Justice Delayed

Memphis Cold Case #1

by Patricia Bradley

It's been eighteen years since TV crime reporter Andi Hollister's sister was murdered. The confessed killer is behind bars, and the execution date is looming. But when a letter surfaces stating that the condemned killer didn't actually do it, Detective Will Kincaide of the Memphis Cold Case Unit will stop at nothing to help Andi get to the bottom of it. After all, this case is personal: the person who confessed to the crime is Will's cousin. They have less than a week to find the real killer before the wrong person is executed. But much can be accomplished in that week--including uncovering police corruption, running for your life, and falling in love. With the perfect mixture of intrigue and nail-biting suspense, award-winning author Patricia Bradley invites her readers to crack the case--if they can--alongside the best Memphis has to offer.

Genres: Christian Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Fiction, Romance, Christian, Romantic Suspense

343 pages, Paperback

First published January 31, 2017

About the author

Patricia Bradley is a Romantic Suspense Selah winner, Carol and Daphne du Maurier finalist and the winner of an Inspirational Readers’ Choice Award. Three anthologies that included her stories debuted on the USA Today Best Seller List.

She and her two cats call Northeast Mississippi home--the South is also where she sets most of her books. Her romantic suspense novels include the Logan Point series, the Memphis Cold Case Novels, and the Natchez Trace Park Rangers. She now hard at work on the second book in her new Pearl River series set in the Cumberland Plateau area above Chattanooga.

Writing workshops include American Christian Fiction Writers, the Mid-South Christian Writer’s Conference, the KenTen and Scrivener retreats where she was the keynote, Memphis American Christian Fiction Writer group, and the Bartlett Christian Writers group. When she has time, she likes to throw mud on a wheel and see what happens.


I love connecting with readers on my blog every Tuesday where I have a Mystery Question for them to solve: www.patriciabradleyauthor.com/blog
Twitter: @ptbradley1
FaceBook: www.facebook.com/patriciabradleyauthor
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ptbradley/
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Reviews

[Stace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book reviewed by Julie on www.whisperingstories.com

‘Justice Delayed’ is a romantic suspense novel by award-winning American author, Patricia Bradley. The story is written in the third person, from the perspectives of several characters, including our main protagonist, Andi who is an investigative journalist. Andi’s sister, Stephanie, was killed eighteen years previously and her ex-boyfriend, Jimmy, is sitting on death row having been found guilty of her murder.

Jimmy allegedly confessed to the crime but later retracted his statement. At the eleventh hour, doubt is cast as to his culpability. Can a cold case detective, who also happens to be the accused’s cousin, Will Kincaide, save the life of a potentially innocent man? To do so, it is essential that Will finds out exactly what happened to Stephanie in the time leading up to her death.

Andi doesn’t want to believe her much loved sister could have been mixed up in any criminal activity but to uncover the truth she must work with Will and her brother, Brad, find Steph’s work colleagues and friends. Inevitably we get a bit of misdirection along the way as the layers of love, jealousy, rivalry, fear, intrigue, suspense and family dynamics are peeled back to allow justice to finally be served.

I appreciated having the opportunity to meet Stephanie in the prologue. As the story progresses we have flashbacks to reveal more events from eighteen years ago. There is additional backstory when we move to the present, along with a bit of suspense. However, as Andi had over 300 pages to get through, I wasn’t too concerned that she would come a cropper in the first chapter and understand the need to impact upon the reader early on.

There are a lot of characters and also a strong reliance on dialogue over description but I think it works at both levels, with suspense building as the clock ticks down to Jimmy’s execution.

I was pleased that the romantic element of the story was underlying rather than overshadowing the plot, with emphasis clearly focused on the potential miscarriage of justice. I was irritated by Andi and Will sidestepping each other for most of the book and found the burgeoning relationship between David and Maggie far more intriguing.

With such a large cast, it is inevitable that some of the characters are a little two dimensional, but Andi is well fleshed out with health issues as well as tragedy to deal with. Having her dependent on painkillers makes her a believable, rather than a clean-cut, heroine.

The basic concept of a race against time to right a wrong is not new but I’m pleased to say in this case, it has been skilfully delivered with the author using many techniques to set her scenes and move the story forward. The dénouement wasn’t a huge shock but it was a suitable end to a well-written novel. I award four stars.

