Twisted at the Root

Jane Lawless #26

by Ellen Hart

Mystery Writers of America Grandmaster Ellen Hart’s intimate storytelling returns in Twisted at the Root, where Hart’s latest mystery shows the importance of finding the truth.

Everyone thought Rashad May and Gideon Wise were happily married. That is, until Rashad was convicted of his husband’s murder.

Four years later, Rashad’s brother contacts Ray Lawless – Minnesota private investigator Jane Lawless’s father and the original defense attorney on the case – with potential evidence of a wrongful conviction. When the case is reopened, Jane and her father must work together to attain justice for a grieving widower.

Who actually killed Gideon and why? There are suspects and motives galore, and Jane must discover the truth. She must also track down her missing brother, Peter, who was involved in the original trial, and who might be hiding secrets of his own.

Genres: Mystery, LGBT, Cozy Mystery, Crime, Lesbian, Mystery Thriller, Fiction

320 pages, Hardcover

First published August 13, 2019

About the author

Ellen Hart is the author of twenty-eight crime novels in two different series. She is a five-time winner of the Lambda Literary Award for Best Lesbian Mystery, a three-time winner of the Minnesota Book Award for Best Popular Fiction, a three-time winner of the Golden Crown Literary Award in several categories, a recipient of the Alice B Medal, and was made an official GLBT Literary Saint at the Saints & Sinners Literary Festival in New Orleans in 2005. In 2010, Ellen received the GCLS Trailblazer Award for lifetime achievement in the field of lesbian literature. For the past fourteen years, Ellen has taught "An Introduction to Writing the Modern Mystery" through the The Loft Literary Center, the largest independent writing community in the nation. Ellen's latest Sophie Greenway mystery is No Reservations Required (Ballantine). Rest for the Wicked, the twentieth Jane Lawless mystery, will be released by St. Martin's/Minotaur in October 2012. Bella Books has recently revived the out-of-print books by publishing them in both trade paperback and E-book. Ellen lives in the Minneapolis area with her partner of over 35 years.

Reviews

[Paromjit · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a long running series featuring private investigator, Jane Lawless, set in Minnesota by Ellen Hart, but this was my first taste of the series which I think you can reasonably read as a standalone. Four years ago, it was assumed that Rashad May and Gideon Wise were contentedly married, until Gideon was discovered murdered in his bath, and his partner, Rashad was convicted of the heinous crime and sent to prison. In this miscarriage of justice story, Rashad's brother gets in touch with Jane's father, Ray, his defence lawyer, with potential evidence that questions the original guilty verdict. This propels Jane on the path of seeking justice for Rashad, still grieving, determined to find the truth in a case in which her brother, Peter, with his involvement in the original trial, a man who harbours secrets. She has her work cut out as she sifts through a host of suspects, all with viable motives to murder Gideon.

I found this to be an okay, if undemanding, easy crime read. For me, it needed more in depth characterisation and more complex plotting. However, I am aware that there many fans of this series and who will no doubt love this addition too. Many thanks to St Martin's Press for an ARC.

[Toni · Rating 4 out of 5]

This well-written mystery novel will definitely appeal to numerous fans of Ellen Hart's work.

Although it is the twenty-sixth book in the series, it can also be read and enjoyed as a standalone. A well-crafted clever plot and a cast of interesting characters (my favourite ones, not surprisingly, were Jane, the protagonist of the series, and Cordelia) will keep your attention. Having said this, it is possible to guess who the murderer was quite early in the book, if you pay attention to the clues.
I would recommend this book to readers who like a character-driven mystery and multiple points of view and, of course, people who already know and love Ellen Hart's whodunnits with PI Jane Lawless.

Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin's Press for the ARC provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

3.5 stars

[Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four years after Rashad May was convicted of murdering his husband Gideon Wise, his brother approaches his defense attorney, Raymond Lawless, claiming to have new evidence. Lawless enlists the help of his daughter Jane, a restaurateur who is also a private investigator. Twisted at the Root is the 26th novel by Ellen Hart. The book features Ms. Lawless and her colorful sidekick, Cordelia Thorne and like the previous 25, is set in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Just a personal aside: I participated in a women’s mystery book discussion group which was led by Ellen Hart at the now defunct Amazon Bookstore in South Minneapolis about 15 ago! It was delightful – until Ms. Hart was injured in an accident and the group was taken over by author Lori Lake.

About Twisted at the Root , however...Like most mysteries, there are secrets, indiscretions, lies, and cover-ups. There is plenty of family drama, too, among friends and foes alike. Jane receives a frantic call from her sister-in-law in London wondering if she’s heard from her brother Peter. Naturally, he later appears on the scene with problems aplenty. He knows some of the individuals involved in the current – “mess” – is the best way I can explain this situation.

It’s all highly entertaining, even if it’s not difficult to flesh out the perpetrator(s). On a more serious note, Jane has reunited with her on-and-off girlfriend, Julia, an oncologist who herself is battling cancer. But as always, theatre director and best friend Cordelia lightens the mood. Surprisingly, she actually contributes some worthwhile ideas to the investigation this time around.

It’s always fun for me to read Ellen Hart’s books and to read about familiar Minneapolis sights, and the fictional ones as well. While it’s not essential to read this series in order, it’s probably helpful to have read a few before this one just to have an idea who the characters are. I look forward to reading In a Midnight Wood.

4 stars

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite Jane Lawless mysteries so far! These books are total comfort reads for me, and this one was everything I was looking for from this semi-cozy Minnesota mystery series. Jane is investigating a case her father worked on several years ago, trying to find evidence that Rashad, jailed for his husband's murder, is innocent, as well as who the real killer is. With a great cast of shady suspects, as well as the ever-amusing Cordelia, Cordelia's eccentric niece Hattie, and Jane's brother Peter, this book is a really fun read. Jane's relationship with Julia is pretty meh to me, but Julia is absent for most of the book, which I appreciated. Would really like for her to get a new love interest, but I will continue following this series in any case!

*I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Ryan Mishap · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thirty years of Jane Lawless! Can you believe it? This one--like the previous couple--are back in the groove of Hart at her peak. I particularly like her ability to depict the emotional reasonings of her characters without shading judgment. She gets how we lie to ourselves and others.

[Lynn (Smile24k) · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent to good read.

Jane Lawless occasionally works as her father's P.I. and on this particular case she is assisting with uncovering evidence to reopen the case of a man convicted of murdering his husband. There were a couple of things that made the book interesting/unique. The characters were diverse in terms of sexual orientation and race, which I think makes a book more well rounded and realistic. I also thought there were some decent twists in the book to keep you guessing as to who was the real murderer.

I think my main issue with the book was that the evidence to convict Rashad could not have been very substantial given all the evidence that was uncovered when they were trying to re-open the investigation. I think the book would have had more of an impact if it took place at the initial arrest and trial. Otherwise, it came off looking like there was a lot of shoddy work done on the part of the police and attorneys.

[Bonnye Reed · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free electronic copy of this novel from Netgalley, Ellen Hart, and Minotaur Books, St. Martin's Press. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read this mystery novel of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work.

Jane Lawless is the daughter of semi-retired lawyer Raymond Lawless, and owner of Lyme House, a restaurant in south Minneapolis. Oh, and is also a private investigator. When new information pops up concerning the death of Gideon Wise, Jane does all in her power to clear Gideon's husband Rashad May, who has already served several years for this murder he didn't commit.

This novel, as are all the Jane Lawless series by Ellen Hart, is peopled with characters you either like or distrust, the setting of Minneapolis is well represented and the mystery is convoluted and buried fairly deep. This is a book hard to set aside - chores may go untouched - and one I am pleased to recommend to friends and family.
pub date Aug 13, 2019
Minotaur Books St. Martin's Press
Reviewed August 16, 2019, at Goodreads, Netgalley, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BookBub, Kobo and GooglePlay.

