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Jade Harrington #2
Rule of Law
FBI Special Agent Jade Harrington finds herself holding the line in a case that hits a little too close to home, personally and professionally. A bullied boy in a Washington, DC suburb commits suicide after being beaten. Within days, the bodies of his classmates start turning up—with injuries similar to the victims of TSK. But Jade knows TSK is dead.
Meanwhile, massive protests erupt across the country. President Whitney Fairchild must quell them while dealing with an obstructionist Congress and a long-kept secret, all of which threaten to destroy her and sink her presidency before it has really begun.
Vengeance. Betrayal. Justice. Duty. The thrills of Don’t Speak continue with Rule of Law.
Meanwhile, massive protests erupt across the country. President Whitney Fairchild must quell them while dealing with an obstructionist Congress and a long-kept secret, all of which threaten to destroy her and sink her presidency before it has really begun.
Vengeance. Betrayal. Justice. Duty. The thrills of Don’t Speak continue with Rule of Law.
470 pages, Paperback
First published March 11, 2017
193 people are currently reading
1888 people want to read
About the author
J.L. Brown
5 books304 followersJulie L. Brown is the author of the historical fiction, Bend, Don't Break (finalist for the Wishing Shelf Independent Book Award), the alternative-history novel, No One Will Save Us (winner of the Independent Press Award for African American fiction, winner of the Reader Views Literary Award for Global-Africa fiction, winner of the CIBA Humor & Satire Award, finalist for the Reader Views Literary Award for historical fiction and CIBA Chaucer Award), and the creator, under the pen name J. L. Brown, of the Jade Harrington series, political thrillers which include the novels, Don’t Speak, Rule of Law, and The Divide, and the short story, Few Are Chosen. Her books have been praised by Kirkus Reviews, the Midwest Book Review, and the Seattle Book Review.
She is a member of Black Women Write Seattle, the Historical Novel Society, Mystery Writers of America, Crime Writers of Color, Sisters in Crime, Pacific Northwest Writers Association, Wishing Shelf and the Alliance for Independent Authors.
Julie earned an MFA in Creative Writing from the Stonecoast program at the University of Southern Maine. She resides with her family in the Pacific Northwest, where she is working on her next novel.
You can find her on:
Website: www.julielbrown.com
Instagram: @julielbrownwrites
Sign up for my newsletter, here: https://bit.ly/JLBNews
She is a member of Black Women Write Seattle, the Historical Novel Society, Mystery Writers of America, Crime Writers of Color, Sisters in Crime, Pacific Northwest Writers Association, Wishing Shelf and the Alliance for Independent Authors.
Julie earned an MFA in Creative Writing from the Stonecoast program at the University of Southern Maine. She resides with her family in the Pacific Northwest, where she is working on her next novel.
You can find her on:
Website: www.julielbrown.com
Instagram: @julielbrownwrites
Sign up for my newsletter, here: https://bit.ly/JLBNews
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
June 9, 2018
I think I missed something by not reading the first book because it refers to a killer as TSK several times as Jade's current case bears some resemblance to TSK but it can't be because TSK is dead. Other than wondering about that, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It was fast paced and kept me turning the pages. I also really liked Jade as a character. I do have a question. Is she gay or not? She has men asking her out and does go to dinner with someone, then implies a few times that she is torn about her feelings for a woman she meets named Kyle. And it's clear Kyle is interested in her.
The suspense is pretty good but not a real nail biter and the story also involves the female POTUS, which is different. All in all four stars for me for good plot, interesting characters, and a writing style that made it enjoyable to read.
The suspense is pretty good but not a real nail biter and the story also involves the female POTUS, which is different. All in all four stars for me for good plot, interesting characters, and a writing style that made it enjoyable to read.
February 22, 2019
Jade Harrington is an FBI special agent who is investigating -first one, then more murdered students from a baseball team in a Northern Virginia high school. Of course, bullying is alleged as perhaps the cause. While bullying is a frequently discussed hot-topic being blamed for just about any current problem, I have my own thoughts about the issue and how it should be handled.
