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Ali Reynolds #16
Unfinished Business
In this heart-pounding and sharply written thriller from J.A. Jance, the “grand master of the genre” (The Providence Journal), Ali Reynolds’s personal life is thrown into turmoil just as two men show up on the scene—a former employee of her husband’s who has just been released from prison and a serial killer who sets his sights a little too close to home.
Mateo Vega, a one-time employee of Ali Reynold’s husband, B. Simpson, has spent the last sixteen years of his life behind bars. According to the courts, he murdered his girlfriend. But Mateo knows that her real killer is still on the loose, and the first thing he’s going to do when he gets a taste of freedom is track him down.
After being granted parole, a wary Mateo approaches Stu Ramey of High Noon Enterprises for a reference letter for a job application, but to his surprise, Stu gives him one He asks him to come on board and work for B. once again. Just as Mateo starts his new job, though, chaos breaks out at High Noon—a deadbeat tenant who is in arrears has just fled, and tech expert Cami Lee has gone missing.
As Ali races to both find a connection between the two disappearances and help Mateo clear his name with the help of PI J.P. Beaumont, tragedy strikes in her personal life, and with lives hanging in the balance, she must thread the needle between good and evil before it’s too late.
Mateo Vega, a one-time employee of Ali Reynold’s husband, B. Simpson, has spent the last sixteen years of his life behind bars. According to the courts, he murdered his girlfriend. But Mateo knows that her real killer is still on the loose, and the first thing he’s going to do when he gets a taste of freedom is track him down.
After being granted parole, a wary Mateo approaches Stu Ramey of High Noon Enterprises for a reference letter for a job application, but to his surprise, Stu gives him one He asks him to come on board and work for B. once again. Just as Mateo starts his new job, though, chaos breaks out at High Noon—a deadbeat tenant who is in arrears has just fled, and tech expert Cami Lee has gone missing.
As Ali races to both find a connection between the two disappearances and help Mateo clear his name with the help of PI J.P. Beaumont, tragedy strikes in her personal life, and with lives hanging in the balance, she must thread the needle between good and evil before it’s too late.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published June 1, 2021
781 people are currently reading
5643 people want to read
About the author
J.A. Jance
117 books4,173 followersJudith Ann Jance is the top 10 New York Times bestselling author of the Joanna Brady series; the J. P. Beaumont series; three interrelated thrillers featuring the Walker family; and Edge of Evil, the first in a series featuring Ali Reynolds. Born in South Dakota and brought up in Bisbee, Arizona, Jance lives with her husband in Seattle, Washington, and Tucson, Arizona.
Series:
* J.P. Beaumont
* Joanna Brady
* Ali Reynolds
* Walker Family
Series:
* J.P. Beaumont
* Joanna Brady
* Ali Reynolds
* Walker Family
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 475 reviews
June 1, 2021
3.5 stars
In this 16th book in the 'Ali Reynolds' series, the computer security expert/amateur sleuth deals with family problems and gets on the wrong side of a serial killer. The book can be read as a standalone.
*****
Ali Reynolds and her husband B. Simpson own High Noon Enterprises, a computer security service based in Cottonwood, Arizona.
The High Noon business complex contains extra offices, which are rented out to tenants for additional income. One renter is Harvey McCluskey, a crooked home inspector who's two months behind on his rent.
Ali and her employee Cami Lee go to McClusky's office to serve an eviction notice, which Cami films on her IPAD. McClusky is embarrassed and infuriated, and vows revenge against the ladies. In Harvey's case this isn't an idle threat, because he's a serial killer who's already murdered several women.
Meanwhile, in Monroe, Washington, computer technician Mateo Vega is released from the penitentiary after 16 years inside.
Mateo was accused of killing his girlfriend, and though he was innocent, Mateo took a plea to avoid a life sentence. When the convict finally gets out on parole, he takes a job at a thrift store, and - having kept up his computer skills - sends resumes to computer tech companies.
Mateo has no luck until he contacts his old boss Stuart Ramey, who works for High Noon Enterprises. Stuart is impressed with Mateo's abilities, and - with Ali and B's approval - flies the ex-convict to Arizona for an interview.
Ali also contacts her friend, private detective J.P. Beaumont, to see about clearing Mateo's name.
As the book unfolds, the backstories of McClusky and Mateo are interweaved with the current lives of the men, and McClusky's history is bloody and horrendous.
In addition to business concerns, Ali has personal problems. Ali's parents, Edie and Bob Larson, live in a senior citizen community in Cottonwood.
Ali thought her folks were doing well until she discovered that Edie has been protecting Bob, hiding the fact that he's losing his memory and acting out. Edie is exhausted, Bob is depressed, and the couple isolate themselves from friends. Ali insists that her parents get help, but the situation goes downhill fast.
While Ali is dealing with her family concerns, McClusky starts to carry out his revenge plan, which is frightening and dramatic.
Luckily, High Noon personnel, including the phenomenal Artificial Intelligence Frigg - who can hack ANYTHING - are on hand to help.
This is a good thriller that addresses some serious real life issues.
Thanks to Negtalley, J.A. Jance, and Gallery Books for a copy of the book.
