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Alternate cover edition.

Will Julia and Vincent cling to the belief that they have done right, or will they begin to see themselves as people At Fault?

Operating on an insider’s tip, Julia and Vincent go undercover to infiltrate an organized fraud ring. But the closer they come to identifying the size and scope of the organization, the more they realize that their source has withheld vital information, causing them to make errors in their investigation—errors that may have grave consequences for an innocent victim.

Meanwhile, Vincent and Julia must both confront mistakes from the past that could destroy their hopes for the future. Vincent’s tenuous relationship with his son is tested once again. And now that Julia’s search for her sister’s rapist has finally paid off, how will Tricia and the rest of the family react to the news?

Will Julia and Vincent unravel the fraud ring before someone innocent gets hurt? Will they be able to keep their families together? (Approximately 77,000 words)

The six-book Southern Fraud Thriller series blends gripping suspense with a hint of Southern charm and a slow-burn romance.

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 2013

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272 people want to read

About the author

J.W. Becton

9 books34 followers
Also writes as Jennifer Becton

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5 stars
93 (38%)
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98 (40%)
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47 (19%)
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
Profile Image for Meg.
611 reviews
October 20, 2020
It's been many years since I read the last installment in this series, but I had no problem falling back into the storyline and the characters. The MCs are special agents for the Georgia Dept. of Insurance, their jobs being to investigate insurance fraud. This particular book centered around fake or engineered auto crashes, created not just to collect from insurance companies due to the accident itself, but branching out to ripoff auto mechanics, medical practices, and lawyers, among others. It's a scary world out there.

Interwoven into the story is the relentless quest to find and have prosecuted the man that had assaulted the female mc's sister many years ago. Definitely a worthy pursuit! The repetition of some passages and thought processes, not to mention the r- word, got to be trying, however.

All in all a good continuation of the series, 3.5 rounded to 4.
Profile Image for Nancy Kelley.
Author 12 books108 followers
April 22, 2013
Readers of Jennifer Becton's Southern Fraud series have come to expect three things in her books: First, a solid mystery/thriller with a strong southern tone; second, interesting character development on the part of series regulars; and third, a deepening romantic entanglement between Julia Jackson and her partner Mark Vincent. At Fault, the third in the series, delivers on all counts.

The Mystery:

The Georgia Department of Insurance has been tipped off to a fraud ring involving auto insurance. Julia and Vincent go under cover to find out more, but it doesn't take long for them to realize there's more involved than just a few ambulance chasers and shady body shops. Meanwhile, the shady "boss" starts to put the screws on their source, and if they don't solve the case soon, there could be more at stake than a few million dollars in fraudulent claims.

This case involved more people than either of Julia and Vincent's previous adventures. Some people we knew were involved from the start, and some, notably the boss, were a mystery till the end. Throughout the book, I had two possible suspects for the boss. One of them turned out to be right. The other was a well-placed red herring. I won't tell you who's who.

The Characters:

One of the best parts about the Southern Fraud series is the emphasis on character development, even beyond the main characters. From the start, the long-past rape of Julia's sister and her ongoing fight to find the rapist and bring him to justice has ben a driving force in who she is, and who her family is. At the end of Death Benefits we finally learned his name; in this book, he's tracked down and arrested. Julia's uncertainty about how Tricia will react to the news highlights her growing awareness that as much as she wishes, there's nothing she can do that will "make it all better."

At the same time, Mark Vincent's son Justin is doing a great job screwing up his own life. He's left college--without telling his mother, who doesn't know that the money she's supposedly paying for tuition is going elsewhere. The full story of what exactly he is doing plays into the larger plot of this book, so I won't reveal that. However, just as Julia has to realize she can't fix everything for Tricia, Mark starts to realize that he can't force Justin to love him or what to be with him, or even to respect his mother. Those choices have to be ones he makes.

The Romance:

That mutual uncertainty highlights the growing awareness that there's more to their relationship than simply coworkers or even friends. Without spoiling some truly fabulous moments, I will only say that Vincent lovers will be completely satisfied with the romantic development in this book.

All in all, I was very, very happy with this book and I cannot wait for the next in the series.

FTC disclaimer: The author sent me a copy of the book in return for an honest review.
Profile Image for RivkaBelle.
1,098 reviews
November 19, 2013
Review originally published on my blog: AWordsWorth.blogspot.com
eARC provided by author for review.