Nevertheless, Jade is a likeable enough woman with questionable characteristics, which are unclear from the author's description of her. A secondary set of criminal activities she is investigating is the theft of substantial sums from the hacking of large corporations bank accounts. This leads to the discussion of the female U.S. President's effort to achieve income 'equity' or income 'equality' or something along those lines. A waitress should make the same money as the owner of a multi-billionaire corporation. Good luck with that one, although this idea and proposal continues to pop up in the news.
Between the bullying and the attempt to achieve equal incomes for everyone, I tried to enjoy the murder mystery and the bank thefts mystery. But the story and the explanation by the end of the book were just not plausible to me; and there were many unaccounted for persons and activities that left me wondering what had really happened.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
Nevertheless, Jade is a likeable enough woman with questionable characteristics, which are unclear from the author's description of her. A secondary set of criminal activities she is investigating is the theft of substantial sums from the hacking of large corporations bank accounts. This leads to the discussion of the female U.S. President's effort to achieve income 'equity' or income 'equality' or something along those lines. A waitress should make the same money as the owner of a multi-billionaire corporation. Good luck with that one, although this idea and proposal continues to pop up in the news.
Between the bullying and the attempt to achieve equal incomes for everyone, I tried to enjoy the murder mystery and the bank thefts mystery. But the story and the explanation by the end of the book were just not plausible to me; and there were many unaccounted for persons and activities that left me wondering what had really happened.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
June 17, 2017
I won this novel in a goodreads drawing.
An FBI has to solve a case that appears way too similar to a serial killer's murders...only the Serial Killer is dead...or is he?
Meanwhile, the first woman president is having a host of political problems.
Not bad, but not great.
An FBI has to solve a case that appears way too similar to a serial killer's murders...only the Serial Killer is dead...or is he?
Meanwhile, the first woman president is having a host of political problems.
Not bad, but not great.
April 11, 2017
This is one of the worst books that I have read in a long time. There was much cursing and swearing throughout the book, and I just could not read it any further. I definitely do not recommend this book, as a matter of fact I took might copy and threw it in the trash.
November 1, 2024
Jade Harrington is the hero we've been waiting for. Complex, authentic, vulnerable, strong, smart, and sexy. Can we please have the Netflix series already?
May 18, 2017
Exceptional. I am in awe of you and your writing. You inspire me to write the stories in my head. Thank you. It's time for you to get back into your writing cave because I can't wait to see what's next for Jade, Whitney, and Cole. Congratulations on another masterpiece. Bravo, J. L. Brown.
March 28, 2019
I won this in a Goodreads giveaway and while it was an entertaining political thriller/murder mystery it felt a bit discombobulated... every few chapters it felt like some new mystery was being thrown in. First, comes a bully & a serial killer that FBI agent Jade Harrington is after. Then serial cyber theft crimes & she’s put on that case as well. Then the president uses her as her own personal FBI agent and so on & so forth. While I appreciate an FBI agent doesn’t investigate one case at a time like TV would like us to believe, it also didn’t feel right that one FBI agent would be called on to investigate every manor or crime in existence. There is also just not a lot of depth to the characters. I would like to know more about Jade Harrington than she was bullied and played basketball. I’ll be honest, I enjoyed the first book in the series more than this one but that’s not to say I wouldn’t give the third one a shot.
February 28, 2018
It only took me two nights of reading into the wee hours to finish this story. Yes, it's that good. I read Book #1 and that is what prompted me to continue the series with this one. I am eager to get my Kindle filled with Book #3. This story is just so fascinating. I am in awe how the author is able to work with many characters whom all have an impact on the outcome. I feel this one is even more exciting than the first book. The subject of teen bullying in a portion of it is far beyond anything I would have imagined. It is an issue that is of great concern among anyone who is a parent. The topic was used in this novel to fit into the events that were happening with just as much fervor all around the main character. Jade, the FBI Agent and who she really is, I found to be even more revealed as to what makes her so successful. It's truly a tightly written, fascinating novel. As before, there is a surprise ending and all that accomplished was to make me hungry for more. I hope J. L. Brown can finish Book #3 soon. I will be buying it.
February 4, 2019
I enjoyed this book, but to be honest, I didn’t think it was as good as the first book in this series, Don’t Speak. While both books have a liberal message underlying the mystery, Rule of Law kept going off into preachy territory, beating you over the head with a left-leaning agenda. I’m not opposed to some of the causes this book supported, but I didn’t enjoy being hit over the head with them, feeling that if I didn’t line up with those causes that I wasn’t a good person. In other words, it was just too much political doctrine for my taste.