You can follow my reviews at https://reviewsbybarbsaffer.blogspot.com
October 5, 2021
UNFINISHED BUSINESS
J A Jance
Jance NEVER fails to impress and entertain, even if it is the 16th book in a series. While I haven't read all of the Ali Reynolds series, I have read several books from the various series that Jance writes. This is one very talented author and I can't see anyone not getting some enjoyment out of the read.
This Ali Reynolds book seemed very life-like with more characters than most. The book starts with a murder and ends with suicide and in the middle is some cyber hacking and an exoneration of a wrongly convicted murderer. Oh, and did I mention a kidnapping, an eviction, and a parole hearing? While I have jumbled up the events in the book, Jance smooths them out with great dialogue, vivid action, and a plot that leaves little room for anything but page-turning.
4 stars
Happy Reading!
J A Jance
Jance NEVER fails to impress and entertain, even if it is the 16th book in a series. While I haven't read all of the Ali Reynolds series, I have read several books from the various series that Jance writes. This is one very talented author and I can't see anyone not getting some enjoyment out of the read.
This Ali Reynolds book seemed very life-like with more characters than most. The book starts with a murder and ends with suicide and in the middle is some cyber hacking and an exoneration of a wrongly convicted murderer. Oh, and did I mention a kidnapping, an eviction, and a parole hearing? While I have jumbled up the events in the book, Jance smooths them out with great dialogue, vivid action, and a plot that leaves little room for anything but page-turning.
4 stars
Happy Reading!
May 15, 2025
After falling behind on my reading schedule for some time, I was thrilled to return to J. A. Jance’s Ali Reynolds series. Jance is an exceptional storyteller, and I’ve followed all three of her series with great enthusiasm.
Unfinished Business is a fast-paced novel, skillfully woven from three different viewpoints. The Reynolds series, told in the third person, follows Ali Reynolds and her husband, who run a computer security business—an intriguing foundation for compelling stories. I’m already looking forward to the next installment.
I experienced this book through an audiobook from Audible, which runs eleven hours and forty minutes. Karen Ziemba delivers a stellar narration, bringing consistency and authenticity to the series. Keeping the same narrator throughout is crucial for maintaining continuity, and Ziemba executes this wonderfully.
Unfinished Business is a fast-paced novel, skillfully woven from three different viewpoints. The Reynolds series, told in the third person, follows Ali Reynolds and her husband, who run a computer security business—an intriguing foundation for compelling stories. I’m already looking forward to the next installment.
I experienced this book through an audiobook from Audible, which runs eleven hours and forty minutes. Karen Ziemba delivers a stellar narration, bringing consistency and authenticity to the series. Keeping the same narrator throughout is crucial for maintaining continuity, and Ziemba executes this wonderfully.
October 24, 2021
Judith Jance has done it again. Unfinished Business is the sixteenth in the Ali Reynolds series; not only does she weave a compelling, tightly plotted tale, but she may have broken new ground with the role technology plays in solving crimes within the storyline. Add a sprinkling of social justice issues, and what emerges is an unmissable novel. My thanks go to Net Galley and Gallery Books for the review copy. This book is for sale now.
Ali is a former journalist, but now she and her husband, B. Simpson, own and run a cyber security firm called High Noon. B. is a nice enough fellow, but we see very little of him. Most of the time he is away on business, leaving Ali to flex her badass crime solving muscles, and providing her with a healthy chunk of disposable income that makes it easier. Other continuing characters are Cammie and Stuart; Frigg, the AI entity operating out of High Noon; and Bob and Edie Larson, Ali’s parents. Our two new characters are Harvey “Broomy” McCluskey, who is a serial murderer, and Mateo Vega, a second-chancer newly out of prison and in High Noon’s employ.
The best long-running mystery series are ones that go deep into the character of the chief protagonist and sometimes others, as well. When you think about it, there are only so many interesting crimes; only so many credible motives; and only so many believable plots an author can spin that involve only the mystery at hand. What makes the most successful ones stand out is the investment the reader has in the character and her life. Jance works her characters like a champ.
Within this one, we have multiple interesting side threads. Ali’s parents are aging, and although she is more than willing to support them and advocate for them, they don’t tell her everything. They are independent and intelligent. They treasure their dignity, and their privacy. Sometimes this combination spells trouble, and so it is here. We see Ali trying to juggle the ever-changing aspects of the business while B is out of town, along with health issues facing her father, who won’t talk about them; one of her children gives birth; and then there are issues with her employees.
Point of view shifts between chapters, and so we first meet Harvey, who is a resentful, entitled jerk who has murdered his mother and gotten away with it. Unfortunately, Harvey is also a tenant of High Noon’s, and he’s in arrears on his office rent. No one at High Noon knows that he is dangerous; they figure he’s a deadbeat, and he has to go. Ohhh, honey, look out!
We also meet Mateo. Mateo has spent 16 years in prison for a murder he didn’t commit. His public defender told him the plea deal was the safe bet, and so he took it. He could have been released early if he’d expressed remorse, but nobody and nothing could make him say he did it when he didn’t, so he rotted there for his entire youth. But while inside, he continued to study technology, and earned an online degree. Now he’s released, comes out with skills, and is hired by High Noon.
I love the way Jance uses all of these characters, and the thread involving Cami is particularly interesting.
