In Breach of Duty, after a three year hiatus, J.A. Jance resumes her Seattle-based mystery series featuring homicide detective Jonas Piedmont Beaumont. The novel begins on Lake Chelan (in eastern Washington State) as Beau scatters his grandfather's ashes in the water. The reflective moment offers Jance a perfect opportunity to get new readers up to speed with her hero (and offers a quick refresher course for the many ongoing Jance fans). Beau has struggled through a hard life of alcoholism and two failed marriages, but now, just maybe, he's pulled things together. After his return to Seattle, his new partner, Sue Danielson, bombards him with two cases and a number of leads. A 67-year-old woman named Agnes Ferman burned to death in her bed. After $300,000 was discovered in her garage, the police rightly began to suspect murder. At almost the same time, a group of teenagers discovered the long-dead body of a Native American man--possibly connected to recent hate crime. Sue and Beau plunge into both cases while they begin to learn a bit more about each other.

One of the pleasures of Beau's narrative is his constant, unspoken (and often hilariously sarcastic) asides to the reader. Meanwhile, Beau's sensitivity to Sue and her personal struggles suggest great promise for this couple. In the end, a diverse collection of oddball characters, a comprehensive sense of Seattle and environs, and a strong pairing of mystery plots make this another winning installment in Jance's much-beloved series. The tale of J.P. Beaumont began with Until Proven Guilty in 1985, and has included award-winners Without Due Process and Failure to Appear among its 14 books. --Patrick O'Kelley


From Publishers Weekly
In his 14th outing (and first in three years), Seattle homicide detective J.P. Beaumont (Name Withheld, etc.) finds, along with his new partner, Sue Danielson, that seemingly ho-hum investigations grow in grim complexity even as personal distractions multiply. The pair has been assigned to investigate the arson death of Agnes Ferman, a woman disliked by just about everyone; the more than $300,000 found tucked away in her garage points to plenty of suspects. In Seattle's Seward Park, meanwhile, a group of costumed, role-playing teens have been using human bones in their games. Beau is warned that the bones may be those of Quinault shaman David Half Moon, and that anyone handling them is in grave danger. Beau scoffs, but when some of those associated with the investigation meet violent ends, he and Sue develop open minds. Adding texture to the doings are Sue's troubles centering around the sudden reappearance of her violent ex-husband, who, uncharacteristically, wants to take their sons on a dream trip to Disneyland. A coincidence?that most of the Seward Park suspects regularly congregate at one of Beau's haunts?stains the narrative, but otherwise Jance, as usual, relates a clean and tightly woven plot distinguished by authentic dialogue, honest emotions and characters readers will care about. Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal
In Jance's 14th J.P. Beaumont mystery, the Seattle police detective investigates the death of an elderly woman burned in her bed and a series of incidents related to an apparent curse on the stolen bones of a Native American shaman. The former is complicated by the $300,000 discovered in the woman's refrigerator and the latter by the inference of Beaumont's peevish new commander. The investigation of the shaman's curse is highly entertaining, and Jance, as usual, paints a vivid picture of life in the Pacific Northwest, but she slows down the action too often with supposedly enlightening insight into the characters' personal lives: Beaumont's continuing recovery from alcoholism, the death of his grandfather, his partner's violent ex-husband, the terminal illness of another policeman's wife. Jance juggles the various elements unsatisfactorily, seemingly forgetting the initial murder for a long stretch. A children-in-danger element is more unpleasant in audio than in print. Gene Engene's gruff reading, however, perfectly fits Beaumont's world weariness. Recommended only for the largest popular collections.AMichael Adams, CUNY Graduate Ctr., New York Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From AudioFile
Followers of Detective J.P. Beaumont are probably rushing to grab this release, the fourteenth in the Beaumont series. Unfortunately, neither the plot nor the reading by Gene Engene makes a stampede worthwhile. "Bo" Beaumont and his recent female partner are asked to investigate the death by fire of an elderly woman. The police pair soon find themselves entangled in event after event. Engene's narration is too slow and deliberate, reminding the listener of a David Brinkley newscast. All Engene's characters sound the same. Even more annoying is the obvious background noise in the studio, including the turning of pages. A.L.H. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine


Seattle Times
"San Francisco has Dashiell Hammett, Boston has Robert B. Parker, Fort Lauderdale boasts John D. MacDonald. Seattle has J.A. Jance."


