🐎🚨🚓 "Judas Horse" (Jack Warr #2) (2021) 🚓🚨🐎 - Book Review

 

 

MY REVIEW

 

Series: Jack Warr/Buried (Book #2)

Hardcover: 320 pages

Publisher: Zaffre (March 9, 2021)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1838774416

ISBN-13: 978–1838774417

 

“Wild mustangs are difficult to rope, their lead stallion wary and protective of his herd. To capture that special stallion takes time. He is separated, roped, and lead back to the ranch. Once tamed, he is sent back into the wild. And before long, he will lead the entire herd back to the ranch. He is given the name 'Judas Horse'. When Detective Jack Warr identifies an informer, the terrified man begins to give details of a massive robbery planned by a team of unscrupulous and dangerous men. These men have already orchestrated many audacious robberies, leaving terrified victims in their wake. And they have already killed to get what they want. Detective Jack Warr and his team must use their informant as a 'Judas Horse' to draw in the unsuspecting robbers, so that they go ahead with the planned robbery. However, one false move, and more blood will be spilled . . .”

 

Thank you in advance to the publisher, Zaffre (Bonnier), for providing an advanced review copy through Bookish First. A positive review was not required and all words are my own.  

As a member of Bookish First, I tend to see a lot of Ms. La Plante’s books there. Most of them don’t grab me, despite being a genre I loved – suspense.

 

The way Bookish First works – you read part of the book, then write the first impressions of a book; review books; share where you’ve left reviews to earn points. You can trade those points in on a book or “enter” a raffle without using your points.

 

This is one of the RARE books I won through the raffle system. Despite being with them for two (2) years, so the average is about six (6) months between wins. Most of the time, I usually trade my points in on the books – mostly ARCs, though some have been published versions.

 

Anyway …

 

Most of the time a quick blurb and a first look get you hooked. And, for the most part – I wasn’t a fan of La Plante’s writing. No offense to her – she’s had a remarkable career and to be still going at her age? I am in awe!

 

I’ve never really been hooked by her books though.

 

But, this one? I was really hooked and loved the idea of it. I’d never heard of a JUDAS HORSE, though the concept is fascinating. Naturally, I was excited to “win” the book.

 

The cover didn’t “grab” me; it’s a pretty mediocre one. Right off the book loses points for having a boring cover; at best it has nothing to do with the story. It’s standard and non-descript. That is more on the publisher than the author though; still it affects the “appearance” of the book.

 

Despite this being the “SECOND (2^nd)” book in a series, it didn’t feel like it. It definitely was a standalone. Readers who haven’t checked out the first book won’t really need to. Which, I am grateful for as I really don’t want to check out the first book or any others in this series.

 

Usually your first impression about someone or something is correct. But, in the day and age where one is “judge” for seeming to be judgmental, one has to decide to give a few extra chances. This was no exception.

 

Moving on to the plot …

 

It sounded interesting enough. Sadly, La Plante focused more on the backgrounds, who’s who, and “who does what” – that it came off as mostly fat instead of meat. There were times I just kind of “flipped” through the pages to get to some sort of movement. It didn’t help that there is some profanity “F” bombs and “S” bombs liberally used throughout. There is also an on-the-page intimate scene, but at least the writer is respectful in not going into graphic details. She is very detailed and descriptive in other parts of the book.

 

It also doesn’t help this is written entirely in UK/British English with no kind of glossary to guide the American English reader. While I have read UK fiction, I could usually figure things out. There were also the “rank” structures with DS, DC, DCI used. I didn’t know what they were until I researched them for this review.

 

I’m not too upset by it, but a “glossary” in the back of the book would be helpful especially if one is going to market the books in the U.S.

 

As this was an ARC, there were some typos in it, which is to be expected.

 

The characters did not grab, let alone hold, my interest. There was nothing really remarkable or outstanding about them. I didn’t have a connection with any of them. This also resulted in quite a few POV changes, at least five (5) to six (6). It was easy to keep up with it though.