I read and reviewed most of the recent books in this series, and in number 13, I called this author out for making all of the bad guys in the story Latina or Latino, and all the good guys Caucasian, except for Cami, who is Asian. It’s great to see how she’s turned it around. The social messages here—the broken prison system; issues with keeping the aged safe; the difficulty former prisoners face in starting a new life; and of course, violence against women—are all progressive ones, and none of them hijacks the plot or slows it in any way. In fact, this novel is among Jance’s best, and that’s a high bar to meet.
Highly recommended.
Ali is a former journalist, but now she and her husband, B. Simpson, own and run a cyber security firm called High Noon. B. is a nice enough fellow, but we see very little of him. Most of the time he is away on business, leaving Ali to flex her badass crime solving muscles, and providing her with a healthy chunk of disposable income that makes it easier. Other continuing characters are Cammie and Stuart; Frigg, the AI entity operating out of High Noon; and Bob and Edie Larson, Ali’s parents. Our two new characters are Harvey “Broomy” McCluskey, who is a serial murderer, and Mateo Vega, a second-chancer newly out of prison and in High Noon’s employ.
The best long-running mystery series are ones that go deep into the character of the chief protagonist and sometimes others, as well. When you think about it, there are only so many interesting crimes; only so many credible motives; and only so many believable plots an author can spin that involve only the mystery at hand. What makes the most successful ones stand out is the investment the reader has in the character and her life. Jance works her characters like a champ.
Within this one, we have multiple interesting side threads. Ali’s parents are aging, and although she is more than willing to support them and advocate for them, they don’t tell her everything. They are independent and intelligent. They treasure their dignity, and their privacy. Sometimes this combination spells trouble, and so it is here. We see Ali trying to juggle the ever-changing aspects of the business while B is out of town, along with health issues facing her father, who won’t talk about them; one of her children gives birth; and then there are issues with her employees.
Point of view shifts between chapters, and so we first meet Harvey, who is a resentful, entitled jerk who has murdered his mother and gotten away with it. Unfortunately, Harvey is also a tenant of High Noon’s, and he’s in arrears on his office rent. No one at High Noon knows that he is dangerous; they figure he’s a deadbeat, and he has to go. Ohhh, honey, look out!
We also meet Mateo. Mateo has spent 16 years in prison for a murder he didn’t commit. His public defender told him the plea deal was the safe bet, and so he took it. He could have been released early if he’d expressed remorse, but nobody and nothing could make him say he did it when he didn’t, so he rotted there for his entire youth. But while inside, he continued to study technology, and earned an online degree. Now he’s released, comes out with skills, and is hired by High Noon.
I love the way Jance uses all of these characters, and the thread involving Cami is particularly interesting.
I read and reviewed most of the recent books in this series, and in number 13, I called this author out for making all of the bad guys in the story Latina or Latino, and all the good guys Caucasian, except for Cami, who is Asian. It’s great to see how she’s turned it around. The social messages here—the broken prison system; issues with keeping the aged safe; the difficulty former prisoners face in starting a new life; and of course, violence against women—are all progressive ones, and none of them hijacks the plot or slows it in any way. In fact, this novel is among Jance’s best, and that’s a high bar to meet.
Highly recommended.
April 15, 2021
This is my thirtieth J.A. Jance novel and of all her great characters, Ali is my very favorite.
This novel is Ali Reynolds #16 in the series but it really is fine to read as a standalone. True having read any one of the earlier novels in this series would help with knowing and loving these characters: Cami, Stu and, of course, the very dependable yet always stretching what is legal, AI Frigg.
Ali was a police officer and then a news anchor who was let go when they hired a much younger gal.
Ali’s investigative skills have been very helpful with her husband “B” high tech company in Arizona.
This story starts out with a murder and we know ‘whodunit’ since I am a fan of twists and turns, I was a bit disappointed with knowing the nasty guy right off. However, the name of this story is “Unfinished Business” so yes there are several other things going on.
Ali doesn’t disappoint ~ this kept me reading.
Want to thank NetGalley and Gallery Books for this eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for professional review purposes.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for June 1, 2021
This novel is Ali Reynolds #16 in the series but it really is fine to read as a standalone. True having read any one of the earlier novels in this series would help with knowing and loving these characters: Cami, Stu and, of course, the very dependable yet always stretching what is legal, AI Frigg.
Ali was a police officer and then a news anchor who was let go when they hired a much younger gal.
Ali’s investigative skills have been very helpful with her husband “B” high tech company in Arizona.
This story starts out with a murder and we know ‘whodunit’ since I am a fan of twists and turns, I was a bit disappointed with knowing the nasty guy right off. However, the name of this story is “Unfinished Business” so yes there are several other things going on.
Ali doesn’t disappoint ~ this kept me reading.
Want to thank NetGalley and Gallery Books for this eGalley. This file has been made available to me before publication in an early form for professional review purposes.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for June 1, 2021
June 15, 2021
The book opens with a 15 year old son murdering his mother in 1981.
Thirty-six years later, Mateo Vega has spent the last 16 years in prison for the murder of a young girl that he did not commit. He intends to find the person who did.
Ali Reynolds starts eviction proceedings with a deadbeat tenant. The tenant now hates Ali as much as he once hated his mother.
Watch all these storylines merge.
