What do you think?
Rate this book
Jeri Howard Mystery #1
Kindred Crimes
When P.I. Jeri Howard takes on a missing-persons case, she's not the only person confused. The vanished woman's husband doesn't even know his wife's real name. But as Jeri digs deeper, she reveals long-buried secrets, old public scandals, and the real possibility that too much knowledge is a dangerous thing...
249 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 1, 1990
670 people are currently reading
839 people want to read
About the author
Janet Dawson
65 books71 followersJanet Dawson is the author of The Sacrificial Daughter, first in a new series featuring geriatric care manager. She has also written thirteen novels featuring Oakland private investigator Jeri Howard. Her first, Kindred Crimes, won the St. Martin's Press/Private Eye Writers of America contest for best first private eye novel. The most recent book in the series is The Devil Close Behind.
Her Jill McLeod historical mystery series features a Zephyrette sleuthing aboard the long-distance train called the California Zephyr in the early 1950s. The first in that series is Death Rides the Zephyr.
In the past, Dawson was a newspaper reporter and a Navy journalist. She has worked in the legal field and on the staff of the University of California Berkeley. She is a long-time member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime.
Her Jill McLeod historical mystery series features a Zephyrette sleuthing aboard the long-distance train called the California Zephyr in the early 1950s. The first in that series is Death Rides the Zephyr.
In the past, Dawson was a newspaper reporter and a Navy journalist. She has worked in the legal field and on the staff of the University of California Berkeley. She is a long-time member of Mystery Writers of America and Sisters in Crime.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews
April 19, 2022
3.4 stars
April 16, 2012
Delighted to see a number of additional books in the series. This is the first book for me by this author, a free download, but won't be the last of this series for me.
A very entertaining and well written first novel with a taut plot line, polished writing style and solidly developed characters.
An interesting twist on a 'missing person' investigation, tied in to an old murder case. Overall, a very well crafted mystery with a main character that appears to have a great deal of potential as a series.
A very entertaining and well written first novel with a taut plot line, polished writing style and solidly developed characters.
An interesting twist on a 'missing person' investigation, tied in to an old murder case. Overall, a very well crafted mystery with a main character that appears to have a great deal of potential as a series.
April 6, 2013
Just re-read this one as I sit around recovering from gallbladder surgery. Love this series! Howard's details and well-structured story lines are enjoyable, and I love the accurate Bay Area descriptions - having lived there for 12 years I am transported right back in time. Happily, though the books date back to the early '90s, they hold up well 20 years later. I'll probably go ahead and revisit the whole series!
March 19, 2016
A fun and functional entry into the genre of female private investigators, with lots of super Bay Area detailing, that's let down in the middle by pacing gone awry, and shoehorning in a romance where it didn't remotely need to be. But I don't enjoy Jeri enough as a character, nor the writing style enough to go on with the series.
Read
March 21, 2012This mystery held up well. While I guessed the big "twist" well in advance (or subconsciously remembered it from the first reading long ago?), that didn't impair the readability of the book overall. Given how many of the mysteries of twenty years ago show their flaws now, the fact that this one hasn't begun to look stupid or dated is quite a plus.
February 1, 2021
I enjoyed this first book in the Jeri Howard series. The protagonist is interesting, and the supporting cast, though we do not see too much of them, is good. My quibble with this one is that I knew how it was going to end rather early in the book. I am not one who tries to figure out the mystery, but this one was somehow obvious. Still, well written and a fair amount of drama. I'll read the next one with interest.
August 4, 2022
I fear I am hooked and I have told myself that I would try to avoid reading so many mysteries! But I have been reading all afternoon and had to finish to see how it all came together. I will have to use will power because I actually downloaded the Jeri Howard Mystery Anthology so I have volumes 2-5 waiting for me on my iphone. Another sad story of a messed up family and how it affected children. I do enjoy the detective work and the fact that it is a tough female detective doing it.
