Review: Fire and Ice by J.A. Jance

One of my favorites has always been J.P. Beaumont, the irrascible go-it-alone homicide detective who has retired from the Seattle PD to join SHIT-- the Washington state Attorney General's  Special Homicide Investigating Team. I also have enjoyed the Joanna Brady series about the sheriff in Arizona married to a writer, mother of a teenager and a one year old.

In a previous story, Partners in Crime, author Jance had these two law professionals working together in a story that was very exciting. This 2nd attempt to pair them on a case just doesn't do as much for me. I found it very off-putting when each chapter switches back and forth constantly between in Seattle and Arizona.

Beaumont is investigating the brutal murders of 6 unidentified (and badly burned) females, while Joanna is trying to solve the murder of an ATV park manager. I could see almost from the beginning where the story was going, but Jance took so much time backfilling the history of each of the protagonists, that the current story almost took a back seat.

Her characters seemed almost cardboard in this one, and the story seemed contrived to try to fit them together. These two characters are strong, likable, and have great stories to tell on their own. I hope Jance sticks to two separate series and doesn't try to force this relationship too much in the future.