A Brady Novel of Suspense (Joanna Brady Mysteries Book 11)

Another well written book in this series! It was weird reading this one because I usually listen to the series, but seeing the characters names and knowing how they are really pronounced was interesting! This book has Joanna running around EVERYWHERE it felt like! She was dealing with a murder in her jurisdiction (and those poor dogs!!!) that may be connected to two murders in another area. Then someone smuggling illegals into the country with no care for their lives. An inmate also dies. And on top of that, she has events to go to as sheriff and to make appearances with the election coming up! (And did I mention a health thing too??) She definitely stayed busy!! I loved how it wasn't one thing going on. It shows how police departments really work instead of only having to deal with one case at a time! Next please!!

Carol Mossman, a dog hoarder, is shot through her locked trailer door. Unfortunately she has no electricity, so the seventeen dogs trapped in there with her die of the overwhelming heat before she’s found later that day. Two other women are found dead in another county and what ties them together are that the bullets were all made in 1917. Sharing info with other agencies is needed to solve not only these murders, but right wrongs connected to them.

Lots of stuff is going on at the home front as well. Joanna’s period is one week late and she’s not only doing her job as sheriff, but is also spending quite a bit of time campaigning for reelection. It’s going to be an interesting campaign as her opponent sets the Sheriff up for bad, unjustified publicity; although that just might work in Joanna’s favor in the long run. Some expect her to drop out due to the pregnancy and others are thrilled that she’s staying with it.

We’re faced with some uncomfortable truths in a number of areas. As someone who lives in the Midwest and not nearly as familiar with challenges due to illegal aliens crossing the border, what we learn is kind of disturbing on a number of fronts. The topic of dog hoarding and why is addressed, as is incest and polygamy.

The mystery itself is interesting and the whodunit was somewhat surprising, although it makes sense. I love that with Joanna we find not only a tough, effective sheriff who isn’t afraid to fill in when her detectives need help, but also makes decisions based on compassion, even knowing it could come back and bite her in the butt later. The supporting cast of characters is a great deal more than frames that bring Joanna’s character to life. Each is interesting and adds their own personalities to the stories.

Read from a library book.

Carol Mossman lives in a trailer on her grandmother's land, and at the moment it's without electricity because she cannot pay the bill. Carol works, but doesn't make enough money to provide for her own needs plus those of the 17 dogs she has "rescued." Now, though, she's looking forward to what for her looks like a big payday. She will be paid for an interview with two journalists. On the morning when those journalists are due to show up, someone Carol doesn't want to see shows up first; and although she locks her doors against the would-be intruder, it's not enough. The visitor shoots Carol through the trailer door, and she dies from a mortal wound without being able to call for help. By the time she's found, her dogs - trapped inside the trailer on a roasting hot desert day without power for the air conditioning - are dead, too.

Sheriff Joanna Brady never asked to have Animal Control placed under her command, but she does her best to provide support to that unit's tiny, overwhelmed staff. A dog lover herself, Joanna is horrified by Carol Mossman's murder and saddened to learn that animal hoarders like Carol suffer from a mental illness that often has its roots in childhood sexual abuse. She's also horrified by an accident in which a smuggler of illegal aliens rolls a crowded SUV, and kills most of his passengers while escaping practically unharmed because he was the only one wearing a seat belt. Sheriff Brady is determined to solve both crimes. She undertakes this just as it's time to decide whether or not she will run for re-election, a daunting task to take on while also performing her job; and then she discovers that she's pregnant. Of course her mother thinks she should stand down from the campaign, stop trying to be sheriff, and stay at home to have and raise her baby...but Joanna doesn't live by her mother's rules. And neither, thankfully, does her second husband, novelist and former restaurant owner Butch Dixon.

Once again author Jance writes a well paced, suspenseful tale that's driven by its characters, not merely inhabited by them. The regulars, Joanna's family, friends, and employees, change and grow from book to book; and so does Joanna. The characters who appear in this story only are also well drawn and far from black and white. For me this was a "can't put it down" read.

