Dismissed With Prejudice

I am a fan of J. A. Jance's Joanne Brady series and was first introduced to Det. Beaumont in Partner's In Crime; however, I first read the majority of the Brady series. Dismissed With Prejudice is only the second book in the Beaumont series that I have read. It was a good, quick and light read. Good beach or airport material as it is easy to put down and come back to.

And I think this is one of the better ones. However, I had this feeling that the author was never completely in control of the plot, and the ending didn't come neatly together the way it does in the best mysteries. The motive seemed grossly inadequate -- even murderers usually have an understandable reason. The plot involves a Japanese businessman who is on the verge of bankruptcy who is found dead -- apparently a ritual suicide. A Japanese crime scene person doesn't think it looks right for that, and the family insists the man (Tadeo) would never do that no matter how bad things were. J.P. Beaumont, the tough Seattle detective assigned to the case (who habitually bucks his incompetent bosses), takes their word for it and treats it like a murder. Shortly after the murder, two individuals connected to Tadeo are viciously attacked, and Beaumont finds himself trying to find the motive for both crimes and to discover who did this. There is a side plot involving Beaumont's growing realization that he may have a drinking problem. This was a book I definitely enjoyed getting back to, that moved along quickly. Somehow when I got to the ending, however, I was disappointed as I expected more sense to emerge than did. Somehow the last couple of chapters seemed kind of flung together. I also think more careful background research would have improved this book. I had the distinct impression that more was needed vis-a-vis the Japanese connection.

Another great Beau story, so buy them all and read about the life and times of JP Beaumont.You will see why I have fallen for this man.

When Tadeo Kurobashi, a respectable Japanese-American businessman, appears in these pages, he is already a corpse. However, the reader gradually learns more about him from the perspective of his loyal friends, sworn enemy, reclusive and mysterious wife, and estranged daughter. Did he commit suicide (hara-kiri) because of impending bankruptcy or was he murdered? Seattle police detective J.P. Beaumont undertakes to find out and to solve intertwining mysteries as well. The story ranges geographically from Seattle to Spokane with a bit of Chicago Mafia mixed in. The past enters in with snippets about occupied Japan after World War II and the detention camps for Japanese-Americans during the war. All-in-all, an engrossing mystery with believable characters. Think I'll try other mysteries by this author and about the J.P. Beaumont character.