[Melissa (Semi Hiatus Until After the Holidays) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bradley's new Memphis Cold Case series kicks off with an intriguing mystery. The number of characters with similar names and convoluted relationships muddle the tale and make it quite confusing to keep everyone straight, and the resolution of the mystery is fairly unbelievable. Andi's actions and reactions seem over the top and unrealistic most of the time. The core suspenseful tale is fast-paced and intriguing, however, and the main characters will be interesting to follow through the upcoming books in the series.
Eighteen years ago, reporter Andi Hollister's sister Stephanie was murdered. Now, in three days, her confessed killer will be executed for the crime. Police detective Will Kincaide, the culprit's cousin, has never fully believed that Jimmy is the murderer, and now Jimmy claims to have received a letter from one of Stephanie's friends saying he is not guilty. Andi and Will join forces to see if they can get to the bottom of this before it is too late. Yet many people and circumstances want to stand in their way.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good suspense story, with plenty of twists. Until nearly the end, there's doubt about the true identity of the criminal JD. The flashbacks are clearly marked and easily understood, which made reading them much easier.

I liked Andi as a character. I liked how vivid it was that she was struggling with the Lortabs, but in the end, it was just sort of anticlimactic to me that she just decided "oh, I have a problem..." after that much of a buildup.

I also enjoyed Will, Brad, Treece, David, Maggie, and the Hollisters as characters. I'll look forward to the next installment of this series (which apparently will feature Brad.)

[Dale Harcombe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eighteen years earlier, Andi Hollister’s sister Stephanie was murdered. Convicted of the crime Jimmy Shelton is only a few days off being executed for a murder he confessed to. And then a letter arrives saying he was not the murderer. Detective will Kincaid, cousin to Jimmy, and recently appointed head of the Memphis Cold Case unit, is determined to help crime reporter, Andi, get to the bottom of it. And what do smuggled diamonds have to do with the case?
Before that can happen, at least one other person,maybe more will lose their lives.
This is a steady paced story with plenty happening. Sadly, with a lot of characters and too many having names that are similar or starting with the same initial, it became a bit confusing at times keeping track of who was who. That is a shame as essentially it takes away from what is a good story. The other point I struggled with is that after drawing so much attention to Andi’s dependence on prescription drugs, it then kind of gets solved a bit too easily. Maybe more will come to light in a later book since this is part one of a series?
These quibbles aside, I did find it an enjoyable read. Not an author I had read before but would be interested to read another by her. There is some Christian content but since it is minimal it shouldn’t deter any reader who dislikes Christian fiction. The main characters are likeable and the villains are suitably villainous. The plot gradually uncovers secrets and connections. It’s a story of justice at what price, truth, family and friendship. An engaging murder mystery with a hint of romance that kept my attention. Recommended for those who like murder mysteries that are not graphic.

[Staci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cold case suspense novels are especially interesting. Both the suspense and mystery aspects of this novel were solid. A couple of romances bloomed in the pages and I look forward to seeing how those develop in the next book in this series.

[Charlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars!

Justice delayed did not delay to grab my attention. I was hooked from the beginning.

Some of the things I enjoyed:
▪️The main characters - A Detective from a Cold Case Unit and a sassy TV crime reporter. I loved them both and they made a great team.
▪️The Cold case angel in a novel was new to me but I really enjoyed it. I was intrigued and guessing all the way through.
▪️There were ALOT of characters but this really worked for me. I never got bored. It really helped keep me engaged.
▪️The Suspense was with a little edgy which was a bonus.
▪️A little romance which was not over the top.
▪️I also enjoyed the faith element and some of the topics included.

This was my first novel by Patricia Bradley and I will be reading many more of her novels in the near future.

I also listened to accompanied audio which was narrated by Joell A Jacob. I rate 4 stars for her performance as it was a good performance that keep me engaged at all times.

Recommended for those who are interested in reading a cold case suspense with a Christian angle :).

[Kelly Bridgewater · Rating 4 out of 5]

Besides Robin Jones Gunn's Christy Miller series, romantic suspense was my introduction to Christian fiction. Thanks to Dee Henderson's O'Malley series. Before then, I devoured every single Nancy Drew novel and looked forward to reading mysteries and solving the crime before the author draws her characters to the conclusion. So of course, when Bradley threw her hat into the Romantic Suspense genre with her Logan Point series, I couldn't wait to read them. Stories with cold case are incredible because of the police officers chance to serve justice after a long time. With Bradley's new Memphis Cold Case series, I became introduced to new characters, saw justice served, and met some interesting characters.

