Rating: 
Summary: Well Developed Plot and Characters
Review: Jonnie Jacobs' Kali O'Brien legal mysteries just keep getting better and better and this is the best yet, placing her in the top ranks of legal thriller writers.
The difference is this book fully develops all, even the minor characters, showing especially the heartaches behind the everyday face. Kali is particularly likeable, wearing her feelings on her sleeve, and when her good friend, Anne Bailey, is brutally murdered in a style reminiscent of the since-executed Bayside Strangler, whom Kali and Anne helped convict, there is the dual question of finding a murderer who enjoys taunting the police and finding out whether an innocent man has been convicted. Another murder quickly follows, then the killer drops a note suggesting Kali is the next victim. Kali, whose legal skills, tenacity and spunk are a lot better than her personal choices with men, straightens out everything except a budding romance which she decidedly un-straightens.
Forever or for the next book? Only Jonnie Jacobs knows. But we eagerly await the answer, and the next book.
Rating:
Summary: A Winner
Review: Kali O'Brien brings to Cold Justice what Dismas Hardy brings to John Lescoart's books. She is a former prosecuting attorney turned defense attorney who struggles with the dilema of defending clients who may be guilty but still entitled to defense. Her personal life is shattered with the murder of her friend, and her new love interest in Cold Justice appears to have little in common with her besides an intense chemistry which may well work into future books. When Anne Bailey, Kali's friend is found brutally murdered in what appears to be the same style used by the Bayside Strangler, Kali along with others in the DA's office in San Francisco, begin to question if the right man had been executed over a year ago. Kali had helped prosecute Dwayne Davis, the Bayside Strangler who had been found guilty of killing several women. Suddenly eight years later women are again dying in the same manner used by the Bayside Strangler. Had they executed the wrong man, or was a copycat killer at large? This was my first Jonnie Jacobs but I will quickly catch up with the other books in this series. Cold Justice was a good read that kept me turning pages from cover to cover.
Rating:
Summary: Good Suspense; Good Surprise Ending
Review: Kali O'Brien brings to Cold Justice what Dismas Hardy brings to John Lescoart's books. She is a former prosecuting attorney turned defense attorney who struggles with the dilema of defending clients who may be guilty but still entitled to defense. Her personal life is shattered with the murder of her friend, and her new love interest in Cold Justice appears to have little in common with her besides an intense chemistry which may well work into future books. When Anne Bailey, Kali's friend is found brutally murdered in what appears to be the same style used by the Bayside Strangler, Kali along with others in the DA's office in San Francisco, begin to question if the right man had been executed over a year ago. Kali had helped prosecute Dwayne Davis, the Bayside Strangler who had been found guilty of killing several women. Suddenly eight years later women are again dying in the same manner used by the Bayside Strangler. Had they executed the wrong man, or was a copycat killer at large? This was my first Jonnie Jacobs but I will quickly catch up with the other books in this series. Cold Justice was a good read that kept me turning pages from cover to cover.
Rating:
Summary: Best of an amazingly good series
Review: The Bayside Strangler claimed five victims before Dwayne Allen Davis was tried, convicted and executed. The man who tried that case, First ADA Owen Nelson rose to prominence for his handling of the case and is now the District Attorney. He is running for governor of California and Kali O'Brien who helped him prosecute that case is now a defense attorney. Kali is thinking of going into partnership with legal peer and friend Annie Bailey when Anne is killed in a manner similar to that of some of the victims of the Bayside Strangler. Owen hires Kali to liaison with the police on the case. Both pray that the state didn't execute an innocent man. To complicate matters even further, it becomes obvious by the third homicide that the killer has some link to the previous investigation because the culprit has knowledge only somebody close to the case would have. COLD JUSTICE is a fascinating police procedural starring a heroine who is likable, believable and endearing. There is a plethora of suspects who could be the murderer and readers won't be able to judge who the real killer is until the author chooses to reveal the identity of that person. Jonnie Jacobs is a very skilled writer who gets better with each book she writes. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: fascinating police procedural
Review: The Bayside Strangler claimed five victims before Dwayne Allen Davis was tried, convicted and executed. The man who tried that case, First ADA Owen Nelson rose to prominence for his handling of the case and is now the District Attorney. He is running for governor of California and Kali O'Brien who helped him prosecute that case is now a defense attorney. Kali is thinking of going into partnership with legal peer and friend Annie Bailey when Anne is killed in a manner similar to that of some of the victims of the Bayside Strangler. Owen hires Kali to liaison with the police on the case. Both pray that the state didn't execute an innocent man. To complicate matters even further, it becomes obvious by the third homicide that the killer has some link to the previous investigation because the culprit has knowledge only somebody close to the case would have. COLD JUSTICE is a fascinating police procedural starring a heroine who is likable, believable and endearing. There is a plethora of suspects who could be the murderer and readers won't be able to judge who the real killer is until the author chooses to reveal the identity of that person. Jonnie Jacobs is a very skilled writer who gets better with each book she writes. Harriet Klausner
Rating:
Summary: Great book!
Review: Was Dwayne Davis The Bayside Strangler? He was convicted of 2 of the 5 murders and has recently been executed. Then Anne Bailey was found murdered. She had worked in the DA's office with Kali O'Brien on the Bayside Strangler case. Kali finds out her friend has been killed and notifies Owen Nelson, DA and candidate for governor, about the slaying because Kali is concerned there are things about Anne's death that are similar to the Bayside Strangler murders. Both Kali and Anne had worked with Owen on that case. Owen is concerned that publicity of this could kill his run for governor. So he asks Kali to come back to his office and discreetly assist the detectives on this case. When there are more murders, the press makes the connection and it can no longer be kept quiet. Kali assists the 2 detectives and ends up in danger. Uncertain of who the dangerous one is, she starts accusing those closest to her. I always like this series. This author is one of my favorites. She has another series as well with a suburban housewife as an amateur sleuth that I love. I was a little hesitant to read this book as I was afraid it would be filled with gruesome details and be a scary read. That is not the case. The information is presented in a way that you know the danger and type of killing, but it is not dwelled upon. I recommend this book and both of her series.
Rating: 
Summary: Was the wrong man executed?
Review: Was Dwayne Davis The Bayside Strangler? He was convicted of 2 of the 5 murders and has recently been executed. Then Anne Bailey was found murdered. She had worked in the DA's office with Kali O'Brien on the Bayside Strangler case. Kali finds out her friend has been killed and notifies Owen Nelson, DA and candidate for governor, about the slaying because Kali is concerned there are things about Anne's death that are similar to the Bayside Strangler murders. Both Kali and Anne had worked with Owen on that case. Owen is concerned that publicity of this could kill his run for governor. So he asks Kali to come back to his office and discreetly assist the detectives on this case. When there are more murders, the press makes the connection and it can no longer be kept quiet. Kali assists the 2 detectives and ends up in danger. Uncertain of who the dangerous one is, she starts accusing those closest to her. I always like this series. This author is one of my favorites. She has another series as well with a suburban housewife as an amateur sleuth that I love. I was a little hesitant to read this book as I was afraid it would be filled with gruesome details and be a scary read. That is not the case. The information is presented in a way that you know the danger and type of killing, but it is not dwelled upon. I recommend this book and both of her series.
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