--Reviewed by Nina M. Osier, author of 2005 science fiction EPPIE winner "Regs"

Yep...Joanna Brady is pregnant...and running for reelection. The unspooling of her life continues to be really interesting and forms the backdrop to the mayhem and murder that plagues the Cochise County. One of the themes running through Exit Wounds involves animal hoarding and we learn what is oftentimes sadly behind the misguided efforts of such people to accumulate more animals than they can support. The author deftly weaves the story of Carol Mossman, the hoarder trying to care for eighteen dogs, with that of her grandmother who resides at an assisted living facility, and, eventually, the many other members of her family. Before long, Joanna is faced with three murders, including that of the dog hoarder, that appear to be connected to one another, the other two occurring in neighboring Hidalgo County, New Mexico. When Carol Mossman's father shows up from down Mexico way, the story becomes really convoluted, in a horrifying way. I think readers will find their fortitudes tested in ways unlike with other Jance Brady novels, but the story is compelling. As usual, Brady has trouble juggling family life and her sheriffing duties, but she does find a way to add a couple of new members to the menagerie at High Lonesome Ranch, now that Sadie is gone. For his part, Butch, Joanna's Grade A husband, might have some good news that will please readers. Exit Wounds is a powerful entry in the Joanna Brady series, which continues to provide good reason to follow the work of J. A. Jance. Although folks are always ending up dead, it is really the relationships that Joanna enjoys (in the broad sense of this word) with her family, friends, and enemies in Bisbee that keeps me moving on through this series of novels. I heartily recommend them for readers who like stories with strong characterizations, multiple intersecting plot lines, and unpredictable denouements. Good stuff.

The prologue contains most of the action, the body of the book goes into more detail from a different viewpoint. Why the killing is the question and the deaths of the woman's dogs is of no consequence to that action. But the dogs play a role in the family life of Sheriff Joanna Brady; she acquires two dogs of her own to replace the family pet who died of complications of age.In getting the new dogs we are introduced to the concept of dog sign language and to the deep seated fear that can be introduced by harsh treatment of man's greatest friend. The killing of the woman to prevent her telling a sad tale of child marriage, incest, and patriarchal rule to some free lance TV reporters is well reported by Jance; as far as I am concerned it held my interest throughout the book. Jance did her customary job of writing well, and of having a well plotted story. The big problem is in continuity; it is almost a given that one book leads to another, back story is minimal but is this a trick to force the reader to get previous novels to find the characteristics of so many of the characters in each book? Fortunately I have every book on Sheriff Brady/Dixon and enjoy them all; I hope all others are so fortunate.

Sheriff Joanna Brady's first husband, Andy was running for Sheriff in Cochise County, Arizona when he was shot by drug dealers. Joanna ran and was elected Sheriff. She and Butch, her new husband, and her daughter Jenny are adjusting to their new lives. They have just built and moved into a new home.
Carol Mossman is found murdered in her trailer. Her 16 dogs are also found dead in her hot trailer. Joanna makes sure she is involved in every homicide investigation and is called out to this one. While there, it is discovered that somehow one puppy was still outside in the pen and survived. She takes it home with her. Recently one of their dogs, Sadie had died. Jenny loves having a new puppy to look after.
Joanna goes out to the Animal Shelter to speak with Animal Control Officer Jeannine Phillips who has lodged a complaint that Joanna didn't follow procedure with the puppy. Recently Animal Control has come under Joanna's control. She finds out that if animals aren't adopted in 72 hours, they are euthanized. She finds a blue-eyed Australian shepherd that is about to be "gone" and adopts her. Later she finds out the dog is afraid of men. This proves to be interesting when she takes her home to meet Butch.
A speeding Suburban full of illegals overturns killing many of them. Joanna is involved in searching for the driver and bringing him to justice. She is appalled by the number of people that had been riding in the suburban.
The air conditioning in the local jail isn't working. Joanna gets people in place to be able to bring all the prinsoners out to the yard while they get the a/c working again. Something goes wrong and one man is found dead. There is an investigation to find out exactly what happened.
This is an election year and many factors play into Joanna's decision about running. Throw in her meddling mother and Joanna has more than she can handle at times.
This series is terrific. I enjoy reading about her many escapades. Joanna always gets down to work and with the help of her staff finds the guilty parties.
This new installment in this series is a book you will not want to put down. I read it in 24 hours!
J. A. Jance has done her research. The plot, characters and setting are all well-written and very alive.
I am glad to find this book only having Joanna Brady. I enjoyed the last book that paired her up with J. P. Beaumont (from the other series she writes), but I prefer them in separate books.
I highly recommend this book and the whole series.

