JA Jance

I just finished reading the first book in a new series by J.A. Jance. She's a wonderful author and each time I read one of her books I wonder why I haven’t been reading more. Her books usually keep you guessing and page turning. This particular one, Edge of Evil, spends more time getting you invested in the character than on the actual case at hand, but you know a good solid series will follow. I have the next two books, but I want to be able to sleep tonight, so I don't think I will start the next one until tomorrow.

Before I was interested in her works, my mom bought a dinner for eight or 12 at an auction. She, my dad, two or three of her sisters and a few of her close friends, and my Nana and Pop-Pop went to the dinner party, J.A. Jance's husband did the cooking I believe. They all spoke highly of the author and had a wonderful time. They were all avid readers of hers before, but now it's almost an illness. And I seem to have caught the bug. My mom tries to make it to all of her book signings at this cozy little bookstore in downtown Seattle when she has them, I think the place is called Seattle Mystery Bookshop, something simple and obvious like that. She gets copies for MA, J, herself, T, and most importantly Nana.

Nana is an amazing woman, she makes long lasting friends wherever she goes. She has this magic and spark that I hope to let shine. People want to be around Nana and want to keep her close to them. I have only been to one signing with mom, but the moment mom mentioned Nana's name, JA's face lit up and she immediately held up the line to ask how she and Pop-Pop were doing (at the time Nana had just recovered from a stay in the hospital with pneumonia where we almost lost her) and how she hoped to see them when she was in there town. I am impressed that someone with such fame and so many names and faces can remember one person so fondly, but then again that's Nana's gift.

I think once I finish this set of books, I will start in on the J.P. Beaumont series. I read a few of them, but not in order so I will have to go back. Those are set in Seattle, so visualizing the scenery will really take me back, I miss it out there. Maybe the library will have some, but knowing my local library I am best going to a used bookstore or something. If anyone is looking for something to read, I recommend her for a good mystery book.