Customer Reviews

Revision of Justice

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

 

 

The final sentences of John Morgan Wilson's Revision of Justice are Benjamin Justice's lament for the inevitable ending. "But life doesn't work like that, not even sometimes. I guess that's why they make movies." Unfortunately, those lines could apply to Wilson's novel, too, with a one-word substitution. Revision of Justice is no more realistic or lifelike than the typical Hollywood screenplay, so pat that at times it reads like one. For a series that began surprisingly strongly with Simple Justice, this is tragic.

Unfortunately, the difference between Simple and Revision is clear: in the first book, Wilson focused on character, introducing and developing Benjamin Justice as well as his world and his supporting cast. There, Wilson shone; he created a deeply flawed anti-hero who nonetheless could hold the loyalty of the reader and several stereotype characters (i.e., the grouchy editor with the heart of gold) that broke out of their mold. He also painted the world of West Hollywood vividly and clearly.

In Revision, however, Wilson leaves character development and shifts his focus to plot. That's where it all falls apart. Revision limps clumsily along a pre-ordained story arc, as though it had been created in a beginning writers' workshop. The meat of the mystery is clear from the first chapter, and the reader knows the solution in every detail by page 131 (first hardback edition). The rest of the book alternates between the agonizing wait for Justice to catch up - how many murders will it take? how many innocent people will he hurt in his quest for truth? - and an in-depth depiction of the entertainment industry, with a focus on screenwriting. In fact, large chunks of the this novel would be much more at home in a non-fiction book entitled "An Insider's Guide to Hollywood Screenwriting." Wilson clearly knows this world all too well. If only he had been able to draw the reader into it, as he did with WH in Simple, rather than dissecting it.

Even more painful is the careful alignment of resolutions, as Justice gets his chance to revise his past mistakes. He once abandoned a lover dying of AIDS. In Revision, he finds a guy who looks just like Jacques, the dead lover. Conveniently, this guy is also sick with AIDS, also dying, in a way that gives Justice a chance to replay his abandoment of Jacques, making the right choice this time around. Justice also once falsified a major story for the LA Times, dragging his editor down with him when he falls from grace. In Revision, Justice has the opportunity to pursue truth instead of lies and offer that same editor a major scoop. (It's the truth, this time.)

Second novels are always difficult, especially the second novel in a series. Wilson, despite all of his undeniable writing talent, has stumbled here. But so have a lot of good writers; many went on to better things. Let's hope that the third Justice mystery restores the series to its former glory.

In this the second of John Morgan Wilson mysteries, Benjamin Justice, the sometimes down-and-out writer who fell from grace after he wrote a Pulitzer winning series about a young man's dying of AIDS that was based more on fiction than fact, is back. And some of his friends we met in SIMPLE JUSTICE make return appearances: Maurice and Fred, Justice's gay landlords; Alexandra Templeton, the statuesque African American reporter and Harry Brofsky, Justice's former mentor before he lost his job at a good newspaper.

The victim here is Raymond Farr, an Iranian would-be writer for the movies-- he is HIV positive, and practically everyone who knows him had reason to kill him. The plot is well developed and goes smoothly. What Mr. Wilson does so well in his other novels, he does here: he makes a real flesh and blood person out of Justice. At the beginning of the novel, he is wracked with guilt over the way he treated his lover who has recently died of AIDS-- he wasn't there for him when his lover was dying. Justice, as the title indicates, is able to change. You will like him much more at the end of the novel than you did at the beginning.

Since this tale is about writers trying to get their scripts made into movies, there are many references to old movies and a catalogue of both African American and gay-themed films; additionally Justice keeps running into or just missing stars-- James Caan, Whoopi Goldberg, Robin Williams, Jack Nicholson, to name a few. My favorite is Wilson's description of George Hamilton as the actor best known for his suntan. Wasn't he also known for escorting one of the Johnson daughters during Lyndon Johnson's presidency? Of course, as he does in each of his stories, the author pays tribute to Walter Mosley-- someone is reading A LITTLE YELLOW DOG.

Many of the references to AIDS are almost too painful to read; many of us have had too many of those experiences in the 80's and early 90's. The writer opened up wounds for me that I thought had healed. That is not to say, however, that this is not a great story worth reading.

I have to admit I haven't read the Benjamin Justice Mysteries in order. In fact, I read "Limits of Justice" first and have been backtracking. So I can honestly say this second mystery following "Simple Justice" is not my favorite. However, I really did enjoy the story because the author writes with a style that draws you in with a skill that makes you read right thru not wanting to stop till you get to the end. The story centers around a dead man, Raymond Farr, and how anyone at this Hollywood party might have wanted him dead. Justice begins to nose around and unearths a web of relationships, that finally lead him to the killer. I thought the story dealt very emotionally with Ben's feelings for AIDS stricken Danny Romero, a subject in the murder, and his effort to clear his name in the murder. The ending, yes, was a little obvious, and the murderer easy to figure out, but it's still an interesting read, and very enjoyable. I am glad I read this second mystery by John Wilson, and would recommend all four of his mysteries to anyone.

Wilson continues his Benjamin Justice series of detective novels with this dynamic second entry, set, of course, in Hollywood, among the world of rapacious, do-anything-for-a-break screenwriters, a world Wilson himself apparently knows well from experience.

A young, aspiring screenwriter with too many connections to too may important people with too many secrets is found murdered at a party in the posh home of a prominent screenwriting teacher. Justice, a once promising print reporter felled by scandal, is enlisted to help find the killer by his friend, a hotshot reporter named Alexandra Templeton. Justice agrees for financial reasons, but his heart is dragged into the search as well, as he is determined to clear his new friend Danny Romero of any suspicion of the crime. Danny is HIV positive, just like Ben's late lover Jacques, and Ben experiences a VERTIGO-like moment of déjà vu. (The love scene with Ben and Danny in the AIDS clinic, with Danny nearing death, is electrifying, touching, and erotic.)

If John M. Wilson/Benjamin Justice's Hollywood is any indication, there are practically no nice people in the American movie industry. There certainly aren't in this cast of characters. If someone's not busy clawing his way to the top (or even to the middle rung), then he is busy hiding some secret of a very shady past. The novel has the grime of raw ambition all over it, and chances are you won't find anybody here to whom you will relate. But that is all right. This is probably a more accurate representation of the Hollywood milieu than a lot of people would like to admit. Wilson does it very well. And his sense of character is sharp too. More and more I find myself thinking that Benjamin Justice may well be a more compelling character than Michael Nava's celebrated Henry Rios (and I wouldn't have thought that a few years ago). Justice is no Huggy Bear himself, but he's smart, sardonic, and funny, and he accepts his "loser" status with the stoicism of a wise man.

If one can cite faults here, it is the easiness with which one can guess the killer and Wilson's rather irritating habit of bashing white males and playing up the multicultural aspects of his own cast of characters; there's something in it that smacks of insincerity.

An excellent novel. Just don't go into it looking to be cheered up.

Alcoholic reporter Benjamin Justice reluctantly attends a party for agents and screen writers. However, instead of another tedious party, this time murder is the uninvited guest as Raymond Farr is killed. Benjamin sees the death of the wannabe writer as an opportunity to regain the journalistic prestige that he once lost when he was caught making up a highly regarded series.

The Los Angeles police department is ready to write this investigation off as just another gay murder- not worth expending manpower on the investigation. Benjamin begins to ask questions of the party guests and soon learns that several hated the victim enough to kill him. However, the police begin to believe that Raymond's roommate did it, but Benjamin, who is attracted to the man, thinks differently and continues to investigate, hoping to uncover the identity of the real killer.

The second book in the Justice series does not live up to its great predecessor, SIMPLE JUSTICE, because it lacks the freshness of the debut novel. Benjamin, who received tons of empathy in the first book, comes across as a pathetic loser, who gains no sympathy this time around. This reviewer recommends readers skip this entry and get a copy of SIMPLE JUSTICE to peruse a brilliant novel about a gay amateur sleuth.

Harriet Klausner

A terrific follow-up to Wilson's first novel. Benjamin Justice is beginning to get back on his feet as he helps Alex Templeton research a story on Hollywood. Lots of interesting background, and a great insight into Justice's tortured personality. Wilson also writes strongly and passionately about gay sex. I loved this book!

Neil Plakcy, author of Mahu Surfer: A Hawaiian Mystery (An Alyson Mystery)

This is the first Benjamin Justice book I've read. I have to say that I really liked it, next to Michael Nava's Henry Rios.

At a party filled with directors, actors, screenwriters and other wannabes, Raymond Farr, a.k.a Reza JaFari, an Iranian actor, is found murdered.

Disgraced gay reporter, Justice, has been offered an opportunity to assist Alexandra Templeton in an article regarding the situation. Strapped for cash, Justice has no choice but to participate.

Homophobic detective, Claude DeWinter, strongly believes that Raymond's roommate, Danny Romero, is the murderer. Perhaps against his better judgment, Justice falls hard for Danny. Just one problem...Danny is HIV-positive. However, so was Justice's deceased lover, Jacques. It seems that Justice is reliving and amending his past through Danny.

Meanwhile, Justice has to help finish this article in time. However, the Hollywood people, especially the bigwigs, are giving Justice the runaround by giving him half-truths and lies. Justice has no choice but to ask blunt questions and to trap his interviewees in compromising situations in order to get the answers he need. Justice may be a disgraced reporter but he sure does know the art of reporting.

This book was interesting as it was filled with titles and synopses of old, classic movies. This book was hot in terms of gay sex. Wilson doesn't hold back with sordid details of Justice's sexual encounters with some of the suspects. Whooo...hot!

*Revision of Justice* was a good read that not only focused on solving the murder but also on Justice's personal issues on making amends with his past.

I loved Revision of Justice. Benjamin Justice is beginning the long road back to the world of the living, drawn by his reporter's zeal and his love for Danny Romero, who resembles Ben's dead lover Jacques. Wilson keeps ratcheting up what's at stake in a way that is believable and completely moving.

This just goes to show how subjective Reader Reviews are. I preferred REVISION OF JUSTICE to SIMPLE JUSTICE. While I could admire SIMPLE JUSTICE with a clinical detachment, REVISION OF JUSTICE touched my emotions.

Possibly this one is a little too in-your-face for mainstream readers? But as far as the Justice character being a pathetic loser--well, that's kind of the point. Justice is a lost soul in search of salvation. He gets his chance at it in this sequel, when he takes on the task of clearing AIDS-stricken Danny Romero of the murder of his Hollywood-wannabe roommate. And regardless of Justice's character flaws, Danny is certainly sympathetic. It's a little bit his story too.

Wilson has a bad habit of telegraphing his punches, but the strength of these books doesn't lie in the plot. Wilson's strength is in capturing the moment: the vivid scene that remains imprinted on the mental retina, the memorable phrase that echos in the mind after the last page is turned.

After reading Simple Justice which was hard-hitting and sensitively written, I found Revision of Justice very disappointing. Unlike the first novel, the murderer is so obvious, the mystery plot so thin. Benjamin Justice comes across as a self-pitying bully. The vicious and violent attack on one of the suspects for leaking a story to the press is disgusting because Justice has probably similarly defamed others during his life as a reporter. There is so much similarity between the suspect and Justice that he has to lash out and beat him because he is unsuccessful at killing himself.