Fatal Judgment, by Irene Hannon (Revell, 2011)
US Marshal Jake Taylor thrives on high-risk assignments, but when he pulls protection detail for Judge Elizabeth Michaels his first instinct is to flee. Liz is the widow of his best friend, and the little Jake knows about her doesn’t impress him.
As Jake works to keep her safe from her sister’s killer, he discovers a woman far different from the cold-hearted workaholic he’d expected. Jake and Liz each carry the pain of regret and of losing a spouse, and an attraction grows between them that makes it hard for Jake to keep his professional distance.
Fatal Judgment delivers both the wait-and-see kind of suspense (as we watch a disturbingly realistic enemy plan his attack) and the catch-him-before-he-kills-again suspense with danger and a ticking clock.
There’s plenty of action (including a helicopter, which is always a plus for me). There are also genuinely likeable and believable characters, including Jake’s brother and sister, who I hope will have their own turns to star in later books in the “Guardians of Justice” series.
Irene Hannon’s careful research makes the details sound right and the action flow. As a bonus, in a time where copy-editing glitches are showing up in even the most-respected publishers’ work, it’s a treat to see that this author/editing team knows how to correctly use the phrase “homing in.”
I really enjoyed the novel. You can read an excerpt of Fatal Judgment, or if you’ve already read the novel, check out the discussion guide for Fatal Judgment.
Irene Hannon is a RITA® award winner (and four-time finalist) with over 35 books to her credit. After a successful career writing contemporary romance, she moved to romantic suspense titles with the “Heroes of Quantico” series: Against All Odds, An Eye for an Eye, and In Harm’s Way. I’ll be on the lookout for those in the near future.
C.J. Darlington has posted an interesting interview with Irene Hannon at Titletrakk.com. To learn more about the author and her other books, visit the official Irene Hannon website.
Now, Janet…I’m trying to be a good girl and not buy any more books right now…and then you go and write a review like this…Humph! ;^)
It’s a good read, Stephanie. And eerily timely, with the recent political shootings in the US.
Hi, Janet! Thank you for the great review. I really appreciate it! And please do check out my Heroes of Quantico series. So far, those books have garnered a Daphne du Maurier award, an RT Reviewers’ Choice award and a RITA nomination!
Irene, your Heroes of Quantico series in definitely on my list to read while I’m waiting for the next installment of Guardians of Justice. I love finding a “new-to-me” author with a backlist that I want to work through. Congratulations on those prestigious awards and nominations! I really liked your delivery in Fatal Judgment.