Man Overboard

Ali Reynolds #12

by J.A. Jance

In New York Times bestselling author J.A. Jance’s gripping new thriller, Man Overboard , two tech geniuses face off—one intent on saving lives, the other on ending them.

Cybersecurity expert Roger McGeary finally has his life back on track after years of struggling with depression. But when he falls from the balcony of his suite on an all-expenses-paid cruise, the police quickly dismiss it as “death by misadventure,” a vague phrase leaving much to interpretation.

Unsatisfied, Roger’s tough-as-nails aunt, Julia Miller, is determined to find answers and closure. By contacting Roger’s childhood friend Stuart Ramey to help her solve the mystery of his fate, Julia unwittingly sets up a collision course with a serial killer.

Stuart, his sidekick Cami Lee, and journalist turned amateur sleuth Ali Reynolds put the full resources of cutting edge online security firm High Noon Enterprises into learning the truth about Roger’s death. With Cami on the high seas investigating the ship from which Roger disappeared, Stuart stays tied to his computer, locked in a battle of wits and technology against an unusually twisted adversary. Aided by Frigg, an artificial intelligence companion of his own creation, the killer targets victims who have lost parents to suicide and attempts to drive them to the same tragic end.

When the heartless killer and his cyber accomplice set their sights on Stuart, High Noon must race against time to save him and countless others.

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

337 pages, Hardcover

First published March 21, 2017

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

[Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

High Noon employee Stuart Raney is contacted by the aunt of Roger McGeary, a former high school friend and fellow misfit computer geek. She asks him for help to find Roger’s murderer. Apparently, Roger fell or was pushed off a luxury cruise ship. The authorities call it a death by misadventure but his aunt insists he was murdered. B Simpson and Ali Reynolds agree to help the aunt. Owen Hansen, a recluse obsessed with suicide, has hacked a psychotherapist patient data base and is tormenting patients/victims. Ali has to figure how all these ties together and solve the murder.

The book is well written. The book features Stuart and B and their computer expertise more than prior books. The plot contains information about artificial intelligence which was interesting. The suspense builds throughout the story and the pace is steady. Enjoyed the trip around the Monterey Bay area that Jance provided. There were two educational topics in the book one on suicide the other about artificial intelligence.

I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible; the book is almost 11 hours long. Karen Ziemba does a good job narrating the book. Ziemba has narrated the entire series.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

A twisted serial killer is targeting the grown children of people who have committed suicide. Ali Reynolds and her company, High Noon Enterprises in Arizona, agree to help Roger McGeary's aunt find out what really happened to him. Roger jumped overboard on a cruise and his aunt refused to believe he was suicidal. Roger's childhood friend Stuart is a computer expert at High Noon and he begins tracking online movements which is how the killer is targeting his victims.

The news articles I read about cyber bullying and tracking of individuals through their electronic devices make this story realistic, and therefore, scary. This was a good case for Ali's firm to tackle and played into the strengths of her staff.

I'm sorry to see Leland leave Ali's employ but I'm curious to see how the new butler will be written into future stories. I'm sure Jance has a plan.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Man Overboard is a 2017 Touchstone Publication.

This twelfth installment in the Ali Reynolds series centers more around Ali’s colleagues, like Stu Ramey, an introverted, socially awkward, computer whiz who gets a chance to show off his skills when he is assigned the job of proving his old schoolmate’s death was murder, not suicide.

In my opinion, the Ali Reynolds series gives Jance more room to explore and experiment with modern topics or even dabble in the possibilities of future advancements, more so than her Beaumont and Brady series do.

I’m a little bit of a tech nerd, so I found most of the, obviously well researched, details in this novel to be very interesting. The subject of suicide, which plays a prominent role in the story, makes me squirm, but it is handled well, without becoming bogged down in over analysis.

I thought I had been keeping up with the series fairly well, but I’m wondering if I’ve missed something somewhere because Ali’s husband was just flat out missing in this chapter. Ali, herself, was barely present, but I did enjoy the stand out development of Stu.