Dallas Morning News
"Jance has brought us yet another winner!"



"San Francisco has Dashiell Hammett, Boston has Robert B. Parker, Fort Lauderdale boasts John D. McDonald...Seattle has J.A. Jance."



"Jance has brought us yet another winner!"


People
Praise for J.A. Jance: "Jance delivers a devilish page-turner."



"A dillusioned, cynical hero in the classic hard-boiled tradition."


Entertainment Weekly
"Taut . . . entertaining."


Orlando Sentinel
"Credible and entertaining."


Washington Times
"J.A. Jance does not disappoint her fans."


Dallas Morning News
"Suspenseful, action-packed."


Book Description
The Seattle that Beau knew as a young policeman is disappearing. The city is awash in the aromas emanating from a glut of coffee bars, the neighborhood outside his condo building has sprouted gallery upon gallery, and even his long cherished diner has evolved into a trendy eatery for local hipsters. But the glam is strictly surface, for the grit under the city's fingernails is caked with blood. Beau and his new partner Sue Danielson, a struggling single parent, are assigned the murder of an elderly woman torched to death in her bed. As their investigation proceeds, Beau and Sue become embroiled in a perilous series of events that will leave them and their case shattered -- and for Beau nothing will ever be the same again.


Download Description
"New York Times bestselling author J.A. Jance presents another extraordinary adventure featuring hard-bitten homicide detective J.P. Beaumont, in the series that earned Jance the American Mystery Award. The Seattle that Beau knew as a young policeman is disappearing. The city is awash in the aromas emanating from a glut of coffee bars; the neighborhood outside his condo building has sprouted gallery upon gallery; and even his long-cherished diner has evolved into a trendy eatery for local hipsters. But the glam is strictly surface, for the grit under the city's fingernails is caked with blood. Beau and his new partner, Sue Danielson, a struggling single parent, are assigned the murder of an elderly woman -- torched to death in her bed. As their investigation proceeds, Beau and Sue become embroiled in a perilous series of events that will leave them and their case shattered. And for Beau, nothing will ever be the same again."


About the Author
New York Times bestselling author J.A. Jance was born in South Dakota, brought up in Bisbee, Arizona, and now lives with her husband in Seattle, Washington, and Tucson, Arizona.

FROM OUR EDITORS

The Barnes & Noble Review
J. A. Jance has a very easygoing, intimate literary style, which always guarantees a good read — so much so, in fact, that it's easy to overlook how fresh and sharply observed her writing is. Too many writers think style is something that needs to call attention to itself. Jance, a wily pro, knows better. Her new J. P. Beaumont novel, about an all-too-human Seattle detective, shows just how much of a pro she is. There are two main plotlines here, one dealing with an elderly woman who died alone with $300,000 stashed in her garage; and the other with some kids who stumble upon the remains of a Native-American shaman. Beaumont, being the suspicious type, wonders if the kids know more than they're saying, especially given the hate crimes that have been going on. Jance gives us some bedazzling glimpses of shamanism among Native Americans and ties these cleverly into the story line. Nice plotlines. But what makes them even nicer, what raises them above the too-familiar, is the telling. Right before he died, John D. MacDonald did an interview in which he said that the writers he really admired were not the overnight successes, but rather those whose careers grew slowly and carefully. They learned something with each book, and just got better and better. Judy Jance started out as a very good teller of tales. She also started out with a knack for character and mood. She even took some risks with her hero. He wasn't a white-hatted fuzz complete with all the Dirty Harry mannerisms. He was a real human being. All these books later, Beaumont is even more of a human being because, asJance'stalent has grown, so has her risk-taking. She gives Beaumont the breadth and depth you usually associate with mainstream fiction. Beaumont's problems with his bosses, for instance. Nary a cliché in the whole subplot. Everybody's has bad bosses. You'll sympathize with Beaumont here. Jance makes it all completely believable. Her take on Seattle is similarly bold. She borrows the direct-address technique from John D. and Ed McBain. Beaumont gives you his opinion about life in this modern city, and he doesn't always shut up when you want him to. But instead of being irritating, his opinionating is enjoyable. For those of us in our 50s, the world is indeed becoming an unrecognizable place, and we've got to express our culture shock somewhere. Where better than in a mystery novel? This is Jance's most accomplished novel to date. The twin mysteries are gripping, and so is the daily life of J. P. Beaumont. Jance is well on her way to becoming a major bestseller, and this book will show you why. Ed Gorman's latest novels include Daughter of Darkness,Harlot's Moon, and Black River Falls, the latter of which "proves Gorman's mastery of the pure suspense novel," says Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine. ABC-TV has optioned the novel as a movie. Gorman is also the editor of Mystery Scene Magazine, which Stephen King calls "indispensable" for mystery readers. Copyright, Disclaimer, and Community Standards Copyright 1997, 1998, 1999 barnesandnoble.com llc