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC. This is my first Ellen Hart book, I found that Ms Hart gave enough information about the characters and the relationships between each of them, that I could read this novel as a stand alone. Cold case murder mystery in Minnesota with lots of twists and turns. It kept me wondering who the real murderer was. I liked the diversity of the cast of characters. Appeared very realistic in today’s world

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

When you've accidentally read grim books in January and need a lift, Ellen Hart is always reliable. Following her group of lovely, yet interesting characters getting drawn into solving a murder and the communities she weaves where there are always LGBT people, aside from the main two of Jane and Cordelia. Cordelia's Niece Hattie is getting cuter each book, too. Lovely gentle read.

[Danika at The Lesbrary · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the previous book in the series a lot better. The characters in this one didn't grab me, and I was really frustrated that it seemed like every guy in the book was so overwhelmed by Kit's charm that they don't notice the bushels of red flags around her. One guy, sure. But every single guy she encounters?

Full review at the Lesbrary.

[Brenda · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story will grab your attention and keep you wondering which one is the murderer. I'm not really excited about the ending because I felt that not all of the story lines ended and I felt like there was a gap in time. It's an easy read and I would recommend it to read.

[Jeanette · Rating 4 out of 5]

The cover initially drew my attention to this book. I cannot quite put my finger on why i didn't enjoy this book as much as i thought i would. Maybe it's because i haven't read any of Ellen Hart's previous books. It is an easy read and the story was good. I would like to try more books by this author.

My thanks to Netgalley and the Publishers for my copy. This is my honest review, freely given.

[Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written mystery. Definitely not a cozy mystery, much more a character study of numerous, deeply flawed characters. Engaging mystery that takes the reader through an enjoyable read.

[Christine Lowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Twisted Root is populated with interesting characters that are so believable I'd be happy to call a couple of them friends. The mystery is complex. When I thought I'd figured out who the culprit is another connection would present itself and I'd doubt my conclusion. Ms Hart is an accomplished writer who is adept at misdirection. Enjoyable reading experience.

I received an Advanced Readers Copy from Minotaur Books through NetGalley.
#TheTwistedRoot #NetGalley

[Brenda Freeman · Rating 4 out of 5]

The dynamic duo are at it once again. New evidence is brought up to question if the right person has been sentenced for the murder of his husband. Jane and her dad work the case with Cordelia helping every step of the way.

[charlotte, · Rating 2 out of 5]

On my blog.

Rep: lesbian mc

Galley provided by publisher

If there is one thing I dislike a lot in mystery novels, it’s getting a POV other than the detective’s, namely one that is either the bad guy’s or another suspect’s. Unfortunately, that’s just what this book did.

Twisted at the Root is like a cold-case murder mystery, but where the original murder was “solved” and is now being reopened for new evidence. In this case, a lawyer was murdered and his husband was put away for it after a combination of shoddy police work, leaning on a few witnesses, and good old-fashioned racism and homophobia. So, enter Jane Lawless, a private investigator, who agrees to take on the case for her father, who is representing the defendant.

First things first: I mentioned I don’t like getting bad guy/suspects’ POVs in murder mysteries and that’s because it gives me information that the detective doesn’t know. So I’m sat there thinking, this guy’s the dodgy one go question him, or this is what he’s not telling you, and it bores me, honestly. And then it makes the actual perpetrator not at all surprising (not that you want them to be a complete surprise either because then you haven’t threaded in enough clues). In this book, with a combination of the suspects’ POVs, and the fact that this character was really fricking dodgy, you could tell who it was about two thirds through. So, still a good way off from when Jane herself figured it out.

Another thing I wasn’t keen on was the writing style. This is another “it’s just me” one, to be honest, but it felt not that easy to read, really. I was skimming some parts of it fairly early on (particularly the suspects’ chapters), because reading it fully kind of bored me. But, each to their own with that.

