Still Dead

J.P. Beaumont #22.5

by J.A. Jance

Since the disbanding of the Special Homicide Investigation Team, J. P. Beaumont's biggest concern is pondering whether he and his wife, Mel, should finally get a dog. But one voicemail from his old friend Ralph Ames is about to change that. Through Ralph, Beau has become involved in an organization called the Last Chance, which enlists a number of retired homicide investigators to tackle long-unsolved cold cases. The one that has just landed on Beau's plate is a thirty-year-old missing-persons case.The facts are muddy at best; Janice Marie Harrison's car was found abandoned near a bridge, and scratched in the dirt nearby was the word "sorry." It's possible her death was a suicide, but her body was never found. And as Beau begins to investigate, he discovers that no one connected to Janice-not her once all-star football player widower, Anders; not her long-grieving sister Estelle; not sheriff Gavin Loper, who was deputy sheriff at the time of Janice's disappearance; and not Anders' second wife, Betsy-is exactly what they seem. The question is, which of them knows the truth? And why have they kept it buried?

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Audiobook, Crime, Novella, Mystery Thriller, Short Stories

Audio CD

First published August 8, 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

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Still Dead by J.A. Jance is a 2017 Witness Impulse publication.


This short story reacquainted me with Beaumont after what has seemed like a lengthy absence, and whetted my appetite for more.

The case Beaumont is currently working on, with the ‘Last Chance’ organization, is a thirty -year old cold case involving the odd disappearance of Janice Marie Harrison. Her death is chalked up as probable suicide, but her sister is convinced Janice was murdered.

Initially, the case hit a dead end, but suddenly it’s blazing hot. Did Janice disappear on purpose, commit suicide or was she murdered?

Beaumont begins trying to piece together what happened to Janice thirty long years ago, and unearths a shocking and diabolical scheme. Will Janice’s family finally get the truth about what really happened to Janice?

I love Beaumont! I really do enjoy all of Jance’s series, but Beaumont and all his various trials and tribulations have endeared him to me, most of all.

So, anytime I have a chance to touch base with him, I grab it. This is a very short story, but Jance still manages to add details and emotion. I love cold cases, too, so I’m enjoying the direction this series is taking, and I love it when victims and their families get long overdue justice. Of course, it doesn’t bring the victim back, they are ‘still dead’ as Beaumont stoically points out, but the families are freed from the limbo they live in when they are robbed of answers.

Overall, despite time constraints necessitating a hurried pacing, which of course means compromising the usual building up of suspense- it is still a satisfying read, one that fans of this series will want to add to their collections. If you are new to this series or would like to sample a small taste of it, this novella would be a perfect place to start. You even get a very brief look at Beaumont’s past, so you won’t feel lost. This small nibble, though, might make you want to read a few of the older books in the series, so you can better appreciate this terrific character, and you definitely want to read all the upcoming installments.

I hope the next time I catch up with Beaumont, he is discovering the joys of pet ownership!!

3.5 stars

[Robin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always good to get a little introductory novella to get caught up on Beaumont's life. This has a fairly easily (for Beau anyway) solved mystery. I always enjoy the interaction between him and his colleagues.

[Joanne Farley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another short story in the JP Beaumont world. There are no major changes in the world of Beau in this book, he simply manages to close an old case.

[Betty · Rating 4 out of 5]

A novella that bridges Beaumont and Mel' s lives from the shutting down the Special Attorney Department as Beaumont moves into cold cases. In this one, he is asked to investigate a 30-year case that was closed as a suicide. With the help of Mel and the local sheriff, there is a final resolution to the case. The ebook is priced beyond my comfort zone so I will wait until becomes available.

[Joan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a satisfying though very short novella. The aspect I liked the best about it was that much of it takes place on Whidbey Island. As a native, it is always fun to read of familiar places. The plot is a good one with Beaumont retired but helping solve cold cases in a volunteer capacity. The way he and his wife, now Chief of Police for Bellingham, solve the case is interesting. This novella is a good continuation of the Beaumont series as it explores his current thoughts and feelings, especially about dogs.

The last quarter of this novella is a sneak preview of the coming full length novel featuring Beaumont.

I received a complimentary egalley of this novella from the publisher. My comments are an independent and honest review.

[Jan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wouldn't mind these between the books ebooks so much if they weren't so dang short and possibly added something to the series, or even gave us some really good investigative crime work. This one took only 20 minutes to read and J.P. Beaumont barely had to do much of anything to solve the 30 year old unsolved missing person/presumed murder case. It practically solved itself and one of the guilty parties confessed immediately after only a few minutes of questions. I'm glad I was able to read this for free from Library2Go and didn't pay for it. It certainly would have been a waste of money.

[Cindy (BKind2Books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a pretty good, quick read in the Beaumont series. Beau looks into an old disappearance as part of the TLC (Last Chance) group. It is good (but there was one glaring error in the proofreading - aargh! does no one check books any more?) but really doesn't seem to add much to series. Pleasant interlude.

