The 21st book in this long running series finds J. P. Beaumont surrendering to the inevitable. It is 2010 and after years of
increasing pain in both knees he is on medical leave in order to have double knee
replacement surgery at the Swedish Orthopedic Institute in the Seattle area. He’s
plenty scared as is his wife and fellow officer of the Special Homicide
Investigation Team, Mel Soames. It is one thing to be injured suddenly in the
line of duty and therefore given little time to prepare for the medical event.
With a planned surgery like this, both J. P. and Mel have had plenty of time to
think about the procedure and what could go wrong.
J. P. is soon reminded of the power of painkillers
and the threat they pose to his hard won sobriety. Those same painkillers
powerfully awaken deep memories long repressed in his mind. As initial recovery and physical therapy begins
post-surgery, J. P. is deeply haunted by the memories of things unresolved.
Not surprising one intense dream/vision is of what
became his first case in Homicide with the Seattle PD. A naked woman found dead
in grease barrel by two boys back in 1973. It was eventually determined she was
Monica Wellington. J. P. Beaumont was in
a radio car back then with Rory MacPherson and they were the first two officers
to arrive on scene. They helped out with the initial investigation on the first
day. After J.P. came back to work after his off days he discovered that both he
and Mac had been promoted to the jobs they had long coveted. Mac was now in motorcycle
patrol and J.P was now a detective. That meant he would be learning the ropes
from more experienced detectives while assisting on the Monica Wellington case.
A case that never really went anywhere and was eventually closed without J.P.
ever knowing it.
The second intense dream/vision that haunts J. P. post-surgery
is of second Lieutenant Lennie Davis appearing in his hospital room. J.P. knows
that sight can’t be real because Lennie D. led J.P.’s unit back in Vietnam. Thanks
to Lennie D. way back when J. P. eventually made it home. Lennie didn’t. J. P. realizes there is
unfinished business in a story line that is based on real people and events
powerfully detailed in the closing chapter “The Story Behind Second Watch.”
As J. P. works to regain the use of his legs, he also
works to resolve the homicide case as well as the personal matter. The story
lines gradually weave together resulting in a powerful novel that looks back as
well in time as considers the future. Time is said to heal all wounds, but
sometimes it needs a little help from good people pulling together to do good
things. A prequel in a sense for, at least part of the book readers are in the
memories of J.P., this novel is also about the cost of war and the pain of those
who remain at home. Deeply moving, J. A. Jance has an incredible read that is
far more than a mystery. It tells a tale that honors the dead and their
survivors, not just in military service, in a way that few authors can achieve.
Second
Watch: A J. P. Beaumont Novel is another very good
book in this long running series. While it could be read as a stand alone, it
would be best to read these books in order.
Second Watch: A J. P. Beaumont Novel
J.
A. Jance
William
Morrow (Harper Collins Publishers)
2013
ISBN#
978-8-06-213467-7
Hardback
(also available as an e-book)
371
Pages
$26.99
Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano Texas
Library System.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2013
Posts
2 comments:
Thanks for this, Kevin. I am looking forward to reading 'Second Watch' as J A Jance has long been a favorite of mine. I attended one of her book tour presentations a week ago. A large audience was made to laugh and also brought to tears as she told her personal story of the inspiration for this book. If fans cannot see her at a tour stop, the story is available on her website.
The story is also the final chapter of the book referenced in the review. Good book. Thanks for reading and commenting.
Post a Comment