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Gardiner and Renner #5
Let Justice Descend
Three days before a key election, U.S. Senator Diane Cragin is electrocuted on her own doorstep—a shocking twist in an already brutal political race. Cragin’s chief of staff is quick to blame rival Joey Green, a city development director who’s had his hand in every till in town for over twenty years.
Maggie and Jack have their own theories, especially after discovering a fortune in cash in the senator’s safe. But as they follow the money through the treacherous landscape of Cleveland politics, they find many more millions in play—and more suspects.
As Jack says, “Anyone can be dangerous, when they have what they think is a good reason.” He should know. Now a Herald reporter is perilously close to discovering the truth about Jack’s penchant for acting as both detective and executioner. With each passing hour, the stresses of the impending election expose new fractures and corruption at the city’s highest levels. And as one murder leads to another, and another, Maggie and Jack’s only hope of stopping a killer is an alliance that’s growing ever more fragile.
Maggie and Jack have their own theories, especially after discovering a fortune in cash in the senator’s safe. But as they follow the money through the treacherous landscape of Cleveland politics, they find many more millions in play—and more suspects.
As Jack says, “Anyone can be dangerous, when they have what they think is a good reason.” He should know. Now a Herald reporter is perilously close to discovering the truth about Jack’s penchant for acting as both detective and executioner. With each passing hour, the stresses of the impending election expose new fractures and corruption at the city’s highest levels. And as one murder leads to another, and another, Maggie and Jack’s only hope of stopping a killer is an alliance that’s growing ever more fragile.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published October 29, 2019
232 people are currently reading
1309 people want to read
About the author
Lisa Black
277 books576 followersLisa Black spent the happiest five years of her life in a morgue. Strange, perhaps, but true. After ten years as a secretary, she went back to school to get a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Cleveland State University. In her job as a forensic scientist at the Cuyahoga County Coroner’s Office, she analyzed gunshot residue on hands and clothing, hairs, fibers, paint, glass, DNA, blood and many other forms of trace evidence, as well as crime scenes.
She had her life sorted out just the way she liked it until her husband got fed up with Cleveland snow and moved them to Florida, 1400 miles away from her family and her career. Not that she’s bitter or anything. Now she works as a Certified Latent Print Examiner and Certified Crime Scene Analyst for the city of Cape Coral, Florida, police department.
Lisa has lectured at writer’s conventions and appeared on panels. In her life as a writer she’s a member of Sisters In Crime, Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers. In her life as a forensic specialist she’s a member of the American Academy of Forensic Scientists, the International Association for Identification, and the International Association of Bloodstain Pattern Analysts. She has had over 1050 hours of instruction in forensic topics and has testified in over 60 trials.
Her book Perish was shortlisted for the inaugural Sue Grafton Memorial Award by Putnam and Mystery Writers of America. Her That Darkness is a #1 Amazon bestseller and Evidence of Murder is a NYT bestseller. Lisa was a Guest of Honor at 2021 Killer Nashville.
She had her life sorted out just the way she liked it until her husband got fed up with Cleveland snow and moved them to Florida, 1400 miles away from her family and her career. Not that she’s bitter or anything. Now she works as a Certified Latent Print Examiner and Certified Crime Scene Analyst for the city of Cape Coral, Florida, police department.
Lisa has lectured at writer’s conventions and appeared on panels. In her life as a writer she’s a member of Sisters In Crime, Mystery Writers of America and International Thriller Writers. In her life as a forensic specialist she’s a member of the American Academy of Forensic Scientists, the International Association for Identification, and the International Association of Bloodstain Pattern Analysts. She has had over 1050 hours of instruction in forensic topics and has testified in over 60 trials.
Her book Perish was shortlisted for the inaugural Sue Grafton Memorial Award by Putnam and Mystery Writers of America. Her That Darkness is a #1 Amazon bestseller and Evidence of Murder is a NYT bestseller. Lisa was a Guest of Honor at 2021 Killer Nashville.
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May 10, 2022
Check out all my reviews at: https://www.avonnalovesgenres.com
LET JUSTICE DESCEND (A Gardiner and Renner Book #5) by Lisa Black is another exciting addition to this crime thriller series featuring a forensics expert and a detective who takes justice into his own hands. The crime plots in each book stand on their own, but I feel to understand the dynamics between the main characters, these books are best read in order.
With only three days before the contentious November election, Maggie and Jack are called to a unique crime scene. The current U.S. Senator Diane Cragin is dead on her own doorstep from electrocution. Cragin’s chief of staff is quick to blame the Senator’s Democratic contender, Joey Green Cleveland’s city development director.
With almost a million is cash found in the Senator’s home safe, Maggie and Jack must follow the money through the double-dealing politics of Cleveland and D.C. which only leads to more suspects. The investigation into the pending election exposes corruption at the highest levels and leads to more dead bodies as Maggie and Jack work to put the pieces together and catch a killer.
I love Maggie and Jack and the twist at the end of this book! The pace of the plot moves quickly with the election so close. Ms. Black does a good job of keeping the political players equally good and bad without favoring one side or another. The two political projects were good examples of how corrupt government officials and dark money work for the participants, but not the public and the government employee who was looking out for the public really had limited power. This story brings elements of political intrigue, police procedural and forensics all together into a thriller read.
I loved this addition to the series, the entire series and cannot wait for the next book to find out what Jack does next!
LET JUSTICE DESCEND (A Gardiner and Renner Book #5) by Lisa Black is another exciting addition to this crime thriller series featuring a forensics expert and a detective who takes justice into his own hands. The crime plots in each book stand on their own, but I feel to understand the dynamics between the main characters, these books are best read in order.
With only three days before the contentious November election, Maggie and Jack are called to a unique crime scene. The current U.S. Senator Diane Cragin is dead on her own doorstep from electrocution. Cragin’s chief of staff is quick to blame the Senator’s Democratic contender, Joey Green Cleveland’s city development director.
With almost a million is cash found in the Senator’s home safe, Maggie and Jack must follow the money through the double-dealing politics of Cleveland and D.C. which only leads to more suspects. The investigation into the pending election exposes corruption at the highest levels and leads to more dead bodies as Maggie and Jack work to put the pieces together and catch a killer.
I love Maggie and Jack and the twist at the end of this book! The pace of the plot moves quickly with the election so close. Ms. Black does a good job of keeping the political players equally good and bad without favoring one side or another. The two political projects were good examples of how corrupt government officials and dark money work for the participants, but not the public and the government employee who was looking out for the public really had limited power. This story brings elements of political intrigue, police procedural and forensics all together into a thriller read.