The writing was concise and clear. Bradley did not head hop or switch point of views. She did a good job at creating a setting that I have only driven through. I had no problem visualizing the surroundings as the characters moved around. The research Bradley had to do to make Will and Brad as officers for a cold case unit seemed realistic to me. I had no doubts that Will and Brad were doing exactly what they should be doing as officers.

In a romantic suspense, the romance is just as important as the suspense. But in Justice Delayed, Bradley allowed romance between Andi and Will, but it didn't overwhelm the story. It was more just internal feelings between two people who grew up together, even though Will was Andi's older brother's best friend. As for the suspense, it was an original story that I haven't seen done before, and I really enjoyed how Bradley incorporated the diamond smuggling. It was an unique and timely suspense element. I was glued to the fast pace of the novel.

I really liked spending time with Andi. I enjoyed her love and honor of her dead sister, Stephanie. She still had a torch for her older sister, even though there were many years in between them. Bradley gave Andi a flaw with her pain pills, and I really believed this is becoming a sad reality in our culture today, so Bradley brought it to life in Andi. While I enjoyed Andi's character, I really didn't see anything remarkable about Will. He is an officer who still works with his best friend and has a crush on his best friend's little sister. I wished he was someone that I liked more, but I don't.

Justice Delayed had an ending that I saw coming pretty early. I figured out who the bad guy was. Not that it ruined the story, I stayed with the story, wanting to prove that I was right, which makes for a good mystery in my humble opinion.

I recommend this book for fans of Bradley, Lynette Eason, Colleen Coble, Irene Hannon, and other fans of Romantic Suspense fans. There really is nothing that only mature audiences can read. Fans of a good mystery would enjoy this novel.

In conclusion, Patricia Bradley's introduction to her Memphis Cold Case series Justice Delayed is a fast-paced story with a heroine worth rooting for and a hero that missed the mark for me. I really enjoyed seeing the Justice served by the end of the novel. I can't wait to see whose story she will write next.

I received a complimentary copy of Justice Delayed from Revell Publishing, and the opinions stated are all my own.

[Coco.V]

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Blurb:
It's been eighteen years since TV crime reporter Andi Hollister's sister was murdered. The confessed killer is behind bars, and the execution date is looming. But when a letter surfaces stating that the condemned killer didn't actually do it, Detective Will Kincaide of the Memphis Cold Case Unit will stop at nothing to help Andi get to the bottom of it. After all, this case is personal: the person who confessed to the crime is Will's cousin. They have less than a week to find the real killer before the wrong person is executed. But much can be accomplished in that week--including uncovering police corruption, running for your life, and falling in love.

[CD {Boulder Blvd} · Rating 2 out of 5]

I haven't read Ms Bradley before but I really enjoy cold case murders that tie to a current case and had high hopes. Unfortunately you can really tell that the romantic part of romantic suspense genre was the focus. It seemed like too many scenes were set up to advance possible romances versus what would happen in a real police investigation.

One of the main characters, Andi, was truly annoying. There is a fine line between a tough reporter taking chances for a story and a belligerent brat being TSTL. Needless to say, Andi was way over in the TSTL brat category. She didn't seem professional and definitely acted the immature brat in professional situations. Her character really reduced my reading enjoyment. She's an investigative reporter that doesn't pay close attention to what people say.

In addition, I can't imagine any director in a police department giving a reporter carte blanche in an ongoing investigation. Andi's involvement just seemed "off". She was supposed to be able to shadow on cold cases, but she was demanding to be involved in multiple current cases as well. I was constantly putting the book down as I got annoyed.

In addition to Andi there were just way too many characters being thrown into the mix without much development. And of course they all dated each other in the past and some had relationships in the present which made it a bit confusing who was with whom then and who was with whom now.

Andi's brother Brad is on the police force and currently investigating one of the current crimes. His constant denial of the relationship of the cases and the timing of events just made him look incompetent. Plus with all the circumstances of people who could prove Jimmy didn't murder Stephanie 18 years ago, none of them think Jillian might be in danger? And they have to wait until Andi talks to her mom to get Jillian's address.

