Book Review: Proof of Life by J. A. Jance

PROOF OF LIFE by J.A. Jance

J.P. BEAUMONT MYSTERIES

Pages: 368

Publisher: William Morrow (September 5, 2017)

Sold by: HarperCollins Publishers

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense – Crime

BLURB

J. P. Beaumont’s latest investigation strikes too close to home in this riveting mystery from New York Times bestselling author J. A. Jance.

Be careful what you wish for . . .

Before he retired, J. P. Beaumont had looked forward to having his days all to himself. But too much free time doesn’t suit a man used to brushing close to danger. When his longtime nemesis, retired Seattle crime reporter Maxwell Cole, dies in what’s officially deemed to be an accidental fire, Beau is astonished to be dragged into the investigation at the request of none other than the deceased victim himself. In the process Beau learns that just because a long-ago case was solved doesn’t mean it’s over.

Caught up in a situation where old actions and grudges can hold dangerous consequences in the present, Beau is forced to operate outside the familiar world of law enforcement. While seeking justice for his frenemy and healing for a long fractured family, he comes face to face with an implacable enemy who has spent decades hiding in plain sight.

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REVIEW

BY John W. Kurtze

PROOF OF LIFE is the latest book in J.A. Jance’s Beaumont Mystery. Jance takes her readers behind the scenes exploring Beau’s issues surrounding his retirement from a very active life as a successful detective. Beau has a great deal of time on his hands staying busy running the household and some time working cold cases.

After work, Mel joins Beau in Seattle for a quiet dinner at a restaurant close to their condo. Beau runs into a Maxwell Cole at their dinner. The next day Beau learns Maxwell Cole is dead. Beau gets a call from Maxwell’s goddaughter Erin asking Beau to come to Maxwell’s funeral. Jance gives her readers the backstory of Beau’s history with Maxwell including details of how Beau was instrumental is saving Erin’s life. The author places her readers next to Beau as he meets with Erin and agrees to investigate Maxwell’s suspicious death.

Jance introduces subplots relating to family issues between Beau’s son and daughter-in-law. Both ask Beau for fatherly advice about starting a family. The author provides Beau with the proper vehicle to give advice when Mel brings home a Wolf Hound named Lucy who needs rescuing. Jance skillfully adds a human side to Beau as he fulfills his advisory role. Lucy and Beau’s memory of his grandmother dog provide Beau with great wisdom

PROOF OF LIFE is a perfect title of Jance’s newest Beaumont Mystery as Jance manages to connect all the loose ends delivering a heartwarming story giving purpose to the principal characters’ lives. Jance provides her current fans and new fans with updates on past events clarifying issues surfacing from Beau’s investigation. The spine-tingling ending keeps readers turning pages looking to discover Jance’s secret to Beau’s and Mel’s future happiness. PROOF OF LIFE is a fast read full of action and common sense and is must read. Jance earns a five-star-ranking.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

J. A. Jance is the New York Times bestselling author of the J. P. Beaumont series, the Joanna Brady series, the Ali Reynolds series, and five interrelated thrillers about the Walker family, as well as a volume of poetry. Born in South Dakota and brought up in Bisbee, Arizona, Jance lives with her husband in Seattle, Washington, and Tucson, Arizona.