June 22, 2021
Wow!!! This is some roller coaster ride that I have been on reading this book. It was so good that I didn’t wanna put it down but I also didn’t want it to end. The storyline is very well written and I really enjoyed the complex characterization. Now I have to read the next book!! This is one of the best books ever!!!
July 31, 2019
Really good
I enjoyed this story, because it was really interesting. The characters were well developed and totally believable. I will read more books by this author.
I enjoyed this story, because it was really interesting. The characters were well developed and totally believable. I will read more books by this author.
November 4, 2020
I really liked this book. Can't wait to read tha rest of the series.
January 5, 2021
A man Philip hires Jeri Howard a private investigator in Oakland to look locate his wife who’s missing. According to Mr. Foster, his wife Renee Foster left their baby with his mother and said she was going shopping but never came back. She packed a suitcase and cleaned out their joint account. They met five years ago while she working as a secretary in a computer firm in Silicon Valley. Then they dated a few months and eloped to Lake Tahoe.
Jeri's father is a historian with California State University. Her parents were divorced after thirty years of marriage. Her brother Brian on the other hand is married with two children.
Jeri herself has been divorced for less than two years. She was married to Sid Vernon, a sergeant with the Oakland Police Department. Like her father, she majored in history but later settled to become a PI. She owns a firm called J. Howard Investigations.
Her friend Cassie Taylor is a lawyer and works next door in a law firm called Alwin, Taylor, and Chao.
Two days later Philip tells Jeri he’s changed his mind about trying to locate his wife. Jeri suspects Philip’s father Edward Foster is behind Philip’s decision but has no idea why.
Edward keeps stymying the investigation by persuading Philip to drop the case and to pay Jeri off without letting her finish. The first PI they hired also confirms Edward is manipulating his son. Apparently, Edward told Philip Renee has been hitting their eighteen-month-old son, Jason.
But that doesn’t dissuade Jeri and as she digs into the missing woman’s family background, she uncovers a double murder that happened fifteen years ago that may be connected to her disappearance.
After learning some facts from friends of the missing woman’s family, Jeri becomes determined to find the woman despite warnings from her friend Cassie not to get emotionally involved.
Somehow the investigation takes a different turn when Jeri locates Elizabeth’s aunt who in turn hires Jeri to search for her niece.
Jeri's father is a historian with California State University. Her parents were divorced after thirty years of marriage. Her brother Brian on the other hand is married with two children.
Jeri herself has been divorced for less than two years. She was married to Sid Vernon, a sergeant with the Oakland Police Department. Like her father, she majored in history but later settled to become a PI. She owns a firm called J. Howard Investigations.
Her friend Cassie Taylor is a lawyer and works next door in a law firm called Alwin, Taylor, and Chao.
Two days later Philip tells Jeri he’s changed his mind about trying to locate his wife. Jeri suspects Philip’s father Edward Foster is behind Philip’s decision but has no idea why.
Edward keeps stymying the investigation by persuading Philip to drop the case and to pay Jeri off without letting her finish. The first PI they hired also confirms Edward is manipulating his son. Apparently, Edward told Philip Renee has been hitting their eighteen-month-old son, Jason.
But that doesn’t dissuade Jeri and as she digs into the missing woman’s family background, she uncovers a double murder that happened fifteen years ago that may be connected to her disappearance.
After learning some facts from friends of the missing woman’s family, Jeri becomes determined to find the woman despite warnings from her friend Cassie not to get emotionally involved.
Somehow the investigation takes a different turn when Jeri locates Elizabeth’s aunt who in turn hires Jeri to search for her niece.
December 29, 2020
This is the first novel in the Jeri Howard private investigator series, set in California. Like many of its contemporaries, the story’s told by Jeri in a direct, no nonsense manner. She’s a streetwise investigator with high principles and a determination to see a job through, even when the client decides he no longer requires her services.
Missing wife, Renee Foster, turns out to be anything but the person her anxious husband portrays. As Jeri digs deeper, encountering more than her fair share of obstacles and challenges, she peels away the layers to reveal family secrets no one wants to share. There’s Mark, the brother, who shot their parents and served fifteen years for the crime. He’s out and building a new life for himself, determined not to return to past events. Sister Karen, employed in the skin trade, knows more than she’s willing to tell.