I like all of the series by J.A. Jance, although Ali Reynolds ranks behind Joanna Brady and J.P. Beaumont books. I enjoyed seeing Beaumont toward the end of this book. The author gives a good depiction of someone who has Alzheimers disease and the emotions of caregivers and family. I recognized the reality of the symptoms since both my father-in-law and mother-in-law had this when they died.
I thought this book had more substance to it than some of the last few books or at least a subject matter that I found more interesting.
Thirty-six years later, Mateo Vega has spent the last 16 years in prison for the murder of a young girl that he did not commit. He intends to find the person who did.
Ali Reynolds starts eviction proceedings with a deadbeat tenant. The tenant now hates Ali as much as he once hated his mother.
Watch all these storylines merge.
I like all of the series by J.A. Jance, although Ali Reynolds ranks behind Joanna Brady and J.P. Beaumont books. I enjoyed seeing Beaumont toward the end of this book. The author gives a good depiction of someone who has Alzheimers disease and the emotions of caregivers and family. I recognized the reality of the symptoms since both my father-in-law and mother-in-law had this when they died.
I thought this book had more substance to it than some of the last few books or at least a subject matter that I found more interesting.
September 22, 2022
As the 16th, and so far, the last book in the Ali Reynolds series this was my favorite one. The author brought the action, suspense and drama throughout the book and there was a guest appearance from J.P. Beaumont, the main character of her more popular and longer running series.
✍️
She held true to developing the main characters and ancillary characters alike in each book, and the AI, Frigg, is still the most unique - if far fetched - concept I’ve seen incorporated into a series in a long time. Pretty cool when you finish strong with a very good series, which I’ve rated 3’s and 4’s throughout, with a 5.
✍️
She held true to developing the main characters and ancillary characters alike in each book, and the AI, Frigg, is still the most unique - if far fetched - concept I’ve seen incorporated into a series in a long time. Pretty cool when you finish strong with a very good series, which I’ve rated 3’s and 4’s throughout, with a 5.
August 28, 2021
You just can't go wrong with any of J.A. Jance's series...Whether Ali Reynolds, J.P. Beaumont or Sheriff Joanna Brady, all are favorites of mine...In this Ali Reynolds, we have three storylines, one involving a vengeance seeking former tenant, one involving a new hire who has spent the last 16 years in prison for murder and a crisis in Ali's family life...J.P Beaumont makes a cameo adding to the fun...completely enjoyable!
June 4, 2021
I felt like too much was going on in this novel.
Each of the story lines were interesting and deserving of being told. However, it felt like they were a bit crowded in here.
Each of the story lines were interesting and deserving of being told. However, it felt like they were a bit crowded in here.
October 10, 2021
Two-haiku review:
Renter is bad guy
Ali tries to evict him
Plus B hires ex-con
Several plots here
Each one very engaging
I've enjoyed series
Renter is bad guy
Ali tries to evict him
Plus B hires ex-con
Several plots here
Each one very engaging
I've enjoyed series
April 23, 2022
This is the 16th book by this author that I've read and I've come to really enjoy her books. And I liked this one too. The MC, Ali, is an all-around good person with a strong moral compass. She is also surrounded by a crew who shares her same anchors. They work well together, and the AI in this one added an interesting element.
Her stories always make sense as the clues unfold...I like the order and the logic. She can also create suspense and I can always appreciate that she doesn't choose the obvious routes. Overall, this one was a feel-good kind of story and it was the perfect book for my morning. So 4 stars.
Her stories always make sense as the clues unfold...I like the order and the logic. She can also create suspense and I can always appreciate that she doesn't choose the obvious routes. Overall, this one was a feel-good kind of story and it was the perfect book for my morning. So 4 stars.
June 30, 2021
#16 in the Ali Reynolds series. This 2021 series entry by author J.A. Jance is a below average series entry. Jance also authors the J.P. Beaumont series and he makes a cameo appearance in this novel. I faithfully follow Jance's work but this book had too much devoted to Reynolds' family problems and too much of the detective work was handled automatically by Frigg, an AI invention of questionable morality and legality.
June 8, 2021
I really enjoyed this book. Along with the usual cast of characters, (and lots of personal & story-building drama), we get a cameo from JP Beaumont which was kinda fun. Mateo, a new character and story focal point, who doesn't have that much page time was a standout for me, I hope that future books will broaden his character and give him the life he is growing into.
April 27, 2021
4+ well deserved stars. Firstly, thank you NetGalley, Simon & Schuster and Judith Jance for the ARC! Loved it. I always look forward to a Jance novel. I’ve been reading all her series for years and each one has characters we’ve grown attached to over time, hubby and I. It is not necessary to read them in order as each one can significantly stand alone on its own merit, and covers past incidents well enough to acquaint you with the characters. It's definitely more enjoyable however, to start at book 1 of any of her series and see how the characters progress through life. Jance is a master storyteller. She rarely uses profanity, doesn’t need to, or graphic sexual scenes and violence. Her pacing is always excellent. This latest installment focusing on an Ali Reynolds mystery did not disappoint.
With the setting in Arizona, the author heads her paragraphs with the location within the state and what's going on there, in Sedona, Cottonwood and more, which adds to the Arizona ambiance and eases us effortlessly into following along the multi layered plot lines.
