The Jamie Quinn Mystery Collection: This is a box set
Death by Didgeridoo : Barbara Venkataraman
Jamie Quinn is just starting out as a family lawyer and has not yet gotten her energy level up to start. But, a frantic phone call from her Aunt Peg awakens her lawyer juices when she learns that her cousin Adam has been arrested for murder. Adam has Aspergers and has trouble communicating with other people. Finding him standing over the victim and verbalizing that it’s his fault and he is sorry does not look good for this young man. Added in Jamie does not practice criminal law and the victim is Adam’s music teacher, Spike. As the case progresses we understand why Jamie is often in panic mode and needs the help of other lawyers more proficient in the field. Having Susan’s list of questions does help and dealing with her aunt is quite stressful while meeting with Adam’s doctor not only brings to light more information about Adam and his problems but also infuriates him when she tells him the State’s Attorney wants a lie detector test.
While Adam is getting hypnotized and Jamie is watching on her computer screen we learn a hidden truth and secret that has him all flared up and why he thinks he caused Spike’s death. Speaking with someone close to him Jamie gets another perspective and then another murder occurs and the focus is shifted to someone else. Members of his band are looked at. Did Spike owe money? Why did someone run over Rosa Michaels and kill her? Was it her husband Steve who thought she and Spike were having an affair? Who really killed him and why? Just how does Jamie prove it and convince the State’s Attorney to go along with her plan? Will Nick ever see the right light of day and realize he might want to hire her for the other side?
Quick, fast paced and filled with several twists and turns.
Fran Lewis: Just reviews/MJ Magazine
The Case of the Killer Divorce: Barbara Venkataraman
Sometimes divorce proceedings do not always go as planned and both parties provide an interesting perspective of their marriage, their goals and what they intend to get from the divorce. Becca Solomon wants out of her marriage with Joe because she claims he gets drunk too often and is concerned about the safety of her girls. Deciding to hire family law attorney Jamie Quinn was the right move for Jamie but what about Becca? From the start readers can tell that something about Becca was off but what? Describing her relationship with Joe, another with her boyfriend Charlie you begin to wonder whether she is really stable or not.
Trying to find the right representation for her Jamie suggests that she hired P.I. Duke Broussard, to learn more about Joe’s activities and more. Within this plot we learn more about Jamie’s past, the fact that she never knew her birth father and her quest to find him. Using Duke’s skills and that of her best friend Grace, she learns more about where her father might be living, why he never found out that she existed and the hope that someday she might even meet him.
The first hearing with the Judge does not go in Becca’s favor and she is told that Joe has the right to have visitation rights with his daughters therefore losing round one. After dealing with the hearing and then meeting with Duke, Jamie finds herself learning about her real father, his name and a possible location. But, things are about to heat up when her client is now the suspect in a murder. Joe, was found dead but, not before Jamie meets with her Aunt Peg to read a letter that her mother wrote right before she died.
Humorous, quirky and definitely sarcastic at times Jamie is persistent, tenacious and won’t let any situation go unless she feels a need to take a break, get a pedicure, have some coffee with a friend or just veg out! With her friend Grace watching her back and helping with the research about her father, Duke delving into Becca and her pill habits that leaves time for Jamie to reconnect with an old classmate named Kip. Two dates but we need to see how it goes as she is just starting to date him and of course everyone wants it to work out.
When Jamie gets the call that Joe is dead from Becca things begin to heat up and change and the need for criminal defense lawyer is in order. As Jamie contacts Susan Doyle, learns what she needs from her to start the ball rolling things start to come clearer with the investigation involving her father. The plot fluctuates back and forth between the murder case and learning more about her heritage and her father as Jamie takes time off from her father’s case to sort out Becca’s story. Dealing with her boyfriend Charlie she begins to wonder just how and why he stays with her and why he is so calm. Becca often presents herself as drug induced and zombie like as they both enter the police station and deal with a pompous District Attorney named Nick.
When all of the facts are sorted out and the truth about Becca’s drug habits come out just how did the bottle of Ambien wind up in an aspirin bottle in Joe’s medicine cabinet. With Duke and Grace’s help Jamie can finally sort out what really happens and a conversation with someone opens doors she never expected. Who killed Joe and Why? What will happen to Becca? What about her children? Find out when you read the Case of the Killer Divorce! A character that is unique, funny and provides a different and unique perspective on the legal profession. Join Jamie, Duke and Grace plus add your own favorite drink when you enter their favorite café or bar to discuss what’s next for them all.
Fran Lewis: Just reviews/MJ Magazine
Peril in the Park
The final story in this box set involves someone vandalizing the parks and since Kip Simons is now the new director of the parks he is in the thick of things from the start. Someone is vandalizing the parks and decorating it with designs. The commissioners are hoping to build a huge Sapphire Sky Tower and Kip is against it because it will damage the wetlands. There are many players involved and someone is watching Kip, someone else sent a threatening email to Jamie signing it ICU and then things began to happen. As she once again enlists the help of her favorite P.I. Duke he follows the email trail to find out who the vandal might be, who is following them and why someone wants Kip out of the way. Within this novel there are many players and when Kip is in his office and Jamie is about to let him know she arrived just who is the girl leaving and why can’t he tell her exactly what is going on with the parks? Jayashree appears and Jamie wonders just what her role is as she tries to unravel what is going on.
The Ren-Fest is where things happen as they learn more about a young man named Malcolm who was paid by someone close to the parks and the project to follow Kip and Jamie. There are nine commissioners and someone is paying Malcolm so why does he wind up dead?
When Jamie can’t find Kip and things spiral out of control and she calls his cell why does Jayashree say he cannot come to the phone? Why does she question who Jamie is and what is her stake in what is happening? With Duke on her side she just might solve the problem of the vandal and hopefully figure out who killed Malcolm but first who kidnapped Kip and why? Is it because of the money, revenue the project will bring for the area? Is it because Kip is the tie breaking vote? Could it be someone he fired when he got this job? Was it someone passed over for his job? Will he keep the job and decide on another career less stressful?
Intertwined in this story we learn more about her real father, meet his wonderful wife and learn why he has been denied a visa. With the help of her friend Grace and some swift and critical thinking she just might solve the mystery as to why his visa was denied and hopefully get him to America. But, will she ever have ice cream with her father? Will she get him the visa and will she find Kip before the killer strikes again?
Jamie is smart, quick, at times procrastinates when it comes to work and does things at the own pace but somehow manages to stay afloat without sinking her own ship.
There humorous stories and characters that are quirky, smart, funny and definitely not your typical lawyers, P.I.’s or Park Directors as author Barbara Venkataraman brings us a fresh new family lawyer that someone should be practicing criminal law.
Fran Lewis: Just reviews/MJ Magazine
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