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

This novella is in a world I know well with characters I love. It has the intelligence of police following the information and making reasonable deductions as to what information they need next or who they need to interview. There is satisfaction in solving a cold case from perhaps 30 years past to give closure to the victim's sister. Can JP do it? This also has relationship tidbits from his life, his connections with his family and friends.

[Cathy Cole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes retirement hangs heavy on J.P. Beaumont's hands, but not when he's asked to review a 30-year-old cold case for a murdered woman's sister. I love how the tiniest of clues can break a case wide open.

[Margie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been wanting to read this author for a while, and this short story was really good at introducing me to her work and character of retired detective Beaumont. I’ll definitely be making a list of her other books to read.

[Patricia · Rating 3 out of 5]

A novella or a short story really. Light read when I needed something light.

[John (Just bought an Oculus 2 VR, so less time to read these days!) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great short story

Great short story that I read out of the series sequence, but still enjoyed. Very recommended for a quick read.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great short story -

[GEOrocks · Rating 4 out of 5]

To call this a Novella may be a stretch - short story in which a cold case is investigated

[Megan Rang · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story is about a cold case where a woman went missing and had been presumed dead. The detective is asked to look at things again many years later.

[Em · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't understand all the good reviews. This story was so boring - nothing happened! He didn't even solve the case; it solved itself?

[Linda J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable novella from Jance!

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I liked:
- Cold Case show vibes in a 30-year-old mystery.
- Clear communication between J.P. and Mel when it mattered.
- Ending was mostly expected, but the last twist was a lot.

What I didn't like:
- Every action was passive. No real action in the moment since it's written in a past-present tense. Hard to get into.
- Unanswered question in the beginning.

I read several of the series a few moons ago and really enjoyed them, but can't remember why entirely. I think I'll try another to see how I really feel about the series. Three stars for the quality of writing and it wasn't a bad story. Just needed more show, don't tell.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a big fan of J.P. Beaumont, and enjoyed this novella, but would have enjoyed it more if it had been a full length novel. Most of the time in a novella there isn't time to develop all the clues that make solving a mystery fun, and this one did feel a bit rushed to me. Still, I was happy to see a bit of J.P.'s life after retirement, and to discover there's a new novel coming soon.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't like these novella's and I don't know why I keep reading them. Either make it a whole story or skip it all together. This one was particularly irritating to me because the author made a mistake with some landmarks. There is no way to drive from Camano Island to Whidbey Island. Deception Pass connects Fidalgo Island to Whidbey Island.

[Betsy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too short. But an enjoyable quick mystery solved in typical Beau style.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Summary/Review was copied from other sources and is used only as a reminder of what the book was about for my personal interest. Any Personal Notations are for my recollection only.

This short story reacquainted me with Beaumont after what has seemed like a lengthy absence, and whetted my appetite for more. Main reason, I skipped the previous book, "Dance of the Bones" cuz of the low rating and reviews. Therefore, I did some procrastinating in continuing the series. :-(

The case Beaumont is currently working on, with the ‘Last Chance’ organization, is a thirty -year old cold case involving the odd disappearance of Janice Marie Harrison. Her death is chalked up as probable suicide, but her sister is convinced Janice was murdered.

Initially, the case hit a dead end, but suddenly it’s blazing hot. Did Janice disappear on purpose, commit suicide or was she murdered?

Beaumont begins trying to piece together what happened to Janice thirty long years ago, and unearths a shocking and diabolical scheme. Will Janice’s family finally get the truth about what really happened to Janice?

Ending
We spent the better part of an hour with Estelle (Janice's sister) after that, talking to her, grieving with her. It was dark and raining sheets when we finally headed out to drive back to Bellingham. “You did a good job,” Mel told me. “You found a way to give her the answers she needed.” “Awful answers,” I said. “I never should have told her the truth.” “Necessary answers,” Mel corrected. “Estelle wanted the truth, and she’s right. It finally is over.” “That’s the whole problem,” I said. “What’s that?” “Answers or not, this will never be over.” “Why not?” “Because,” I said, “no matter what, Janice Marshall Harrison is still dead, and she always will be.”

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since the disbanding of the Special Homicide Investigation Team, J. P. Beaumont’s biggest concern is pondering whether he and his wife Mel should finally get a dog. But one voicemail from his old friend Ralph Ames is about to change that. Through Ralph, Beau has become involved in an organization called The Last Chance, which enlists a number of retired homicide investigators to tackle long-unsolved cold cases. The one that has just landed on Beau’s plate is a thirty-year-old missing persons case.
The facts are muddy at best; Janice Marie Harrison’s car was found abandoned near a bridge, and scratched in the dirt nearby was the word “sorry.” It’s possible her death was a suicide, but her body was never found. And as Beau begins to investigate, he discovers that no one connected to Janice—not her once-all-star football player widower, Anders; not her long-grieving sister, Estelle; not sheriff Gavin Loper, who was deputy sheriff at the time of Janice’s disappearance; and not Anders’s second wife Betsy—is exactly what they seem. The question is, which of them knows the truth?
This story was really short, but enjoyable. I liked how the author tied it all together.