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Jonas Piedmont Beaumont has had it rough all his life. Raised by his hardworking, unmarried mother and disowned as a youth by his grandparents, he learned at a very early age how cruel life can be. Two marriages, a treacherous battle with the bottle, assorted midlife and moral dilemmas, and a few decades as a homicide detective haven't convinced him otherwise. When Beau and his new partner Sue Danielson are assigned the murder of an elderly woman torched to death in her bed, Beau finds himself distracted by Sue's difficulties at home. Distraction soon turns to terror as Beau and Sue find themselves caught up in a series of events that will leave them and their carefully constructed investigation shattered. For Beau, nothing will ever be the same again.

SYNOPSIS

J. A. Jance brings back her sleuth J. P. Beaumont to investigate crime in her new mystery, Breach of Duty. Native-American shamans, the death of an elderly woman who stuffed a fortune in her garage, and the Jance touch make for compelling reading.

FROM THE CRITICS

Publishers Weekly

In his 14th outing (and first in three years), Seattle homicide detective J.P. Beaumont (Name Withheld, etc.) finds, along with his new partner, Sue Danielson, that seemingly ho-hum investigations grow in grim complexity even as personal distractions multiply. The pair has been assigned to investigate the arson death of Agnes Ferman, a woman disliked by just about everyone; the more than $300,000 found tucked away in her garage points to plenty of suspects. In Seattle's Seward Park, meanwhile, a group of costumed, role-playing teens have been using human bones in their games. Beau is warned that the bones may be those of Quinault shaman David Half Moon, and that anyone handling them is in grave danger. Beau scoffs, but when some of those associated with the investigation meet violent ends, he and Sue develop open minds. Adding texture to the doings are Sue's troubles centering around the sudden reappearance of her violent ex-husband, who, uncharacteristically, wants to take their sons on a dream trip to Disneyland. A coincidence--that most of the Seward Park suspects regularly congregate at one of Beau's haunts--stains the narrative, but otherwise Jance, as usual, relates a clean and tightly woven plot distinguished by authentic dialogue, honest emotions and characters readers will care about. (Feb.)

Library Journal

J.P. Beaumont, "Beau," is back from the hiatus imposed by creator Jance while she focused on her Joanna Brady series. In this 14th mystery, the sensitive Seattle police detective, a recovering alcoholic, juggles several mysteries, including the arson-induced death of an older woman and a series of crimes related to the stolen bones of a Native American shaman. Meanwhile, partner Sue Danielson is hounded by her ex-husband, and all three "cases" move to violent conclusions almost simultaneously. Readers with an aversion to the supernatural may be put off by the curse of the shaman, but series fans will surely want this. [Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 10/15/98.]

AudioFile