A powerful judge goes missing right before Christmas. Then on Christmas morning Sheriff Dan Grayson is shot twice, once in the chest, once in the head. If not for Regan Pescoli's quick actions he would have died. As it is, Grayson remains in critical condition. Pescoli and Alvarez must push through their anger and fear to find the man responsible for Grayson's attack, but with a new acting sheriff who doesn't like Pescoli's style the investigation is bogged down almost before it begins. The possible suspect list grows as those closest to Grayson are questioned and every criminal with a grudge he helped put away must be tracked down and questioned. When a photograph of the judge is mailed to the local paper with the simple question of 'Who's next' written on it, Pescoli and Alvarez know they're racing not only to get justice for Grayson but to stop the killer from taking another life.
READY TO DIE by Lisa Jackson is the fifth Pescoli/Alvarez novel and it lives up to the series. One of my favorite aspects of Jackson's novels is her ability to weave a great criminal investigation into the everyday life of the detectives. Pescoli must balance her teenage kids, her suddenly serious romance, and the investigation. Alvarez too must try to figure out how to build a relationship with a son she'd given up for adoption and a new love of her own. It's this remarkable balancing and juggling that really makes Jackson's characters come to life for me. They're characters with a complete past and problems that are going to be waiting for them tomorrow even after the investigation closes. Jackson captures what it means to be human, flawed and imperfect but clinging to hope and love.
Fast-paced, suspenseful, and emotionally compelling, READY TO DIE explores the hidden lives of the people of Grizzly Falls, Montana where not even the very private Sheriff Grayson is without secrets. I highly recommend READY TO DIE and all of Lisa Jackson's novels. She's a favorite of mine for her complex characters, for her extremely detailed and believable settings, and the unique crimes and motivations that always kick her stories into high-gear.
His blood quickens as he stares at the photographs. Six
faces, all guiltyβand detectives Regan Pescoli and Selena
Alvarez are at the top of his list. One by one, he'll stalk
them, then he'll squeeze the trigger, savoring the way each
lifeless body crumples to the reddening snow. One down
already. And then there were five. . .
Sheriff Dan Grayson lies near death after a shooting, and
the police department of Grizzly Falls, Montana, is in
shock. Alvarez, torn between a new relationship and her
loyalty to Grayson, works with Pescoli to whittle down the
list of suspects. The deeper they go, the more personal and
dangerous the case becomes. Then a prominent judge's body is
found and the killer sends a sinister warning to the press:
"Who's Next?"
Pescoli isn't waiting to find out. Headstrong and eager for
justice, she'll track the scant clues on her own if she has
to. But her search leads her straight to a monster who has
had her in his sights all along. And when hunter meets prey,
both must be willing to killβand ready to die. . .
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