Sheriff Joanna Brady investigates the murder of a woman found in her trailer with her seventeen dead dogs.
Another murder occurs on the same day involving the same gun and suddenly the investigation gets a lot more complicated than just the question of who would want to kill a down-on-her- luck animal lover. In the course of her investigation we learn about "hoarding", a compulsion to take in stray dogs and cats in order to "save" them usually brought on by childhood abuse. In addition to this crime, Joanna must deal with her re-election and the dirty dealings of her running mate, another crime involving a illegal immigrants, her pregnancy, and her on-going strained relationship with her mother. There is a lot of Joanna's plate, but she handles it with fortitude
J.A. Jance's books are always rich in characterization. Joanna has been a long journey since the beginning of the series and each of the characters continues to grow. Each book is a stand-alone novel and Jance takes quite a bit of time in the beginning of the novel explaining earlier events. This part of the book dragged a bit for me. After the first 100 pages the pace picked up considerably. Jance can always be counted on the write a compelling story.

I thoroughly enjoyed this latest installment in the Joanna Brady mystery series. The story literally starts out with a bang when an eccentric loner, Carol Mossman, is murdered by someone who shoots her right through the locked door of her mobile home. Carol Mossman's murder is discovered by one of Joanna Brady's deputies, sent out to check on Ms. Mossman's 17 dogs which she is "hoarding". Tragically, the dogs have been trapped in the un-air-conditioned mobile home and all are found dead from the heat, along with their mistress. The story develops rapidly from there.
Along with solving the Mossman murder, Joanna is kept busy juggling many other personal and professional responsibilities. Shortly after the murder is discovered, Joanna realizes a happy surprise--she is pregnant! Joanna is also swamped with campaign obligations in her quest for re-election as sheriff of Cochise County. Then another incident happens in Cochise County where a car loaded with 20 illegal immigrants overturns and many are killed in the accident. And did I mention that all this happens over the Fourth of July holiday weekend? Ms. Jance continues to develop all the characters introduced in the series so far. However, even if you are new to this series, you should have no trouble picking up the story and the characters.
It seemed ironic to me that the general public of Cochise County cared more about the dogs who died in Carol Mossman's overheated trailer than the score of immigrants hurt or killed in a car accident. Not only was this novel a very enjoyable mystery, but the author's comments on "hoarding" and smuggling immigrants across the border illegally were good points.
With all that is going on in Joanna Brady's life, the next story in this series is bound to be another great read!

EXIT WOUNDS again has Joanna Brady's capable hands full with perhaps a serial killer and an election campaign. Her opponents pull nasty stunts, but Joanna and her friends/family fight back.
Arizona temperatures soar above 100 degrees and caught in the vicious aftermath of a savage killing are the animals that have been befriended by murder victim, Carol Mossman. They are left to die by suffocation in the victim's metal trailer.
Interwoven in this engaging tale is J.A. Jance's love of dogs and it comes as no surprise when Joanna's family add a few more dogs. The sheriff must put all side issues away as she hunts for a murder who has killed three times with an 85 year-old bullet.
A excellent addition to the fine series.
Writing as a Small BusinessSins of the Fathers: A Brewster County NovelGuns Across the Rio: A Texas Ranger in Old Mexico

