Review: Justice Betrayed

Justice Betrayed by Patricia Bradley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Very well written!

Love the premise of an Elvis week in Memphis. You don't really get a great feel for Memphis the town, but Patricia Bradley does an excellent job of characterizations. These are real Southern people in a big city (not like New York, but not small town, either). Believable characters in a stand alone story, even though it's the 3rd in the series. I didn't get lost or feel like I missed something, or even like I started reading in the middle. That is hard for a writer to do, and Bradley does it well.

Suspense is good, maybe not edge of your seat, but you find out as Dect. Sloane finds out, so you can detect along with her. I really like that. You've also got a nice romance that walks along with you. The romance isn't the main focus, but it is a nice sub-story that lends interest.

The mystery is good. Also rare these days that a mystery author plays by the rules. Nothing is held back for a "surprise" ending. If you pay attention, you'll know whodunit. But that doesn't detract from the story or the mystery.

One thing I don't like is for an author to get into the head of the murderer for a chapter or so. Why? There was really no point here, either. Motive for murder is totally different than the reason why someone is capable of murder (or even has committed murder before). Motive is a driving force. It's compelling and must be believable. Here motive is believable, but it is a little blurred. Yet, that blurring is rather compelling as well. Sorry for the mixed signals here, it's just that I'm waffling between the extra info and if it was really necessary to move the story along, or if it was kept because it was good writing and very suspenseful. Don't know. So you'll have to get the book and find out for yourself. If you form an opinion on it, I'd appreciate it if you'd let me know.

Received this book from Netgalley. This is my honest opinion.

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