Then there’s the husband’s family, who never liked Renee to start with.
And Jeri’s former husband, a cynical copper who still holds a torch for her, can’t help but make life difficult for her, especially when people start dying.
How Jeri makes sense of it all and overcomes the odds makes for a fascinating and entertaining story that’s full of surprises, humour and touching moments that all build to a slick climax and resolution. The characters are sharply drawn and realistic, vulnerable and flawed, but always interesting.
I’m delighted to have discovered this author and I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys private eye stories by authors like Sue Grafton and Cheryl Bradshaw.
Missing wife, Renee Foster, turns out to be anything but the person her anxious husband portrays. As Jeri digs deeper, encountering more than her fair share of obstacles and challenges, she peels away the layers to reveal family secrets no one wants to share. There’s Mark, the brother, who shot their parents and served fifteen years for the crime. He’s out and building a new life for himself, determined not to return to past events. Sister Karen, employed in the skin trade, knows more than she’s willing to tell.
Then there’s the husband’s family, who never liked Renee to start with.
And Jeri’s former husband, a cynical copper who still holds a torch for her, can’t help but make life difficult for her, especially when people start dying.
How Jeri makes sense of it all and overcomes the odds makes for a fascinating and entertaining story that’s full of surprises, humour and touching moments that all build to a slick climax and resolution. The characters are sharply drawn and realistic, vulnerable and flawed, but always interesting.
I’m delighted to have discovered this author and I’m looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys private eye stories by authors like Sue Grafton and Cheryl Bradshaw.
October 10, 2020
I got this as one of the free book giveaways from Amazon. Some of the giveaways are really not worth reading, but this was better than the average. The series deals with the adventures and cases of an Oakland PI, Jeri Howard, who does a quite credible job of investigation. Dawson writes well, an easy natural prose from the POV of the PI, the fine tradition of the genre. Nice to have those old echoes of the Continental Op at work. Dawson sets her Bay Area scenes with expertise, efficiently describes characters, and lets us see the action. Moving the plot forward, sometimes Dawson telegraphed the next discoveries just a little bit, but never cheated with cheap red herrings. The pivot point of her plot Is pretty obvious right from the beginning, but that doesn't tell us where things are going to go, things stay mysterious, and Howard's detective work paid off in the end. As a big fan of old-fashioned shoe leather investigation, I was pleased to see how well the case unfolded for the PI and for the reader. Generally I prefer my Noir a little bit further away from San Francisco. But it was nice to come home, and see another PI sleuthing in the shadow of Sam Spade, doing such a credible job. Amazon gave me nine novels in the series, so I'll be back.
October 17, 2020
This is not really my cup of coffee, but since I have downloaded the box set of 9 books because I am a sucker for Freebies and I thought I would try this author... so I had to at least read the first one of the series... I won't be reading the rest. My reading genre re~ Thrillers and Mysteries is usually historical not contemporary. This is also another reason why I do not like psycho~thrillers because there is no rhyme or reason for murder only to the the murderer... plus I do not like main characters who sleep around and most of them here are warped especially the women, the only one I liked was Mark Willis. I also wondered at the obdurate 'in denial' attitude of both sisters (Vera and Alice) to Franny's promiscuity and cruelty to her children (sex and sadism and they still thought she was normal?!)... again, they were all warped... those who did not do evil deeds but turned a blind eye to them and those who did bad things because they could.
March 3, 2016
A little bit predictable but I still enjoyed the book. I am glad that this book wasn't updated to go with modern times. Takes me back to when I was younger. Now I am off to book 2.
November 23, 2024
Janet Dawson’s Kindred Crimes, the first book in the Jeri Howard Mystery series, introduces readers to a savvy and determined private investigator, Jeri Howard. This engaging mystery is set in the Bay Area and blends an intricate plot with compelling character development, making it an excellent pick for fans of traditional detective fiction.