Sheriff Joanna Brady has her hands full with an election campaign, unexpected pregnancy, and her house-husband Butch's frustrating career as a novelist. But when a woman is killed and her seventeen dogs die in the woman's non-air-conditioned trailer, Brady is plunged into mystery. The first murder is followed by two more--with the same weapon signature. But the deeper Brady digs, the uglier she things look. The dead woman was already a victim--of child abuse so severe it made her incapable of holding a steady job and turned her into a hoarder for dogs. Brady swears she'll find the killer, but can any punishment be enough for what has happened?
Author J. A. Jance writes a compelling and exciting mystery shot-through with authentic visions of the desert mountains of Arizona. Brady is well developed as a character--with a rich but complicated family life and the drive to serve as sheriff. A subplot involving a SUV crash that killed a number of undocumented aliens being smuggled across the border from Mexico deepens the story and adds emotional depth.
J. A. Jance has written a series of novels featuring Sheriff Joanna Brady and EXIT WOUNDS may be the best I've read so far. I couldn't put the book down and was practicaly out of breath when I finished it. EXIT WOUNDS may be read independently of the other books in the series.

Though she is pregnant and struggling with morning sickness, Arizona sheriff Joanna Brady feels she still can campaign for reelection. Though stuffing her face makes her vn more nauseous, she runs from one hot dog event to another as she seeks votes while constituents celebrate the Fourth of July holiday.
However, her reelection bid goes on the backburner when Joanna learns that a homicide occurred. Someone shot and killed Carol Mossman in a mobile home amidst seventeen dead dogs that were victims of the cruel summer heat. Later ballistics proves the weapon used in the Mossman murder was also used in the killing of two females in New Mexico. Joanna begins to look into the life of the victim in her jurisdiction and she finds a link that ties Carol's father to the Brethren cult that is under investigation because of allegations made by the Lobo State victims.
This is a strong entry in one of the better police procedural series on the market today. In many ways, the tale will remind the audience of Fargo, but with the added issue of running for office. The who-done-it is cleverly designed and Joanna is learning the hard way how difficult it is to work while throwing up. J.A. Jance further humanizes one of the better-fictionalized law enforcement officials in this top rate tale.
Harriet Klausner

I enjoyed the way in which Jance wove social issues (animal hoarding, immigrant smuggling, etc.) into an entertaining story. Joanna Brady is an interesting and likable protagonist but in this book she almost has a little too much on her plate. She's newly pregnant, has adopted two new pets into her home, her husband is starting to become despondent over his stalled career as an aspiring novelist, her older daughter is starting to compete in rodeo barrel racing, a woman is shot dead in her mobile home with her dogs trapped inside in 100+ degree heat, an SUV overloaded with illegal immigrants rolls over killing many....how much more can we pack in here?!
I still enjoyed the book but just felt that this time Jance was trying too hard. Poor Joanna Brady is only human, not a superwoman, but Jance (and Brady!) seems determined to prove otherwise.

Other reviewers have discussed the plot. Sheriff Brady is called to the scene of a woman's murder. Detectives discover seventeen dogs in the woman's house, all of whom suffocated to death. The dead woman turns out to be Carol Mossman, who has held a series of low-paying inconsequential jobs before ending up in this trailer owned by her grandmother.
Jance, a seasoned best-selling author, plays fair with the readers while delivering a page-turner. We look over Sheriff Brady's shoulder as she investigates. Two newswomen were murdered in the same style: is a serial killer loose? What was Mossman trying to keep quiet? And what is the role of her definitely
dysfunctional family?
Although the mystery holds attention, the real action takes place in Sheriff Brady's personal life. By marrying her off to a novelist who does the housework, author Jance has avoided the fate of most married detective heroines: losing their edge. Husband Butch cooks great meals and raises teenage daugher Jenny, while her mother continues to disapprove of whatever Sheriff Brady does, on or off the job.
And early in the book, Joanna Brady gets a surprise that will create interesting subplots in volumes to come.
Jance's novel goes down as smooth as a good scotch. She's a real pro even when she delivers a searing message. As a dog-lover, she must have had a hard time writing about the way dogs suffer, and it's not surprising that the Brady household acquires more dogs during hte course of the action. I think the author's heart was touched as much as her heroine's.
I'm not surprised by the number of women who appear here: a female sheriff, a minister, and more. It's not uncommon to experience women in those roles. By creating a superman husband, Jance allows her heroine to focus on her sheriff role, bypassing traditional female obligations.
The characters don't have the staying power of other heroines, such as Anna Pigeon or Bennie Rosato. The focus is on action, no-nonsense and get-the-job-done. This approach may be anchored in the author's southwestern roots, where tough women work on ranches, ride horseback and do their jobs. Jance herself comes across as tough and straight-shooting (I saw her sign books in Tucson). Sandra Day O'Connor is cut from the same cloth.
Heroine Joanna Brady would probably find a soul sister in Shirley McClintock, heroine of the series by B. J. Oliphant, or Texana Jones, Allana Martin's heroine . You may not agree with their southwestern values, which remain conservative in many ways. But you have to respect their grit and determination to get the job done. And you have to respect the skill of author J. A. Jance, who makes it look easy.

