Book Review: Justice Delivered by Patricia Bradley

I don’t know about you, but I usually have two or three different types of books on the go at the same time. I hop from one to the other as the mood strikes — flitting from biography to theology to general fiction. But when it comes to relaxation, there’s no genre I love more than a fast-paced suspense/mystery novel.

That’s why I was excited to review this new book: Justice Delivered by Patricia Bradley — and with its big plotlines, true-to-life characters and multiple twists and turns, this novel did not disappoint.

From the Publisher:
Carly Smith came by her trust issues honestly. She’s been at the mercy of merciless men, ignored by law enforcement officers who should have helped her, and seemingly rejected by her family. She can’t even trust herself to do the right thing. Though she is working hard on building a new life, the past continues to haunt her when she discovers that the man she couldn’t bring herself to report to the police is still out there, luring vulnerable girls under the guise of being a modeling agent.

When her own niece is kidnapped, Carly must overcome her fears and come forward with the information she has. But if that proves to be too little, too late–she’ll have to go after the perpetrators herself.

My Thoughts:
I’m always a fan of suspense books but what I really appreciated about this novel, was that it dealt with a difficult subject matter in a way that felt both engaging and authentic.

The book was full of twists and turns and had me quickly flipping pages to find out what happened next. While I correctly guessed the identity of the main antagonist early on, the plot was strong and the writing flowed smoothly. I love it when a book gives me layers of twists (rather than just one big one) and this book provided exactly that.

The chapters often flipped back and forth between the narrating character and I enjoyed seeing the story unfold from multiple viewpoints. I especially appreciated Carly’s character. Her growth and development felt honest and real as she struggled to come to grips with her traumatizing past.

I was also happy to see that the secondary plots didn’t overwhelm the suspense aspect of this novel. The spiritual and romantic themes were present and enjoyable because they didn’t feel rushed or overly forced. Their subtlety seemed very natural given the protagonist’s history. 

This book is number four in the “Memphis Cold Case Series.” While there were occasional references to the previous three novels, this book can definitely be read as a standalone (which I did.) Having enjoyed this book as much as I did, I would definitely go back and check out the first three as well.

The highest compliment I can pay a book is when it earns a permanent spot in my already overflowing bookshelf — and this novel has done just that!

4.5 stars out of 5.

“Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group
and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.”