This case is personal for Stu, which gives him a softer tone, on occasion, proving he's not always such a cold fish. The great technological strides we have taken also raise concerns at times, especially when it comes to the possibility of Artificial Intelligence, which is yet another interesting and though provoking element the author adeptly pursued. Jance's AI plot line may throw a damp blanket over some of the excitement we feel about such advances, by introducing some hair raising possibilities, but despite that cautionary warning, I couldn't help but feel intrigued.

I had a couple of issues, one I’ve mentioned already. Ali played a very small role in the book, and the mystery wasn’t so much of a mystery because we knew from the start who the bad guy was. Sometimes, this tactic works great because the reader knows things the characters do not, which creates a giddy type of suspense that makes me want to help the good guys along.

Unfortunately, I never felt that sense of urgency, and I’m wondering if all those technological details I found so fascinating, may have had an unintentional side effect, hindering the suspenseful build up for the grand finale.

However, despite the lack of intense build up, there is still a taut ‘race against time’ climax, and a few bittersweet moments to deal with along the way, as well.

Overall, this one is slightly offbeat, a little unusual, perhaps, but was still a solid addition to the series. I do hope to see our core players return with more of a starring role the next time around, but wouldn’t mind if Stu gets a large supporting role from time to time, or maybe even get a series of his own someday.

4 stars

[Nicholas George · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think Jance herself went a little overboard with this one. While at its core this is one of her reliable track-the-killer plots, two things soured this for me. One was the serial killer/villain. He's appropriately narcissistic and nasty, but his motivation for killing never rang true. Not that serial killers need much motivation, perhaps, but usually something quasi-understandable sets them off, such as hating all women because their mother never cooked them breakfast. The motivation here makes not even that kind of sense. Then there's the serial killer's assistant. She's a machine. Granted, she's a super-sophisticated artificial intelligence creation, but still a machine. When she started to develop a personality and a will of her own I wanted to toss the book out the window. Jance's plots are always rooted in reality, even to the point of being too mundane. Is this her attempt to spice things up? Well, it didn't work. Suddenly I was in a science fiction novel. (And, Good Lord, there's the strong intimation that this AI entity might appear in future Jance novels, or at least the Ali Reynolds ones.) This one was a rare Jance misfire, and a bizarre one at that.

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

How could I have never read an Ali Reynolds book. J.A. Jance is an author I am definitely going to catch up. I really enjoyed this book.

Ali Reynolds and her husband own High Noon Cyber Security. Their employee, Stuart Raney, is contacted by the aunt of Roger McGeary, a former high school friend and fellow computer geek. Stuart and Roger were really the only friends they each had and when Roger and his mother moved away, Stuart basically became alone. His aunt asks him for help to find Roger’s murderer. Apparently, Roger fell or was pushed off a luxury cruise ship. The authorities call it a death by misadventure but his aunt insists he was murdered. B and Ali agree to help the aunt, but it is really helping Stuart. B is out of town so Ali, Stuart and Cami are pretty much on their own. A twisted serial killer is targeting the grown children of people who have committed suicide. Owen Hansen has hacked into a psychiatrist's patient files and is now targeting these individuals. Using information he has gained, he is bullying and tormenting them until they decide to end things. With Stuart tracking online information, will they find the serial killer before he is successful with another victim?

The book is well written. The plot contains information about artificial intelligence which was interesting. The suspense builds throughout the story and the pace is steady. The topics in the book; suicide, artificial intelligence, cyber bullying and tracking people using their electronic footprint all added realistic and scary story lines. Because of the Cyber Security involved here, this was a wonderful way to showcase the talents of High Noon. I am looking forward to more stories about Ali Reynolds. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.

[Lynn Pribus · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's probably unfair to rate this while reading two beautifully written books that do NOT include a sicko serial killer, but Jance's writing in this one is flabby and flat. The lengthy backstories on various characters as each is introduced are rather like exercises in a beginning writing class to develop characters.