Jeri Howard, a former Navy officer turned PI, is hired to locate Renee Foster, a young woman who has vanished without explanation, leaving behind her husband and child. As Jeri delves deeper into the case, she uncovers layers of secrets involving hidden identities, dark family histories, and unexpected twists. Dawson’s writing excels at portraying the gritty, realistic nature of investigative work, with a strong emphasis on attention to detail and procedural accuracy.
What sets Kindred Crimes apart is Jeri herself—a protagonist who is refreshingly competent, grounded, and relatable. Her sharp wit and tenacity make her a standout in the genre. Dawson also captures the atmosphere of the Bay Area vividly, immersing readers in a sense of place that adds richness to the narrative.
While the plot is well-constructed and engaging, there are moments where the pacing slows due to the depth of detail. Some readers might find this deliberate style a bit methodical, but it ultimately serves to heighten the realism of the investigation. The resolution is satisfying, tying up loose ends while leaving room for future adventures.
Kindred Crimes is a solid start to the Jeri Howard series, showcasing Janet Dawson’s ability to craft a smart and compelling mystery. With its intriguing storyline and a lead character you’ll want to follow, this book is a must-read for fans of traditional PI novels.
Jeri Howard, a former Navy officer turned PI, is hired to locate Renee Foster, a young woman who has vanished without explanation, leaving behind her husband and child. As Jeri delves deeper into the case, she uncovers layers of secrets involving hidden identities, dark family histories, and unexpected twists. Dawson’s writing excels at portraying the gritty, realistic nature of investigative work, with a strong emphasis on attention to detail and procedural accuracy.
What sets Kindred Crimes apart is Jeri herself—a protagonist who is refreshingly competent, grounded, and relatable. Her sharp wit and tenacity make her a standout in the genre. Dawson also captures the atmosphere of the Bay Area vividly, immersing readers in a sense of place that adds richness to the narrative.
While the plot is well-constructed and engaging, there are moments where the pacing slows due to the depth of detail. Some readers might find this deliberate style a bit methodical, but it ultimately serves to heighten the realism of the investigation. The resolution is satisfying, tying up loose ends while leaving room for future adventures.
Kindred Crimes is a solid start to the Jeri Howard series, showcasing Janet Dawson’s ability to craft a smart and compelling mystery. With its intriguing storyline and a lead character you’ll want to follow, this book is a must-read for fans of traditional PI novels.
July 3, 2022
A young mother has walked away from her husband and child. Her husband wants her back but his family are happy to see the back of her.
The husband hires Jeri Howard, a Californian P.I. She quickly discovers that she's not the first detective to be hired and that the missing woman is not who she says she is.
"Kindred Crimes" is a very, very traditional P.I. procedural novel. Jeri, fairly recently divorced from her cop husband, is somewhat of a cipher. She hasn't got much depth but the book ain't about her - we learn just as much about her as we need to know.
As she digs deeper Jeri discovers that very few of the players are being honest, and even fewer are telling the entire truth.
It all boils down to a double murder many years ago and, as the body count rises, Jeri is increasingly in danger.
There's blackmail, murder, porn, child abuse, and more. But in the end it all comes down to the missing woman and her family.
"Kindred Crimes" was nominated for a lot of awards and won one of them (Private Eye Writers of America’s jointly sponsored contest with St. Martin’s Press for Best First Private Eye Novel) but that seems to say more about a bad year for P.I. novels than the book itself.
It's actually quite good but I've read much better.
It desperately needs that little something to lift it and that simply is not there (a deeper exploration of Jeri might have helped, or a twist involving her ex-husband perhaps?)
Good but not great.
3 Stars.
P.S. The front cover does the book absolutely no favours - it is seriously ugly.
The husband hires Jeri Howard, a Californian P.I. She quickly discovers that she's not the first detective to be hired and that the missing woman is not who she says she is.
"Kindred Crimes" is a very, very traditional P.I. procedural novel. Jeri, fairly recently divorced from her cop husband, is somewhat of a cipher. She hasn't got much depth but the book ain't about her - we learn just as much about her as we need to know.