With the limited time they have to push to get Jimmy cleared before his execution date, there should have been a time tension in the book but there wasn't. It's was more of a putting off until tomorrow what should be done today. Letting other priorities trump a man's life and potential danger for anyone with information.

Christian? It wasn't until I had read quite a bit and reached a couple of scenes that I realized that this was a Christian author. There were a couple of God discussions which are present in Christian literature but they didn't overwhelm the book. This is definitely a clean romantic suspense book which I know some readers have a difficult time finding.

Throughout the book, there were little annoyances and here are a couple:

And why when nobody edits as well as Treese, is Andi staying up late to edit without Treese?

18 years is a long time to close her Andi's dead sister's studio and keep as it was the night Stephanie was murdered. I never felt those years were justified.

They are two hours away and looking to call a friend with a helicopter. What's so difficult about calling local police?


In the end it was just too many contrived scenes that didn't feel real. And the depth of the plot and characters felt more like what you would get when reading a novella. Although I didn't enjoy this book, I will probably give the series a second chance.

[Carrie Schmidt · Rating 4 out of 5]

There be tension galore in Justice Delayed!

Along with the romantical kind (not just one couple either!), there’s of course the action-and-suspense kind. But there’s also the added tension of racing against the clock to save a possibly-innocent death row inmate from being unjustly executed. Making that tension even thicker is the fact that Detective Will Kincaide’s cousin is the death row inmate in question. And the crime for which he’s about to be executed? The brutal murder of Andi (Will’s love interest) and Brad (Will’s best friend) Hollister’s sister Stephanie years earlier.

There are lots of suspects and not many of those that I could easily eliminate as I tried to solve the crime along with our cold case team (Will, being the only official member lol). Mysteries that keep me guessing are my favorites, and this one is nicely done! Enhancing the drama are the well-placed and well-written flashbacks that Bradley incorporates into the present-day narrative – as well as the chilling scenes told from the killer’s perspective.

Bottom Line: If you like a little bit of romance mixed with your suspense (whether you put the emphasis on ‘little bit’ or on ‘romance’), Justice Delayed will give you the best of both worlds. From the cold case to the present one and all the details in between, the tension remains high from the first word ’til the last. Because this is the first book in a new series, there are a bevy of characters to meet and not every subplot is tied up neatly at the end. Don’t worry, though! The main storyline is brought to a page-turning conclusion, and I expect that the hanging threads will be ongoing throughout the series. I’m already looking forward to the next book!

(I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.)

see my full review at Reading Is My SuperPower

[Karin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Andi Hollister's sister was murdered 18 years ago, and the convicted felon is nearly at his execution date, when a letter appears that may exonerate him. The problem--it goes missing, the letter's writer turns up dead of an apparent suicide, and both Andi and her brother have a hard time handling this. Told from several POVs, including Andi, Will (her brother's long time friend and who Andi finds herself falling for-this is a romantic-supsense-thriller) and David's (who is falling for a lawyer they hope will help them get a stay of execution while they re-open this investigation), this is well done for romantic-suspense-thriller, but I'm not a keen fan of this genre per se. I can see why Bradley has won writing awards in the past, though.

[Cathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

this book was fairly typical as far as a mystery book goes . the carechters were okay as far as being typical as well . The plot was really good however it was pretty predictable with the ending . I thought I was going to enjoy this one far more than I did and that was disappointing to say the least . I like to settle down with a book at night but frankly this one put me to sleep well before I was ready for it . Do yourself a favor and skip this one . Not really a liker on my list .

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a well written and interesting Christian romantic suspense novel. The characters were fully portrayed, and I especially enjoyed seeing Andie and Brad interacting as the close, stubborn siblings that they are. I hadn't read a book mainly focusing on a cold case before, but I really enjoyed seeing the events unfold and seeing truth and justice win. I plan to read more of this series.

[Donna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. TV reporter Andi Hollister's older sister Stephanie was murdered 18 years ago by her boyfriend Jimmy. Jimmy is on death row and scheduled to die in 5 more days when he receives a letter in prison from Lacey who was a stewardess that worked with Stephanie. Lacey writes that she has proof Jimmy did not kill Stephanie. Andi does not realize that her sister was smuggling diamonds into the country on her flights. Andi gets a call from Lacey to meet her at the airport but Lacey is killed before she can meet up with Andi. Andi and her brother Brad team up with Jimmy's cousin Will to investigate Jimmy's innocence. Stephanie and Lacey both hid evidence before they died and the race is on to find the goods before the bad guys find the evidence first.