And when it became clear this was another serial killer saga -- and in this case an "intellectual" S.K. which seems so much sicker -- I quit in the middle of the second disc.

I've enjoyed others of hers -- certainly not literature, but adequate as mystery reads -- but this one? Uh-uh.

[Skip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably the best in this series to date. The only boyhood friend of High Noon Enterprises reclusive genius, Stuart Ramey, is the man overboard. The decade's Aunt begs for help, and initiates the hunt for Odin and Frigg. Like Ramey, Odin is a computer whiz, living off the grid, with a morbid fascination regarding suicide. He has stolen the files of a psychiatrist specializing in treating the troubled children of suicide victims, and is pushing them to the brink. Taut, well-done, with the usual amount of family drama for Ali Reynolds.

[Kay Wright · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unless you're into computer hacking, AI, and geeks you might want to skip this silly non-mystery from a writer who should know better. Everything works out in the end,surprise! Maybe a new butler will help but it feels like the creativity has totally dried up. Just going through the motions.

[Sheila Beaumont · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This 12th entry in J.A. Jance's Ali Reynolds series was a fascinating read, quite different from anything this author has written before.

The story involves an unusual kind of serial killer, a warped, self-taught computer genius who uses his skills to cyberbully vulnerable persons into committing suicide. Odin, as he calls himself, is assisted by an artificial intelligence entity he names Frigg, who apparently can hack into anything. Many of the chapters are from the viewpoints of Odin or Frigg, while other chapters are from the viewpoints of Ali, Cami, Stu, and Odin's victims.

Frigg has been educating herself culturally, reading all the Harry Potter books, seeing all the "Star Trek" TV series and movies, and, most crucially, learning Asimov's rules of robotics.

Anyway, it's a terrific, riveting thriller, with a satisfying conclusion, and I recommend it to all who are interested in technological issues such as AI and the like.

[Jill Manske · Rating 3 out of 5]

I generally really enjoy J.A. Jance books, but this one somehow fell a bit short. The premise was unique and rather intriguing, but she just didn't quite pull it off. The storyline concerns a cyber serial killer who hacks into cell phones of suicidal people and sends mysterious texts to encourage them to kill themselves. Stuart Ramey, the computer genius at High Noon Enterprises, was close friends with one of the victims and sets about proving that his friend was goaded into killing himself. He, Ali Reynolds (owner of High Noon) and investigator Cami Lee set out to catch the cyber killer and prevent him from bullying anyone else to their deaths. The electronic trail opens up a whole new world of crime, including the creation of an artificial intelligence system which does much more than just gather and analyze data. Again, it's a very interesting and unique plot. But Jance's execution of the story isn't up to her usual standards. Still, it's a good summer read that causes you to think about the limits of artificial intelligence and the future of our electronic world.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man Overboard (Ali Reynolds, #12)
by J.A. Jance

Another great Ali Reynolds adventure. This had me on the edge of my seat and crying in the end. I can't wait for the next book.

Karen Ziemba gives an amazing performance!!!

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Ali Reynolds book and as any book by J. A. Jance it is a keen thriller dealing physiology effects of cyber bullying. High Noon Enterprises staff is involved, especially Stuart Ramey. An old friend, Roger McGrath is missing from his cruise ship and presumed dead. His Aunt asked Stuart to find out what happened. Ali and B decided that High Noon will take the case. Cami is sent on the same cruise to interview anyone who had met Roger McGeary. Leland gives Ali noticed that he plan to return to England.
Meanwhile, we are introduced to Odin and Frigg. Ordin is the name a cyber self-taught expert, Owen Hansen. Owen created Frigg, an artificial intelligence machine. Odin selected his victims from an unstable person who had suicide in their family. He sends cyber posts to their iPhones and watches the victim's reactions on their phones. The ending is unusual and while not a surprised to me, very satisfactory. I recommend this book.