Jance brings us another suspense filled story of Sheriff Joanne Brady as she fights crime in southern Arizona. The atrocious acts that of crimes that are committed against women by the polygamist Brethan in the name of God and the Church are all too true and awful. Through the story she shows us how these illegal acts affect not only the victims, but society in general/
A tight knit plot with lots of thought provoking twists and fascinating details makes this a book hard to put down.

Another winner for Jance in the Joanna Brady series. I have read all of the books in the series and am currently reading the next installment, Dead Wrong. I love the Joanna Brady series and will not miss one. Jance has got a real winner here. I like this series far more that the J.P. Beaumont series. Also, there is no need to read the other books in the series before picking up this one. Jance brings everyone up to speed without any confusion if you start a book in the middle of the series. Great characterizations and storyline.

This is the second Joanna Brady mystery I've read buy MS Jance and I really enjoyed it. I will not go into details about the story since others have done that but I will say that until I read Exit Wounds, I was unaware of the polygamy cults that inhabit the "strip" on the Arizona/Utah border. It was weird that I read the book and then heard a story on the news about that same subject!
The story held my interest all the way through and I liked the way she drew the characters. The pacing was also top notch. I am now adding her to my must read list.

The premise of this book is interesting, but falls flat. The lead character is a female sheriff who is up for re- election. Her character needed to be developed more as did the rest of the characters. The plot was boring at times, predictable and repetitious. The audio CD performance left much to be desired. The narrator's range was limited. Overall, I would not waste your time with this book, especially on CD.

If you like this book you will probably like "Bless the Child" by Cathy Cash Spellman. They are very similar. This book can be summed up in one word, simple: simple-minded, simple characters, simple plot (applied loosely), and simple premise. What a contrived piece of garbage!

I can't describe everything wrong with this book because there's not enough time. If it's meant to be a mystery it sucks because you figure out who did it about halfway through. If it's meant to empower women it sucks because the women are either victims, in denial, weak, worried about what everyone thinks, or oblivious. If it's meant to promote animal adoptions it sucks because the author's plea for that is irritating. That's how bad this book is! It can make an animal lover say that its plea for more animal adoptions was annoying.

This author has no style. The book reads like an episode of inside edition. There is no immersion into the story. The total lack of character development leaves you with no compassion for them. As a reader I felt completely outside the story; an uncaring observer of a poorly described scenario. The attempts to tug at my heartstrings were laughable. I've been more moved by the appearance of colorful weeds on my lawn. The only reason I read the whole thing was that my neighbor recommended it and loaned it to me. Do not waste your time.

I must say though that this novel was inspirational. If this crap can make the best seller list, it gives me hope that my original fiction might get published.

This was my first Jance novel. I enjoyed it immensely. I was surprised until the last page about "who done it" I learned some things about why people keep such large packs of pets. Jance's descriptions made me want to visit the desert. In conversation one evening to a person from the same area, I learned that her descriptions were indeed accurate. This won't be my last Jance novel. Hope the others are this good.

If you like this book you will probably like "Bless the Child" by Cathy Cash Spellman. They are very similar. This book can be summed up in one word, simple: simple-minded, simple characters, simple plot (applied loosely), and simple premise. What a contrived piece of garbage!