Lots of characters in this story and I tried to keep everyone straight. I see where the author can develop many of these characters in future stories. The diamond smuggling from 18 years ago is handled through flashback scenes. The author also addresses addiction from painkillers in the storyline.

[Loraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely suspenseful with lots of twists and turns. Well written with good characters and plot. I felt sorry for Andi due to her health issues as a young child and the loss of her sister, but really got mad at her for getting hooked on pain killers when she was bright enough to know what could happen. But the author also showed how easily it can happen to anyone. Will was always there to support her and had really been there through most of her growing up years as well. So I was not surprised at their slow growing romance. Bradley handled Jimmy's plight of being close to execution with new evidence appearing very well. There were several great secondary characters who I hope to see more of in the second book in this series. They certainly added to the story line. My only complaint was I felt the faith line was not very evident. Overall an enjoyable read.

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing mystery! Page-turning suspense with plenty of twists to keep you on your toes. I'm looking forward to the next book.

[Madison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Justice Delayed is the explosive start to a new suspense series by Patricia Bradley and it has all the features of a novel that keeps you guessing. Romance, a new cold case team, mysteries that hit close to home, flawed and relatable characters, and plenty of tension combine to keep the suspense high.

Andi Hollister is a journalist who takes risks to uncover the big stories. When a murder is linked to the death of Andi's sister, Andi knows she has to help uncover the details, especially since the man convicted of her murder is about to be executed. Along with her brother, police Sergeant Brad Hollister, and family friend Detective Will Kincade, who has just joined a new cold case team, Andi puts her life in danger to find the truth about who really killed her sister and why.

Justice Delayed snagged my attention from the first page. Andi is a flawed but realistic character. She takes risks and usually jumps in head first to dangerous situations, so it's no wonder her brother and friends worry about her and tend to hover. Andi is also battling an addiction to pain pills, but her major problem is denying she has an addiction.

The reader is given the major clues to the crime right from the prologue. We can guess who was involved in Stephanie's death we just don't know who that person actually is or the details of the crime. I enjoyed the way the mystery unfolded, with Will, Andi, Brad and the cold case team director David all playing key roles in uncovering the clues. I had hazarded a good guess at who was behind the whole thing and was correct, but that didn't lessen my enjoyment of the mystery.

Along with the mystery, this book incorporates family and romance. Will and Andi have known each other since they were children but their relationship has never strayed beyond friendship. Andi knows she is more aware of Will than she would be if he was just her brother's best friend, but she's not sure how Will views her. And the same goes for Will, never acting on his feelings because of his friendship with Brad and his fear that Andi only sees him as another big brother. The case brings them together, but other things threaten to push them apart, like Andi's pain pill addiction and the details from the case itself. I would have liked to see more personal details shared between them, particularly at the end, but the focus of the book remains on the suspense and the investigation.

While the ending of Justice Delayed gives readers a conclusion to the mystery, I would have liked another chapter or epilogue to tie up the personal issues raised in the story. I can only assume that the following books in the series will have readers rejoin this group of characters - there is certainly plenty of scope for further romances and cold cases to be investigated within the group.

With Justice Delayed, Patricia Bradley affirms her place among Christian suspense authors such as Dani Pettrey and Irene Hannon.

The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.

Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library.