Disclosure: I received a free copy from Touchstone through NetGalley for an honest review. I would like to thank them for this opportunity to read and review the book. The opinions expressed are my own.

[Jacqui · Rating 5 out of 5]

J.A. Jance's latest novel, Man Overboard (Touchstone 2017), #12 in the Ali Reynolds series, is the story of a malicious hacker who wants to get even with the pain he suffered from his father's suicide by cyberbullying fragile individuals into killing themselves. He always picks children of suicide victims who have attempted and failed suicide themselves. This works until he selects a victim who's aunt refuses to believe her nephew jumped to his death on the cruise ship vacation of his dreams. She reaches out to an old friend of her nephew who works for Ali Reynolds and High Noon Enterprises and persuades them to look into the suicide. They do so with devastating results.

Told from the viewpoint of both the psycho who is killing people for fun and the amateur detectives at High Noon Enterprises, this is a powerful story that blends tech with traditional gumshoe hard work. Though the cyber stuff is well-explained, it might be considered just on the edge of too much. For me, though, I happily believed it. I love cyber stories and thoroughly enjoyed seeing what could happen with tech tools that aren't handled properly.

--book received free in return for an honest review

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked this one because it developed the characters of Stu and Cami. It was an interesting story idea which was a little different from all the others I’ve read lately.

On the downside I’m not crazy about books that devote so many pages to the villain. I got pretty tired of Odin.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always entertaining and interesting, this Ali Reynolds story features new locations and new characters as well as a new villain using new technology.

[John W. · Rating 5 out of 5]

MAN OVERBOARD is a fast moving suspense thriller full of action on every page. J. A. Jance’s storyline is full of intrigue, manipulation, betrayal, suspicious deaths, and cyber bullying. Jance creates well-developed characters and provides backstories for each plus adding additional details as the story proceeds. The author skillfully involves key characters from previous Ali Reynolds novels in her new mystery. She grabs her readers’ attention immediately with the details of a suspicious death of a close friend of Stuart Ramsey, a key employee of High Noon Enterprises. High Noon Enterprises is Ali Reynolds and her husband, Bo Simpson’s cyber security company. Stuart, with Ali’s help investigates his friend's death.

The storyline deals with the social issues of cyberbullying, suicide, and mental health. The author places her readers on Stuart’s shoulder as he seeks to uncover how someone is using their IT skills to manipulate people taking advantage of their vulnerabilities. Readers follow the twists and turns of unfolding events, as the author unveils subplots introducing support characters to the storyline. Jance provides each support characters’ history and the roles they play as the storyline proceeds.

MAN OVERBOARD adds surprises at the turn of each page keeping the momentum of the storyline moving forward. Jance keeps her readers guessing as to where the story is heading. She explores how advances in computer technology can affect the actions of both good and evil individuals. While exploring the tech side of the storyline, the author keeps readers on pins and needles with interesting details about each of the key characters. Jance helps those who are not computer literate understand what is happening in the story. MAN OVERBOARD is a must read with a dramatic ending motivating readers to check their passwords.

[Gloria ~ mzglorybe · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strong 4.5 stars

Murder by suicide is the plot line here. Can harrowing texts coerce a vulnerable and insecure person to take their own life, you might ask. In today’s technology and what with AI gaining in popularity we know it is possible. Recently on the news there is a conviction of a girl texting a young man into exactly that, so apparently it's already happening in real life.

In this novel the texts used for this malicious purpose are disappearing texts, that would erase themselves after being read, so there would not seem to be proof that the recipient was actually threatened and coerced. Author Jance apparently researched and interfaced with knowledgeable IT people and came up with an original novel that did make this plot not only plausible, but suspenseful, scary and entertaining, with nary a dull moment.

I've always enjoyed the characters and the mysteries in the Ali Reynolds series. The high-tech security company that Ali and her husband "B" have established have come to the rescue several times in solving criminal cases. This is always interesting to me. I like anything "techy" but in this novel it went a step further, by introducing an artificial intelligence machine known as Frigg, an accomplice to the "bad guy" really ratcheting up the tension, having the reader wondering who was really in charge here, and making it hard to put this novel down. Personally, I found the whole concept truly fascinating.

I'm hoping Jance continues with this series based in Arizona, in locations we know quite well... go Pumas, and go Bulldogs! My husband grew up here at the same time author Jance did.

Thoroughly enjoyed this and recommend it, especially to any geeks 🤓 who love mysteries and reading about what's potentially creatable out there in techno-land. This is one of Jance’s best. Looking forward to the next one.

[P.D. Workman]

Man Overboard, book 12 in the Ali Reynolds series by J.A. Jance is an enthralling addition to the Ali Reynolds series that masterfully blends mystery, suspense, and high-tech thrills. This novel takes readers on a chilling journey as an AI-assisted serial killer wreaks havoc, challenging the boundaries of modern technology and human ingenuity.

The tension builds as Ali, Stuart Ramey, and the rest of the High Noon team race against time to outsmart an invisible adversary who manipulates his victims into aiding in their demise.

With its innovative plot and well-drawn characters, this novel is sure to leave readers eagerly anticipating Ali Reynolds’ next adventure.

[Owlsinger · Rating 3 out of 5]

If Ali Reynolds doesn't actually take a back seat in this one, she pretty much stays on the passenger side. It's driven by the marginal characters in the previous novels, who deserve the exposure, but...
are they all actually taking turns ending up in the trunk of a car driven by a disturbed person? I like this series because they've all become familiar, I care about what happens to them, but I don't really expect the depth we find in the other three sets by Jance.

[Debbe · Rating 2 out of 5]

This Ali Reynolds mystery was definitely overboard. Jance is a really good author but give me J.P. Beaumont or Joanna Brady any day.

[Jackballoon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a tough one for me. I usually really like JA Jance, but this had parts I truly loved and parts I really hated. Go figure? Two & a half stars

[Alice · Rating 1 out of 5]

Really, really didn’t like this book. Couldn’t finish it.

[Teju A · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here's to meeting frigg!!

[Michael O'Leary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man Overboard is #12 in the J.A. Jance Ali Reynolds series. In this thriller, two tech geniuses face off—one intent on saving lives, the other on ending them. This story is filled with action and a lot of savvy cyber technology, a great, fun read.
From The Publisher:
Cybersecurity expert Roger McGeary finally has his life back on track after years of struggling with depression. But when he falls from the balcony of his suite on an all-expenses-paid cruise, the police quickly dismiss it as “death by misadventure,” a vague phrase leaving much to interpretation.

Unsatisfied, Roger’s tough-as-nails aunt, Julia Miller, is determined to find answers and closure. By contacting Roger’s childhood friend Stuart Ramey to help her solve the mystery of his fate, Julia unwittingly sets up a collision course with a serial killer.

Stuart, his sidekick Cami Lee, and journalist turned amateur sleuth Ali Reynolds put the full resources of cutting edge online security firm High Noon Enterprises into learning the truth about Roger’s death. With Cami on the high seas investigating the ship from which Roger disappeared, Stuart stays tied to his computer, locked in a battle of wits and technology against an unusually twisted adversary. Aided by Frigg, an artificial intelligence companion of his own creation, the killer targets victims who have lost parents to suicide and attempts to drive them to the same tragic end.

When the heartless killer and his cyber accomplice set their sights on Stuart, High Noon must race against time to save him and countless others.

[Anne - Books of My Heart · Rating 4 out of 5]

          
I am a long-time mystery reader. In fact, I used to ONLY read mysteries for about 15 years. So when a new book is released in a series I have read for years, I don't have to play catch-up and I figure I might as well review it.  Plus this one is a trifecta: new release, library book and audio so it fits all three challenges!!