As she digs deeper Jeri discovers that very few of the players are being honest, and even fewer are telling the entire truth.
It all boils down to a double murder many years ago and, as the body count rises, Jeri is increasingly in danger.
There's blackmail, murder, porn, child abuse, and more. But in the end it all comes down to the missing woman and her family.
"Kindred Crimes" was nominated for a lot of awards and won one of them (Private Eye Writers of America’s jointly sponsored contest with St. Martin’s Press for Best First Private Eye Novel) but that seems to say more about a bad year for P.I. novels than the book itself.
It's actually quite good but I've read much better.
It desperately needs that little something to lift it and that simply is not there (a deeper exploration of Jeri might have helped, or a twist involving her ex-husband perhaps?)
Good but not great.
3 Stars.
P.S. The front cover does the book absolutely no favours - it is seriously ugly.
May 7, 2018
I have been binging on Jeri Howard mysteries recently. I started with the second one, and immediately came back to read this one, since the case was referred to several times. It's well written and fairly well plotted; although I suspected some facts about the killer, they weren't confirmed until the end.
Philip Foster comes to Jeri because his wife Renee is missing. She left her baby with her mother-in-law, drew all the money out of their shared bank account, and vanished. At first, Philip wants her found. Then, after Jeri discovers Renee's real name and some other facts about her past, Philip's father leans on him hard enough that he fires Jeri. She persists, though; Renee's aunt hires her to continue the search. Along the way, we meet some interesting people who will show up in future books. As often happens in murder mysteries, too many people were killed before they could share their stories (I'm only remembering one right now, but even one is too many).
This book was originally published in 1990, and I found it on Kindle Unlimited. I'm glad I did, and I'd recommend it to anyone who loves a good mystery.
Philip Foster comes to Jeri because his wife Renee is missing. She left her baby with her mother-in-law, drew all the money out of their shared bank account, and vanished. At first, Philip wants her found. Then, after Jeri discovers Renee's real name and some other facts about her past, Philip's father leans on him hard enough that he fires Jeri. She persists, though; Renee's aunt hires her to continue the search. Along the way, we meet some interesting people who will show up in future books. As often happens in murder mysteries, too many people were killed before they could share their stories (I'm only remembering one right now, but even one is too many).
This book was originally published in 1990, and I found it on Kindle Unlimited. I'm glad I did, and I'd recommend it to anyone who loves a good mystery.
April 29, 2021
How did I miss this series?? Maybe I read one of the later books some time ago, because I have a vague feeling I know Jeri Howard. Anyway, this was a well written detective fiction novel set in the East Bay and the South Bay, with jaunts into the City and the Gold Country, just around the time when I moved to San Jose. I recognize everywhere they go and I remember what it was like at the time. This makes the well told recounting even more real for me.
Jeri is divorced in her 30s. She operates out of Oakland, where her ex-husband is a cop. She has a cat and prefers wearing comfortable clothes. She reveals herself to be tough as nails in an emergency situation, but mostly she is polite, practical, persistent.
In this initial book, she is trying to track down a missing woman, which leads to a series of murders. As Jeri tries to unravel the truth, she gets pulled into danger herself, dredging up more and more questions about what occurred in a double homicide of the missing woman's parents when she was a girl. How are all these crimes related?
Jeri is divorced in her 30s. She operates out of Oakland, where her ex-husband is a cop. She has a cat and prefers wearing comfortable clothes. She reveals herself to be tough as nails in an emergency situation, but mostly she is polite, practical, persistent.
In this initial book, she is trying to track down a missing woman, which leads to a series of murders. As Jeri tries to unravel the truth, she gets pulled into danger herself, dredging up more and more questions about what occurred in a double homicide of the missing woman's parents when she was a girl. How are all these crimes related?