I loved this addition to the series, the entire series and cannot wait for the next book to find out what Jack does next!
November 14, 2019
When a woman is found on her own doorstep, dead by electrocution, Detectives Jack Renner and his partner Detective Riley are called to the scene, meeting up with Maggie Gardiner, forensics expert working for the police department.
Surprised as they were with how the murder was committed, they are more surprised to learn who the victim is. Diane Gragin was a sitting US Senator just days away from a key election.
Investigation begins immediately, with the detectives looking for motive ..and hopefully a killer. The more they question people in the political arena, the more they discover that Cragin was not well liked ... corrupt, even. Finding a huge amount of cash hidden in her house makes it look more suspect that this was a political killing.
There are lots of suspects .... Cragin's competitor is top of the list, her chief of staff, and any number of organizations that she has promoted over the years.
Jack and Maggie have their own thoughts .... but Jack has a secret that could put him away forever. Maggie is the only person who knows his secret ... but she also has secrets that would not withstand the light of day. And now there's an investigative reporter who is very close to discovering what those secrets are.
While I really enjoyed the characters and how they relate to each other, I found the complex political background somewhat long winded and boring. I found myself skipping large segments. Although fifth in this series, it is easily read as a stand alone. I do recommend starting at the beginning mostly because of the most interesting characters. Not highly suspenseful, the ending came as a surprise.
Many thanks to the author / Kensington Books / Netgalley for the digital copy of this crime thriller. Read and reviewed voluntarily, opinions expressed here are unbiased and entirely my own.
October 5, 2019
The politics in this was so boring and just not what I enjoy in a novel. Have liked the characters in this series but this story content made it hard to finish. "A copy of this book was provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley with no requirements for a review. Comments here are my honest opinion."
November 19, 2019
Mmmm... Ive read a few in this series and this I have to admit is my least favourite.
When a woman is found dead entering her house, Detectives Renner and Riley, along with forensics expert Maggie Gardener arrive to investigate.
The woman turns out to be a US senator and the elections are only a few days away. She died by electrocution, which the detective find highly unusual. As they begin their investigation, they are lead into a murky world of political double dealing, corrupt city projects and as they try to unwind the web of clues, the list of suspects they have becomes larger and larger.
The good points in this book: Renner and Riley still make and interesting combination and very readable characters most of the time.
The set up at the start is intriguing and you feel you are in for one hell of a story, which you are up to a point.
The bad points: The book is very heavy reading, bogged down by too much detail into political procedures, water plants and how they work. The detail gets in the way of the story to a huge extent. I was actually bored reading large chunks of the book.
The story itself becomes a little more and more contrived and the ending for me was just such a let down and an easy out. The story seemed to tie itself in knots at times, over complicated for the sake of it, too much time spent on going into details on events that could be explained in a line or two. It really took away from the book as a reading experience. The book was just too wordy!
I really like the main characters and have enjoyed their previous exploits but this one did little for me unfortunately. Just too flawed in its execution.
2.5 stars rounded up to 3.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Kensington books and Lisa Black for an ARC in excahnge for an honest review.
When a woman is found dead entering her house, Detectives Renner and Riley, along with forensics expert Maggie Gardener arrive to investigate.
The woman turns out to be a US senator and the elections are only a few days away. She died by electrocution, which the detective find highly unusual. As they begin their investigation, they are lead into a murky world of political double dealing, corrupt city projects and as they try to unwind the web of clues, the list of suspects they have becomes larger and larger.
The good points in this book: Renner and Riley still make and interesting combination and very readable characters most of the time.
The set up at the start is intriguing and you feel you are in for one hell of a story, which you are up to a point.
The bad points: The book is very heavy reading, bogged down by too much detail into political procedures, water plants and how they work. The detail gets in the way of the story to a huge extent. I was actually bored reading large chunks of the book.
The story itself becomes a little more and more contrived and the ending for me was just such a let down and an easy out. The story seemed to tie itself in knots at times, over complicated for the sake of it, too much time spent on going into details on events that could be explained in a line or two. It really took away from the book as a reading experience. The book was just too wordy!
I really like the main characters and have enjoyed their previous exploits but this one did little for me unfortunately. Just too flawed in its execution.
2.5 stars rounded up to 3.
Many thanks to Netgalley, Kensington books and Lisa Black for an ARC in excahnge for an honest review.
March 27, 2020
Let Justice Descend is a police procedural featuring crime technician Maggie Gardiner and police detective Jack Renner. Even more so, this story is one of politics and political corruption uncovered by the protagonists as they investigate the unusual murder of a U.S. senator on her own doorstep.
The author, Lisa Black, certainly knows her stuff when it comes to describing those things that go in a police forensic laboratory as Black herself is a forensic scientist. Her writing style is easy to read, even if this story sometimes becomes bogged down by all the political detail.
I rarely pick up a title in the middle of a series, preferring to start at the beginning to enjoy the character development through the stories, but I picked up this one out of order. Although it can be read as a standalone, I feel as if I might have liked the main characters better had I been in on their secrets from the start.
It is hard for me to summon up empathy for a vigilante policeman let alone the police crime technician who is privy to his secrets and remains silent about them. I hope that by going back to read the earlier stories in the series I can find some semblance of understanding of what makes Gardiner and Renner tick, but I'm not holding out much hope of ever liking either of them.
The author, Lisa Black, certainly knows her stuff when it comes to describing those things that go in a police forensic laboratory as Black herself is a forensic scientist. Her writing style is easy to read, even if this story sometimes becomes bogged down by all the political detail.
I rarely pick up a title in the middle of a series, preferring to start at the beginning to enjoy the character development through the stories, but I picked up this one out of order. Although it can be read as a standalone, I feel as if I might have liked the main characters better had I been in on their secrets from the start.
It is hard for me to summon up empathy for a vigilante policeman let alone the police crime technician who is privy to his secrets and remains silent about them. I hope that by going back to read the earlier stories in the series I can find some semblance of understanding of what makes Gardiner and Renner tick, but I'm not holding out much hope of ever liking either of them.
December 27, 2019
Election time is three days away!! Diane
Cragin is Cleveland, Ohio incumbent
Senator. She is running against Joseph
Green. This story will present issues of
bribery, corruption, secret negotiations,
murder, distresses, frustrations plus
several murders.
The book starts off with a BANG and keeps
up with a fast paced plot within a plot with
some mind blowing twists and turns.