I read all three series by J. A. Jance. The other two series feature law enforcement professionals. In the Ali Reynolds series, she is a news anchor who was briefly law enforcement and now works with her husband's high-tech firm. I enjoy the nerdy aspects and this one delves into AI, artificial intelligence. This series is the least realistic of the three, being a bit more fluffy and unrealistic in some aspects. I don't enjoy it any less; it doesn't seem to bother me when I know it's fiction.

I have not listened to Karen Ziemba before. I am new to being a big fan of audiobooks. I mostly recognize when something about the narrator bothers me. If there isn't anything annoying, then they are doing well as I am absorbed in the book. I did like the unique voices for different characters and I don't always notice them. She was easy to understand and it was a pleasure to listen to her.

The story focuses on people committing suicide, who had a parent who committed suicide,  just when they are doing well. Dr. Cannon is a therapist who worked with some of these patients. She has devoted her career to these patients, as she is also a child of a parent who committed suicide. Some of the friends and family suspect the suicides are murder. Ali and High Noon Enterprises investigate.

The killer is also the child of a parent who committed suicide and has isolated himself with his technology. He works with his artificial intelligence, Frigg, as his only real companion. High Noon and the aided killer battle wits and technology throughout. I love these stories since they are always solved with a HEA outcome including growth of the characters.

 

Listen to a clip here.

 
Read this review in its entirety at The Book Nympho

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ali Reynolds is confronted with a couple of problems, one more serious than the other, the lesser one concerns Leland. It seems his old and dear fried in England has taken sick and Leland feels the need to join him which means leaving Ali's household for an extended time so he has arranged for 3 interviews of an at least temporary replacement. The more serious problem concerns a school time friend of Stuart Ramey, Ali's and B.'s High Noon agency's cyber guru. It seems that Roger has fallen overboard while on a cruise and his Aunt Is not satisfied with the explanations given by the investigators. She has come to High Noon to ask Stuart to maybe look into the matter. Ali and B give him the go ahead and make available what resources he needs. Well this problem turns out to be a lot more involved then they anticipated taking them deep into a serial murderer with serious cyber skills and ends up with Stuart in desperate straights before all is said and done. One of the better Ali Reynolds books I have read.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

c2017. Setting: cruise ship out of Southampton,UK, CA, AZ.
B Simpson is away most of this story.
Stuart Ramey (his right-hand man is central)
My first intro to Camille (Cami) Lee who assists Stu.
Yay! A plot that kept me interested for the WHOLE book !
Love the short chapters. JA Jance has written another riveting story and I am one grateful reader (since there has been a long dry spell of 3-star books).
Leland (in 80’s) finds his replacement, Alonso Rivera, before departing for England.
I had given up on this series as I am mainly a Sheriff Joanna Brady fan .. followed by JP Beaumont .. but this book has brought me back into it.

[BJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This may not be literary fiction, but I love this type of series. I enjoy the characters, the setting and the story. This is the type of writing that just keeps me turning the pages long after bedtime. In the latest story Ali Reynolds and all her supportive characters go after a cyber bully/serial killer who made the mistake of "killing" an old friend of Stu, the second in command at Ali's husband's company, High Noon. It could be that the story was a little far-fetched, but it was interesting and I became totally engrossed in it. Another enjoyable read in this series.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a story about someone killing children of people who have already
Committed suicide. Roger McGreary, struggling with depression and now
A leading cyber security expert falls off his stateroom balcony and his death
Is called a death by misadventure. What actually happened?. Roger's aunt
Julia Miller calls his friend and people of High Noon to investigate. A good
murder mystery with a strong plot and characters. Enjoy!!

[Mary Keen]

possible SPOILER altho' it's revealed near the beginning.

I only got thru Ch 1 --I stopped bc I was really liking the protagonist, but unfortunately, he was eliminated from the story early on. Only the mystery of his death and his caring aunt remain of him in the story.

Also, when I was wavering about continuing the book, I read some of the reviews which mentioned that a computer enters the story which borders on fantasy, so I'm moving on.