‘Dance of the Bones’ By J.A. Jance

Published by William Morrow,
31 May 2016.
ISBN: 978-006-229767-9 (PB)

Mixing Indian legend with old-fashioned sleuthing, J.A. Jance has utilized a long-time favorite character, retired detective J.P. Beaumont, with a recently introduced protagonist, retired Sheriff Brandon Walker.  The two, 1,500 miles apart, work to identify the culprit.  Beaumont has now appeared in 24 novels, and Walker makes his fourth appearance.

It all begins with the murder of Amos Walker, whose remains in the Arizona desert are not discovered for some years.  On purely a circumstantial case, his partner, Big John Lassiter, is convicted and sentenced to life without a chance of parole.  Now, 30 years later, as a result of efforts by an organization that seeks to rectify wrongful past convictions, he is offered a deal: release on pleading guilty to a lesser charge for time served.  He refuses to plea guilty to a crime he didn’t commit.  So, it remains for the dynamic duo to substantiate his claim.

It is a suspenseful story, supplemented by Indian lore and well-drawn characterizations.  Written crisply, the plot develops swiftly continually propelling the reader forward.  While there is never any doubt who the culprit is, it is a race against time before a conclusion can be reached.  And it is an exciting end.

Recommended.

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Reviewer Theodore Feit

J.A. Jance  was born in South Dakota and brought up in Bisbee, Arizona. She is the New York Times best- selling author of 46 contemporary mysteries in four different series. Jance is an avid crusader for many causes, including the American Cancer Society, Gilda's Club, the Humane Society, the YMCA, and the Girl Scouts. Jance lives with her husband in Seattle, Washington, and Tucson, Arizona.

Ted and Gloria Feit live in Long Beach, NY, a few miles outside New York City.  For 26 years, Gloria was the manager of a medium-sized litigation firm in lower Manhattan. Her husband, Ted, is an attorney and former stock analyst, publicist and writer/editor for, over the years, several daily, weekly and monthly publications.  Having always been avid mystery readers, and since they're now retired, they're able to indulge that passion.  Their reviews appear online as well as in three print publications in the UK and US.  On a more personal note: both having been widowed, Gloria and Ted have five children and nine grandchildren between them.