I Am Justice

by D.P. Watkins

Introducing Justice Winters, an amateur detective juggling secrets, friends, and danger in the tradition of Veronica Mars.
Justice Winters is doing her best to live like an ordinary college student, keeping all her secrets—past and present—buried deep. Even Cadence, the friend she calls “sister,” doesn’t know how Justice earns the cash to cover rent, much less the unspeakable truth about Pop and the sisters she left behind.
On the night a careless boy threatens to reveal one of her secrets, Justice discovers she is willing to kill to make sure it never sees the light of day. When two more students turn up dead the next morning, she finds herself falling into a web of lies, brutality, and corruption—back into the darkness she thought she’d left behind.
Can Justice solve the murders and come to terms with the war between good and evil that rages within her? To do so, is she willing to unbury her past and face a reality more terrifying than death?

Genres: Thriller

274 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 10, 2021

Reviews

[Paul Taske · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Book Review of the debut novel: I Am Justice by D.P. Watkins 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

So last night I finished my first-ever #advancedreaderscopy. It was also my first Thriller, and let me tell you this book has won a new convert to the genre.

Watkins is a playful and intentional story-teller. No character, no scene, no line of dialogue is extraneous. He manages to strike a careful balance between creating his own world and situating it in the modern era. I point this out because I typically find most modern books will beat you over the head with pop culture references that feel like they serve one of two purposes: 1) the author really wants you to know when in time this is situated but over does it and just throws in extra references for the hell of it to make sure you get the point (I.e., the author treats the reader like an idiot); or 2) the author wants to show off and tell the reader just how hip he or she is which really isn’t necessary. Watkins weaves his references into the story and makes them fit for each character. His cultural references help shed light on the different attitudes and perspectives of the characters themselves or are somehow relevant to the plot.

The plot is excellent. Watkins weaves together two stories and leaves you wanting more at the end of each chapter. Fair warning, once you get about halfway through the action picks up so much you won’t be able to put this book down. My only word of advice to readers here is: you MUST read the prologue and epilogue to get the full context of the story. The characters are strong, and the twists are surprising—or at least they were for me. But, as I mentioned, I’m not well-versed in thrillers. I’d love to hear what regular thriller readers have to say! You can get your copy starting in November, 2021! I highly recommend this book! #IAmJustice

[Fabian Bollinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

[I got the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book.]

This book surprised me. The themes, and some “on-page” content are much darker than I had expected. That is not a bad thing, however: the author manages to justify the heavy content with an absolutely gripping plot, and a cast of vivid characters. I found myself identifying not just with protagonist Justice Winters, but with various supporting and even antagonistic characters throughout the experience. By the time I finished the book (the night after starting it — it’s hard to put down!), I ached to spend more time with Justice — I sincerely hope we get sequels delving further into her fascinating mind as she goes about tying up ends left loose.

I heartily recommend this book, albeit with a content warning for the more squeamish reader.

[Dan Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The intrigue begins on page one: a young girl, forced by her father to do horrible things. Why? She takes it all in stride. How? She manages to escape from it ... or does she?

D.P. Watkins' well-written tale of horror and attempted recovery; of friendships that might be real, or might not. And of romantic and family relationships that, each time you think you've figured it out, you find out that ... well, you'll have to read it and try to figure it out for yourself.

This is a great read. A can't-put-it-down, with wonderful psychological, emotional and philosophical impacts.

[Stanley Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received this ARC, and like many of works I receive from Storygrid, I try to set aside time to read. I know they will most likely be an engrossing book that I do not want to put down. This work fits that description exactly. I read the prologue and first chapter, then got busy for a week and just picked it back up two days ago. I pretty much read straight through, with only a couple interruptions for mandatory meetings. Justice sounds like one hell of a scrapper. I Would not want to be on her bad side because she is relentless. No matter how many individuals told her to drop whatever she was working on, she followed through to the end. Watkins throws in several twist, with several betrayals of Justice’s confidents. The betrayal of Cadence’s dad (ATY) was not a complete surprise, I think there several signs that something was not on the up and up with him throughout the story. I hate that several of those who were true to Justice were injured or reached their expiration date. The only negative is no conclusion to the prologue, although the story ended with Justice stating the day is the day she was ending Pa’s Heiden, I wish Watkins had given us that conclusion. Very enjoyable and highly recommended…SLT

[Morgan Carter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fundamentally, I really enjoyed reading this, and would probably recommend it as a thriller to someone interested in it.