An array of complex, well created, three
dimensional characters that will keep the
tension high from beginning to the very end.
The story is so well written that the reader
will feel as if they are right there in the
midst of the action.
A Highly Recommended Read.
I volunteered to read Let Justice Defend.
Thanks to the author and publisher via
Book Sirens for the opportunity. My opinion
is voluntary and my own.
Cragin is Cleveland, Ohio incumbent
Senator. She is running against Joseph
Green. This story will present issues of
bribery, corruption, secret negotiations,
murder, distresses, frustrations plus
several murders.
The book starts off with a BANG and keeps
up with a fast paced plot within a plot with
some mind blowing twists and turns.
An array of complex, well created, three
dimensional characters that will keep the
tension high from beginning to the very end.
The story is so well written that the reader
will feel as if they are right there in the
midst of the action.
A Highly Recommended Read.
I volunteered to read Let Justice Defend.
Thanks to the author and publisher via
Book Sirens for the opportunity. My opinion
is voluntary and my own.
March 29, 2021
I've just finished Lisa Black's Let Justice Descend, a combination of police procedural, political intrigue, and forensic science investigation. This book is the fifth in a series, but it is the only book I have read in this series.
The story opens with a senator's murder just days before election day, but quickly turns into an investigation of anonymous contributions, political favors, and potential environmental disaster.
I chose to read this book because I read that the author, Lisa Black, has a forensic science background and puts that knowledge to use in her writing. I am a high school forensic science teacher, and I absolutely loved reading the forensic science details that are included in the book. I love it when an expert in a field decides to take that expertise and share it with readers in a creative work of fiction.
I also loved the series characters who, although new to me, are clearly defined and have appealing personalities. I did feel like I was missing some pieces of the characters' backgrounds, having not read the previous books in this series. Several times, previous events were mentioned, and while I could figure out enough information to get by, I definitely would have benefited from reading these books in order.
What I loved most was the resolution of the book. Everything tied together at the end. It was not rushed, but was instead paced just right, and was very satisfying. Without giving anything away, I'll leave it at that.
The reason for 3 stars instead of 5 is that I felt like much of the first third of the book dragged and failed to catch my attention. The opening death did grab my attention, especially the forensic science aspect and observations, but the environmental conversations and political campaigning information were not exciting for me. I can, however, say that I was impressed by the amount of information shared on both topics, and I imagine a large amount of research went into creating these portions of the plot.
Overall, I enjoyed Let Justice Descend, especially the forensic science procedures, the characters, and the surprising and satisfying ending. It definitely made me want to read other books in this series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to Ms. Black, Kensington Publishing Corporation, and BookSirens for this opportunity.
The story opens with a senator's murder just days before election day, but quickly turns into an investigation of anonymous contributions, political favors, and potential environmental disaster.
I chose to read this book because I read that the author, Lisa Black, has a forensic science background and puts that knowledge to use in her writing. I am a high school forensic science teacher, and I absolutely loved reading the forensic science details that are included in the book. I love it when an expert in a field decides to take that expertise and share it with readers in a creative work of fiction.
I also loved the series characters who, although new to me, are clearly defined and have appealing personalities. I did feel like I was missing some pieces of the characters' backgrounds, having not read the previous books in this series. Several times, previous events were mentioned, and while I could figure out enough information to get by, I definitely would have benefited from reading these books in order.
What I loved most was the resolution of the book. Everything tied together at the end. It was not rushed, but was instead paced just right, and was very satisfying. Without giving anything away, I'll leave it at that.
The reason for 3 stars instead of 5 is that I felt like much of the first third of the book dragged and failed to catch my attention. The opening death did grab my attention, especially the forensic science aspect and observations, but the environmental conversations and political campaigning information were not exciting for me. I can, however, say that I was impressed by the amount of information shared on both topics, and I imagine a large amount of research went into creating these portions of the plot.
Overall, I enjoyed Let Justice Descend, especially the forensic science procedures, the characters, and the surprising and satisfying ending. It definitely made me want to read other books in this series.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Thank you to Ms. Black, Kensington Publishing Corporation, and BookSirens for this opportunity.
April 6, 2021
Make no mistake, this is a political murder mystery, set in the present time with an important election looming. There will be those readers who will find slant or bias to one side or other. I found no such leanings. The author, being a talented, experienced writer, was careful to blacken and trip up political operatives of almost every stripe and level.
The story is set in Cleveland, Ohio, and concerns maneuvering and planning to build on a riverbank in the city already heavily contaminated by previous owners. A U.S. Senator, up for re-election in a short time is found dead in her yard. Police detectives Jack Renner and Tom Riley, joined by forensics specialist, Maggie Gardiner, start the case with the electrocuted body of Senator Diane Cragin.
We follow the investigators step by step, perhaps too detailed for some readers, but the detail nicely reveals the relationships between the police and other characters. The pace is relentless and soon other characters appear, some to die in more mysterious circumstances. Are they related to the Senator’s murder? Read the novel to find out.
Cleveland and its environs and even the weather are nicely woven into the narrative, a narrative that rises in tension and pace throughout the story, as the election nears. Anyone who has ever participated in a close election will appreciate the scenes of work and tension, played well against the crime investigation.
If a few sections of the narrative seem to descend too far into the minutiae of elections and crime solving, the detail is accurate, consistent and very well done. The final solutions to what have become multiple mysteries are clean, logical and satisfying in an excellent murderous slam at our political climate.
The story is set in Cleveland, Ohio, and concerns maneuvering and planning to build on a riverbank in the city already heavily contaminated by previous owners. A U.S. Senator, up for re-election in a short time is found dead in her yard. Police detectives Jack Renner and Tom Riley, joined by forensics specialist, Maggie Gardiner, start the case with the electrocuted body of Senator Diane Cragin.
We follow the investigators step by step, perhaps too detailed for some readers, but the detail nicely reveals the relationships between the police and other characters. The pace is relentless and soon other characters appear, some to die in more mysterious circumstances. Are they related to the Senator’s murder? Read the novel to find out.
Cleveland and its environs and even the weather are nicely woven into the narrative, a narrative that rises in tension and pace throughout the story, as the election nears. Anyone who has ever participated in a close election will appreciate the scenes of work and tension, played well against the crime investigation.
If a few sections of the narrative seem to descend too far into the minutiae of elections and crime solving, the detail is accurate, consistent and very well done. The final solutions to what have become multiple mysteries are clean, logical and satisfying in an excellent murderous slam at our political climate.