I can't describe everything wrong with this book because there's not enough time. If it's meant to be a mystery it sucks because you figure out who did it about halfway through. If it's meant to empower women it sucks because the women are either victims, in denial, weak, worried about what everyone thinks, or oblivious. If it's meant to promote animal adoptions it sucks because the author's plea for that is irritating. That's how bad this book is! It can make an animal lover say that its plea for more animal adoptions was annoying.

This author has no style. The book reads like an episode of inside edition. There is no immersion into the story. The total lack of character development leaves you with no compassion for them. As a reader I felt completely outside the story; an uncaring observer of a poorly described scenario. The attempts to tug at my heartstrings were laughable. I've been more moved by the appearance of colorful weeds on my lawn. The only reason I read the whole thing was that my neighbor recommended it and loaned it to me. Do not waste your time.

I must say though that this novel was inspirational. If this crap can make the best seller list, it gives me hope that my original fiction might get published.

This was my first Jance novel. I enjoyed it immensely. I was surprised until the last page about "who done it" I learned some things about why people keep such large packs of pets. Jance's descriptions made me want to visit the desert. In conversation one evening to a person from the same area, I learned that her descriptions were indeed accurate. This won't be my last Jance novel. Hope the others are this good.

Sheriff Brady is faced with an interesting mystery involving three dead bodies connected by bullets from almost a century ago. This has the makings of a very good mystery, but the book moves at too slow of a pace. Meanwhile, our hero battles morning sickness as she and Butch are starting their own family (is this the beginning of the end of the series as we know it?). The side stories are not as good in this book as they are in most of the Brady books. Overall, I was disappointed.

Sheriff Joanna Brady is back, along with her husband Butch, and all her familiar deputies and side characters. The problem with this book is that it leaves way too much up in the air to be answered/solved in the next book. Although the crimes are reprehensible, they are wrapped up rather neatly, with one bad guy getting killed, and another one giving a key confession, with very little work from the sheriff. It was interesting enough to keep me guessing until the end of the book. However, the ending was also wrapped up rather neatly. It's an okay book, but I think I like some of the other mysteries that came out this Summer a lot better.

For all the hype, (NY Times Bestseller??!!!), I was absolutley floored by how bad this book was. The writing is so poor I had trouble concentrating on the plot, which was probably a good thing.

How many times can each character say something "grimly"? Other repetitions with adjectives, verbs and adverbs (often in the same paragraph) drove me to distraction. Someone please buy Jance a Thesaurus.

Conversations between characters were vacuous, and Joanna's thoughts in italics were just plain stupid. Did I mention the exclamation points? That's 12th grade stuff, folks. Who the heck was the editor on this book?

The only mystery about this book was why I read the whole thing. Guess I wanted to see how truly bad it was, and I was not disappointed.

If you want good tight writing and twisting plots, try Karin Slaughter's books.

This is yet another unusual J.A. Jance mystery. I can agree with other reviewers that the preaching about taking care of animals does run a bit thin. However, this is a great book. It is more adult than any earlier work, and some Mormons may object to the cult in this book. However, this book is so different than so many others and is a great mystery. I'd recommend this one to anyone over 16.

Exit Wounds

is a disturbing book for envious cat and ferret owners to read. Although tragic, on a heartwarming level it is likely to be appreciated by 'committed' dog owners. It deals with the abusive deaths of a dozen innocent dogs slain by an incompetent who under- ventilates a shelter, then leaves the dogs, toilet seat down, confined in the overheated desert with the unbearable stench of an unpalatable dead human. A corrupt lawperson illegally takes the sole underaged survivor home as a potential sex slave of a family friend instead of properly consulting a kindly officer entrusted with such problems, herself a victim of the lawperson's budgetary mismanagment. The survivor is found in a makeshift shelter outside, where fortunately much of the psychological damage of vicious loss of the entire community was minimized. Although swift justice to the corrupt official is thwarted through political influence, the incompetent dog killer is at last punished. By pluck and personality the survivor ascends to a role as a security advisor to the now-contrite lawperson, which leads in turn to a rewarding career.

B. Musemeus