[Marika Charalambous · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe because the holidays are approaching, but right now I'm on a short novella reading kick. I'm picking up and reading all the latest novellas published in 2017 by my favorite authors, books I haven't gotten a chance to read yet. It isn't a matter of buffing up my number of books read this year because I've already exceeded the goals set for 2017. I just feel more comfortable reading short stories these days.

We had to wait 2 years for a new J.P. Beaumont novella, so this short - some 60-pages- long, novella was quite fulfilling. It also reminded me of one of my favorite (now defunct) TV shows, Cold Case.

The case Beaumont worked on was relatively easy and there was a feeling of triumph when a 30-year-old case was finally solved.

Now I'm looking forward to picking up the latest full-length J.P. Beaumont novel, Proof of Life, which was published just one month after Still Dead.

Full JA Jance Still Dead review

[Darlene Wilson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Since the disbanding of the Special Homicide Investigation Team, J. P. Beaumont’s biggest concern is pondering whether he and his wife Mel should finally get a dog. Through Ralph, Beau has become involved in an organization called The Last Chance. The one that has just landed on Beau’s plate is a thirty-year-old missing persons case.The facts are muddy at best; Janice Marie Harrison’s car was found abandoned near a bridge, and scratched in the dirt nearby was the word “sorry.” It’s possible her death was a suicide, but her body was never found. And as Beau begins to investigate, he discovers that no one connected to Janice—not her once-all-star football player widower, Anders; not her long-grieving sister, Estelle; not sheriff Gavin Loper, who was deputy sheriff at the time of Janice’s disappearance; and not Anders’s second wife Betsy—is exactly what they seem. The question is, which of them knows the truth? And why have they kept it buried?

[James Garman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fromer police Detective J P Beaumon starts out worryng over whether or not he and h is third wife, Nell, now the Police Chief for their town should get a dog. He doesn't have lots of experience with dogs, remembering his own dog being his first wife Karen's dog, who didn't like him at all.

But then a cold case mystery falls into his lap and he has a job to do, becuase in his "spare" time while being a house husband, he investigates cold cases. This one concerns a young woman who died some years before. Her sister has still not let go of the death because she suspects her sisters husband may have been involved in her death.

So begins the investigation which leads to several possible suspects although they don't found anything to suggest that the husband had any part in it.

A short listen (on audiobook) and a very interesting mysterl.

[Ski Croghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great little story!!!

Short but sweet. Beau is bored. With no job while Mel is a new police chief, he has no regular job. The new place is finished and he has no cases with TLC right now. Should they get a dog? Beau doesn't have a good history with dogs. Then a new case from TLC pops up. Why would a young wife drive to a lonely point and throw herself in the ocean in the dark of night? It happened 30 years ago and her sister is still convinced that her sister was murdered! But who did it? At first he can find no facts to support this. But an off hand remark to the local sheriff turns up one clue. Will it break the case? Find out in this outstanding short story. Highly recommended.

[SHANNON YOUNG · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars

This was very weak. The mystery itself wasn't very mysterious. For a short story, the meandering beginning about Beau's regrets about his mother and Mel's desire for him to get a dog and get more exercise seemed extraneous, since there weren't enough pages dedicated to the mystery itself - which pretty much solves itself. There's no real suspense, no real momentum, and no big reveal about Beau's personal or professional life. In my opinion, it would be better to have a true slice-of-life short story with Beau, Mel and possibly friends - or a better mystery.

Also, the audiobook narration detracted from my enjoyment of the story. I'm sorry to be so negative, but I have to say I was disappointed.

[Donna Siebold · Rating 2 out of 5]

Although I usually feel these novellas are simply chapters that did not make it into the final book, I generally like them. I just felt this one was more incomplete than most of them.

J.P. is working with TLC and is investigating a death that was classified as suicide when it happened. The victim's sister never believed that and sure enough J.P.'s investigation reveals she was right. The actual murderer was an unsympathetic character - who in all likelihood had killed her first husband as well.

The story just seemed to hang there. There was resolution and the apparent evil doer was going to get their comeuppance but it left me flat.

[Jerry B · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is yet another of those JP Beaumont "tweener" novellas mostly written as a conveyance for a teaser chapter of Jance's latest forthcoming full-length novel “Proof Of Life.” JP is fully retired now but occasionally works on a cold case for an organization called The Last Chance. As the plot unfolds, he gains a hit on an overlooked fingerprint that was never fully resolved – which rather quickly leads to solving the old crime. The buildup was fairly interesting, but one cannot expect too much in 15 minutes or so of reading time.