Ali Reynolds is married to “B.” and they own and run an agency known as High Noon, a commercial security company utilizing high tech equipment including an AI (artificial intelligence) robot/source affectionately known as Frigg. She can find out just about anything about anything. She also has a sense of humor, fitting right in with the staff of High Noon. You'll love her segments sprinkled throughout this reading.
The main plot line follows Harvey McClusky, a tenant of business space at High Noon’s building who is about to be evicted for non-payment of rent. This despicable human being is the main focus of the novel as they uncover his questionable past. Another parallel plot line is about Mateo Vega, a recently released prisoner who was a former employee of High Noon but spent the last 16 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. I loved meeting Mateo and hope he is a permanent fixture at High Noon.
Another side story is about Ali’s parents, and how they deal with dementia, which was heart-breaking for many reasons and so believable. Having dealt with it myself it was easy to identify with the emotions it provokes.
There’s a lot here. A joy to get a peek at JP Beaumont, retired police and his wife Mel, the police chief in Seattle (from another series featuring Beau) and even Sister Anselm from previous novels of this series.
I didn’t find this to be an edge-of-your-seat thriller, but the crimes as depicted have you holding your breath a time or two, especially in the abduction of a High Noon employee. This is a consistently captivating tapestry of fortune and misfortune, which had me reading late into the early morning hours. Well worth the loss of a few hours sleep. Happy to recommend. Get your copy on release date June 1st.
With the setting in Arizona, the author heads her paragraphs with the location within the state and what's going on there, in Sedona, Cottonwood and more, which adds to the Arizona ambiance and eases us effortlessly into following along the multi layered plot lines.
Ali Reynolds is married to “B.” and they own and run an agency known as High Noon, a commercial security company utilizing high tech equipment including an AI (artificial intelligence) robot/source affectionately known as Frigg. She can find out just about anything about anything. She also has a sense of humor, fitting right in with the staff of High Noon. You'll love her segments sprinkled throughout this reading.
The main plot line follows Harvey McClusky, a tenant of business space at High Noon’s building who is about to be evicted for non-payment of rent. This despicable human being is the main focus of the novel as they uncover his questionable past. Another parallel plot line is about Mateo Vega, a recently released prisoner who was a former employee of High Noon but spent the last 16 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit. I loved meeting Mateo and hope he is a permanent fixture at High Noon.
Another side story is about Ali’s parents, and how they deal with dementia, which was heart-breaking for many reasons and so believable. Having dealt with it myself it was easy to identify with the emotions it provokes.
There’s a lot here. A joy to get a peek at JP Beaumont, retired police and his wife Mel, the police chief in Seattle (from another series featuring Beau) and even Sister Anselm from previous novels of this series.
I didn’t find this to be an edge-of-your-seat thriller, but the crimes as depicted have you holding your breath a time or two, especially in the abduction of a High Noon employee. This is a consistently captivating tapestry of fortune and misfortune, which had me reading late into the early morning hours. Well worth the loss of a few hours sleep. Happy to recommend. Get your copy on release date June 1st.
June 6, 2021
This was just okay.
June 21, 2021
I read this in one day because it was so good! Definitely a 6/5 stars
This is the best J A Jance novel ever and I've read all of her book in every series since 1985. My favorite character is JP Beaumont and he makes a guest appearance in the latest Ali Reynolds novel.
Ali Reynolds and her recurring cast of family, friends and co-workers have settled on their life journeys wiping out a few "odd" novels in the middle of this series. The triple story line kept me riveted to my e reader.
Harvey McCluskey, and Mateo Vega, are the two new main characters this book centers on. Two men who couldn't be more different. One vile while the other one you find yourself cheering on. To say more would reveal too much and spoil the story.
There is enough background details that this could be read as a stand-alone, yet the details do not distract from the plot if you've been reading this series since the beginning.
HPL
This is the best J A Jance novel ever and I've read all of her book in every series since 1985. My favorite character is JP Beaumont and he makes a guest appearance in the latest Ali Reynolds novel.
Ali Reynolds and her recurring cast of family, friends and co-workers have settled on their life journeys wiping out a few "odd" novels in the middle of this series. The triple story line kept me riveted to my e reader.
Harvey McCluskey, and Mateo Vega, are the two new main characters this book centers on. Two men who couldn't be more different. One vile while the other one you find yourself cheering on. To say more would reveal too much and spoil the story.
There is enough background details that this could be read as a stand-alone, yet the details do not distract from the plot if you've been reading this series since the beginning.
HPL
July 31, 2021
4.5 Stars
I enjoyed this one a lot more than the later books in this series. I liked that Frigg is a smaller part and that they use her creatively. There were a lot of things going on in this one with Ali and her crew. She's been (unknowingly) housing a serial killer and he seeks revenge. There is also an older case involving her husbands old employer that they help out with. There's a familiar face who makes an appearance (maybe a couple?) and it was nice to see the crossover. I hope the next one is as good as this!
I enjoyed this one a lot more than the later books in this series. I liked that Frigg is a smaller part and that they use her creatively. There were a lot of things going on in this one with Ali and her crew. She's been (unknowingly) housing a serial killer and he seeks revenge. There is also an older case involving her husbands old employer that they help out with. There's a familiar face who makes an appearance (maybe a couple?) and it was nice to see the crossover. I hope the next one is as good as this!
August 3, 2024
Very interesting story. I loved that there was more than one thing going on at a time and how they all intertwined. Great characters and plot.
May 31, 2021
Unfinished Business by J.A. Jance is the 16th book in the Ali Reynolds series, and another great addition. I love all of Ms. Jance's book, they are always a wild roller coaster ride that keeps you reading until the very end. There are several stories going on in this book. Ali Reynold's father is ill, and losing his memory, but Ali had no idea since her mother has been keeping it from everyone. B., Ali husband has re-hired a former employee of his, who spent sixteen years in prison for a murder he claims to be innocent of. Ali has evicted a man from their building, who is a lot more dangerous than anyone knows. If you love thriller/mysteries, I strongly recommend this book/series, along with all the authors books, you won't be disappointed.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
July 16, 2021
I usually am quite methodical about picking out a book but this month, I failed. I had a couple of books on reserve but they didn't come in before I left for vacation. So we drove to the library before we left town (yes, I do work at a library) to pick up some books. I went to the new book section and grabbed three. This is one of them. The book is about a young man who gets sent to prison for a crime he did not commit. He gets out after 18 years and needs to start over. He goes to the library to use their computers and more (I loved how the library was part of his road to improving his life) as well as the librarian at the prison. He gets hired by Ali Reynold's at High Noon, a tech company, and while he's working there, tragedy strikes. It's a fast read but I don't know if I liked it well enough to pick up other books by this author.
June 27, 2021
Detective and computer whiz Ali Reynolds directs her quirkiest “employee,” Frigg, to deep dive into the past of a potential future employee. This is not normal procedure at High Noon, the cyber-security firm owned by Ali and her husband, B. Simpson. In fact, it might border on the unethical, but Mateo Vega is a special case. Frigg is an AI (Artificial Intelligence to the ill-informed) and secret weapon of High Noon, which operates out of a small office in Cottonwood, Arizona. Their specialty is tracking down corporate security leaks and is rapidly expanding internationally in today’s multibillion-dollar cyber-theft world. High Noon employs only highly trained computer specialists whose job it is to monitor and secure worldwide cyber-theft events.
Mateo Vega has spent the last 16 years of his life behind bars in Washington State Prison, doing time for his girlfriend’s murder. He was enrolled in community college with a major in computer science when the incident occurred, and the evidence was stacked against him. His court-appointed lawyer advised him to plead guilty in order to receive a reduced sentence, so he reluctantly agreed but swore his innocence at each annual parole hearing. In prison, he stayed away from trouble and earned an assignment working in the prison library where he absorbed everything he could get his hands on in the rapidly advancing computer field. Now on parole and convinced that the killer is still out there, he is determined to track him down.
Mateo currently picks up day jobs at Home Depot and the Salvation Army, living a life barely above vagrancy in Seattle. Before he went to prison, he once worked for Stu Ramey, who is now employed at High Noon. Mateo writes him, hoping for a job reference. Stu remembers him to be a bright, hard worker and knew nothing of his incarceration, so he sets Frigg to probe his past. Frigg has powers established in earlier books beyond the capacity, legal or otherwise, of deep diving into a person’s identity and history.
After studying Mateo’s prison reports, Stu, whose own history is a bit sketchy, decides to send him a High Noon entry exam to test his skills. Mateo passes with flying colors and is stunned to be offered a job in Cottonwood. High Noon, currently looking to expand, assigns their supervisor, Cami Lee, to train him. He’s catching on quickly; in fact, he’ll be working with Cami alone all weekend to learn the ropes, while Ali and B. tend to a family situation with her parents.
Unbeknownst to Cami, she is being stalked by a deranged former resident in the office mall where High Noon is located. The man succeeds in nabbing her after dark at her remote home. She’s so severely injured that he thinks she’s dead, but it’s her Krav Maga martial arts skills that keep her alive. While bound and playing dead, her captor throws her body in the back of his pickup and drives into an unmapped region of the vast Sonoran Desert.
When Mateo reports for work on Saturday morning and can’t reach Cami, he checks her house and finds signs of a struggle. His computer skills are put to the test as they all hunt for Cami, who relies on her survival training during a breathtaking escape. Mateo quickly applies Frigg’s skills not only to find and rescue Cami, but to identify and locate her attacker.
To assist Mateo in clearing his name and record, Ali contacts The Last Chance (TLC), a cold-case non-profit organization in Seattle. The head of TLC is a retired Seattle cop, J.P Beaumont, a name that any J.A. Jance fan will recognize.
Jance’s first venture into the mystery genre began in the mid-1980s with the J.P Beaumont series, which boasted 24 novels and three novellas. I can’t say I’ve read them all. This was the era of Janet Evanovich, Sue Grafton, Patricia Cornwell, Elizabeth George, P.D. James, Laurie R. King, Agatha Christie and Louise Penny --- only a few of my favorite female writers off the top of my head. Jance is a born storyteller, tying family crises and crime into exciting tales of intrigue, danger and adventure. UNFINISHED BUSINESS is no exception, and I hope to catch up with Ali Reynolds in the very near future.