As with the previous installments in her Southern Fraud Thriller series, Becton has managed to write a mystery that not only holds my interest but keeps me guessing the whole time. Julia and Vincent are back together again, following Vincent's recovery from the shooting at the end of Death Benefits, and working on a straight-up insurance fraud ring case. So they think. The scope of the investigation quickly increases, as more and more suspects are added to the list, and it would appear that the "simple fraud ring" is a much bigger operation. When the young daughter of the doctor who tipped off the DOI is abducted, things get really crazy. And if you've read the other two Southern Fraud books, you know that crazy is definitely ... crazy.

Not only is At Fault a riveting mystery in its own right, but Julia's personal investigation into her sister's rape is finally reaching an "end," which opens a new set of worries and distractions. And, of course, there's Vincent. There's no denying there is some major chemistry between the two - we readers have seen it from the beginning - and they finally start to acknowledge it themselves. Swoon. Sigh. Becton builds chemistry and tension masterfully, being real without being lurid. And, thankfully, the crimes in At Fault are not as ... creepy ... as previous incidents have been. (Woman has skillz, people). There is more cursing than before (which in and of itself doesn't bug me too much, since I'd probably swear myself in the context), but Becton has acknowledged this and is retrofitting At Fault to match the standard set in Absolute Liability. All in all, a great next installment to the series, and I'm officially a fan. Which is, you know, saying a lot since it's a mystery series.
Profile Image for Linda.
2,174 reviews
September 23, 2020
Insurance investigators Julia Jackson and her partner Mark Vincent stage a minor auto accident on a stretch of Georgia highway in hopes of getting a lead on an insurance fraud ring. Before they know it, they are surrounded by "helpful" citizens, recommending THIS garage to fix the cars and THAT medical clinic to treat their injuries. The problem is, how to figure out the frauds from the genuine articles?

Then their inside source, Dr. Steven Keller, is threatened. Someone has seen him passing information to the DOI agents. Julia and Vincent think the threat is against Keller himself. They don't realize that the "boss" of the ring has a much more cruel plan in mind ...

(Editing oversights found in Kindle version:

Location 67, most of my time pouring over spreadsheets / most of my time PORING over spreadsheets ; 485, waiting for him to make a mistake, / waiting for him to make a MISTAKE. (needs period, not comma) ; 963, Most I can tell you / THE MOST I can tell you ; 970, if you lay low this week / if you LIE low this week ; 983, I told him to lay low / I told him to LIE low ; 1082, For all we know she could be / For all we KNOW, she could be ;

Location 1125, That jived with the fact / That JIBED with the fact (jibe = agree) ; 1128, since she had moved Well, I had / since she had MOVED. Well, I had (add period) ; 1377, loathe to speak a word / LOATH to speak a word (loath = reluctant or unwilling) ; 1694, I was required to up my volume / I was required to INCREASE my volume ;

Location 1722, All I could think was what if he's still an active predator. / All I could think WAS, what if he's still an active PREDATOR? (a question) ; 1796, and nearly upset his beer "But," he said / and nearly upset his BEER. "But," he said (add period) ; 1839, and its winter break / and IT'S winter break (it's = it is) ; 2186, It's nothing that other doctors don't do. / It's nothing that other doctors don't DO." (add end quote) ;

Location 2239, if you stuck to the plan to lay low / if you stuck to the plan to LIE low ; 2572, a couple times / a couple OF times ; 2707, and then sunk down to the seat / and then SANK down to the seat ; 3089, Fallsworthy froze, staring up and Vincent / Fallsworthy froze, staring up AT Vincent ; 3136, Didn't do it the way I asked. / Didn't do it the way I ASKED? (a question) ; 3224, ask him a couple questions / ask him a couple OF questions ;

Location 3324, and tugged on the binds / and tugged on the BINDINGS ; 3346, One of us had to stay even keel / One of us had to stay ON AN even keel ; 3464, until we reached county line / until we reached THE county line ; 3496, I would have no chance of laying low and observing / I would have no chance of LYING low and observing ; 4335, I understand industry's intricacies / I understand THE industry's intricacies .)
311 reviews
November 18, 2021
At Fault

