JUSTICE FOR JESSICA: Alretha Thomas

Mystery / Thriller

Date Published: March 31, 2016

Mousey, overweight Stacey Sullivan would love to trade places with her glamorous socialite BFF, Jessica James—that’s until she discovers Jessica murdered in her own home. Whip-smart detective Rachel Storme is ready to exchange her gun and badge for a gardener’s hat and hoe. But she reluctantly puts her plans on hold when she’s asked to help solve Jessica’s murder. These two strangers from different generations—Stacey a millennial and Rachel a baby boomer—become unlikely friends in their pursuit of JUSTICE FOR JESSICA. But their friendship is put to the test when Stacey insists that her husband, Matt, is innocent in spite of evidence that speaks to the contrary. Rachel, baffled by Stacey’s blind loyalty to Matt, doggedly fights to take Matt down, but with Stacey’s help, he eludes her at every turn. Is Matt the killer or could Grant, Jessica’s husband, be the culprit? Perhaps it was her jealous sister, Georgette or the maid, Rosa? No matter who the killer is, Rachel, by any means necessary, is determined to find her man or woman.

REVIEW

A Suspenseful Mystery That Keeps You Guessing  

Stacey Sullivan needs an escape. Her lousy job and less than ideal marriage are bringing her down. Stacey’s best friend Jessica James comes to the rescue. Jessica is more than happy to share her luxurious home and Stacey takes her glamorous bff up on her offer to spend the night. The expensive surroundings work their magic and allow her to decompress, but all the good is taken away in a flash. Her beautiful friend was murdered. Sometime during the night, someone snuck in and brutally killed Jessica, but who? The clues seem to stack up against Stacey’s unreliable husband Matt, but Jessica’s husband Grant has a few motives of his own. Especially since Jessica was accused of being a golddigger who married him only for the money. Stacey is confused, but Detective Rachel Storme is there to solve the mystery and make sure there’’s JUSTICE FOR JESSICA. 

Author Alretha Thomas has done a great job in writing this compelling mystery. I loved the rich uniqueness that runs through the pages. I also loved the fleshing out of the two lead characters: Stacey Sullivan and Detective Rachel Storme. Both women are complex and richly drawn. The novel is set up so that they work in tandem, telling the story by taking turns in letting you know what is going on. I very much appreciated the approach and enjoyed getting in these character’s heads.

The clues are varied and the story expansive. Secrets and red herrings abound and we’re right there trying to figure out the clues. The only thing that stopped this from being a home run was the ending. While it was a surprise, I didn’t vibe with the outcome. Do I think the author should change it? No, because there will be others that appreciate the shades of grey approach.

But don’t let that stop you from picking this one up. Alretha Thomas is an excellent writer that deserves to be read and appreciated. I very much look forward to seeing where she goes from here.

I’m giving this one a 4.1 and recommend you give it a read.

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