Rattlesnake Crossing

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Summary: Sheriff Brady proves herself again.
Review: JA Jance and her character, Sheriff Brady, seem to get better and better. This was a book that would not let me put it down. The side stories of the other continuing cast of characters added depth to the story, so it wasn't just a police procedure novel.

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Summary: Joanna Brady just keeps getting better!
Review: Joanna Brady faces her toughest case yet. There is a serial killer on the loose, and Joanna Brady attacks the case with her usual crystal clear perception. In the latest Joanna Brady mystery we see Joanna Brady coming into her own. She is really growing with each book, and J. A. Jance is getting better with each book too! I have grown so fond of Joanna that I can hardly wait for the next book to come out so I can visit Bisbee again. This is J. A. Jance at her best.

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Summary: Southwestern mystery
Review: Joanna Brady has been the Sheriff of Cochise County Arizona since her husband's death in the line of duty. When two bodies are found scalped, Joanna begins to suspect that a serial killer may be on the loose. As she and her staff struggle to find the solution to the murders, she must also contend with her growing feelings for Butch Dixon and her worries about the health of her best friend's child. This is the sixth novel in the Joanna Brady series and continues to explore Joanna's deepening connections with family and friends, as well as providing good solid mysteries to solve. If you would like to start with the first book in the series, try Desert Heat c1993

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Summary: Same-o same-o
Review: The Kirkus review is pretty much on the mark. Jance can be an excellent writer, and Brady's a great character, but the feeling one gets from this book is that Jance had to meet a deadline and just cranked another one out. "Don't forget to throw in the serial killer, and focus on the macabre and grisly aspects of the killings and burials. Throw in some local color, move the townfolk along."
Jance starts a number of plot lines that go nowhere, as Kirkus explains. She focuses on the .50 caliber rifle, when the shootings could have been done by any rifle. She repeatedly raises the specter of a missing armory, which goes nowhere. There's no explanation of why a killer with several large rifles needs to borrow a deer rifle, or why the killer chooses to flee the area right as Brady discovers his identity.
Hopefully in future books Jance will avoid the cliches the Brady series is falling into, particularly the unnecessary detailing of the killing process.

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Summary: A SERIES?? OH, JOY!!
Review: This being my first Jance novel, I was a little skeptical especially after reading the reviews first. However, Ms.Jance manages to write a story about a very strong single parent trying to cope in a man's world. She brings in some heavy psychological drama and includes a little romance; atrocious violence (necessary in conjunction with a phsycopathic killer) with excellent suspense. She describes the Arizona area beautifully and I was able to visualize the terrain along with the odd and unusual characters easily. I was very surprised at the ending. Looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

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Summary: served up in true Jance style
Review: This is possibly her best book yet. I read it in 24 hrs. because I could hardly set it aside. She continues to develop her main characters well. There are a couple shocking turns in this book!

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Summary: Jance is a reliable author
Review: This Joanna Brady mystery is a good, if not outstanding, addition to the series. A local gun dealer, Clyde Phillips is dead. Was it a suicide or a murder? Clyde has an ex-wife who claims that it couldn't be suicide. Is she the murderer or could it be one of the Indian wannabes who inhabit a lodge down the road? Or could it be Alton Hosfield who has lot of animosity towards his neighbors and the federal government? Joanna works tirelessly to uncover the true culprit. Her daughter, Jenny, is on a trip with her grandparents so Joanna has more time to devote to law enforcement and to a new romance.

Rating:
Summary: Jance is a reliable author
Review: This Joanna Brady mystery is a good, if not outstanding, addition to the series. A local gun dealer, Clyde Phillips is dead. Was it a suicide or a murder? Clyde has an ex-wife who claims that it couldn't be suicide. Is she the murderer or could it be one of the Indian wannabes who inhabit a lodge down the road? Or could it be Alton Hosfield who has lot of animosity towards his neighbors and the federal government? Joanna works tirelessly to uncover the true culprit. Her daughter, Jenny, is on a trip with her grandparents so Joanna has more time to devote to law enforcement and to a new romance.

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Summary: It felt like you were in the desert with Joanna Brady.
Review: This was a first class "page turner". It seemed like you were right there with Joanna while she was conducting her investigations. It was exciting to read.

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Summary: A great story.
Review: When I first read the Kirkus review, I delayed reading the book. However, I did finally read it and I couldn't put it down. I think Ms. Jance endows her character with compassion and makes her a real person. Real police investigation is not the exciting stuff that is portrayed in some of the tough guy/gal novels. Joanna Brady is more like a real person with a real life. I enjoyed this book very much and am eagerly awaiting the next one in the series. I personally like a little romance.