I also thought the action was well integrated with the meaning, except for one point which felt a bit ham-fisted.

I also thing the starting situation was really really well crafted. Although I do think the writing got notably better after 100 pages in.

The main thing which let it down was the editing. Despite having a dedicated editor there were at least five errors I noticed whilst reading. Things like missing indefinite articles, or in the dedication there isn’t a space after a comma. These just knocked me out of the experience and made it feel like a self-published work, rather than one which actually had a publisher.

Without going into too much detail, I enjoyed much of the writing. However, there were some bits which I thought felt like missteps made in a first novel. Despite these, I would look forward to another novel from this author, as what was good about the writing was really enjoyable, and what was bad was a bit of a let down, but not much more than that.

I don’t want to complain too much, as I enjoyed my time with this novel and it wasn’t at all trying to read it. There just some bits which were frustrating.

[John · Rating 2 out of 5]

The one thing that has stayed with me from my first writing class is that your protagonist has to be likable. Justice Winters has her moments; however, they are few. The inconsistencies in her character are hard to overcome. The biggest discrepancy is the timeline of events which doesn’t match her abilities.

Maybe because I know too much about the storyline of this novel, I'm from Michigan, studied to be a Private Investigator, I have friends in the exotic dance industry, understanding of what an abusive childhood is like, trained in grappling and TKD, multiple graduate degrees and I have read "Good to Great, The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, and The Innovator’s Dilemma."

Timeline and character:

• As a child she was kidnapped and forced to live in an abusive "farm" home.
• At 16 she kills a dog that had attacked her and the father figure (Pop) forces her to deal with it during a frozen Michigan winter.
• She finds the other hidden abused girls, and in her attempt to help them, gets one 14-year-old girl killed.
• She escapes the "farm" between age 16 and 23 years old and hides in California where she works with migrant workers to make money.
• By 23 she is an established college student back in the Midwest, given she is still in college she most likely started college between 20-21 years old. She studies psychology.
• By age 23 she has mastered Brazilian jiu-jitsu, is a well-established stripper, and has read "Good to Great, The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People, and The Innovator’s Dilemma." This is the only way anyone would notice these books. I know of few, if any, 23-year-olds that have read any of these books.
• Doesn’t drink - but does, is a vegetarian for no real reason, racism makes her want to vomit, but she can stomach Child abuse, child rape, human trafficking, murder and killing someone
• She has two big secrets; one could get her caught/killed (Pop) the other secret, being a stripper, she must believe that this profession is not moral or appropriate.

Contradiction: She didn't want to be found out because of Pop, but somehow everyone knows about an attempted rape by a known basketball star?

Contradiction: The first guy she kills is not to hide her past but to protect herself from yet another attack, as two guys watch on and do nothing

Contradiction: She could run and not be found by Pop but decides to stay and risk being found because a friend was assaulted, but doesn't show signs of remorse for the girls left back at Pop's Farm.

Justice continues to wander through the story blindly with no real plan despite having really high SATs. When going through the possibilities for the crime it's limited to a simplex decision matrix that leads her to the one right guy. Without any real research, she gets accepted into the bad guy’s lair, which makes the bad guys look weak and stupid. Worse yet they tell her all of the details of their plan before she earned the right to know. Much of the storyline is about racism and why it exists. This really doesn't move the story forward because Justice has no backstory of why it should matter to her.

The story points are mechanically inserted, Tension-Resolution, in the hands of the enemy, and crossing over from one world into another world. The big reversal at the end of the story really leaves you flat with no explanation as to why the whole store was such a big deal. Maybe if Pop was tied to more than a few watchers? Why would he care about this one girl? What does she have on him that no one else has?

My bottom-line assessment is, "A weak antagonist will always have a weak protagonist." No matter how much you try and build up Justice, she is fighting weak bad guys and not really fighting any demons of her own. I just didn't feel any empathy for her.

[Phil Yates · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book, but I struggled.

The writing is good, and the premise is interesting, but it failed in the execution for me.

The biggest problem was the main character. By the end of the book, she reminded me of Dave from Kick Ass, the wannabe superhero whose only superpower is a high tolerance for pain, but without even the limited nous of Dave. Her arc consists of picking a plan of dubious merit, getting caught and beat up, escaping or getting rescued, and repeating, and again, and again, and again. I simply found the main character frustratingly unlikeable after a while.