 

The beginning started off with an interesting jolt. Two boys playing in a lake find a dead body. It is left for the moment, but mentioned about halfway.

 

From there, the reader is introduced to DS (Detective Sergeant) Jack Warr.

 

His expertise on another case gets him an assignment in Cotswald – a puzzling robbery.

 

It is from there that due to the writer’s style, it made it hard to take notes. Most of the “action” from the back blurb didn’t occur until about halfway into the story.

 

The author makes an interesting note by observation through one of the characters. The note was about famous people visiting, using their own security, but if something went wrong – they’d blame the real cops. That was a bold take, but it was interesting.

 

The title is explained in chapter six (6), though the main “use” of it won’t be until the end of chapter 15.

 

Some interesting moments were when Warr was questioning the father of a family (robbery victim) and the man was bullying Jack. It was clear Jack wasn’t going to back down.

 

It is also within this time that the body from the first chapter is mentioned. And, someone steps up about a clue from a robbery in the form of a pizza delivery.

 

It isn’t until about 80% of the way that the action finally picks up and La Plante concludes with an exciting and touching end. The story and delivery were not nearly as exciting as it could’ve been or there was too much going on that it was hard to keep up.

 

It was difficult to take notes for the review and I was trying to pay attention throughout the book. But, as I got halfway through this book, I realized her writing and style are not for me.

 

I really wanted to like this, but it just wasn’t my cup of tea. I’m sure her fans will enjoy this far more than I did.

 

Since I have actually read more than a “first impression”, I doubt I will be reading any more of her work. I am still impressed by her achievements though.  

 

 

RATING:

 

2 ⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Goodreads (“It Was Ok”)

 

3 ⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Bookbub (“Okay”)

 

3 ⭐⭐⭐/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ – Personal Rating (see rating explanation in this blog: https://readingexcursions.blogspot.com/2020/01/rating-system-2020-changes.html)

 

 

 

Other Books in the Series:

 

Series: Jack Warr/Buried (Book #1)

Hardcover: 352 pages

Publisher: Zaffre (April 7, 2020)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1499862431

ISBN-13: 978–1499862430

 

“Millions of stolen, untraceable bank notes lie untouched in an old Victorian cottage, the hidden legacy of the Dolly Rawlins and her widows.

 But the millions are not forgotten. Released from prison, Esther Freeman is determined to retrieve the money. And so too is Mike Withey, Shirley Miller's brother and Audrey's son. 

When a fire breaks out at the derelict cottage, with a badly charred body inside along with what looks like thousands of burnt bank notes, it attracts the attention of the police and one young detective in particular, Jack Warr.

 Jack's investigation into the fire, and the burnt body inside, coincide with an investigation into his own past. Adopted at birth, Jack discovers his birth father may have been none other than Harry Rawlins, a renowned criminal. 

 

As he finds out the truth about his own identity, Jack finds himself becoming increasingly aggressive, stopping at nothing to find the truth - including breaking the law himself.”

 

 

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

 

Lynda La Plante was born in Liverpool. She trained for the stage at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) and worked with the National Theatre and RSC before becoming a television actress. She then turned to writing and made her breakthrough with the phenomenally successful TV series Widows. She has writer over thirty international novels, all of which have been bestsellers, and is the creator of Anna Travis, Lorrain Page, and Trial and Retribution series. Her original script from the much-acclaimed Prime Suspect won awards from BAFTA, Rmmy, British Broadcasting and Royal Television Society, as well as the 1993 Edgar Allan Poe Award. 

 

Lynda is one of only three screenwriters to have been made an honorary fellow of the British Film Institute and was wards the BAFTA Deniis Potter Best Writer Award in 2000. In 2008, she was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to Literature, Drama and Charity. She is a member of The Crime Thriller Awards Hall of Fame and is the only lay person to be made a fellow of The Forensic Science Society.

 

 

 

You can follow her on the following social media accounts:

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LyndaLaPlanteCBE

 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LaPlanteLynda