Reviewed by Roz Shea
Mateo Vega has spent the last 16 years of his life behind bars in Washington State Prison, doing time for his girlfriend’s murder. He was enrolled in community college with a major in computer science when the incident occurred, and the evidence was stacked against him. His court-appointed lawyer advised him to plead guilty in order to receive a reduced sentence, so he reluctantly agreed but swore his innocence at each annual parole hearing. In prison, he stayed away from trouble and earned an assignment working in the prison library where he absorbed everything he could get his hands on in the rapidly advancing computer field. Now on parole and convinced that the killer is still out there, he is determined to track him down.
Mateo currently picks up day jobs at Home Depot and the Salvation Army, living a life barely above vagrancy in Seattle. Before he went to prison, he once worked for Stu Ramey, who is now employed at High Noon. Mateo writes him, hoping for a job reference. Stu remembers him to be a bright, hard worker and knew nothing of his incarceration, so he sets Frigg to probe his past. Frigg has powers established in earlier books beyond the capacity, legal or otherwise, of deep diving into a person’s identity and history.
After studying Mateo’s prison reports, Stu, whose own history is a bit sketchy, decides to send him a High Noon entry exam to test his skills. Mateo passes with flying colors and is stunned to be offered a job in Cottonwood. High Noon, currently looking to expand, assigns their supervisor, Cami Lee, to train him. He’s catching on quickly; in fact, he’ll be working with Cami alone all weekend to learn the ropes, while Ali and B. tend to a family situation with her parents.
Unbeknownst to Cami, she is being stalked by a deranged former resident in the office mall where High Noon is located. The man succeeds in nabbing her after dark at her remote home. She’s so severely injured that he thinks she’s dead, but it’s her Krav Maga martial arts skills that keep her alive. While bound and playing dead, her captor throws her body in the back of his pickup and drives into an unmapped region of the vast Sonoran Desert.
When Mateo reports for work on Saturday morning and can’t reach Cami, he checks her house and finds signs of a struggle. His computer skills are put to the test as they all hunt for Cami, who relies on her survival training during a breathtaking escape. Mateo quickly applies Frigg’s skills not only to find and rescue Cami, but to identify and locate her attacker.
To assist Mateo in clearing his name and record, Ali contacts The Last Chance (TLC), a cold-case non-profit organization in Seattle. The head of TLC is a retired Seattle cop, J.P Beaumont, a name that any J.A. Jance fan will recognize.
Jance’s first venture into the mystery genre began in the mid-1980s with the J.P Beaumont series, which boasted 24 novels and three novellas. I can’t say I’ve read them all. This was the era of Janet Evanovich, Sue Grafton, Patricia Cornwell, Elizabeth George, P.D. James, Laurie R. King, Agatha Christie and Louise Penny --- only a few of my favorite female writers off the top of my head. Jance is a born storyteller, tying family crises and crime into exciting tales of intrigue, danger and adventure. UNFINISHED BUSINESS is no exception, and I hope to catch up with Ali Reynolds in the very near future.
Reviewed by Roz Shea
October 22, 2021
Novel received courtesy of Goodreads First Reads Giveaways
This is my first foray into the novels of J.A. Jance but it won't be the last! "Unfinished Business" is the latest in the "Ali Reynolds Mystery" series. If I ever get the time, I would love to go back and read all of the books in this series. I appreciate reading the 16th novel in the series and being given enough of the backstory naturally that I both enjoy the novel and didn't feel lost while reading it.
Mateo Vega has served 16 years for killing his girlfriend as a teenager. He was talked into taking a plea deal because his public defender told him he would likely be convicted of murder and serve a life sentence. Before he went to prison he earned a degree in computer science. Because he was able to help the prison librarian when there was a computer glitch, he was able to work in the library and she got him the all of the newest magazines and text books so that he could continue his studies while incarcerated.
Ali Reynolds and her husband B. Simpson own High Noon Enterprises, an international cybersecurity company. Ali and her co-worker, Cami, are forced to start eviction proceedings against a tenant in the same office building. Ali is also dealing with learning that her father has been suffering from dementia and her parents have been doing their best to hide it from her. Between her parents, the business and her son and his wife having a baby, Ali is stretched pretty thin.
Mateo reaches out to Stu Ramey, also an employee of High Noon Enterprises, for a job reference. Mateo arrives for a job interview just as things go awry at High Noon and with Ali's father.
I enjoyed getting to know the characters of the "Ali Reynolds Mystery" series. They are hard-workers who come from varied backgrounds. J.A. Jance also uses the settings in both Washington State and Arizona well. The places both served the story well and were described vividly as needed. J.P. Beaumont from another of Jance's mystery series was brought in to help tie things up at the end of the novel.
My next read will be a book from the J.P. Beaumont series. I feel able to recommend J.A. Jance's novels of any series. I'm excited to get started on my next book!
This is my first foray into the novels of J.A. Jance but it won't be the last! "Unfinished Business" is the latest in the "Ali Reynolds Mystery" series. If I ever get the time, I would love to go back and read all of the books in this series. I appreciate reading the 16th novel in the series and being given enough of the backstory naturally that I both enjoy the novel and didn't feel lost while reading it.
Mateo Vega has served 16 years for killing his girlfriend as a teenager. He was talked into taking a plea deal because his public defender told him he would likely be convicted of murder and serve a life sentence. Before he went to prison he earned a degree in computer science. Because he was able to help the prison librarian when there was a computer glitch, he was able to work in the library and she got him the all of the newest magazines and text books so that he could continue his studies while incarcerated.