[Caitlyn Santi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read and loved all four books in this author's Logan Point series, and I was really looking forward to her newest release. Unfortunately, I have to say that I have some mixed feelings about this book because while there lots of things I absolutely loved about it, for example: Brad's overprotectiveness of his sister Andi, which made for some totally awesome moments; the camaraderie between Andi, Brad and Will; Will himself, need I say more? I just loved him; the mystery was very intriguing and kept me riveted to the page, and while I personally wasn't surprised by the identity of two of the villains I was surprised by another; the climax of this book was very fast-moving and suspenseful, I loved it and I also loved that it was totally different from any climax I think I've ever seen in a romantic suspense before.
There were also some things that bothered me a bit and caused me to knock my rating down to four stars, these things were: I spent a large portion of the book wanting to shake the main character Andi because of a very bad choice she kept making (not going to say what to avoid spoilers) it just really annoyed me that she refused to see the truth and I didn't feel like that thread was resolved as much as I wish it had been; this book had quite a large cast of characters and potential suspects and I sometimes had a hard time keeping track of them all; while I did love the climax I must admit that the ending did feel a bit rushed to me, it just seemed to end kind of abruptly leaving a few threads that didn't get tied up to my satisfaction, but it is very possible that those things will be resolved at a later point in the series; I know from personal experience that Faith and learning to trust and rely on God (which seemed to be the theme of this book, at least to me) can be messy and imperfect, but I was disappointed that Andi never seemed to make the choice to rely on God at any point during the book, I would have been totally fine if things hadn't been tied up in a neat little bow, after all life is rarely like that, but the book ended without me really feeling that Andi had grown closer to God or learned much of anything from her mistakes which definitely did leave me feeling a tad disappointed.
See what I mean about mixed feelings? No book is perfect and there were these few things that bothered me, however, I really did love the rest of this book and found it hard to put down. I recommend this book and I am looking forward to the next in the series, I'm hoping the author will write a story about Brad, as well as one about David and Maggie. I so want to how you get Maggie from the name Madeline? :)


I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not compensated in any way for this review. All thoughts and opinions are one hundred percent my own.

[Sandra Orchard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed Bradley’s last series and this introduction to the new “Cold Cases” series is equally promising. Bradley incorporated more investigators/sleuths in the case than we typically get to see. Some even enjoyed scenes from their own point of view. It made for an interesting multi-faceted book, although occasionally it meant the reader was hearing similar information two or three times and I found myself flipping back to find out who already knew something and who didn’t. On the flipside, I am now really interested in all of these characters and hopeful that future books in the series will spotlight each in turn.

Bradley does a great job of showing the reactions of family members coming to terms with learning the man they’ve believed guilty of their loved one’s murder for the past eighteen years may be innocent, as well as facing truths about her they couldn’t believe. While I didn’t love the heroine Andi, I did find her actions believable given that she was under the influence of too many painkillers. It is a good wakeup call to how easily and quickly addiction can happen. By the end Andi does start to see the folly of her choices and I like that Bradley doesn’t make Andi “all better” unrealistically quickly to tie the ending in a neat bow. Hopefully we’ll glimpse Andi’s continued growth in future books, especially with the positive influence of Will, who I really like.

This would make a good book club book as it presents several issues worthy of discussion. The book itself doesn't really delve into the spiritual side of them, but it offers a great springboard from which to launch the discussion

[Cara Putman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Justice Delayed has the very real ticking time bomb of finding the true murderer before the man who plead guilty is executed. Will Kincaide has never believed his cousin did it. He may have had many failing but being a murderer wasn't one of them. However, Andi is absolutely convinced he did it, so they make a very unlikely pair as they try to find the truth. As an investigative reporter she is determined to use this case and others to launch into the big leagues of the networks, but at what cost. The budding romance was sweet and develops well, but there was a personal subplot with Andi which was distracting. It didn't resonate well for me, but it didn't stop me from enjoying the book.

I loved the idea that this book involved a cold case that everyone was convinced was solved because someone had pled guilty. That piece was handled very well, and really engaged my interest. I wanted to know who really killed Andi's sister. And I wanted to see how the layers of clues and suspects peeled back to the true murderer--before too many more people were killed.

This book is perfect for those who love a good mystery with layers of romance and a touch of suspense. I look forward to the next book in this series.

[Audrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perfect Who-dunnit

Andi's sister was killed eighteen years ago. The alleged killer is on death row. Days before his date of execution he receives a letter stating the writer has evidence that he didn't do it. Unfortunately, the letter was stolen and the writer is murdered. What is going on and who is the murderer?

[Rebekah Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went out on a limb to read Justice Delayed, as I prefer historical fiction to crime mysteries. I found myself immediately draw into the story, but also confused due to the vast amount of characters I was asked to keep up with. These characters, and by characters I mean stars in our contemporary soap opera were but not limited to; Andie, Will, JD, Brad, Chloe, Adam, Jullian, Lacy, David, Jimmie...and that is just to name a few! I did appreciate how the author kept the book clean, alot of crime novels/shows tend to bombard us with lots of language that takes away from the case.

I'm probably alone in this, but I would have preferred a touch of more romance in the story line, but with it being a few days to solve the case, I can see why kissing under the mistletoe is on no one's priority list...however they really did enjoy their pizza and driving around places.

Thankfully Justice was Delayed...or so we think?? The ending of the novel felt very rushed to me, leaving me with many unanswered loose ends. Perhaps some of them are answered in the follow up Memphis Cold case novel #2?

Sadly, the AH HA! moment of "who done it" was more of a "ok..well that makes sense" moment for me. The build up was adequate, and at times interesting. If you are looking for a suspenseful and mind blowing crime novel this is not for you.

[Sarita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love cold case mysteries and this one grabbed my attention from the first page - or rather - first words told by the narrator. The narrator did an excellent job with the telling of this story and I did not want to stop listening.

There were so many characters and I struggled a bit to keep all the male characters straight, but the main one, Will, was easy to love and remember. Andi was a strong and independent women who made a few decisions which got her into trouble, though I loved her investigative side. There was a side plot with Andi which by the end of the book I was not sure the reason for this was for, and could probably have done without.

The cold case murder. It was intriguing and kept me guessing who the real killer was. My main suspect was totally off, though I was spot on with JD’s identity the first moment he was introduced and also with what happened to the diamonds.

A very enjoyable mystery and I’m looking forward to the next cold case to be solved.

Recommended to romantic suspense fans.

[Melmo2610 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fast paced story with several twists and turns. The characters were likable and the mystery was interesting and flowed pretty well. All in all a book that was entertaining and I look forward to the next in the series.

[Vera Godley · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a salute to the investigation of Cold Cases and of wrong persons being convicted and imprisoned, Patricia Bradley weaves a tale that began years prior to the present date during the years several young ladies were airline stewardesses traveling internationally. In later years and after seeking education, they landed squarely in various professions. While traveling as stewardesses, Stephanie, the sister of Andi (the book's leading lady) is murdered and for this her friend and erstwhile sweetheart is convicted.

Fast forward eighteen years, another of the stewardesses is found dead of a suspected suicide but there are questions that surround the case. Andi's brother is an investigator as is their "growing up together" neighbor, Will.

Trying to solve a suspected suicide or murder in current time and finding it perhaps connects to an eighteen year old case for which the man who was convicted is to be executed in a few days time, proves to be a daunting task. Andi uses her professional television investigative reporter skills as does Will to pursue all clues.

An interesting read and totally surprising ending.

Now there was one thing I didn't care for. The author used similarities of names to add an additional layer of perplexity to solving the mystery. Lots of names beginning with "J" and "D" and the hint that JD is a culprit. But just who is "JD"?

DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from the Revell Reads blog review program to facilitate

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

A true page turner! I loved the suspense and the fact that the characters -- particularly the heroine -- struggle with real-world problems.

[Natalie Walters · Rating 3 out of 5]

A loaded story. Justice Delayed, a story that begins 18 years after the murder of Andi Hollister's sister who just smuggled three diamonds into the United States. A week until the convicted murder is set to be executed when he receives a letter saying he didn't kill the victim...

This story is ripe with suspense. One week until an innocent man might be executed for a murder he didn't commit and his life is literally in the hands of others as the cast of characters scramble to find the truth, or hide the truth, or kill to protect the truth.

I finished this book in mostly one sitting. For the most part it was an easy read although there were areas that felt a bit choppy to me. I don't know if it was the writing style or if it had something to do with the character's point-of-view. Regardless, it was slightly distracting. The main plot of the story was done well. Lots of moving parts and characters to keep up with.

Favorite Character: Will Kincade, the newest member of the Cold Case Unit; best friend to Brad Hollister; cousin to the murderer convicted in the death of Stephanie Hollister.

There's a wide cast of characters in this story and though many of them are secondary or less, it was still hard to keep them all separated especially when it came to the main plot. Knowing who was connected to who and who dated who (which comes up a lot) was confusing. It became clear early on for me who the main suspects were though there was a twist at the end that surprised me-good or bad, I'm not sure.

