Book Review: Cold Justice

Reviewed By: Harriet Klausner

Cold Justice     Amazon US HC Amazon Canada HC
Jonnie Jacobs
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Legal Setting   Woman Main Character
Series: Kali O'Brien # 5
Kensington, June 2002, $23.00, 368 pp.

The Bayside Strangler claimed five victims before Dwayne Allen Davis was tried, convicted and executed. The man who tried that case, First ADA Owen Nelson rose to prominence for his handling of the case and is now the District Attorney. He is running for governor of California and Kali O’Brien who helped him prosecute that case is now a defense attorney.

Kali is thinking of going into partnership with legal peer and friend Annie Bailey when Anne is killed in a manner similar to that of some of the victims of the Bayside Strangler. Owen hires Kali to liaison with the police on the case. Both pray that the state didn’t execute an innocent man. To complicate matters even further, it becomes obvious by the third homicide that the killer has some link to the previous investigation because the culprit has knowledge only somebody close to the case would have.

COLD JUSTICE is a fascinating police procedural starring a heroine who is likable, believable and endearing. There is a plethora of suspects who could be the murderer and readers won’t be able to judge who the real killer is until the author chooses to reveal the identity of that person. Jonnie Jacobs is a very skilled writer who gets better with each book she writes.

Harriet Klausner

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Harriet Klausner