March 22, 2023
free ebook
shes a pi and her x husband, a cop, refers a man looking for his wife to her
his wife left their child with the grandparents, packed a bag, took the money out of the bank and disappeared. the husband reported it to the police, who did nothing, and hired a pi his father later fired
she investigates and finds out thats not his wifes real name or soc sec number
the mans father gets him to fire her, but she contacts the aunt and she hires her so shes still on the case
she finds out the girls parents were killed by her brother , who got sent to prison but is out now
she figures out the man who went to prison didnt kill his parents, his one sister did and the younger sister saw and later blackmailed her sister. the older sister killed the younger one, then she was after her brother and the pi as they were the only ones who knew. there was a shoot out and the x husband of the pi was shot but they did catch and arrest her (hes going to be ok)
the brother is going back to the small town where he lives
i would read more of this series
shes a pi and her x husband, a cop, refers a man looking for his wife to her
his wife left their child with the grandparents, packed a bag, took the money out of the bank and disappeared. the husband reported it to the police, who did nothing, and hired a pi his father later fired
she investigates and finds out thats not his wifes real name or soc sec number
the mans father gets him to fire her, but she contacts the aunt and she hires her so shes still on the case
she finds out the girls parents were killed by her brother , who got sent to prison but is out now
she figures out the man who went to prison didnt kill his parents, his one sister did and the younger sister saw and later blackmailed her sister. the older sister killed the younger one, then she was after her brother and the pi as they were the only ones who knew. there was a shoot out and the x husband of the pi was shot but they did catch and arrest her (hes going to be ok)
the brother is going back to the small town where he lives
i would read more of this series
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
November 26, 2019This is my first foray into the Jeri Howard mystery books. Even though Kindred Crimes was written nearly 30 years ago, it doesn't feel as dated as I'd expected.
The plot is solid, with a decent number of clues and suspicious characters to speculate about. I don't know the geographic area, and I occasionally got caught out by something/someone being easier or more difficult to visit (in terms of travel effort/time) than I'd thought on first impression.
The unmasking of the villain wasn't a huge surprise, but I enjoyed seeing how the pieces of evidence fitted into place. I'm not convinced the romance aspect added anything. This might be because I was more interested in putting the clues together than the people-as-people. This isn't a book where I feel compelled to read the sequel to find out what happens to the characters next.
Overall, a quick enjoyable read. I might check out the next book.
The plot is solid, with a decent number of clues and suspicious characters to speculate about. I don't know the geographic area, and I occasionally got caught out by something/someone being easier or more difficult to visit (in terms of travel effort/time) than I'd thought on first impression.
The unmasking of the villain wasn't a huge surprise, but I enjoyed seeing how the pieces of evidence fitted into place. I'm not convinced the romance aspect added anything. This might be because I was more interested in putting the clues together than the people-as-people. This isn't a book where I feel compelled to read the sequel to find out what happens to the characters next.
Overall, a quick enjoyable read. I might check out the next book.
May 25, 2021
A new guilty pleasure
It's no accident that Janet Dawson's first Jeri Howard nove!, Kindred Crimes, won an award as "best first P.I. Novel.". I've had it to read for some time, but only just now read it (non-stop, cover to cover) after reading some of the later books in the series. I missed a chance to get started earlier, but I'm now setting up to binge them all.
Howard is 33, divorced from an Oakland cop, and a P.i. for six years. Here, as in almost all the others, the action takes place in the Bay Area: San Francisco, Oakland, Alameda, etc. I didn't stumble on her work while I loved there, so now I just get to appreciate the memories. What begins with accepting a missing wife case turns into a murder investigation. Dawson keeps the solution from her readers until near the very end - it's her style in the four books I've read so far - and she does it well.
This one's a real find!
It's no accident that Janet Dawson's first Jeri Howard nove!, Kindred Crimes, won an award as "best first P.I. Novel.". I've had it to read for some time, but only just now read it (non-stop, cover to cover) after reading some of the later books in the series. I missed a chance to get started earlier, but I'm now setting up to binge them all.
Howard is 33, divorced from an Oakland cop, and a P.i. for six years. Here, as in almost all the others, the action takes place in the Bay Area: San Francisco, Oakland, Alameda, etc. I didn't stumble on her work while I loved there, so now I just get to appreciate the memories. What begins with accepting a missing wife case turns into a murder investigation. Dawson keeps the solution from her readers until near the very end - it's her style in the four books I've read so far - and she does it well.