I did, however, mostly like the characters. Jane was great, and her and Cordelia had a great partnership. Peter annoyed me (mostly because, as with most cishet men, he seemed to think only with his dick), but I did feel a little sorry for him. I’m not sure I saw enough of any of the other characters to fully form opinions of them, but it was a good enough cast. Even if I hated Julia (listen, when you have a character say hey your girlfriend is horrible and manipulative first up, I’m never going to like her) and even if, in the end, the bad guy seemed a little… two-dimensional.

But, ultimately, what I have to conclude is that this book wasn’t for me. It’s the first in this series that I’ve tried, and I feel like it would have sat a lot better with someone who had been reading the series from the start, and who had that history with the characters (not that you can’t read it as a standalone, but it is the 26th Jane Lawless book). For the right person, a good book. I’m not the right person.

[Olguta Iordache · Rating 4 out of 5]

TWISTED AT THE ROOT
by Ellen Hart
Coming August 2019

This is a story about a wrongly accused man and his friends who are trying to prove his innocence.

Rashad May is accused of killing his husband. A few years later Rashad's brother thinks he discovered a piece of new evidence that could clear his brother’s name and present it to Rashad's lawyer. In the scene enters Jane Lawless, the lawyer's daughter, who happens to be a part-time private investigator and who is determined to find the true killer of Rashad's husband.

As a respected mystery novel, the story is populated with a lot of characters which can be (of course) the killer.

On the background of the story, the author describes in detail every character with their day to day life, interests, and struggles.

The story is character driven.

Why did I like the story?
It is a good mystery story.
I liked the way the author described the life of the characters, apart from the actual story.
I liked the writing style which is concise and pertinent.

Why I disliked the story?
I think the clues about the real killer are presented too early and even thou in the first two parts of the novel I was jumping from one character to another, thinking that “he is the killer, no, she is the killer”, in the third part, I was fixed on a character which I thought was the killer, and surprise, it was.
There are a few things that are not totally explained like: how happened George's accident?

I recommend the story because it is easy to read, the characters are well described and it is more than just a mystery story. It is a story about people's life.

Ellen Hart is a mystery novel author with many books published.

243 pages, 43 chapters
St Martin's Press

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me the privilege of reviewing an ARC at no charge.

This review can be found at https://olgasreadings.wordpress.com/b...

[Diane Hernandez · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gideon is brutally murdered in his own home in Twisted at the Root.

The only person at home at the time is Gideon’s husband, Rashad. Rashad insists in his innocence but is found guilty at trial. When additional evidence is found four years later, Rashad is retried. He asks for his original attorney, Ray, to defend him again. After accepting, Ray hires his PI daughter, Jane, to find the real killer.

Twisted at the Root disappointed me. I didn’t find the characters engaging. The pacing seemed slow. It might be because this is the first I’ve read in this ongoing series. If so, I wouldn’t recommend this book as a good entry point. However, if you are already a series fan you will probably enjoy this one too. 3 stars.

Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

[bex · Rating 2 out of 5]

I can give this book 2.5 stars at the most. It didn't work for me. I'm going to try to avoid spoilers, but some may feel I fail at that, so consider yourself forewarned.

This book opens with a psychic prediction of something traumatic. After that it shifts, through a number of POVs, to consideration of something in the past. The primary mystery on which the book focuses is in the past.

It feels really slow... like it's dragging. The expectations created by the opener worsen this as every page I keep expecting something else to happen, but it's a long time coming.

Add to this the numerous POVs and I end up not feeling sufficiently connected to any one character to care what happens.

So overall this felt like a slow tedious read that I couldn't wait to have end.

Maybe the problem is me and my tastes and my expectations, but I can only rate what I read as myself.

[Fleurtje Eliza · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first book by Ellen Hart and I quite liked it for its fresh sort of story with the characters being well-developed, some nice, some shady - but all of them were fairly human. Of course there is the so-called coincidence that family members of the PI know some of the people that are important to the story, but that is in Twisted at the Root not problematic.

