Cold Justice [Hardcover]

Jonnie Jacobs (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Dwayne Davis, aka the Bayside Strangler, has been dead for a year when Anne Bailey, a defense lawyer formerly on the prosecution team that got Davis the death penalty, is killed in the Strangler's signature style. Anne's law partner, Kali O'Brien, was also involved in the Davis case and notifies her former boss, San Francisco DA Owen Nelson, of the similarities. Nelson fears that bad press could derail his run for governor and persuades Kali to rejoin the payroll and run the case to forestall cover-up charges. She soon has her hands full as the bodies pile up, and she must deal with woman-hating cop Lou Fortune, creepy stalker Nathan Sloane and a growing suspicion that she could be next on the killer's list. A romantic attraction to Lou's partner, Det. Bryce Keating, further complicates affairs. Former attorney Jacobs (Witness for the Defense) has a magic touch with characters from sleazy Mission Street hoods to political power brokers. Clues sometimes give away too much too soon, but menacing red herrings and Technicolor personalities pace the woman-in-peril plot and sharpen the suspense. The author pulls off the neat trick of featuring a lawyer protagonist in a character-driven police procedural that never sees the inside of a courtroom. This is a smash installment in a popular series that is easy to relate to and relentlessly entertaining.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

This latest in the author's Kali O'Brien series (Shadow of Doubt) pits the San Francisco lawyer against a serial murderer with an agenda. He uses the MO of a serial killer who was recently executed and his first victim happens to be Kali's best friend. Riveting suspense.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 384 pages
• Publisher: Kensington; 1st Printing June 2002 edition (June 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1575668270
• ISBN-13: 978-1575668277
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,698,013 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exquisite!, September 20, 2002

By 

Sherrie Martin "sherchez" (Roanoke, VA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cold Justice (Hardcover)

As this novel of exquisite suspense begins, San Francisco lawyer Kali O'Brien has been stood up for dinner by her friend Anne. And then she gets the shocking news that Anne has been murdered in an apparent copycat killing. Anne's murder is eerily similar to the crimes for which the so-called Bayside Strangler, Dwayne Davis, has recently been executed. Both Anne and Kali helped prosecute Davis 8 years earlier. When a second, and then a third victim, turns up in short order, the heat is on and a team is put together to investigate the new murders and ensure that an innocent man was not executed. The plot is wickedly clever and the tension never lets up as Kali takes a leading role in the investigation and becomes a target for this diabolical killer.

I have only recently discovered Ms. Jacobs's Kali O'Brien series, and I am thoroughly hooked. She now definitely tops my list of favorites.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book!, August 31, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Cold Justice (Hardcover)

I don't think I'll summarize the book because the other reviewers have already done a great job of that. But I've got to say this is my favorite Jonnie Jacobs book so far. If I remember correctly Jacobs' last books were first person viewpoint, from Kali O'Brien's point of view. Cold Justice is third person view point and it told things from not only Kali's perspective but from other characters as well. I felt this gave the reader better knowledge on the other characters' motivations. The only thing that I have a problem with is that Jacobs's minor characters (anyone besides Kali) tend to change with each book. I hope she continues some of the new minor characters in Cold Justice into her next book because they could make for some interesting developments.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Was the wrong man executed?, August 27, 2002

By 

Dawn Dowdle "Mystery Lovers Corner reviewer" (Lynchburg, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cold Justice (Hardcover)

Was Dwayne Davis The Bayside Strangler? He was convicted of 2 of the 5 murders and has recently been executed.

Then Anne Bailey was found murdered. She had worked in the DA's office with Kali O'Brien on the Bayside Strangler case. Kali finds out her friend has been killed and notifies Owen Nelson, DA and candidate for governor, about the slaying because Kali is concerned there are things about Anne's death that are similar to the Bayside Strangler murders. Both Kali and Anne had worked with Owen on that case.

Owen is concerned that publicity of this could kill his run for governor. So he asks Kali to come back to his office and discreetly assist the detectives on this case.

When there are more murders, the press makes the connection and it can no longer be kept quiet. Kali assists the 2 detectives and ends up in danger. Uncertain of who the dangerous one is, she starts accusing those closest to her.

I always like this series. This author is one of my favorites. She has another series as well with a suburban housewife as an amateur sleuth that I love.

I was a little hesitant to read this book as I was afraid it would be filled with gruesome details and be a scary read. That is not the case. The information is presented in a way that you know the danger and type of killing, but it is not dwelled upon.

I recommend this book and both of her series.