Insurance fraud runs deep in this episode. The investigators find themselves mixed up in a large insurance fraud ring in their investigation. Jules locates the man responsible for her sister's rape after 17 years of searching. Will this tear her family apart more? Lots of action to keep you reading.
2 reviews1 follower
January 24, 2025
Life moves on

Definitely a good reads book This is her 3rd 1 that I've read and they have concluded a portion of the book that needed to be concluded and now they can begin their new adventures and hopefully these things will not appear again..
1,255 reviews
June 13, 2019
There were a couple of times that the continuity seemed off (it could have just been me, but...). Otherwise another enjoyable read.
Profile Image for Trish.
809 reviews16 followers
July 5, 2022
This is a fun and intriguing series
Profile Image for Paula.
132 reviews1 follower
October 21, 2019
Mistake. Checked the wrong book. Didn't read this.
Profile Image for Candy.
265 reviews
July 11, 2013
Yay! At Fault, the third installment of Becton’s Southern Fraud Thriller series is now available. I love Vincent and Julia! I was super excited to get my copy! After reading Absolute Liability and Death Benefits, I couldn't wait to dig into At Fault!

When Julia and Vincent begin to investigate a stretch of road in Georgia that seems to be a hot spot of staged car accidents, they soon find a much larger, well organized ring that encompasses all sides of insurance fraud; medical, auto and legal. They tread carefully to find the leader of the organization. Unfortunately, someone has become suspicious of Dr. Keller, their source on the inside. Soon Keller finds himself threaten, and his family becomes endangered.

Meanwhile, Julia is still working on finding the man who raped her sister. She has a strong lead on the suspect, but if they find him and bring him to trial what kind of affect will that have on Julia’s sister? She is finally clean and sober, will that send her spiraling downward again? Plus Vincent has family problems of his own. He is dealing with his son Justin. And to add to all the excitement, Vincent and Julia are growing more and more attracted to one another! Will they finally give in to their desires?

I like the fact that both Julia and Vincent have problems with their families and can relate to one another - be there for each other.

Again, I found myself enjoying being in the head of one of the suspects as Becton slips in chapters from his point of view.

I truly enjoyed At Fault! I like the chemistry between Julia and Vincent. And the ending ...let me just say I can’t wait for the next book!!

**I was provided e-ARC of the book for my honest review.**
Profile Image for Brenda.
390 reviews6 followers
April 24, 2016
This book is similar to the first two books in the series in that it is well-paced and an enjoyable read. I really like Jackson and Vincent and enjoy the light touch on their romance combined with the more "meaty" mystery part of the story. So glad Ms. Becton brings romantic tension without getting "skanky" with it - Thank you!

I wish the series would start fleshing out some of the secondary characters like Tripp, Tricia, and even "Mom and Dad" as I feel they've become a bit one-dimensional, and I think I'm starting to get a crush on Tripp so I really want more about him - LOL!!

So if I liked it so much, why only 3 stars? Mostly searching for more depth, but probably the biggest problem for me was a matter of distraction. There were a couple of editing issues that took me by surprise, knowing how meticulous this author normally is, and then the funky page numbering and chapter management of the book was a bit frustrating. I read this on the Nook, which showed that it was an 842 page book (fear not - it is nowhere near that magnitude of an undertaking!) and the chapters in "Content" showed 44 chapters when there was really only 35 plus an epilogue. If you're not a crazy "how far along am I" reader likeI am, this likely would have no effect on you and you can enjoy it completely.
Profile Image for Diana Hockley.
Author 9 books46 followers
March 30, 2013
Insurance fraud is something which doesn't get much media attention, unless it's a big one, involving someone important. The plot of this book has Julia and Vincent back in the action to investigate fraud with auto accidents. Everyone is in it, from the "witnesses" to the medicos and of course, to the auto repair shops.

I was looking forward to this well-written and fast-paced novel, so was surprised and delighted when it was published sooner than I expected. The plot is strong and straightforward. The characters feel like old friends and the story also picks up their own family issues. No spoiler - I was intrigued at the outcome for Julia's family and am hoping that the author is right now penning the next in the series.

I particularly like the romantic aspect of the series, because of it's authenticity - no spoiler again - and am looking forward to reading more about these interesting characters.

Well done, Ms Becton!
Profile Image for Jeannie and Louis Rigod.
1,991 reviews39 followers
March 8, 2015
Department of Insurance (DOI.) Special Agents, Julia and Vincent find themselves in the midst of a large auto/repair/accident and more, fraud ring running in Mercer, Georgia. Both agents are selected to stage an automotive accident and then follow through all persons and businesses connected. The sting had been set up by an informants tip.

