Customer Reviews

Justice at Risk: A Benjamin Justice Mystery (Benjamin Justice Mysteries)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Intrigued after reading the previous reviews, I went and purchased this book first, even though I believe it is the 3rd of the series. I won't go into the plot but I will say that the author develops his characters in such a way that you feel as if you really know and care about what happens. Excellent pace to the story. Had me turning pages to find out what happened next. Enjoyed it so much I went and bought 2 of the other novels in the series. Recommended.

There is something about the character of Benjamin Justice that instantly captures the reader's attention and affections. His somewhat dark and brooding exterior, masks a fragility and sensitivity that he is less and less able to control. Benjamin Justice, at his core, exemplifies a gay "everyman" -- there is something about his life that resonates with each of our own life experiences.

This highly sympathetic and likeable character married to an incredibly engaging and fast-moving plot results in a wonderful read. Wilson weaves mystery, romance and self-discovery together in a highly intricate and successful manner. I can't wait for the next volume.

If you are looking for a nice mystery where everything gets worked out almost mathematically in the end, this book is not for you. If, however, you are prepared to be blown away by a story that stetches the very limits of the mystery genre, then this one's for you. Mr. Wilson creates larger-than-life characters, many of whom you will care about desperately. And all the good guys don't win in the end. Sound like life? The novel ends with important questions not answered. Perhaps we'll get those answers in the next in this series if we find out whether or not Benjamin Justice is at risk.

Mr. Wilson, through the main character and narrator, Ben Justice, grapples with difficult subjects: corruption in the LA Police Department--there are references to the Rodney King debacle--corruption in the newspaper media, the insanity of "barebacking." Along with Justice, we meet again Harry and Templeton as well as Justice's older landlords. (Actually they're touring Europe on a sort of second honeymoon while Justice looks after their animals and housesits for them.)

Wilson secondarily has almost written a travelogue for a great part of Los Angeles. I got a better feel for this city from him than I have gotten from other "serious" travel writers.

Early in the novel, Ben stops at a mystery bookstore to buy the last copy of Walter Mosley's GONE FISHIN', as Wilson once again pays tribute to another fine California mystery writer.

I really enjoyed this third Benjamin Justice novel. Ben is such a wonderful character, and now that he has turned 40, things are looking up for him. He's got a new job at a Public Broadcasting Station writing a documentary series on AIDS and bare-back riding, a very controversial new trend. Justice and his new associate producer go looking for the episode's producer, Tommy Callahan, who hasn't been heard from in over a week. Tommy is later found murdered. It's from this point on in the story that Ben gets involved in solving this mystery, and his life gets turned upside down, and backwards. At the same time, Ben is struggling with his love life, infatuated with Peter, the associate producer ( a blond beauty) and Oree, a sophisticated gentlemen more his own age.

There's always plenty of surprises in John Wilson's novels, and this one is one of his best. You just can't wait to get to the end to find out how everything is going to turn out. And the characters are always so well-developed you feel like they could be your friends. I read his last mystery, "The Limits of Justice" first, so now I am working on his previous three. It's best if you can start from his first one, and read the whole series in order, although each book stands on its own. If you like mysteries, you'll really enjoy this one, I did.

I love the Justice series. There's something about Ben that you have to love. He may be a bit gruff and uncontrollable sometimes in speech and action, but he is a likable and sympathetic character.That's why JUSTICE AT RISK was such a shock. More than halfway through the book, Ben is in too deep and his life suddenly takes a drastic turn. He was already trying to get his life together after the previous two novels, but a big blow is dropped and I guess life isn't supposed to go the way you want it to.

Not only is Ben in trouble. But Harry and Alexandra, Ben's close friends, and by the end of the book you really don't know what is next for any of them.

I want to thank the author for leaving me anxious now and in complete suspense. I really wish the fourth book was available so I can continue peeking into the hectic lives of all, but most importantly, Ben's. His health(mental and physical) is driving me buggy and I may have to buy the book in hardback instead of waiting for the PB release. That's just too long.

I would actually have given this book 2 and 1/2 stars, but I decided to round down. There are four main problems with this book, and the entire Ben Justice series in general; 1) the ridiculous ease in which Justice is able to get information out of people. Friends, colleagues, even strangers who are unwilling to talk to the police happily confess all to Justice, and it's a bit unbelievable. 2) The romance between Ben and another character is very hard to swallow, and very unconvincing. 3) So many tragedies occur to Ben Justice that it almost becomes a parody. I almost expected Ben to find out that he was adopted on the last page! 4) The resolution is rushed and unsatisfactory. It's one thing to leave some plotlines hanging and a few doors open, but at the end there are characters that literally disappear without any dramatic resonance. I'd give an example, but I don't want to spoil the book for anyone that hasn't read it. This book was a disappointing entry in the Justice series.

I like this series because the most difficult questions are raised and the author faces them with honesty and fearlessness. He isn't afraid to take us all the way down the darkest corridors of ourselves or of the society we have created. I read and re-read all of them and ask myself the same questions, Justice asks. What is desire? If we follow it, where will it take us? What is honesty and when is it useful, when distructive? How do we deal with the persistance of slings and arrows, especially as we get older? And the terrible reality of not knowing ever, really, why we do what we do. Wilson asks more than this, following the answers relentlessly toward often ambiguous conclusions. These books are thought provoking as well as entertaining. Tough stuff, but irresistible and memorable.

I enjoyed all of his novels very much. The one where he was slowly coming out of his alcoholic stage with great support from friends. The second where he stumbles on to a mystery.

This one however took a very different turn. This one literally took his own life in danger by not listening to the warning signs. For one I would never have followed Cahill, I believe that was his name into that dark corridor. It was like going into a dark alley to talk to someone. I guess he was looking for answers and not watching for the dangers. The ending was rather sad but he finally found someone again. I hope John will have a better ending to the test (If you read the novel you will know what I am talking about). I am one who loves happy endings. Life is so full of disappointments sometimes I get tired of reading it in novels. I hope in the next novel he will get reprieved and learn his lesson. However it turns out I will still read it because I love his novels. Good luck to him and his new love.

I just finished reading this book. I found it a good read. I found the main charachter very realistic.