The second problem for me was the sheer American-ness of the whole thing. It references a lot of current American drama, would be rather unbelievable set most other places, and has a very particular political slant that I don't really recognise.

I'm sure that there will be plenty of readers who rave about this book, but it just wasn't for me.

[Lori Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am Justice is a fast-paced thriller which features a bad-ass female main character who refuses to be a victim and fights back. Justice has a lot of strength and no fear as she tries to make a new life for herself.

[Seavan Sternheim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very exciting story and unique blending of philosophical themes. Fun to have a chance to read an advance copy of this novel.

[Luke · Rating 5 out of 5]

A big miss was Justice never had a popcorn catch-phrase while she was out justicing the dark under belly of Haverford College.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping and inspiring! I could not put the book down once I started it. A penetrating lesson about honesty and the importance of living a life of purpose. Heroic characters worthy of romantic art that is so hard to find in contemporary fiction.

[Lisa Robins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book! It is fast paced and the main character is so likable. I was afraid at the beginning that it would be a little too dark for me, but I quickly got wrapped up in the story. It was just the thing to get me out of my reading slump. I heard there will be a sequel, can’t wait!

[Stephanie Bond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don Watkins' first novel is fast-paced and addictive. It's been quite a while since I had such trouble putting a book down. Highly recommended if you enjoy action packed gritty thrillers with the added benefit of a large helping of rationality into the mix.

[Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fast-paced page-turner noire mystery was hard to put down.

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found ‘I Am Justice’ to be an unpredictable thriller. There are clues sprinkled throughout the story for the story flow, but they are well-hidden. Certainly, the revelation in the opening chapter that the protagonist has escaped a ritualistic serial killer is the initial shock that builds the story’s intrigue. The author, D.P. Watkins, takes us on journey as the comfortable, yet fragile world the protagonist has built, starts to become unraveled.

I thought the character were a little uneven. The story’s protagonist is a strong force, carrying the story. Some of the other characters could have been enhanced or introduced better. I found myself not caring if they were assistant villains or collateral damage. I think that the author tried to keep some of the supporting characters vague to build uncertainty for their role in the story.

Justice Winters, as the character with the point of view, carries the story. She is complex and has a history she is trying to escape. I enjoyed the depth of the character and the way she is compelled to make choices, many of them the lesser of two evils. She is motivated and resilient, however some of the motivations seem to be contrived to build up the tension in the story.

Overall, I found ‘I Am Justice’ a compelling and entertaining read. I thought there wasn’t enough care taken to completely fill all the plot holes and coincidences, but these were distractions rather than defects. There was a deep enough plot and enough action to forgive these complaints. It was an entertaining read, garnering four stars out of five on Goodreads.

[Irina LeMaire · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I Am Justice" is the debut novel of D.P. Watkins, although he has previously authored books of non-fiction with great success. This was also the first time I had an opportunity to read an advance reader copy, so I found the two firsts quite fitting.

"I Am Justice" is a page-turning murder mystery thriller that grips the reader from the first page, and doesn't ease its grip until the last. The protagonist is a young woman with a dark past that can catch up with her at any moment, thrown into a situation where any publicity could doom her. Trying to stay under the radar becomes harder and harder.

This is often an uncomfortable read. The author doesn't flinch away from the darker undercurrents of the modern society, or from violence that gets very graphic in parts. So please be warned.

As a reader, I hope that this book ends up being only the first in a series - the promise is there.

[Hans · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a start-up problem when reading the ARC of ‘I am Justice’. The prologue came across as a bizarre, weird setting and situation, and -later I found- the epilogue returns to it; a kind of frame for the story itself. When the ‘story’ proper starts -7 years later- it felt more like a thriller/detective and the characters came to life. As the plot evolved it really pulled me in, especially the switch where perpetrator becomes both victim and investigator. Of course there are more detectives where the victim has difficulty to prove innocence, but the way it works here to find ‘justice’, made it hard to put the book down. The way she reflects on conflicting ideas about truth, loyalties and human nature gives the novel an extra dimension. On the whole an intriguing read I would rate between 3 and 4 stars.

