by J. A. Jance
Part of Joanna Brady, book 2
First published 1995
JoAnna Brady has just won an unlikely election. After her husband Andy's murder led her to expose a major drug operation, supporters urged the widow to continue his sheriff campaign. With her father's legacy as a beloved former sheriff behind her, JoAnna decided to run and claimed victory. Now she faces the reality of leading law enforcement in Cochise County, Arizona, as the first woman to hold the position. JoAnna brings years of navigating bureaucratic systems, but police work presents entirely new challenges. She refuses to become another administrator shuffling papers from behind a desk. The job demands real leadership in the field, and JoAnna must prove herself capable of both the political maneuvering and the dangerous realities of criminal investigation that come with wearing the badge.
Genres: suspense, mystery, crime, thriller
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, underdog
Setting: Cochise County, Arizona
Period: 20th-century
408 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Avon