Saturday, June 19, 2021

Cruel Intent by J.A. Jance

 


Ali Reynolds is in the middle of an extensive home renovation.  She has just bought an old mansion in Sedona, Arizona and since she is a former television reporter, her agent got one of the television home renovation shows interested.  Ali is living off-site with her son while the mansion is being brought back to life.  Her days are filled with infrastructure and decor decisions but she has the help of the former butler of the estate and of course, her contractor who is making sure everything happens correctly and on a schedule.

When the contractor's wife is found murdered, everything comes to a stop.  Bryan swears he had nothing to do with the murder but there is a hole in his schedule that could just allow the timing to work out.  Add that to the fact that his wife was active on a swinging married online site and there was plenty of motive.  Ali is sure that Bryan is innocent but she's about the only one.  The fact that she has been dating the man in charge of the police investigation adds to the complications.  As Ali learns more on her own, she puts herself firmly into the killer's sights.  Can she solve the mystery before the killer gets to her?

This is the fourth Ali Reynolds novel in the series.  Ali has had a complicated life and now is no different.  Her son is about to get married and there are issues with his fiancée.  Her mother is more interested in Ali's life than Ali is comfortable with and there is the matter of her romantic life which Ali wants to put on hold but seems unable to.  The action at the end is inevitable but horrifying and readers will rush to the finish to find all the answers.  This book is recommended for mystery readers.

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