4 out of 4 stars
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Veterans Day is a thrilling murder mystery written by J.J Jorgens, the first of the Mary Jane Morris mysteries. Set in Washington D.C, the author takes you through 262 pages of a well-written and thought-provoking plot. The book portrays betrayal, greed, death, love, friendship, etc. It is written purely in first person from the perspective of Mary Jane, the clever and attractive detective.
A call from her ex-partner and a desperate cry for help leaves Mary Jane rushing on the railway line to David McHale’s office. On getting there, she finds David’s body slumped on a chair, a bullet hole in the back of his head. The police are called in and a verdict of suicide is given but Mary wasn’t satisfied. Later, she discovers a message left for her and follows it to find some photos and $20,000 in cash at a lighthouse. With the help of her boyfriend, a naval strategist, a reporter for the daily news and the head of a shelter for homeless vets, she investigates the death of David McHale.
The book is generally fast-paced and action-packed. The main character is forged in such a way that I was connected to her from the first chapter of the book. I was kept on the edge of my seat from the beginning of the book due to the author’s deft writing style. Although I got bored at some point in the middle of the book, it wasn’t long before I was back on the edge-of-the-seat suspense. I particularly enjoyed the writer’s way of introducing twists in the story.
The author chipped in some historical facts in the plot which I enjoyed at first, but I later got tired of as I am neither American nor do I live in Washington D.C. Even though I found Mary Jane an amazing character with sharp instincts, she lacked method and that innate confidence found in great characters like Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, Miss Marple, etc. Unlike most murder mystery novels that keep you guessing until the murderer is revealed, Veterans Day had no such effect but it was still enjoyable and intriguing.
For a realistic plot and wonderful characterization, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. Although I found about three errors while reading, I really enjoyed the book. I recommend this book to murder mystery lovers and Americans dwelling in Washington who wouldn’t mind some history lessons.
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Veterans Day
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