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Rating: 
Summary: Too many loose ends
Review: Although the book is well written and you will learn some interesting things about your car's airbags. The book has too many loose ends and a love story that started from nowhere. I didn't like that love story because supposedly Joanna loved her husband and daughter and I don't think that in less than three days you will drop your life for a person you will never see again.
Albeit this is my first J.A. J's book and I think the answers to the next questions must be in another book. When you write a book and you tuck some questions, you must give the answers although they are in another book, so when you'll finish the book you will see that something is missing:
What happened to Joanna's first husband?
Why did JP Beaumont's second wife tried to kill him?
What happened with Jack Brampton's body?
And I have many more questions.
Rating:
Summary: I wanted to love it
Review: I am a huge fan of Jance's JP Beaumont series, and I am a moderate fan of the Brady series. That being said I was not as thrilled with this book as I wanted to be. First off it is definitely more a Brady book than a Beaumont. I was almost half way through the book before Beaumont was introduced. This was not why I didn't like it, but was a minor disappointment. I felt this book went along smoothly, and then just seemed to fall apart at the end. It wasn't nearly as suspenseful as her books usually are, and I thought the ending had a lot of loose ends. But most of all I really disliked the focus on Beaumont's ex-wife Anne, coupled with the sexual attraction that seems to pop up out of no where. That seemed like something Jance threw in as an after thought and it really didn't seem to fit. Overall I would recommend this book to someone who is an avid Jance reader, but wouldn't want someone new to try this book first!
Rating: 
Summary: Great story - except the personal twist at the end
Review: I like the Joanna Brady novels, but don't care as much for the Beaumont series. But J. A. Jance weaves them together very well in the proper setting - the desert of course. A member of the witness protection program is relocated to Arizona, only to be found by thugs from her former life, and murdered. Beaumont travels from Seattle to help Sheriff Brady solve the murder, and further crimes. The story was very interesting, but I didn't like the way Joanna fell a victim to temptation near the end of the book. This was out of character for her. Please don't let this happen again Ms Jance!
Rating: 
Summary: Thoroughly Enjoyable
Review: I really had a fun time with this novel. I found the crime believable (frighteningly so), the pacing brisk but not rushed, and the interaction between Brady and Beaumont realistic. I was startled by their "moment" together, but have come to the conclusion that it was more out of character for Beaumont to reject it than for Brady to instigate it (she wasn't connecting well with Butch and found herself with a man she has expended a lot of emotional energy against; a man who, like her, had lost a spouse; a man who understood and appreciated her law-enforcement skills - add to that the fact she had been put through the wringer by Ken Junior and Marliss Shackleford, lost Sadie, and hadn't been eating properly and you've got a recipe for disaster). SPOILER WARNING:
I was less thrilled with the behavior of the murderer in his attempt to flee justice. If the APB goes out for a man with gray hair and a long ponytail ... well that's nothing that a pair of scissors and a bottle of Grecian Formula can't fix. Why go to all the trouble he did when much simpler solutions existed. A few threads were left hanging at the end of the book, too: What did Ernie find at the post office, who saw the "moment" and what did they do about it, did Naomi Pepper grow a pair or is her mom really going to come between her and Beau - inquiring minds want to know. Ultimately, this is a story of survivors. Sure, not everyone survives (it's not much of a murder mystery if everyone makes it through okay), but Jance focuses more attention on those that do than she has recently. Cornelia Lester's story is particularly tragic, Serenity Granger's almost humorous. The Andy Brady and Anne Corley deaths are given more attention here than they have been in recent Jance books, most likely to give helpful back-story to readers who read one of her series but not the other. If you've never read any of Jance's novels, Partner in Crime does a good job of introducing you to both her crimefighters at once. It does spoil the ending of the first J.P. Beaumont novel (and the first Joanna Brady novel to a lesser degree), so if that's something you want to avoid, read those books first. Series fans should find a great deal to like in this story. I know I did.
Rating:
Summary: Jance does it again
Review: I've been waiting for this book for months, having read all of the previous Joanna Brady and JP Beaumont novels. After going to Jance's local signing I wasted no time digging and in devouring the book. Jance works her magic beautifully, creating a compelling murder mystery while merging her two series into one. It was very interesting that Beaumont was written from a first person point of view while Brady was written in the third person. I thought that the switching back and forth actually added to the novel rather than being a distraction. If I had to have one complaint, I'd have to say tha the main villain's demise is a bit disappointing but that didn't take anything away from an otherwise fabulous novel. If you're a fan of Beaumont or Brady, you'll love this one.
Rating:
Summary: Very Enjoyable!
Review: It's been quite a while since I've read a J.A. Jance novel and it felt like going home. Especially when it deals with one of my favorite detectives, J.P. Beaumont. I really enjoyed him in this well written, page turning tale. I've never been a fan of the Brady novels, but if she's ever paired up with J.P. again, I'm there.
Rating:
Summary: Partner in Crime
Review: J P Beaumont goes to the Southwest to help Sheriff Joanna Brady solve the murder of an artist. In the process he learns more painful truths about his late wife Anne. Jance's two detectives work well together although both have different styles. This book was somewhat contrived, and hopefully th author will get back to writing about J P Beaumont and his new job soon. Personally, I prefer the Beaumont series.
Rating:
Summary: A new dynamic duo!
Review: Ms. Jance has The Touch! For those of us who've read every word of the J.P. Beaumont and Joanna Brady series', this is a terrific addition to the collection. The "fish out of water" observations of Beaumont, on assignment from Seattle to southeastern Arizona, are trenchant, and VERY consistent with his confirmed "big-city-boy" background. In writing this review, I tried to consider the views of those who have not read all of the prior books in the two series, and who are, therefore, not aware of the chracter development that has gone before. For thse folks, this book might not be as entertaining, since the pace is very brisk, and some of the characters we've grown to know (like Butch, Joanna's husband) come off as one-dimensional. Still, this is a terrific read, and has a very strong plot and mechanics. There were a couple of loose ends that caught my attention, and I thought the sudden bloom of feelings between Jo and Beau was a left-handed twist that didn't hold up. Similarly, the passages that dealt with the initial hostility between the two leads seemed a bit over the top, although it was a necessary gambit to showcase their individual strengths. I really liked this book, as it contained somewhat less than the usual introspection by Joanna, and the factual discussion of sodium azide was an eye-opener. Not sure I'm in a hurry to see these two together again, though, as the combination of two strong leads really submerged all of the other characters, including the delightful shallow and spiteful Marliss, and the looming villainy of "Junior" Galloway. Can't wait for the next chapter(s)!
Rating:
Summary: I'm obviously the odd one out, but
Review: Sorry, but this one is a real stinker. The two detectives do little detecting but a lot of complaining about each other, until magically they are attracted to each other. Don't buy it. Sheriff Brady is in a bad mood from the first page, and doesn't solve any of her problems throughout the book. Beaumont does little more than complain about his rental car. Even the main criminal realizes the two detectives are stumbling around behind him so he obliges the story and conveniently kills himself by falling off a horse.
Rating:
Summary: Awesome Read!!
Review: This book got me back into reading. I haven't sat down and read a book in years. This book was so great that I couldn't put it down. I had to read it everynight and missed by favorite shows on TV just to finish it. I stayed up late nights because I couldn't put it down. I encourage everyone to read this.
Thanks J.A. Jance for writing such a great book.
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