This is the second book I’ve read about the female grad student who went from Montana to Northwestern and supposedly solves crimes, but to my surprise there was another book in between the one I read and this one. Oh well, on to part three.
In this one Jessica wakes up freezing behind a dumpster, thinking she was raped. . . but that plot would be too easy, of course it’s something much more sinister. But all I could think of was here we go again! How many times was she roofied or drunk in the first book? Right at the start it’s happened again, and it’s not the only time it happens in this story. Everyone in this story, especially Jessie but even Lolita, the usually badass Russian superheroine, should be dead from stupidity a long time ago. Especially strange for a protagonist to be the victim over and over and over. At some point there has to be growth, learning. Or perhaps the author wanted to show philosophy students don’t have a grasp on the real world. For me, these issues with the main character, as well as others, overshadows the story, and particularly the issues raised, which would be important if the high-tech stuff going on is actually a reality now.
Just like in the first, the Russian subplot slowed the whole story. And I can’t help but wonder if I missed something early on where it was stated, but is Jack British? He talks like it.
There’s a line where Jessie is called the dumbest smart person ever, and it is right on the money. This book was better than the first, but I still don’t like Jessie, which is saying a lot, because she should be very likeable. And why is she listed as a detective? In the two books I’ve read, she’s never solved anything.
2.5 pushed up to 3/5