Rating: 
Summary: Fantasy from Boy's Town
Review: For a one day read this book includes detailed subject matter not usually encountered in mainstream mystery (admittedly even Kankakee, Illinois, heroine Jane Wheel has a male homosexual best pal in Sharon Fiffer's superior stories, but she omits extraneous sexual detail). My fault that I did not know in advance the level of sexual descriptiveness I would encounter in this book. I got over the nature of it, but not how much it detracted from a story set in my favorite crime locale.I could not get over the stereotypical fantasy characterization--movie star types (James Patterson's thrillers are also peopled with such extremes, but he writes with mind-numbing audacity and sledgehammers his readers into complacency). Is Hollywood (or West Hollywood) really overrun by such one-dimensional beauties? When half the story dwells on the physical attractiveness and attractions of its characters the reader may be forgiven for preferring to turn on the TV instead of finishing this book that has, at its heart, a good mystery. Maybe I read this book too late (picked it up used) because so many others praised it (reviews entered in 2001) and all its details of disease and sex have been exposed in major media--even in South Africa. Perhaps Justice at Risk needs a read-by date. Or perhaps this book was written for a specific rather than general audience. By making integral to the story a trite homosexual fantasy the author undermines the credibility of all else: an unbearably innocent and (typically) muscular midwestern fair-haired boy scout leaves his high school sweetheart for exposure to "life" and Hollywood--and soon "bares all" in physical and sexual encounters with this story's eponymous "big brother" eagle scout, Benjamin Justice. A serious mystery book or a treatment for Falcon Studios (pre-condom)?
Rating: 
Summary: The author comments on his new mystery novel
Review: Hello, readers. A quick word about my new Benjamin Justice mystery: Justice at Risk. In this third installment, Justice has just turned forty and gets the opportunity to resurrect his shattered writing career with a writing-producing assignment on a documentary about the bareback sex issue. Very quickly, however, he stumbles upon a murder that threatens his new career chances and puts his life in grave danger. The complicated murder mystery revolves around the 15-year-old beating of a closeted transvestite by members of the LAPD, captured by a camera crew for a COPS-like show called On Patrol, but suppressed and never seen. As Justice investigates with his buddy, reporter Alexandra Templeton, he meets two remarkable men with whom he falls in love in different ways, and a third whose evil nature changes his life forever. If you're an adventurous and open-minded reader who enjoys a dark, edgy mystery with a complex and character-driven plot, you might want to take a chance on this one. Benjamin Justice is not to everyone's taste, but I think he's honestly written and credible. Justice at Risk got a rave and a starred review from Publishers Weekly, which is nice, because PW absolutely hated my first mystery, Justice at Risk, which went on to win an Edgar that year. Lastly, to all my regular readers, thanks again for your loyalty. It means a lot, believe me. Take care all, and be safe. J.M.W.
Rating: 
Summary: VERY DIFFERENT FROM THE FIRST 2.
Review: I enjoyed all of his novels very much. The one where he was slowly coming out of his alcoholic stage with great support from friends. The second where he stumbles on to a mystery. This one however took a very different turn. This one literally took his own life in danger by not listening to the warning signs. For one I would never have followed Cahill, I believe that was his name into that dark corridor. It was like going into a dark alley to talk to someone. I guess he was looking for answers and not watching for the dangers. The ending was rather sad but he finally found someone again. I hope John will have a better ending to the test (If you read the novel you will know what I am talking about). I am one who loves happy endings. Life is so full of disappointments sometimes I get tired of reading it in novels. I hope in the next novel he will get reprieved and learn his lesson. However it turns out I will still read it because I love his novels. Good luck to him and his new love.
Rating: 
Summary: You learns to really like Ben
Review: I just finished reading this book. I found it a good read. I found the main charachter very realistic.
Rating:
Summary: Hard questions
Review: I like this series because the most difficult questions are raised and the author faces them with honesty and fearlessness. He isn't afraid to take us all the way down the darkest corridors of ourselves or of the society we have created. I read and re-read all of them and ask myself the same questions, Justice asks. What is desire? If we follow it, where will it take us? What is honesty and when is it useful, when distructive? How do we deal with the persistance of slings and arrows, especially as we get older? And the terrible reality of not knowing ever, really, why we do what we do. Wilson asks more than this, following the answers relentlessly toward often ambiguous conclusions. These books are thought provoking as well as entertaining. Tough stuff, but irresistible and memorable.