[Seamus Riley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Action packed book - tore right through it. I liked the emphasis on justice, reason, and either/or. I'm not big on thrillers, but I could read more like this. It never emotionally moved me, but it did keep me surprised, so it was good reading material. Some parts a tad corny/gross for my tastes, but no show stoppers. The public spotlight issue creates a lot of the conflict early in the plot, but is kind of deemphasized later on, so I never felt like there was justice for Harper. I'm glad Candice was brought to justice, but I wanted to see the serial killer's death as well. (Even though it's implied) Definitely a dark depiction of law enforcement here, and I'm left wondering if Justice ever managed to fix her secret identity vigilante violence problem and live life happily in full sunlight.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a dark and gritty story with a lot of violence. The characters keep talking about a moral code but I had a hard time deciphering one. At least one that I could get behind. A lot of jumping around in the story line so you had to really concentrate to follow what was happening. If you like this type of story about the underbelly of life this is a book for you. However, for me I'm not a huge fan of this type of book...... too much violence, too much cruelty, too little honesty and kindness.

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is definitely worth reading. Full disclosure, I was fortunate to get a free advanced copy to review. Yes, it is worth reading, but it was a tough read. There were a lot of present-day controversial issues sprinkled throughout the story that were touched on but not elaborated on. There was violence, racism, abuse, sadism, betrayal. It turned me off a little at first, but after I continued to read, the story gelled and I was glad it did not take the reader down into those rabbit holes and stuck to the plot structure. Interesting read!

[Dayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an absolute pleasure to read.
It was refreshing, a book in published format that did not still require proper editing. Too many works enter the market with simple spelling errors and lacking basic grammar these days. I truly enjoyed not being distracted in way of having to add corrective notes for my children to recognize the errors if/when they read it.
The story was superbly coherent! Enticing! Well thought out! An outright fantastic waste of my time!
Thank you D.P. I look forward to your next work.

[Jaqueline Flamma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I also had the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book, a thriller that once you open it, you'll not stop reading until the last page.
We always want to know more about the captivating protagonist Justice Winters (a perfect name by the way).
A mix of fear and hope follows us in every single scene, while some philosophical questions make us rethink our beliefs about good and evil.
Highly recommended!

[Marci Belle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Fierce Protagonist Only A Green Beret Could Write

Throughout the book, I repeatedly questioned did D.P. Watkins was able to write such realistic, and rather violent fight scenes? Turns out D.P. Waktins is a retired (?) Green Beret. I was absorbed with this story from the get go. It's dark, has you rooting for Justice the entire way, and kept me guessing who the antagonists were until the end.

[Ben Buitendijk]

I'm not sure what to say about this book. I had a hard time getting excited. The first half of the book just did not resound with me. In the second half things got better. The stakes became clear and Justice's motivation as well. But in the climax … I was disappointed. I don't get her final decision. And I'm not sure whether the writer is to blame, or that I missed something. It somehow did not convince. I guess I'll have to reread the book.
But it was definitely worth reading!

[Nathan Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, that opening scene! I was hooked right from the beginning and couldn't stop reading. Read the whole book in just over a day. The story has one exciting plot development after another. I'm so impressed by how well the author keeps the story moving in a fast and exciting way. It never slowed down! Loved the heroine, Justice, and I'm looking forward to more of her story!

[Luke]

I’m not giving a star review for now... This thriller was hard to put down and I finished it very fast. It definitely has more intellectual content than the other few thrillers I’ve read recently, and I did enjoy that aspect. The content was a bit “darker” than what I expected, and this subject isn’t my typical choice for a read, but overall I’m glad I spent the time on it.

[Ian Gilmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Am Justice grabbed me from the first paragraphs, and kept me enthralled for the days it took me to finish it.

It's a great read, with some really interesting characters and some unexpected twists and turns on the way to a grand finale.

[Matthew Boulton]

Kept me curious and never fully comfortable from the shocking start. But in a good way. Nothing what I expected from this author, which was fun in itself. I'll be looking to see more from him--and maybe this character!

[Jim Phillips · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent fast paced thriller with an excellent storyline and well developed strong characters. A real page turner with plenty of action, lots of suspense, and several twists. Very enjoyable read that I highly recommend. Bring on some more adventures with Justice Winters.

[D Lane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Page turning thriller!
Well-written and a fun read. The issues facing the protagonist are relevant. There is plenty of action and a rewarding storyline. I would recommend to those that like fast-paced thrillers and mysteries.