August 13, 2020
Welcome to my review for Let Justice Descend
My thoughts
Rating: 4
Would I recommend it. Yes
Would I read more of the series? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes
First off I want to thank booksirens as well as the author for letting me read and review it as well as request it. As soon as I saw that booksirens had one of Lisa Jackson's books I had to see about getting it since I've read from NetGalley her other books Backlash,Liar, Liar, One Last Breath, and Paranoid and I still have to read on my NetGalley TBR: Envious, Last Girl Standing and You Betrayed Me , which I can't wait to read because I know that I'll love those just like I did the other ones and this one. One of the things I love about her book is how immediately your pulled into the story and you don't know where your heading because of the twist and turns she throws at you, and everyone has secrets to keep .As for the characters themselves you get any array of complex, well created, three dimensional characters that will keep the tension high from beginning to the very end and they will either make you like them or hate them. With that said once again I would like to thank Booksirens for letting me read it and review it.
My thoughts
Rating: 4
Would I recommend it. Yes
Would I read more of the series? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Yes
First off I want to thank booksirens as well as the author for letting me read and review it as well as request it. As soon as I saw that booksirens had one of Lisa Jackson's books I had to see about getting it since I've read from NetGalley her other books Backlash,Liar, Liar, One Last Breath, and Paranoid and I still have to read on my NetGalley TBR: Envious, Last Girl Standing and You Betrayed Me , which I can't wait to read because I know that I'll love those just like I did the other ones and this one. One of the things I love about her book is how immediately your pulled into the story and you don't know where your heading because of the twist and turns she throws at you, and everyone has secrets to keep .As for the characters themselves you get any array of complex, well created, three dimensional characters that will keep the tension high from beginning to the very end and they will either make you like them or hate them. With that said once again I would like to thank Booksirens for letting me read it and review it.
November 20, 2019
4.5 stars raised to five. This was a political procedural with murder thrown in. A Senator is electrocuted going into her home and the Cleveland police investigate. One of the detectives, unknown to the others with the exception of a CSI, is a vigilante and has worked in various areas around the country. The cast of secondary characters is slimy and untrustworthy in every regard. Most are politicians and/or work with politicians. The election is days away and everyone wants something from everyone else. How it’s handled and how the novel concludes makes the reader hope there is more to come. Thanks to Net Galley and Kensington for an ARC for an honest review.
October 30, 2019
Still some of my favorite characters ever. I read this in one sitting. I have no regrets in that regard. And yet I feel strangely bereft now that's it over.
...Is it too soon to start wishing for book 6?
{I'm rereading this whole series and I just wish I could read this one right now 😭😭 [Aug. 27]}
...Is it too soon to start wishing for book 6?
{I'm rereading this whole series and I just wish I could read this one right now 😭😭 [Aug. 27]}
April 28, 2021
Binged the series and loved the series but this was not my favorite installment
November 2, 2021
This book was great. Lots of plot twists and turns. Who you thought was the killer who a complete turn around.
October 27, 2019
Let Justice Descend by Lisa Black
Gardiner & Renner #5
Great story even though I am not a big fan of politics and political shenanigans that include corruption, bribery and not putting the constituents needs first. Putting THAT aside...I LOVED this book and skimmed over parts of the politics to get to the meat of the matter. And what might that be? The murder mystery and the tension/story developing between Maggie Gardiner, CSI and Jack Renner, homicide detective.
Maggie knows something about Jack that has her always wondering about him and what he has been up to. She admires his police abilities but perhaps questions his ethics. The two have a bond based in their mutual secret and at times it feels as if the two might actually move toward a relationship although it is also difficult to see how they might be able to do so. It is indeed a twisty twisted situation the two have managed to create for themselves – a balanced situation that the two both want to keep stable without either ending up too far up or down on the teeter-totter.
What I liked:
* Jack – I like this silent man who does what he believes necessary to bring evil people to justice
* Maggie – I enjoy seeing her work the case and the dilemma(s) she sometimes finds herself in while working or when thinking about Jack.
* The plotting and pace of the stories and the “gotcha” feel I had at the end
* Riley – Jack’s partner on the job seems a nice guy and I look forward to hearing more about him.
* The anticipation of what story will come next.
What I did not like:
* The many despicable characters only out to further their own agendas
* The greed
* The politics – after so many years of watching politics in the countries I have lived in...am happier not looking at what is going on and playing ostrich instead.
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I like to read more in this series? Without a doubt
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4-5 Stars
Gardiner & Renner #5
Great story even though I am not a big fan of politics and political shenanigans that include corruption, bribery and not putting the constituents needs first. Putting THAT aside...I LOVED this book and skimmed over parts of the politics to get to the meat of the matter. And what might that be? The murder mystery and the tension/story developing between Maggie Gardiner, CSI and Jack Renner, homicide detective.
Maggie knows something about Jack that has her always wondering about him and what he has been up to. She admires his police abilities but perhaps questions his ethics. The two have a bond based in their mutual secret and at times it feels as if the two might actually move toward a relationship although it is also difficult to see how they might be able to do so. It is indeed a twisty twisted situation the two have managed to create for themselves – a balanced situation that the two both want to keep stable without either ending up too far up or down on the teeter-totter.
What I liked:
* Jack – I like this silent man who does what he believes necessary to bring evil people to justice
* Maggie – I enjoy seeing her work the case and the dilemma(s) she sometimes finds herself in while working or when thinking about Jack.
* The plotting and pace of the stories and the “gotcha” feel I had at the end
* Riley – Jack’s partner on the job seems a nice guy and I look forward to hearing more about him.
* The anticipation of what story will come next.
What I did not like:
* The many despicable characters only out to further their own agendas
* The greed
* The politics – after so many years of watching politics in the countries I have lived in...am happier not looking at what is going on and playing ostrich instead.
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I like to read more in this series? Without a doubt
Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.
4-5 Stars
January 23, 2020
Although this is book 5 in the series, it is possible to read this book as a standalone. However, since I enjoyed this book, I will go back and read the other books in the series. What do you do when one of the key candidates in an election that is three days away drops dead? Actually, Senator Cragin does not drop dead of her own accord. She is murdered, in a very unique manner. Someone sets a trap for her at her doorstep. When she grabs the knob of her door in order to enter her home, she is electrocuted. Now Maggie and Jack have the job of determining who did it and why. As they work through their own theories and suspects, things become more and more dangerous as they navigate the maze of politics. There are behind-the-door deals and schemes as well as corruptions and secrets. Thru all the twists and turns, the story holds your interest as well as the little nuggets about Jack’s past. This story will definitely keep you guessing as the list of suspects grows. I must admit that I was definitely surprised by the ending and pleased. It was not at all what I expected. This book is a must read. Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book.
