It should be a time for celebration for Sheriff Joanna Brady. It's the holiday season, and her daughter, Jenny, is graduating from the police academy. Instead, the body of a young boy is discovered caught beneath a flooded bridge, and Joanna is called in to investigate.
The young boy was murdered, and crime scene details tell Joanna two things: this wasn't the killer's first murder, and it's only a matter of time before he kills again. But it's not long until Joanna begins to understand that this murder is just one piece of a much larger puzzle, a puzzle that spans decades and long distances. In tracking down every dangerous lead, Joanna has her work cut out for her.
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J.A. Jance's Sheriff Joanna Brady series is one that I've loved for years. It's set in Cochise County, Arizona, an area I know well and love, and Jance (who lived in Bisbee) brings the Arizona desert to life. Any reader who loves a cast of characters who grow and change over the years should dive right into these books, starting with the first, Desert Heat. In no time at all, these characters will feel like family.
The Girl from Devil's Lake is a fast-paced dive into how a prolific serial killer can live undetected for decades. Jance doesn't dwell on his crimes, but on how he's managed to blend in-- and how Sheriff Joanna Brady manages to bring him to justice. One of the ways she does it is by occasionally letting readers see things from the killer's point of view.
Joanna has come a long way over the years. Now a seasoned and well-respected sheriff, she has worked hard to develop friends and knowledgeable contacts in law enforcement. I wondered how the series would change as she aged, and having her eldest daughter, Jenny, graduate from the police academy and join the Pima County Sheriff's Department is the perfect choice to keep these stories fresh.
Reading this book was like catching up with what's been happening with family. The book title also added spice and anticipation to the killer's downfall. From her first appearance, I knew that the girl from Devil's Lake would make her mark. Now I can't wait for the next installment. Seriously, if you are a character-driven mystery-loving reader and you haven't read these books, do it!
The Girl from Devil's Lake by J.A. Jance
eISBN: 9780063252653
William Morrow © 2025
eBook, 336 pages
Police Procedural, #21 Joanna Brady
Rating: A
Source: Net Galley
This is a great series, isn't it, Cathy? It is hard to keep a series fresh over the long haul, but great characters are part of it, and I think this series has some fine ones. Like you, I think the setting is very well done (I've not lived in that area, but I've been there). And it's funny; I'm not much of a one for a book with a serial killer character, but if anyone can get me to enjoy it, it's probably Jance.
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