Ali Reynolds and her husband B. Simpson own High Noon Enterprises, an international cybersecurity company. Ali and her co-worker, Cami, are forced to start eviction proceedings against a tenant in the same office building. Ali is also dealing with learning that her father has been suffering from dementia and her parents have been doing their best to hide it from her. Between her parents, the business and her son and his wife having a baby, Ali is stretched pretty thin.
Mateo reaches out to Stu Ramey, also an employee of High Noon Enterprises, for a job reference. Mateo arrives for a job interview just as things go awry at High Noon and with Ali's father.
I enjoyed getting to know the characters of the "Ali Reynolds Mystery" series. They are hard-workers who come from varied backgrounds. J.A. Jance also uses the settings in both Washington State and Arizona well. The places both served the story well and were described vividly as needed. J.P. Beaumont from another of Jance's mystery series was brought in to help tie things up at the end of the novel.
My next read will be a book from the J.P. Beaumont series. I feel able to recommend J.A. Jance's novels of any series. I'm excited to get started on my next book!
July 27, 2022
Ali Reynolds and her husband B. Simpson run a cyber attack prevention service called High Noon Enterprises in Cottonwood, Arizona. They decide to hire on a former employee, Mateo Vega, who has recently been released from prison. He maintains that his conviction of murdering his girlfriend 16 years ago was unfounded. To keep new novels in a series fresh, adding some different characters helps. Vega makes for an interesting and sympathetic co-hero. While this is going on, we are made privy to the shady life of one of their office building's tenants, Harvey McCluskey. This lowlife "home inspector" spends his time drinking and hating the world. Jance lets us in on some heinous crimes he's committed, so while he seems to be just a pain in the butt to landlords Ali and B., we know he's got worse up his sleeve for them when they serve eviction papers for nonpayment of rent. The final secondary plot line involves the progression of dementia in Ali's father Bob Larson.
I've only read two or three other novels of Jance. I don't remember being struck with clunky writing in the others, but here I was aware of too many stilted and overly formal passages, especially in the dialogue. It would flow realistically with more touches of slang and verbal shorthand. While the plot of Unfinished Businesses is outstanding, the writing quality is a notch or two below that of the other authors I frequently read in the genre, like C. J. Box and Nevada Barr.
I've only read two or three other novels of Jance. I don't remember being struck with clunky writing in the others, but here I was aware of too many stilted and overly formal passages, especially in the dialogue. It would flow realistically with more touches of slang and verbal shorthand. While the plot of Unfinished Businesses is outstanding, the writing quality is a notch or two below that of the other authors I frequently read in the genre, like C. J. Box and Nevada Barr.
April 4, 2021
This series has developed a bit from Ali Reynolds being a newsanchor to investigating crimes to being a police officer to her managing the office of High Noon, her husbands high tech company. Still it always involves some murder and "Unfinished business" is no exception. Here we have one serial killer and one released prisoner after 16 years in jail for murder. This time we also have J.P. Beaumont from Seattle involved. This book is one of the better ones in the series, they have not been as good lately. Still i hold J.A. Jance as one of my favorite authors in recent years. I must thank @this_is_edelweiss @simonandschuster and @gallerybooks for giving me this advance copy.
July 23, 2021
A somewhat predictable mystery that didn't dampen my enjoyment in reading it at all. I was so involved in what was developing in the story that I had difficulty actually putting the book down and stayed up long into the night and morning to finish it. Bleary eyed and yawning, I turned the last page at 3:00 am this morning. I enjoyed the addition of new character and High Noon employee Mateo Vega and hope to learn more about him in future books. His story arc in this book was exactly what I hoped it would be. And of course, it's always good to have cameos, brief as they are, of Sister Anselm and J.P. Beaumont. I hoping the author still has future books in mind for the J.P. Beaumont series.
August 27, 2021
I first discovered this author many years ago and was immediately hooked by her stories. I couldn’t read them fast enough. It's been several years since I've picked one of hers up so when I read about this one, I knew it was time to start back up. And I wasn't disappointed!! So much action and suspense. I couldn’t put it down once I started.
June 5, 2021
Wow…..this was a tough one! So much going on all at once, hard to distinguish the story line from the red herrings. Been with Allie from the start so have come to know the characters well. Jance does a great job with spotlighting a different character/characters in each book. This one was a heart breaker but if you know these characters you understand why he did it. That’ll be all I will spill. This is a winner!
June 30, 2021
Satisfying Story
I haven't read all of the Ali Reynolds books, but enough to know much of the history. I really enjoyed this one. It was well written and kept me turning the pages. J.A. Hands is an experienced and skillful author, and I am glad I purchased this Kindle novel. And thanks for the memories!
I haven't read all of the Ali Reynolds books, but enough to know much of the history. I really enjoyed this one. It was well written and kept me turning the pages. J.A. Hands is an experienced and skillful author, and I am glad I purchased this Kindle novel. And thanks for the memories!
August 7, 2021
Ali Reynolds is busy with a family crisis, a new employee and a rogue renter who kidnaps Cami. Lots of action in this one! Enjoyed it immensely.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I checked out a copy of this book from the local library via the Libby App. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I checked out a copy of this book from the local library via the Libby App. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own.
June 4, 2021
Love Ali, and love the handling of these topics. Hello to JP ;)
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