On the plus side, this book picks up a few months after book one ended. We see Whitney Fairchild in the White House, struggling to move her agenda forward despite the opposition. She keeps in touch with FBI Special Agent Jade Harrington. Conservative radio personality Cole Brennan is still in the mix, too. When a the high school baseball team finds several of their team members victims of serial killings, Agent Harrington and her team wind up on the case. She’s determined to discover what’s behind these murders, and when she does, prepare to be surprised.
Again, Rule of Law is a good book, but Don’t Speak was better, more believable. This book is definitely worth reading, and I’m hoping to see a book three from the author. If you choose to read this book, be sure to read Don’t Speak first, or you might find yourself lost. So much that happens in book two is based on book one.
On the plus side, this book picks up a few months after book one ended. We see Whitney Fairchild in the White House, struggling to move her agenda forward despite the opposition. She keeps in touch with FBI Special Agent Jade Harrington. Conservative radio personality Cole Brennan is still in the mix, too. When a the high school baseball team finds several of their team members victims of serial killings, Agent Harrington and her team wind up on the case. She’s determined to discover what’s behind these murders, and when she does, prepare to be surprised.
Again, Rule of Law is a good book, but Don’t Speak was better, more believable. This book is definitely worth reading, and I’m hoping to see a book three from the author. If you choose to read this book, be sure to read Don’t Speak first, or you might find yourself lost. So much that happens in book two is based on book one.
January 26, 2018
I won this book on Goodreads. I had not read the previous one in the series, but I intend to do so. I thought the characters and the action were realistic & credible. Most politicians as well as residents within the DC Beltway are consumed with the pursuit of power. I lived within the Beltway for 5 years, and I am aware of how many people there act & react to even a little power and/or prestige. I thought the author handled all of this very well. Whitney Fairchild uses the power when she has to do so, but not just to show she can. The bullying case is believable, even though the murderer may be a surprise for some. The final chapters are open-ended enough to entice the reader for more from these characters.
August 27, 2018
*I received a free copy of this in exchange for an honest review*
I have really enjoyed the Jade Harrington series, and this book is no exception. It's a fast read, it's exciting, and has lots of tricky twists and turns to keep you on your toes. The only thing I don't particularly like about this series is the representation of Democrats as good and Republicans as evil. It's one thing to have a lean to one side, but this seems to take it a bit far. I ended up frequently skipping over sections that had long diatribes about income inequality (the top political topic discussed in this book.) But the political differences were not stressed as much in this book as in the first. Overall a good read, and I'm looking forward to the next in the series!
I have really enjoyed the Jade Harrington series, and this book is no exception. It's a fast read, it's exciting, and has lots of tricky twists and turns to keep you on your toes. The only thing I don't particularly like about this series is the representation of Democrats as good and Republicans as evil. It's one thing to have a lean to one side, but this seems to take it a bit far. I ended up frequently skipping over sections that had long diatribes about income inequality (the top political topic discussed in this book.) But the political differences were not stressed as much in this book as in the first. Overall a good read, and I'm looking forward to the next in the series!
January 8, 2020
I came across the Jade Harrington series by chance, and it hooked me almost immediately! I didn't think I could get into a politically based book series, but Brown manages to tie in some fantastic story and character arcs that not only draw you in a while sending you through a path that twists, turns, and flips on itself.
I read the "Don't Speak" and almost felt like it didn't necessarily need a sequel (I had surprisingly guessed the perp, but didn't mind at all!); however, Rule of Law provides an excellent follow through with the characters and expands the web beautifully. There is also has a stronger cliffhanger which made me jump straight into Book #3.
I am glad I bought the boxset and look forward to more!
I read the "Don't Speak" and almost felt like it didn't necessarily need a sequel (I had surprisingly guessed the perp, but didn't mind at all!); however, Rule of Law provides an excellent follow through with the characters and expands the web beautifully. There is also has a stronger cliffhanger which made me jump straight into Book #3.
I am glad I bought the boxset and look forward to more!