September 9, 2020
A bit of mayhem and murder in politics just may quench your thirst for justice!
Three days before a key election, U.S. Senator Diane Cragin is electrocuted on her own doorstep. Now the RNC must find a replacement to win this election. Everyone wants to lay claim to what is found in the Senator's house, as well as her electronics, but Cleveland Homicide Detectives Maggie and Jack have the ball in their field and they are running with it.
But, there is more occurring here than Maggie can truly justify, and when a reporter gets dangerously close to discovering the truth about Jack, all bets are off.
Three days before a key election, U.S. Senator Diane Cragin is electrocuted on her own doorstep. Now the RNC must find a replacement to win this election. Everyone wants to lay claim to what is found in the Senator's house, as well as her electronics, but Cleveland Homicide Detectives Maggie and Jack have the ball in their field and they are running with it.
But, there is more occurring here than Maggie can truly justify, and when a reporter gets dangerously close to discovering the truth about Jack, all bets are off.
December 2, 2019
I found this to be not as good as the other books in the series, and I was disappointed in that. Way too much time spent on explaining all the politics. I felt the best part of the book was the ending.
October 28, 2019
Let Justice Descend by Lisa Black is a very highly recommended crime thriller and procedural, featuring murder along with plenty of political corruption and intrigue. This is the fifth book in the series featuring Cleveland crime scene investigator Maggie Gardiner and homicide detective Jack Renner.
"Anyone can be dangerous, when they have what they think is a good reason." Three days before the election U.S. Senator Diane Cragin is murdered. Someone rigged up her front door so she would be electrocute on her front step and her chief of staff suspects her opponent, Joey Green. Green is a corrupt city development director who has been accepting bribes and favors in exchange for favors and city contracts for years. When an unbelievably large amount of cash is found in a safe in Cragin's home, it becomes clear that she may not be squeaky clean either. Maggie and Jack delve into the world of political rivals, corruption, bribes and economic hit men. Meanwhile Jack is keeping an eye on Cleveland Herald reporter Lori Russo who is not only following the political corruption story, but also the trail of the vigilante killer. That case involves a secret cover up between Maggie and Jack.
Let Justice Descend features excellent writing, including an interesting, detailed, complex plot, and the return of two engaging, well-developed characters. This is a great combination of a political thriller and a crime/procedural novel and a wonderful addition to the series. While I have read two previous books in the series and not all four, I was still able to easily follow the narrative and I think a reader new to the series could also easily understand the interaction between Maggie and Jack. Some of my enjoyment was because of the political intrigue and corruption tied into the case, so this would be a great choice for other readers who enjoy crime novels and political thrillers.
"... the twenty-four hour channels, who have discovered the same thing: the economic beauty of a built-in customer base. They can chat away for hours and hours, not about what has actually happened but about what might have happened and what they think might happen and their opinion of what happened or what they think should happen. Why? Because it’s easy and it’s cheap. You don’t have to do any investigation or any real news-gathering." Truth.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Kensington Publishing
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2019/1...
"Anyone can be dangerous, when they have what they think is a good reason." Three days before the election U.S. Senator Diane Cragin is murdered. Someone rigged up her front door so she would be electrocute on her front step and her chief of staff suspects her opponent, Joey Green. Green is a corrupt city development director who has been accepting bribes and favors in exchange for favors and city contracts for years. When an unbelievably large amount of cash is found in a safe in Cragin's home, it becomes clear that she may not be squeaky clean either. Maggie and Jack delve into the world of political rivals, corruption, bribes and economic hit men. Meanwhile Jack is keeping an eye on Cleveland Herald reporter Lori Russo who is not only following the political corruption story, but also the trail of the vigilante killer. That case involves a secret cover up between Maggie and Jack.
Let Justice Descend features excellent writing, including an interesting, detailed, complex plot, and the return of two engaging, well-developed characters. This is a great combination of a political thriller and a crime/procedural novel and a wonderful addition to the series. While I have read two previous books in the series and not all four, I was still able to easily follow the narrative and I think a reader new to the series could also easily understand the interaction between Maggie and Jack. Some of my enjoyment was because of the political intrigue and corruption tied into the case, so this would be a great choice for other readers who enjoy crime novels and political thrillers.
"... the twenty-four hour channels, who have discovered the same thing: the economic beauty of a built-in customer base. They can chat away for hours and hours, not about what has actually happened but about what might have happened and what they think might happen and their opinion of what happened or what they think should happen. Why? Because it’s easy and it’s cheap. You don’t have to do any investigation or any real news-gathering." Truth.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Kensington Publishing
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2019/1...
September 25, 2020
I don't think this was a good book for me to read at this time--one about sleazy politicians.
Too much politics, not enough Gardiner/Renner relationship.
Too much politics, not enough Gardiner/Renner relationship.
November 12, 2019
not the usual excitement with 2 great characters Maggie/Jack; disliked storyline
April 4, 2020
Crime thriller that will keep you guessing. A lot of forensic detail so that it is obvious the writer is well versed in this field. Very detailed EPA and political schemes but they tend to slow you down a great deal. It took a long time to read these parts because I kept falling asleep, but if you love political scandal and schemes, you might enjoy that part. Once you get past the detail, the story moves quickly and with a very twisted ending.
I received an advanced free copy of this book and am leaving a voluntary review.
I received an advanced free copy of this book and am leaving a voluntary review.
October 10, 2020
Stars: 3 / 5
Recommendation: A political dram with murder thrown in between along with environmental hazards, economic impact and vigilante justice, making this a thriller for sure; although it took a while for me to warm up to the plot and the characters.
Let Justice Descend is the fifth book in the Gardiner & Renner series by Lisa Black first published in October of 2019. The plot is set after the events in the previous book, Suffer the Children.
The stories in the series revolved around Jack Renner and Maggie Gardiner working for the Cleveland Police Department - Renner a Homicide Detective & Gardiner a Forensic Investigator. They were first introduced in the book That Darkness in 2016. They investigate various kinds of homicide cases together; while finding themselves from within. The plots are set in Cleveland, Ohio but they travel around when the cases need. And Jack is also a killer, a vigilante to make the world a safer place.
Renner and Gardiner are called to a scene of murder of the U. S. Senator for Ohio, Diane Cragin at her home. Her rival Joey Green, a city development director, and the Democratic Candidate for United States senator from Ohio, becomes the primary suspect. Only the wrench in the case happens to be the large amount of cash they find in Diane's home. Now Renner and Gardiner trail the money back to a pit of conspiracy, blackmail, murder and political chaos.
