Redball

Sarah Pribek #3

by Jodi Compton

Detective Sarah Pribek has seen what happens when a cop goes rogue in pursuit of justice: Her husband Shiloh is in a Wisconsin prison, serving the last of his sentence. Since his conviction, Sarah’s own choices have earned her a reputation on the force as an erratic maverick. Now, just as she’s finally getting back on her feet, mentoring a rookie and anticipating Shiloh’s upcoming release, Sarah is pleased to be appointed to a task force investigating the kidnapping and murder of a University of Minnesota student. The case is a “redball,” a high-profile investigation closely watched by the brass, the media and the public. During a round of routine interviews, Sarah questions a young man who leaves her chilled to her nerve endings. A background investigation quickly turns up evidence that further implicates him, and she is certain she’s found their killer. Then, disaster. A voluntary blood test exonerates the man. Sarah’s reputation and her position on the task force are on the line. She’s convinced that the results are wrong. Yet how could that be? She was there. She saw the blood drawn. But when another young woman dies, Sarah finds herself throwing out the rule book in hopes that she can stop a killer who now believes himself untouchable. This long-anticipated third installment in Jodi Compton’s highly-acclaimed Sarah Pribek series follows THE 37TH HOUR and SYMPATHY BETWEEN HUMANS.

267 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2021

About the author

Jodi Compton is the author of the Sarah Pribek trilogy -- The 37th Hour, Sympathy Between Humans and Redball -- about a Minneapolis missing-persons detective, set in the early 2000s. Jodi's other two novels, Hailey's War and Thieves Get Rich, Saints Get Shot, revolve around a younger independent investigator, Hailey Cain. Jodi currently lives in Bend, Oregon.

Reviews

[Keith Raffel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you remember the movie Body Heat with Kathleen Turner and William Hurt? I’ve been waiting to find out what happens to their characters for 40 years. In 2004 I was bowled over by Jodi Compton’s debut, The 37th Hour. Compton continued the story of Detective Sarah Pribek in 2005’s Sympathy Between Humans. Now after waiting for sixteen years to find out what's next in Pribek's life, author Jodi Compton picks up her story in the just-released Redball. In each of the books of the Pribek trilogy, Compton gets an A+ in the four vital ingredients of any piece of crime fiction: character, voice, setting, and plot. Go ahead and read Redball as a standalone. Or you can go back to The 37th Hour and read the trilogy. You won’t be sorry either way! (P.S. If Ms. Compton can come through in such virtuoso style, I’m more hopeful than ever for a sequel to Body Heat!)

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s not my favorite book of the trilogy but I was so thankful for more of Sarah Pribeks story. Jodi Compton is a great author that really keeps you hooked for the entire book.