I first "met" Patricia Bradley through her Logan Point romantic suspense series. While I greatly enjoyed those novels, it's clear that Bradley just keeps getting better, as Justice Delayed is one of the best suspense novels I've read in quite a while!
In one week, the wrong man will be executed for murder.
Let the chase for the real killer begin.
Eighteen years ago, TV crime reporter Andi Hollister's sister was murdered. The convicted killer sits behind bars, his execution date looming. But when a letter surfaces stating that the condemned didn't do the crime, Detective Will Kincaide of the Memphis Cold Case Unit will stop at nothing to help Andi get to the bottom of it. After all, this case is personal: the man who confessed to the crime is Will's cousin. Andi and Will must find the real killer before the wrong person is executed. But what can happen in only a week? Uncovering police corruption, running for your life, and, perhaps, falling in love?
With the perfect mixture of intrigue and nail-biting suspense, award-winning author Patricia Bradley invites you to crack the case--if you can--alongside the best Memphis has to offer.
Justice Delayed is a very compelling suspense novel. It moves quickly enough to keep the reader's attention throughout while also introducing some very interesting, well-developed characters. The answer to the central mystery—who killed Stephanie Hollister?—unfolded in a way I did not anticipate, and I found the whole journey to be very fascinating. While reporter Andi and cold case detective Will are the main characters in Justice Delayed, other characters like Will's supervisor David and defense attorney Maggie are involved just enough to make me really hope their stories continue in future novels.
One thing I really appreciated about Justice Delayed was that the characters had real problems. Andi is headstrong, reckless, and dealing (or not dealing) with an addiction. Will is resentful and unforgiving. They both grow throughout the novel, but neither is portrayed as anything close to perfect.
I also liked that the romances subtly played in the background while the case took precedence. As Justice Delayed is just the first book in the Memphis Cold Case series, I hope that the romances will continue to build throughout the series.
What didn't particularly work for me was the dual timeline. I kind of hesitate to even call it that, as, aside from the prologue which is set in the past, most of the book is set in the present. But a few times throughout the novel, the action briefly flashes back to the past. I did learn more about Stephanie and her death through the flashbacks, but I think it would have been better to simply have had the events relayed by someone who was there rather than including brief, infrequent flashbacks.
Dual timeline aside, I really, really liked this book! It's perfect for fans of police procedurals or crime dramas, and I can't wait for the next book in the series. 4-1/2 stars.
Read an excerpt.
Buy the book.
Read my reviews of Bradley's Logan Point series: A Promise to Protect (4 stars), Gone Without a Trace (4-1/2 stars), Silence in the Dark (4 stars).
Patricia Bradley is the author of Shadows of the Past, A Promise to Protect, Gone without a Trace, and Silence in the Dark. Bradley has been a finalist for the Genesis Award, winner of a Daphne du Maurier Award, and winner of a Touched by Love Award. Bradley is cofounder of Aiming for Healthy Families, Inc., and she is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers and Romance Writers of America. Bradley makes her home in Mississippi. Learn more at www.ptbradley.com.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell through the Revell Reads program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
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