Rating:
Summary: Dark, Shocking, But Very, Very Good
Review: I love the Justice series. There's something about Ben that you have to love. He may be a bit gruff and uncontrollable sometimes in speech and action, but he is a likable and sympathetic character.That's why JUSTICE AT RISK was such a shock. More than halfway through the book, Ben is in too deep and his life suddenly takes a drastic turn. He was already trying to get his life together after the previous two novels, but a big blow is dropped and I guess life isn't supposed to go the way you want it to. Not only is Ben in trouble. But Harry and Alexandra, Ben's close friends, and by the end of the book you really don't know what is next for any of them. I want to thank the author for leaving me anxious now and in complete suspense. I really wish the fourth book was available so I can continue peeking into the hectic lives of all, but most importantly, Ben's. His health(mental and physical) is driving me buggy and I may have to buy the book in hardback instead of waiting for the PB release. That's just too long.
Rating:
Summary: Another great Mystery!
Review: I really enjoyed this third Benjamin Justice novel. Ben is such a wonderful character, and now that he has turned 40, things are looking up for him. He's got a new job at a Public Broadcasting Station writing a documentary series on AIDS and bare-back riding, a very controversial new trend. Justice and his new associate producer go looking for the episode's producer, Tommy Callahan, who hasn't been heard from in over a week. Tommy is later found murdered. It's from this point on in the story that Ben gets involved in solving this mystery, and his life gets turned upside down, and backwards. At the same time, Ben is struggling with his love life, infatuated with Peter, the associate producer ( a blond beauty) and Oree, a sophisticated gentlemen more his own age. There's always plenty of surprises in John Wilson's novels, and this one is one of his best. You just can't wait to get to the end to find out how everything is going to turn out. And the characters are always so well-developed you feel like they could be your friends. I read his last mystery, "The Limits of Justice" first, so now I am working on his previous three. It's best if you can start from his first one, and read the whole series in order, although each book stands on its own. If you like mysteries, you'll really enjoy this one, I did.
Rating:
Summary: Another great Mystery!
Review: I really enjoyed this third Benjamin Justice novel. Ben is such a wonderful character, and now that he has turned 40, things are looking up for him. He's got a new job at a Public Broadcasting Station writing a documentary series on AIDS and bare-back riding, a very controversial new trend. Justice and his new associate producer go looking for the episode's producer, Tommy Callahan, who hasn't been heard from in over a week. Tommy is later found murdered. It's from this point on in the story that Ben gets involved in solving this mystery, and his life gets turned upside down, and backwards. At the same time, Ben is struggling with his love life, infatuated with Peter, the associate producer ( a blond beauty) and Oree, a sophisticated gentlemen more his own age. There's always plenty of surprises in John Wilson's novels, and this one is one of his best. You just can't wait to get to the end to find out how everything is going to turn out. And the characters are always so well-developed you feel like they could be your friends. I read his last mystery, "The Limits of Justice" first, so now I am working on his previous three. It's best if you can start from his first one, and read the whole series in order, although each book stands on its own. If you like mysteries, you'll really enjoy this one, I did.
Rating:
Summary: Mr. Wilson is a risk-taker!
Review: If you are looking for a nice mystery where everything gets worked out almost mathematically in the end, this book is not for you. If, however, you are prepared to be blown away by a story that stetches the very limits of the mystery genre, then this one's for you. Mr. Wilson creates larger-than-life characters, many of whom you will care about desperately. And all the good guys don't win in the end. Sound like life? The novel ends with important questions not answered. Perhaps we'll get those answers in the next in this series if we find out whether or not Benjamin Justice is at risk. Mr. Wilson, through the main character and narrator, Ben Justice, grapples with difficult subjects: corruption in the LA Police Department--there are references to the Rodney King debacle--corruption in the newspaper media, the insanity of "barebacking." Along with Justice, we meet again Harry and Templeton as well as Justice's older landlords. (Actually they're touring Europe on a sort of second honeymoon while Justice looks after their animals and housesits for them.) Wilson secondarily has almost written a travelogue for a great part of Los Angeles. I got a better feel for this city from him than I have gotten from other "serious" travel writers. Early in the novel, Ben stops at a mystery bookstore to buy the last copy of Walter Mosley's GONE FISHIN', as Wilson once again pays tribute to another fine California mystery writer.
Rating:
Summary: Solid Mystery
Review: Intrigued after reading the previous reviews, I went and purchased this book first, even though I believe it is the 3rd of the series. I won't go into the plot but I will say that the author develops his characters in such a way that you feel as if you really know and care about what happens. Excellent pace to the story. Had me turning pages to find out what happened next. Enjoyed it so much I went and bought 2 of the other novels in the series. Recommended.
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