This is one of those books I bought in the outdoor social distancing library sale that I went to in September. There are several reasons why I get attracted to a book. One reason is the title of a book. This title reminded me of the statement "Justice is served" that paranormal romantic mystery author Christine Feehan uses in her Shadow Series (https://inspirethoughts.livejournal.c...) where her protagonists utter those words whenever they mete justice on the bad guys. Hence the book and thus my review.
Author Black brings a lot of elements surrounding economy, politics and environment in this plot. We meet economic hit men who would alter the economy of a country by fooling those people in helping them but inadvertently putting them in complete debt of the country that originally sort out to help them, just like how China did with Sri Lanka. Except the same concept now is getting used within several states and cities economy in America, draining them of natural resources and driving them to debt, bad economy and failures.
Black's focus on the huge conspiracy that could happen around environment and its protection such as scams with water filtering systems; disregard to the proper process in disbanding old factories; all that could lead to food and health hazards for people. She uses real life examples in her plot - Flint Michigan water crisis; ongoing fight to save clean water in Fort Peck Indian reservation in Montana - to home in the point.
I read in an article or heard somewhere that pretty much every human being has ingested some part of plastic into their body, though it would be only very very very micro amount. But if we don’t fight and clean the environment humanity, living beings and earth in general will not survive or perhaps evolve into a different species. This book brought several of those to light.
Although I think author Black was supportive of one political party versus other; meaning she put one political party in good light and the other completely in bad light. In reality neither parties are completely good or bad…there are shades of grey in all political parties.
Coming to her protagonists, she uses a very interesting recipe here in the portrayal of Jack Renner. She gives us bits and pieces about him, about what Maggie had seen him doing, and about his past. Having not read any of the previous books, those small bits and pieces didn’t help to know the character completely. In fact it only made me want to read the series from the beginning just to know more about Jack Renner. Smart movie, I say.
Although the ending seemed simple at first, Black ties some of the inconsequential details neatly in the end. Oh boy, what a finish she has given. I was wondering how she would connect her title to the actual act. She doesn’t disappoint us.
Vigilante justice is given a new take in her book. I don’t normally like vigilante justice without consequences. However, what with the world how it is getting so corrupt lately, this perhaps can be accepted. However, unlike the Shadow Series by Christine Feehan where they thoroughly vet out before meting their justice, I don’t see that step in Black's book. Yes there is some research done, but the moral compass isn't there by the side of the researchers or the one who metes justice.
As for the actual reading of the plot, despite the very many interesting facts, the book went from interesting to boring to intriguing to a sudden spike of suspense. With so much of political jargon and drama; and less of the police procedure seen, the entire book became a political documentary as opposed to a mystery thriller. Perhaps if I had read it as a documentary then I would have appreciated it better.
It took a while for me to warm up to her characters and the plot. However, by the end it left me intrigued to see where she takes Jack and Maggie's journey and more to see where it began. However for now I have to keep her on my list as I have more books to finish.
A political dram with murder thrown in between along with environmental hazards, economic impact and vigilante justice, making this a thriller for sure. If you like political melodramas with a tinge of mystery and thrill then this is the book to go to.
Spoiler Alerts:
1. Plot Reveals:
a. Senator Diane Cragin's staff & family - Kelly Henessey, chief of staff; Devin, assigned Secret Service; Raymond Sutton, Central Committee Chairman and attorney for RNC party; Collette Minella, niece.
b. Joseph "Joe "Green, the Democratic opponent's staff & family: Tina, a volunteer; Connor Scofield, financially backing StartUp Central; Carl Nero, his bodyguard.
c. Other people: Harold Boudelet, economic hit man; Malik Hybannon; David Carlyle, EPA officer; Bruce Haywood, Lobbyist; Helen Sibley, receptionist.
d. Rick Gardiner is investigating the mysterious deaths of many criminals across the country; all done by Jack as a vigilante killer. Jack and Maggie decide to announce that they are a couple to discourage Rick from investigating Jack.
e. Literature and Media we come across in the plot: George Orwell's book 1984.
2. Sub-Plots:
a. Law Enforcement: Thomas Riley, a Homicide Detective and Jack's partner; Rick Gardiner, homicide detective & Maggie's ex-husband, and his partner Will Dembrowski; Patty Wildwood, practicing head of homicide unit.
b. Crime scene Investigators: Denny, Gardiner's boss; Carol; Josh; Amy.
c. Maggie's family & friends: Alex, a sibling (?).
3. Grammatical / Character / Plot / Geographical / Historical / Mythological Errors:
a. The blurb on the book gives Joe Green's name as "Joey Green" but all through the book he is addressed as "Joe Green" in most places, except once on Pg. 84. Pg. 134, Pg. 197, and others as the book got towards the end, he was addressed more and more as "Joey".
b. On Pg. 31, in the beginning of the second para, Black has her character Kelly take a glass from the cupboard and fill it with water. Then again at the end of the same paragraph she has Kelly refill the glass again. Between the two times there was no instance where she drank from it or threw the water away.
c. On Pg. 174, Line 3, missing an opening quote before "But I think this…"
d. On Pg. 284, Line 14, shouldn’t it be "…might at least verify…"
Recommendation: A political dram with murder thrown in between along with environmental hazards, economic impact and vigilante justice, making this a thriller for sure; although it took a while for me to warm up to the plot and the characters.
Let Justice Descend is the fifth book in the Gardiner & Renner series by Lisa Black first published in October of 2019. The plot is set after the events in the previous book, Suffer the Children.
The stories in the series revolved around Jack Renner and Maggie Gardiner working for the Cleveland Police Department - Renner a Homicide Detective & Gardiner a Forensic Investigator. They were first introduced in the book That Darkness in 2016. They investigate various kinds of homicide cases together; while finding themselves from within. The plots are set in Cleveland, Ohio but they travel around when the cases need. And Jack is also a killer, a vigilante to make the world a safer place.
Renner and Gardiner are called to a scene of murder of the U. S. Senator for Ohio, Diane Cragin at her home. Her rival Joey Green, a city development director, and the Democratic Candidate for United States senator from Ohio, becomes the primary suspect. Only the wrench in the case happens to be the large amount of cash they find in Diane's home. Now Renner and Gardiner trail the money back to a pit of conspiracy, blackmail, murder and political chaos.
This is one of those books I bought in the outdoor social distancing library sale that I went to in September. There are several reasons why I get attracted to a book. One reason is the title of a book. This title reminded me of the statement "Justice is served" that paranormal romantic mystery author Christine Feehan uses in her Shadow Series (https://inspirethoughts.livejournal.c...) where her protagonists utter those words whenever they mete justice on the bad guys. Hence the book and thus my review.
Author Black brings a lot of elements surrounding economy, politics and environment in this plot. We meet economic hit men who would alter the economy of a country by fooling those people in helping them but inadvertently putting them in complete debt of the country that originally sort out to help them, just like how China did with Sri Lanka. Except the same concept now is getting used within several states and cities economy in America, draining them of natural resources and driving them to debt, bad economy and failures.
Black's focus on the huge conspiracy that could happen around environment and its protection such as scams with water filtering systems; disregard to the proper process in disbanding old factories; all that could lead to food and health hazards for people. She uses real life examples in her plot - Flint Michigan water crisis; ongoing fight to save clean water in Fort Peck Indian reservation in Montana - to home in the point.
I read in an article or heard somewhere that pretty much every human being has ingested some part of plastic into their body, though it would be only very very very micro amount. But if we don’t fight and clean the environment humanity, living beings and earth in general will not survive or perhaps evolve into a different species. This book brought several of those to light.
Although I think author Black was supportive of one political party versus other; meaning she put one political party in good light and the other completely in bad light. In reality neither parties are completely good or bad…there are shades of grey in all political parties.
Coming to her protagonists, she uses a very interesting recipe here in the portrayal of Jack Renner. She gives us bits and pieces about him, about what Maggie had seen him doing, and about his past. Having not read any of the previous books, those small bits and pieces didn’t help to know the character completely. In fact it only made me want to read the series from the beginning just to know more about Jack Renner. Smart movie, I say.
Although the ending seemed simple at first, Black ties some of the inconsequential details neatly in the end. Oh boy, what a finish she has given. I was wondering how she would connect her title to the actual act. She doesn’t disappoint us.
Vigilante justice is given a new take in her book. I don’t normally like vigilante justice without consequences. However, what with the world how it is getting so corrupt lately, this perhaps can be accepted. However, unlike the Shadow Series by Christine Feehan where they thoroughly vet out before meting their justice, I don’t see that step in Black's book. Yes there is some research done, but the moral compass isn't there by the side of the researchers or the one who metes justice.
As for the actual reading of the plot, despite the very many interesting facts, the book went from interesting to boring to intriguing to a sudden spike of suspense. With so much of political jargon and drama; and less of the police procedure seen, the entire book became a political documentary as opposed to a mystery thriller. Perhaps if I had read it as a documentary then I would have appreciated it better.
It took a while for me to warm up to her characters and the plot. However, by the end it left me intrigued to see where she takes Jack and Maggie's journey and more to see where it began. However for now I have to keep her on my list as I have more books to finish.
A political dram with murder thrown in between along with environmental hazards, economic impact and vigilante justice, making this a thriller for sure. If you like political melodramas with a tinge of mystery and thrill then this is the book to go to.
Spoiler Alerts:
1. Plot Reveals:
a. Senator Diane Cragin's staff & family - Kelly Henessey, chief of staff; Devin, assigned Secret Service; Raymond Sutton, Central Committee Chairman and attorney for RNC party; Collette Minella, niece.
b. Joseph "Joe "Green, the Democratic opponent's staff & family: Tina, a volunteer; Connor Scofield, financially backing StartUp Central; Carl Nero, his bodyguard.
c. Other people: Harold Boudelet, economic hit man; Malik Hybannon; David Carlyle, EPA officer; Bruce Haywood, Lobbyist; Helen Sibley, receptionist.
d. Rick Gardiner is investigating the mysterious deaths of many criminals across the country; all done by Jack as a vigilante killer. Jack and Maggie decide to announce that they are a couple to discourage Rick from investigating Jack.
e. Literature and Media we come across in the plot: George Orwell's book 1984.
2. Sub-Plots:
a. Law Enforcement: Thomas Riley, a Homicide Detective and Jack's partner; Rick Gardiner, homicide detective & Maggie's ex-husband, and his partner Will Dembrowski; Patty Wildwood, practicing head of homicide unit.
b. Crime scene Investigators: Denny, Gardiner's boss; Carol; Josh; Amy.
c. Maggie's family & friends: Alex, a sibling (?).
3. Grammatical / Character / Plot / Geographical / Historical / Mythological Errors:
a. The blurb on the book gives Joe Green's name as "Joey Green" but all through the book he is addressed as "Joe Green" in most places, except once on Pg. 84. Pg. 134, Pg. 197, and others as the book got towards the end, he was addressed more and more as "Joey".
b. On Pg. 31, in the beginning of the second para, Black has her character Kelly take a glass from the cupboard and fill it with water. Then again at the end of the same paragraph she has Kelly refill the glass again. Between the two times there was no instance where she drank from it or threw the water away.
c. On Pg. 174, Line 3, missing an opening quote before "But I think this…"
d. On Pg. 284, Line 14, shouldn’t it be "…might at least verify…"
October 12, 2019
Politics will be the death of some. Maggie is at a crime scene where the victim has been electrocuted by her own house and now they need to find out who wanted her dead. Unfortunately, Diane Cragin was an Ohio Senator who was running for office again so they are sure to be many suspects. Jack & Riley will need to find out who wanted her dead and to find the culprit but things don't go according to plan when someone else dies and the suspect pool just gets bigger. Maggie can't stop thinking about Jack and what is happening with the investigation into the viligante killings. She worries that someone will work out who the killer is and that she will lose Jack. She does worry that he is killing innocent people and she tries to put those fears aside for now. Can they find out who the killer is and what is driving them to murder? Another good read in the series. I do wonder if Jack & Maggie will ever cross that line as I know that he cares for her? I was lucky enough to receive a copy via NetGalley & the publishing house in exchange for my honest review.
October 14, 2020
Received this free from Book Sirens for an honest review.
This is the first book in this particular series that I have read. Have read others from Lisa Black and enjoy her writing.
This story opens with a Senator being electrocuted on her doorstep. Two detectives, Renner & Riley, are called in and they bring forensic specialist Maggie Gardiner. Maggie and Jack Renner share some history and it is alluded to throughout the book. Jack is a killer, but he only kills people who really deserve it, and Maggie knows. She is conflicted at times about not telling others and hopes he has stopped. Jack is actually also the one investigating the 'vigilante killings' which he has committed. A reporter is looking into those and he is trying to stay below her radar. She is also investigating the crooked dealings of the dead Senator and her political opponent.
The election is only a few days away and the police are having a hard time getting cooperation from the two political parties and associates. Another candidate is put in place, they find a lot of money in a hidden safe in the senator's house and everyone wants it. Lots of shady dealings going on with a water treatment plant, a building site, and the political parties. An EPA agent is trying to bring the problems to light and is being stymied at all turns.
Several twists involved especially when the political opponent dies, quite a few suspects. Sometimes hard to keep it straight with all the shady dealings happening. Heavy on the forensics side of things and some personal issues thrown in for good measure. Enjoyed the interaction between Maggie and the two detectives. Her ex-husband, who is also a cop, made a brief appearance.
This is the first book in this particular series that I have read. Have read others from Lisa Black and enjoy her writing.
This story opens with a Senator being electrocuted on her doorstep. Two detectives, Renner & Riley, are called in and they bring forensic specialist Maggie Gardiner. Maggie and Jack Renner share some history and it is alluded to throughout the book. Jack is a killer, but he only kills people who really deserve it, and Maggie knows. She is conflicted at times about not telling others and hopes he has stopped. Jack is actually also the one investigating the 'vigilante killings' which he has committed. A reporter is looking into those and he is trying to stay below her radar. She is also investigating the crooked dealings of the dead Senator and her political opponent.
The election is only a few days away and the police are having a hard time getting cooperation from the two political parties and associates. Another candidate is put in place, they find a lot of money in a hidden safe in the senator's house and everyone wants it. Lots of shady dealings going on with a water treatment plant, a building site, and the political parties. An EPA agent is trying to bring the problems to light and is being stymied at all turns.
Several twists involved especially when the political opponent dies, quite a few suspects. Sometimes hard to keep it straight with all the shady dealings happening. Heavy on the forensics side of things and some personal issues thrown in for good measure. Enjoyed the interaction between Maggie and the two detectives. Her ex-husband, who is also a cop, made a brief appearance.
Read
June 9, 2020This is the first book I have read by this author and I just have to say that I loved it. The characters really grabbed my attention, I especially loved Jack and Rylie, 2 detectives with the Cleveland police department and Maggie who works in the forensics lab but also accompanies the detectives to crime scenes to take pictures and gather evidence to be analyzed. This book deals with the events that are happening during the time of an election for Senator. Especially after one of the constituents is found dead. This is definitely a mystery with lots of suspense. I also enjoyed the little bits of romance that were hiding behind the main storyline. You can tell that a lot of research has been done for Ms. Black to have given us so much background information that keeps the story exciting. I am definitely going to read more of this series as I would like to learn how Jack and Maggie decided to pretend they are in a relationship. This is a stand alone book but as I just said there is information about the main characters in other books I'm sure and I want to read it!!
I received a free download of this book from Book Sirens and I'm thrilled to have been introduced to this author. This review is totally my own honest opinion
I received a free download of this book from Book Sirens and I'm thrilled to have been introduced to this author. This review is totally my own honest opinion
January 31, 2021
Let Justice Descend is a more complicated story than the previous Gardiner and Renner stories. It has gotten much closer to a two story track, that of the current mystery and that of Maggie and Jack.
I wonder, as the story of Maggie and Jack's secret continues more to the foreground, occupying more and more of Maggie's thoughts, if we are coming to their denouement. I hope not.
As far as the mysteries of Let Justice Descend I found the descriptions of how our government really works, who is really in control and how the politicians are owned compelling, infuriating and much more interesting than the actual mystery. It certainly explains how some vile politicians stay in power.
We, the people, are complicit in bad government by our ignorance and willingness to be so.
There was a paragraph about dollars converted to a frame of reference citizens could easily understand, time. One million minutes equals 24.8 months; One BILLION minutes equals 22,816 months.
And we let our politicians throw those numbers - and the money they represent, our collective debt they represent - as if it is grass seed.
Imagine how much the +nearly 28 TRILLION in debt we are, that we allowed them to spend, would be in months . . .
I wonder, as the story of Maggie and Jack's secret continues more to the foreground, occupying more and more of Maggie's thoughts, if we are coming to their denouement. I hope not.
As far as the mysteries of Let Justice Descend I found the descriptions of how our government really works, who is really in control and how the politicians are owned compelling, infuriating and much more interesting than the actual mystery. It certainly explains how some vile politicians stay in power.
We, the people, are complicit in bad government by our ignorance and willingness to be so.
There was a paragraph about dollars converted to a frame of reference citizens could easily understand, time. One million minutes equals 24.8 months; One BILLION minutes equals 22,816 months.
And we let our politicians throw those numbers - and the money they represent, our collective debt they represent - as if it is grass seed.
Imagine how much the +nearly 28 TRILLION in debt we are, that we allowed them to spend, would be in months . . .
August 10, 2021
I received an ARC of this book and am grateful for the opportunity to leave this review. Lisa Black did a wonderful job of creating believable characters with wildly different personalities and moral compasses which is what makes this the engaging read it is. I have not read the previous books in this series and am definitely adding them to my TBR list. The only difficulty I had with this work was the sometimes drawn out explanations of the political machines and how they operate. Those sections sometimes a bit dry but inevitably those passages led to more tense and suspenseful reading. That is the only reason for the 4 star rating, I was surprised beyond compare with the ending of this book. It was definitely worth the slower sections to get to the finale...POW..OMG...it blindsided me in a adrenaline filled jump.
September 26, 2020
I had inadvertently skipped this one; I'm glad that I remedied the situation. A deep dive (and a bit of a slog) into the behind-the-scenes political machinations and corruption between political parties, governmental agencies, and candidates - but somehow still riveting during this election year. Good continuity for the series main and secondary characters, but newbies to the series could jump in here without getting lost. Looking forward to the next one!
November 9, 2020
This was the first book I read of the series. While these are stand alone they are best read in order. I liked this book. I thought the plot was believable and interesting. My only negative is I wished that Maggie was more prominent in the story. Since this was a series with her as primary character, I felt she was not as front and center as most books feature their main characters. I did order the book prior to this one to help clear up some question and interest in the series.
October 28, 2021
This book is amazing. The degree of attention given to the details of scenes made everything better, and somehow more real. The book does have a lot of typos and what not, but I'm willing to overlook it once for the roller coaster ride it took me on. I haven't read the previous books of the series, but it didn't put a dampen on the story this one tells. I look forward to reading how the series progresses.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
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