Book Review: Justice Delayed

Reviewed By: Dusty Rhoades - RAM

Justice Delayed     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
B. A. Caverly
Class/Genre:   Mystery

I really wanted to like this book. The main character, a plucky female attorney named Sam Spader, is engaging. The plot, in which a mysterious woman retains Sam to prove that she's the rightful heir to a massive fortune, is interesting enough, although Caverly points out at the beginning of the book that it revolves around totally ignoring the real Washington State law on the matter. Unfortunately, however, B.A. Caverly is just eaten up with the cutes. The main character's name is the least of it. Sam also has a friend named Phelonious Jones. Phelonious (yes, that's how it's spelled.) plays the classic P.I.. Novel role of the sleuth's shady buddy, the one who does the nasty, morally ambiguous stuff, thus keeping the sleuth's hands clean. Unfortunately, Phelonious (even typing it this many times is giving me hives) is played as an unthreatening lovable lug like something from a third-rate Damon Runyon pastiche. More horrid puns abound a judge Sam knows is named Learned Foote, a play on the name of the great jurist Learned Hand. In the end, the book was a struggle for me to finish.

Understand, however, that my taste runs towards the dark, noir and hardboiled stuff; if you're looking for a light frothy romantic mystery (and can get past the cutesy wordplay), you may like this one better than I did.

Dusty Rhoades - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Dusty Rhoades - RAM