Author: Alretha Thomas
Release Date: March 31 2016
Series: Detective Rachel Storme
Genre:  Mystery | Thriller
Edition: Paperback
Pages: 328
Publisher: Diverse Arts Collective
Source: Author
Buy it here: Amazon

Rating: ★★★★★

Blurb:

Mousey, overweight Stacey Sullivan would love to trade places with her glamorous socialite BFF, Jessica James—that’s until she discovers Jessica murdered in her own home. Whip-smart detective Rachel Storme is ready to exchange her gun and badge for a gardener’s hat and hoe. But she reluctantly puts her plans on hold when she’s asked to help solve Jessica’s murder. These two strangers from different generations—Stacey a millennial and Rachel a baby boomer—become unlikely friends in their pursuit of JUSTICE FOR JESSICA. But their friendship is put to the test when Stacey insists that her husband, Matt, is innocent in spite of evidence that speaks to the contrary. Rachel, baffled by Stacey’s blind loyalty to Matt, doggedly fights to take Matt down, but with Stacey’s help, he eludes her at every turn. Is Matt the killer or could Grant, Jessica’s husband, be the culprit? Perhaps it was her jealous sister, Georgette or the maid, Rosa? No matter who the killer is, Rachel, by any means necessary, is determined to find her man or woman.

Review

I read Missing Melissa by Alretha Thomas last year and I totally loved it! So when I was contacted by the author for the review of Justice For Jessica, I immediately accepted. And as it turned out, this book lived up to all my expectations.

It is a brilliant and entertaining book and it serves as a delightful start to a new mystery series. The storyline was not only good but also remarkably engaging as the author cleverly used the plot twists that kept me guessing the entire time.

The pacing was good and the flow of the story was really smooth. The alternating first person POVs of Rachel and Stacey, the main characters, not only helped in building the suspense beautifully but also managed to keep me glued to the book the entire time.

The characterization is also brilliant and I’m happy that I was able to feel a strong connection with Detective Rachel Storme, as this is the beginning of a new detective series in which she’s the said detective. The character of Rachel is really strong and in spite of her age, I felt a really strong connection with her.
I really loved her and I’d definitely read the next book in the series. In fact, I’d love to read ALL the books in this series!

The other characters were also very well-developed and relatable, especially that of Stacey. I’m not sure if we’ll see her in the next books in this particular series, but I hope that we do because I’d love to know how her life turns out in the future.

The plot of this book hooked me right from the first chapter, where the murder happens, and after that it book took me on a really exciting and thrilling journey. At times, I was so engrossed in the lives of Rachel and Stacey that I completely lost track of time.

Like any good mystery novel, this book ended with one hell of an unpredictable ending that left me completely surprised.

The cover art of the book is really good and the color theme is also good. The blurb is self-explanatory and I’m sure that these things are more than enough to make a reader pick up this book from the stands.

I’d recommend this book to all the mystery and thriller readers and also to those  who are searching for a new detective series to begin with.

Bookstagram

Other Stuff

Opening Line: “Thank goodness it’s finally Friday. Halle-freakin’-lujah!”

Highlights: Plotline and mystery.

Lowlights: None.

Memorable Quotes:

It just seems impossible that someone that beautiful could be a murderer. That’s probably the same thing people said about the serial killer, Ted Bundy.

Final Thoughts: A thoroughly engrossing and exciting read!

You can also read this review at Goodreads and Amazon.