It was an easy read, clever plot and with lots of characters (but not too much, all of them are a piece of the puzzle) to have a interesting whodunnit to chew on without the far-fetched (sometimes ridiculous) twists and turns that often make me want to roll my eyes. So no worries for this book: no eyes rolling or shaking one's head in disbelief ;-)

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the book

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Twisted at the Root is the 26th book in the Jane Lawless private investigator series. This book finds Jane working with her attorney father to investigate new evidence that may exonerate a man previously convicted of murdering his husband. I recommend this multiple point of view novel to fans of character-driven mysteries. I had no trouble jumping into the series with this book but I think the subplot involving Jane’s girlfriend will have more emotional impact for long-time fans of the series.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC! The opinions in this review are honest and my own. #TwistedAtTheRoot #mystery

[Lori Bonkoski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jane is busy working for her father to help a man falsely imprisoned for a murder he did not commit. When new evidence comes to light it leads to her brother's friends. In a winding plot you begin to uncover who the murderer really is and how they are entangled in so many lives. It's an interesting ride to the finish. I must say I am done with the relationship with Julia that seems to overshadow so much of the latest books. I enjoy the storytelling and plot of these stories and this one was filled with family and friends.

[Jen Bojkov · Rating 4 out of 5]

I hardly ever do this, but I read the latest book in a series first- Mostly because I can’t get the first book without buying it and I have so many books I have read laying around at home, I just couldn’t bring myself to order it. But also because I kept walking past it at the library where I work and finally could not resist the cover. (It’s fairly pedestrian in subject matter, but for some reason, I really liked it.). I’m glad I read it. Found a new favorite series and there are plenty to read. So guess I will be ordering the first book after all...

[Susie James · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this copy of "Twisted at the Root" at the Carrollton, Miss., library last week. Sucker for mysteries that I am (the "Hart" name too) I read this one by Ellen Hart, a Minnesota stylist of some note apparently, over the past weekend. Well written but structured in a way that left me with few real surprises as to the identity of the "real villains" and set up within what apparently is a genre new to me: a "gay detective story". My, oh, my.

[OddGirl1964 · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Jane Lawless mystery series just keeps improving over time. In this outing, Jane's moved more from restaurant owner to private investigator while trying to figure out who really killed Gideon Wise in order to free Gideon's wrongly imprisoned husband. With the usual antics of Jane's best friend Cordelia Thorn helping Jane put the pieces together. Overall, an enjoyable cozy mystery with a female protagonist.

[T Olsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very well written story with good characters. It seems to be a lot of descriptions of family and friends, but as it turns out they are all involved in the case, and as such it's useful. The probability of such coincedences is not very high, however, so the plot may be a little over the top.

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed in this book for it's lack of focus. It never seemed to follow through and explain itself, be it with Julia who is sick, dying, supposedly the love of her life, or with the problems surrounding her brother, or what actually happens to Rashad. It was my least favorite Ellen Hart book to date.

[Kim Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the series

For me it is all about Cordelia. I know it is a Jane Lawless mystery, but I think all of us have known some like Cordelia who is unashamedly larger than life and flamboyant. I love her! Anyway it is another in the excellent Jane Lawless series skillfully written by Ellen Hart that keeps you guessing. I hope the series goes on forever!

[Christine C · Rating 1 out of 5]

I tried really hard, but I could not get into this book. The plot was so confusing with so many character storylines all at once and somehow they're all interconnected in the circumstances surrounding a murder a few years prior. It's like Love, Actually as a mystery instead of a romcom. None of the characters made me want to read more to get to know them.

[Miriam Holsinger · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was dark - very very dark. At times it was a bit hard to keep reading and I was disappointed by the caricature that was the villain. Hart strives so hard to make her protagonist and other characters have layers I was a bit surprised that she dropped it on this one. But still worth reading if you like mysteries