This one's a real find!
May 3, 2018
Very good mystery
I liked the twists and turns in this story. Following her as she follows each lead. Well thought out. Well developed characters in the story
I gave it a 4star instead if 5 star for one reason. The issue with the fake name and changing a couple numbers in the social security number wasn't believeable. She worked a good job in silicon valley and then hubby had to file taxes every year claiming her on the taxes. It would not have worked. IRS receives the information from your work place, theyd would inquire immediately,; and you can't give bogus information to the IRS or they'd notify you immediately and request accurate information. Medical insurance, she had a baby, you can't just do what the writer said she did. Make more sense if she legally changed her name and firget the bologna about changing a couple numbers of the ssn.
I liked the twists and turns in this story. Following her as she follows each lead. Well thought out. Well developed characters in the story
I gave it a 4star instead if 5 star for one reason. The issue with the fake name and changing a couple numbers in the social security number wasn't believeable. She worked a good job in silicon valley and then hubby had to file taxes every year claiming her on the taxes. It would not have worked. IRS receives the information from your work place, theyd would inquire immediately,; and you can't give bogus information to the IRS or they'd notify you immediately and request accurate information. Medical insurance, she had a baby, you can't just do what the writer said she did. Make more sense if she legally changed her name and firget the bologna about changing a couple numbers of the ssn.
February 8, 2019
Jeri is a PI. Her ex is a cop. Her newest case is to track down a missing wife. The further she digs, the deeper the mystery as she learns the wife changed her name and appears to be the sister of a man who murdered his parents. Is this why she changed her name? Did she leave by choice or is their something more sinister going on?
Dawson has created a well-rounded protagonist in her PI. I love characters that are as flawed as they are capable in other areas. Jeri fits the bill. The other smaller characters have not been cheated on their personalities or foibles, regardless of the size of their roles.
Follow Jeri as she tracks this missing woman, faces goons sent by someone trying to derail her investigations, and meets an attractive man from her past, a murderer who may not be finished killing.
Dawson has created a well-rounded protagonist in her PI. I love characters that are as flawed as they are capable in other areas. Jeri fits the bill. The other smaller characters have not been cheated on their personalities or foibles, regardless of the size of their roles.
Follow Jeri as she tracks this missing woman, faces goons sent by someone trying to derail her investigations, and meets an attractive man from her past, a murderer who may not be finished killing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 18, 2019
The East Bay, particularly Oakland and Alameda, have been a big part of my life for 25 years. I remember reading this book when it was first published in 1990 and, seeing it as a free offering on Kindle, decided to read it again. Despite the lack of cell phones and GPS tracking, this book does not seem particularly dated. The characters are timeless and the family dynamics work as well today as they did 30 years ago. I am going to continue to read this series and I hope that Dawson involves Oakland and Berkeley in her stories as Sara Paretsky does with Chicago. Although crime exists everywhere, Oakland had a bad reputation and it would be good to see some of the positives of the area reflected in Dawson's books.
January 29, 2021
I was in the mood for some hard boiled PI stuff, and as most mystery fiction I have read recently has been decidedly cozy, I had a hunt for something that wasn't. I didn't want a grizzly crime, I was after a procedural, one with a mystery I could solve along wothout getting punched or being needless distracted by the love life of the protagonist. Jeri Howard is that kind of protagonist. Yes, there is an ex-husband cop who occasionally gets involved, and she does have a fling, but this book is 95% shoe-leather, slowly building a multi-faceted picture of the missing person. And the final solution, I think most readers will be on board with this version of the truth, and the whys and wherefores. Enjoyabley crafted stuff.
February 21, 2021
Kindred Crimes earns 4/5 Cold Cases...Entertaining Thriller!