May 15, 2018
Wow, Jade Harrington is a Special Agent with the FBI, working on two cases in this adventure, the one is a case of bullying at a high school, the baseball team had several players murdered! The other case involves large sums of money disappearing from several Seattle businesses! Had some problems keeping the characters straight at first but after getting into this lengthy but fascinating novel was no problem! Another interesting aspect is a female President, who is another prominent character. Appreciate the publisher, author & Goodreads for allowing me to read this fascinating ebook, was under no obligation to write this review.
May 18, 2018
I won a free copy of this book from Goodreads First Reads program.
I had not read the first so some things were a bit fuzzy and I know enough about the events of that one that I don't really want to read it now. The characters seemed interesting, but more purposefully hidden than feeling like they had real depth. The ending never really revealed the true culprit for one of the crimes which is annoying. I am intrigued by the ending mystery bit though. Had good pacing.
I had not read the first so some things were a bit fuzzy and I know enough about the events of that one that I don't really want to read it now. The characters seemed interesting, but more purposefully hidden than feeling like they had real depth. The ending never really revealed the true culprit for one of the crimes which is annoying. I am intrigued by the ending mystery bit though. Had good pacing.
May 18, 2018
I won a free copy of this book from Goodreads First Reads program.
The second in a series revealed the outcome of the first without really giving context to the second. The actual criminal was also not revealed in a way to setup an interesting sounding third, but that doesn't seem fair. Characters were not so much mysterious as just randomly obscured secret driven. It did have good pacing and an interesting crime.
The second in a series revealed the outcome of the first without really giving context to the second. The actual criminal was also not revealed in a way to setup an interesting sounding third, but that doesn't seem fair. Characters were not so much mysterious as just randomly obscured secret driven. It did have good pacing and an interesting crime.
May 5, 2017
I recieved this book through GoodReads First Reads. Great read! Should be required at jr. High level. On my Favorites list. The writing is succinct, spare, yet very tangible. Perfect timing for this book.
February 24, 2018
I read this book in two days. I guess I’m hooked on this author. I still wish it was less political ideology. But regardless her stories are ones that keep you wanting for more. Can’t wait for the next book!
September 7, 2017
Jade 2
I didn't see that one Coming! Enjoyed this second book in the series even more than the first! Glad I found this author.
I didn't see that one Coming! Enjoyed this second book in the series even more than the first! Glad I found this author.
April 14, 2018
Read
I read this and want it on my Goodreads log. So here are my 20 words. 17, 18, 19, 20.
I read this and want it on my Goodreads log. So here are my 20 words. 17, 18, 19, 20.
May 14, 2018
Won this in a Goodreads giveaway. A really good series showing the workings of the FBI and in this book how politics can be mixed in the equation.
June 8, 2018
The storyline kept my interest throughout
June 11, 2018
The first book in the series was better. this one is too predictable, but interesting. Threads of the next in the series are laid already... but i am not too keen to pick it up
June 14, 2018
This was a really good story. The characters, the plot, the suspense, all combined to make one very entertaining read. I'm looking forward to reading more of this author's work.
March 30, 2019
Enjoyable read!
May 25, 2019
Another good one !
Glad Whitney and her family got back together! Now if her son would straighten up...never saw it coming with Jenny ! This just gets better and better...
Glad Whitney and her family got back together! Now if her son would straighten up...never saw it coming with Jenny ! This just gets better and better...
May 30, 2019
Great series!
I'm really enjoying this FBI mystery series. The interplay of Contemporary politics and fiction is brilliant! Onto the new third book in the series.
I'm really enjoying this FBI mystery series. The interplay of Contemporary politics and fiction is brilliant! Onto the new third book in the series.
June 6, 2019
Great read
Compelling book. Keeps you going from page one. I couldn't wait to turn the page and find out what was next!
Compelling book. Keeps you going from page one. I couldn't wait to turn the page and find out what was next!
July 24, 2019
Very enjoyable read. The characters have a way of connecting with me, which leads me to be interested in the storyline. I felt this book had a lot more of Jade in it, which I found very like able.
October 8, 2019
Couldn’t get further than first few chapters. Got tired of the political rhetoric...
October 25, 2019
Great Read
This book was wonderfully written. It was filled with substance and even left me longing for more. I look forward to the next book in this series.
This book was wonderfully written. It was filled with substance and even left me longing for more. I look forward to the next book in this series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews