Review by jimthorne2 -- Veterans Day by J. J. Jorgens

[jimthorne2]

[Following is a volunteer review of "Veterans Day" by J. J. Jorgens.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Veteran’s Day: A Mary Jane Morris Mystery by J. J. Jorgens is much more than a mystery novel. Veterans, influence peddling, and corruption are the context in which a private investigator pursues the case of a murdered friend. Mary Jane Morris is no ordinary investigator. The author gives us the story of an investigator with an agenda. “She hated people who victimize the vulnerable, and sometimes she went outside of the law to see that they were punished.” (p. 23)

Mary Jane Morris gets a desperate phone call from an ex-partner, Davey. She arrives to find her friend dead. At the scene of the crime, private investigator, Mary Jane, finds herself under the scrutiny of police detective Harlan Larson. She discovers later that the Mayor and a City Developer may have a motive to murder Davey. Her efforts to find the truth lead to evidence of influence peddling and corruption in the Veteran’s Affairs Administration. Together with her boyfriend and a host of friends including veterans, she unravels the mystery and celebrates in triumph over enemies she inherits along the way.

I like the way Jorgens skillfully develops a convoluted plot that keeps the reader interested by some subplots and colorful characters who provide action events. I like the way the writer gets the reader to relate to the character by describing Mary Jane as she thinks about the victim at the beginning of the tale. I like the interactions between the characters and how the narrative provides the readers with interesting information about the nature of politics related to the Veteran Affairs Administration. I like the specifics the author uses to move the story forward to a satisfactory conclusion. I like the tone of the book that introduces controversial subjects with panache.

The book is much too long although interest is maintained throughout. The pace of the story is rather slow which means that it takes a long time to resolve the mystery. The descriptions of Washington D. C. scenes are vivid and add to the story. Secondary characters like Mary Jane’s roommate and boyfriend move the story forward. The dialogue used by the author to describe both people and scenes in a transparent manner. As a mystery, this tale is unique. The writer covers more background and details than most mysteries.

I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars. The length of the book makes it good but not great reading. I recommend the book to those who like mysteries. I recommend the book to those readers who like to see how crimes are successfully solved. I recommend the book to veterans looking for someone to support their cause.

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Veterans Day
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