The recent “lockdown” environment had me venturing out beyond my usual “cozy” mysteries into a more realistic and edgier genre: the P.I. thriller! The first novel in Janet Dawson’s Jeri Howard series turned out to be an exciting choice. Set in Oakland, California, this gritty and realistic drama follows the ginger haired private investigator Jeri Howard with a clever, intense drama combining a cold case with a recent kidnapping. Dawson’s writing style is entertaining with a bit of wit, interesting characters, and hints of romance. Although originally released in the early nineties, the book holds up well thirty years later. Crime is crime, right? Quite a page turner experience!
The recent “lockdown” environment had me venturing out beyond my usual “cozy” mysteries into a more realistic and edgier genre: the P.I. thriller! The first novel in Janet Dawson’s Jeri Howard series turned out to be an exciting choice. Set in Oakland, California, this gritty and realistic drama follows the ginger haired private investigator Jeri Howard with a clever, intense drama combining a cold case with a recent kidnapping. Dawson’s writing style is entertaining with a bit of wit, interesting characters, and hints of romance. Although originally released in the early nineties, the book holds up well thirty years later. Crime is crime, right? Quite a page turner experience!
May 7, 2024
I like that this book had a fresh plot, with plenty of twists. The writing was good. Although there were a plethora of characters, they were developed well enough that I had no problem keeping track of them. The one big character problem is the main character. Jeri is not made to seem likeable and I couldn't find any points of identity with her. Men sure like her a lot for someone who dresses shabbily and doesn't wear makeup. Her biggest beauty effort is taking a shower and towel drying her hair. I'm not inclined to continue the series.
postscript: The book was written and set in the early 90's. The lack of cell phones and smart phones, laptops, and google simplifies the pacing and the plot line.
postscript: The book was written and set in the early 90's. The lack of cell phones and smart phones, laptops, and google simplifies the pacing and the plot line.
June 27, 2025
Surprisingly good!
This was written and published in 1990, so it's A little dated. I didn't realize that at first and was a little bewildered that no one could reach anyone else by phone, calls would just ring and ring but nobody ever answered.
Eventually I figured it out and went back to Amazon and learned more. Maybe the remaining books in the series were written later enough for people to have phones in their pockets.
So yeah, it was better than I expected, considering its age. It was mostly believable, though I did figure it out nearly from the beginning, but needed to figure out the why and how, which didn't come till the very end.
Very little bad language or sexual situations. Actually no complaints at all. A nice read I'd recommend to about anyone I know.
This was written and published in 1990, so it's A little dated. I didn't realize that at first and was a little bewildered that no one could reach anyone else by phone, calls would just ring and ring but nobody ever answered.
Eventually I figured it out and went back to Amazon and learned more. Maybe the remaining books in the series were written later enough for people to have phones in their pockets.
So yeah, it was better than I expected, considering its age. It was mostly believable, though I did figure it out nearly from the beginning, but needed to figure out the why and how, which didn't come till the very end.
Very little bad language or sexual situations. Actually no complaints at all. A nice read I'd recommend to about anyone I know.
March 15, 2018
So, so. Not too much of a mystery to this mystery. Simplistic.
Good reviews from Publishers' Weekly, among others, but it didn't really do it for me.
It was a freebee e-book, used as a marketing device. But I wasn't terribly engaged in the story all that much. Yes, I wanted to know 'who did it', and it was about 200 pages, so not too much time invested in it by me. But it's less than a day later, and I barely recall the who of the second whodunit. Figuring out who committed the patricidal murders from 15+ years ago was not a challenge. TELEGRAPHED early on. But the second murder seemed gratuitous and certainly not a surprise.
Good reviews from Publishers' Weekly, among others, but it didn't really do it for me.
It was a freebee e-book, used as a marketing device. But I wasn't terribly engaged in the story all that much. Yes, I wanted to know 'who did it', and it was about 200 pages, so not too much time invested in it by me. But it's less than a day later, and I barely recall the who of the second whodunit. Figuring out who committed the patricidal murders from 15+ years ago was not a challenge. TELEGRAPHED early on. But the second murder seemed gratuitous and certainly not a surprise.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews