward to the next book in the series. The end was a complete surprise for me. I vaguely wondered if I knew how it would turn out, but I dismissed my theories. I shouldn't have.

I don't know whether you can pick this up and read it isolated from the other books in the series. I suppose it would have some impact or maybe even most of its impact. But I'm glad I've been reading this series off and on since August of 2020. Knowing about the plots of the previous books did a great deal to enhance the plot of this book.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

THIS SUMMARY/REVIEW WAS COPIED FROM OTHER SOURCES AND IS USED ONLY AS A REMINDER OF WHAT THE BOOK WAS ABOUT FOR MY PERSONAL INTEREST. ANY PERSONAL NOTATIONS ARE FOR MY RECOLLECTION ONLY
In brief, "Birds of Prey" takes us on a honeymoon cruise to Alaska as Beau has been recruited to join his newly wedded grandma Beverly and her groom, Beau's pal and sponsor Lars, as their chaperon.

At any rate, naturally this will not be a nice and relaxing getaway for our now-retired homicide detective et al...nope; pretty quickly, the FBI agents aboard and travelling uncover have contacted Beau and put him to work...a "lunatic fringe of the lunatic fringe" group called, "Leave It To God (LITG)" are targeted doctors and patients viewed by them (LITG) as interfering with their version of a natural life cycle. It is scary and believeable. LITG basically hopes to eliminate those who save lives and those who are saved, by using what they view as "unnatural" techniques. For example, in this story, the FBI is on on biard protecting a neurosurgeon who performed a risky and advanced surgery on a young man suffering from severe epilepsy with multiple seizures per day.

As a result of this ground breaking surgery, the man has been totally cured and seizure free, enabling him to return to a "normal" life. LITG'S belief is that this man was "given the cross to bear" in the form of his horrible condition, and should have "lived as an example" and not had the treatment, an so on...you get the idea.

As the cruise continues, Beau gets roped in completely and we get to go along for the ride (sail? ha!) as the mystery progresses, peaks, and gets resolved. Some great Red Herrings keep the reader on their toes
>****

The person that saw this is Alzheimer patient and when his wife goes to an AA meeting on the ship, she tells her story how he won't do anything but watch the tv that shows where Margaret was pushed and he is afraid it will happen to him. Lars which is Beau's sponsor jumps right in to help the poor couple so Lucy can get out and do some things on the cruise. Since Lars first wife had this disease, he can't help enough and understands completely.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yes, an older J A Jance book. But it is a recent favorite. Beau is a likeable character. Welcome aboard the Starfire Breeze, on her Alaskan cruise mission. Beau is enjoying some recreation time. It is tempered with grandma sitting...keeping an eye on grandma Beverly and Lars, her recent husband and Beau's AA sponsor. But recreation turns to challenge and Beau is recalled into his crime fighting realm as he solves what sure looks like two murders among the passengers. Note: this setting is pre-cellphone, pre-Covid, so we're still dealing with voice mail messages and stateroom phones.

But what a good book. A few Alaskan port cities and landmarks are mentioned. The FBI has a strong shipboard presence, and we meet a bunch of ladies who lunch. Our intrepid Beau falls for one lovely lady, and comes to respect a former 'frenemy'.

It is a sweet book. There is a nod to AA, a very important life course director. The book touched me on several tangents: Alaskan cruise, a family wounded by alcoholism, a family touched by Alzheimers. Yes, toward the end the story dragged on a bit: but we need to solve one MIA person's whereabouts. So the 2nd crisis needed resolution. And Jance delivered. It is a feel-good book: there is respect for elders, understanding of other people's battles and doing-the-right thing when the crisis comes to a head. Maybe Lars will even make you laugh a little.

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

library ebook

beau is on a cruise ship (he is wearing the same bracelets i had and they are working so he didnt get seasick). he is accompanying his 90 yr old grandma and her new husband on their honeymoon. they get into a fight the first night, she gambled at the slot machine and the new husband got mad even tho it was her money. he spent the night on deck in the cold. she didnt want to be told what to do (dont blame her) and didnt say 'obey' at the wedding (good idea)

the one lady at dinner is missing. the man with Alzheimers saw her on tv going off the back of the boat. they later took him and his wife on a outing on a train, he was on the back of it with beaus step grandfather as it went through a tunnel and as someone was trying to push someone else off he fell off and was killed. they arrested his wife. beau got her a lawyer, but it turned out the wife did do it

the lady that was shoved off the boat turned up and beau got her back on board to look at the surveillance tapes, she found the person who forced her off and it was the journalist. she was captured.

really good book!

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Starfire Breeze steams its way north toward the Gulf of Alaska, buffeted by crisp sea winds blowing down from the Arctic. Those on board are seeking peace, relaxation, adventure, escape. But there is no escape in this place of unspoiled natural majesty. Because terror strolls the decks even in the brilliant light of day . . . and death is a conspicuous, unwelcome passenger. Former Seattle policeman J.P. Beaumont—a damaged homicide detective who has come here to heal from fresh, stinging wounds—will find that the grim ghosts pursuing him were not left behind . . . as a pleasure cruise gone horribly wrong carries him into lethal, ever-darkening waters.

Heather's Notes
So this finally makes me current with the JP Beaumont series. I liked the storyline and the plot. I did not care for the "romance" between Naomi Pepper and JP, maybe because I am current with the series and know they stay together. Not sure, but I didn't feel it. However, since the romance is not the main part of the story it was fine.

[Cindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audiobook - it was an interesting interlude, presumably between his time at Seattle PD, and whatever he’ll do in retirement. Naturally, while going on a cruise to “chaperone” his grandmother and Lars, her new husband, he discovers that a missing woman has gone overboard, AND that an old man was pushed from a train. Going behind the FBI’s back, he discovers a woman not dead, a secret that is now in the open, casual sex with yet another suspect in a murder investigation, though one who is innocent, not in his official case, and doesn’t die in this book, and his step grandfathers hidden previous life. A bunch was quite predictable, and the whole thing really felt like an interlude. I still want to read the next book, since I want to see him getting into his new gig, but this definitely cooled the eagerness a bit. I mean it was pretty well written, the number of references to a cup of coffee while drinking only mildly irritating, and the ease with which he tumbles another woman only somewhat exasperating.