Quickly, it appears that the informant wasn't telling the entire story and the fraud ring was far more deep and sadistic than anyone knew or expected.

As the story progressed, I found myself fully engrossed in the story. Not only does this series teach us the value of having DOI's but the danger the agents face. I, also, realized how naïve a person can be when they are in an accident.

The tale also follows the personal lives of each agent, separately and interactively.

I truly enjoyed this book, as I have the previous two, and look forward to reading the next.
Profile Image for Erica Monroe.
Author 31 books161 followers
May 22, 2014
Of the Southern Fraud series, I think At Fault is my favorite as it displays the most character development in the series. Becton moves along the series-wide plots--Tricia's rape, Vincent and Julia's will they or won't they relationship--but still manages to change things up with a truly interesting insurance fraud ring. I recommend all of the Southern Fraud books to people who love a good mystery with a dash of romance on the side. At Fault didn't have the same gore element as the first two books, but I felt that fit better with the tone of the book. I look forward to the next book in this series.
Profile Image for Tom.
90 reviews4 followers
May 18, 2013
Mrs Becton owes me eight hours of sleep. I innocently picked up my Kindle after work and started At Fault and except for a few cat naps, read it straight through until 4 AM. Now I have to wait for Southern Fraud Thriller, #4 where loose ends will be tied up and maybe a new insurance fraud is introduced. I would have given the book five stars if Ms. Becton had spent a few more chapters capturing the main villain and drawn out the chase scenes more but mental exhaustion from sleep deprivation is evidence enough to assign 4.5 stars to this good read.
Profile Image for Mae Padua-janusas.
403 reviews
April 20, 2013
I CAN'T WAIT FOR THE NEXT ONE!! What a thrill ride! Loved every moment of it. The emotional and physical conflict they go through grounds you as you get lost in their world. Everyone has their issues and its good to read about it but its not too overwhelming that you didn't want to keep reading. It was just enough to suck you in the drama and keep you wanting more. Not to mention the sparks flying and sexual tension between J and V. Wow! Talk about hot!! I want more!! Well done Ms. Becton!! Can't wait for the next one to come out!!!
Profile Image for Melissa.
36 reviews
January 11, 2014
Great series, developed characters

I really like this series. This is the third in the planned six novels. I recommend reading in order as there are relationships and "mysteries" that evolve through the series. Julia is a likeable but flawed female protagonist and the author takes the time to develop the main characters... over the course of the series, they "feel" like real people. Great job, I can't wait to see where the series goes after the revelations and developments in this book.
Profile Image for Victoria.
917 reviews11 followers
May 18, 2013
made me immediately download this one. Equally as good--and really feeling like the characters are being fleshed out. Makes you want to read the next one, to see where it's all going. That's good writing whether anyone calls it great or not. As with the first one, these last two were over 800 pages on my NOOK and they just zipped along.
Profile Image for Aaron Dubin.
74 reviews1 follower
October 4, 2013
Another winner by the great Jennifer Becton. I simply adore this series. It's got romance, ass-kicking, and humor. I have completely lost myself in all three of these books, often losing track of time as I read them. Highly recommend if you are looking for fun escapism with some light romance thrown in.
Profile Image for Jean.
1,575 reviews47 followers
April 1, 2013
Interesting and fast paced mystery. A fairly easy read, with a good mix of action and mystery ellements. Normally I don't have a hard time figuring out who the bad guy is, but this one came as a real surprise.
Profile Image for Anne.
725 reviews2 followers
April 26, 2014
Really enjoyed this book. I think the books are actually getting better as the series goes on. It's nice to see story lines from the first book being resolved in this one. The plot with Tricia seems quite realistic as does Justin's. I can't wait to read the next one!
Profile Image for Elaine.
1,128 reviews3 followers
April 2, 2013
loved it, ready for the next one
Profile Image for Danielle Woods.
508 reviews7 followers
June 14, 2013
I really like this series of books! I can't wait to see where the next book takes us!
Profile Image for Erin.
44 reviews
August 30, 2013
fun and easy series, looking forward to 4th
4 reviews
March 30, 2014
Moral Hazard is out. Yippee. Can't wait to dig in.
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