The romance portion of the novel is light but realistic considering the timetable of the story. I actually enjoyed reading about someone having romantic feelings for another but NOT engage in immediate kissing and hand holding. Though there is a kiss. There's a very strong character issue that the author works into the story but then all of sudden this issue vanishes in the last chapter without the closure I needed as a reader. I'm not sure why the issue was left unsettled but it was jarring and left me scratching my head as to why it was even suggested in the first place. I can assume this is the first book in a series and maybe those issues will have a satisfying conclusion in the books yet to come but I would've liked to see a conclusion to it in this book.

Overall, great plot with fun characters. I can see some openings in the secondary cast to make appearances in books of their own. I recommend this book to those who enjoy a good suspense.

*I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

[Rachael · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the unique suspense plot, with the race to save a condemned man. The suspense is much stronger than the mystery, which offers plenty clues if you keep track. It was fun to imagine flight attendants clad in 90's fashions smuggling diamonds over international borders.

Andi is a fairly typical suspense heroine--the tough non-law-enforcement girl who jumps into danger at the drop of a hat and insists she never needs help. Which she does, in so many areas of her life. But I really liked her best friend Treece, who has a good head on her shoulders, and Maggie, who I would enjoy getting to know better in future books. I do like the struggle Andi goes through as she has to decide if the man she's hated for years for killing her sister is really guilty, or if she's wasted these years hating an innocent man.

I got a little confused several times with getting names mixed up--like roommates Lacey and Laura, and all the J and D names--Jimmy, Jared, JD, David, Delaney, and Donovan. Once I started noticing all the J's, they stuck out all the more, thus one will also find Jillian, James, Jace, Josie, [A] Jerome, and [Larry] Johnson, as well as a Gerald (same sound as a J, anyway), but they're less prominent. It did make the mysterious JD harder to peg, but I'm not convinced having quite SO many similar names was the best choice, even for red herrings.

Not everything was completely wrapped up, particularly regarding Andi's health. This is only the first of the series, so I'm assuming some of those things will be touched on in later books, although the author has tended to switch up main characters, so I guess we'll see. There's a lot of potentially future main characters introduced, so it will be interesting to see who next gets their story told.

[Christian Fiction Addiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Justice Delayed" is a fast-paced story with a unique plot and characters you are going to enjoy getting to know! Andi is quite the strong-headed, tenacious woman, and her quest to uncover the truth of who murdered her sister makes for absorbing reading. Her heart for justice and to stand up for the weak and vulnerable is admirable. And, her growing feelings with childhood friend, Detective Will, are well-handled in the story, not overwhelming the plot but adding some real love interest to the story.

I appreciated the spin Bradly placed on this book, that rather than just one of the characters doing all the sleuthing, it was really a combined effort between Andi, her brother Brad, Detective Will, and Will's Lieutenant David, who work together to find the truth. Bradley weaves together their viewpoints quite well and readers will enjoy figuring out the mystery along with Andi and the detectives. Andi and Brad's grief over the past loss of their sister adds a certain depth to the story without taking away from the suspenseful pace of the book. My only hesitation about this book is Andi's struggle with pain-medications. While I know that addiction can stalk the most unlikely of people, for some reason her journey just didn't ring entirely true with me. However, while that plot element didn't add much to the story for me, it didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story either.

Fiction books based on cold cases can make for interesting reading, and "Justice Delayed" certainly fits the bill! Fans of romantic suspense novels by authors like Irene Hannon or Lynette Eason are sure to enjoy this well-written book. I award this novel 4 out of 5 stars.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
" . . . . . I need your forgiveness for not telling you sooner that I have proof you didn't kill Stephanie."

Words that could save a man from being unjustly executed for a crime that he did not commit, tucked inside a mysterious letter that vanishes as quickly as it appears. A message that could open, what everyone thought was an open and shut case eighteen years earlier, not to mention the traumatic effect it would impose on the victim's family and friends.

Andi Hollister and her brother Brad are outraged when their friend Detective Will Kincaide of the Memphis Cold Case Unit dares to insinuate that his cousin Jimmy might be innocent of their sister's murder. The man confessed at the scene, even though he later indicated it was under duress. As others who were associated with their deceased sibling, the night she was killed, rise to the surface, the evidence begins to mount up; some things about the case need to be reexamined so that justice is not delayed.

This story is filled multiple characters and intersecting story threads, which is to be expected in the first novel of a new series. Perhaps that could be distracting, or perhaps the reader will enjoy following a menagerie of trails, just as long as they all lead to the truth. Who killed Stephanie Hollister and why?