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The Barnes & Noble Review
July 1999

Big Trouble in Little County

I happened to reread John D. MacDonald's A Purple Place for Dying just before I read J. A. Jance's Outlaw Mountain, and I was impressed by how well Jance's book stacked up against the legendary John D.'s.

Both are set in the Southwest; both evidence a true affection and respect for the natives of the land; both show an equal affection and respect for goodwilled people of all races, sexes, and religions. And both deal with the insidious effects of local politics on the lives of ordinary, hardworking, honest people.

Sheriff Joanna Brady is experiencing several kinds of upheaval in both the professional and personal aspects of her life. The mayor's mother is murdered, Joanna's daughter is in trouble at school, and Joanna's love life has taken a sudden and unexpected turn. And there is a murder mystery that will lead straight to some of the most powerful movers and shakers of Cochise County, Arizona.

Jance shows a deft hand with all aspects of her complicated plot. The murder stuff is great, a real stumper; Joanna's personal life is truly painful, especially to anyone who has ever dealt with a beloved but difficult teenager; and Jance's police procedural stuff is, in its quiet way, as good as it gets. She has a real feel for the politics of a small organization and handles what could well be stuffy organizational back story with gentle and wise humor.

What can I say? Jance keeps on turning out winners, andOutlawMountain is certainly no exception.

—Ed Gorman

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.

Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly

Joanna Brady — widow, single mother and sheriff of Cochise County, Ariz. — is the star of Jance's fine series of police procedurals. Joanna has grown and changed over the course of six novels (the most recent being Rattlesnake Crossing), and in this up-to-snuff seventh she's considering remarrying. She's also heading up an investigation into the murder of an elderly woman found riddled with cactus spines in the desert. The victim is Alice Rogers, mother of the erratic and blustering mayor of Tombstone, Cletus Rogers. At the same time, Joanna and her deputies must sort out a skirmish between construction workers and environmental protesters over the development of homes on pristine mountain land. Joanna is an appealing heroine, a talented, hard-working woman who must manage a department with its share of stubborn and strong-willed men — while she tries to meet the demands of her personal life. She inevitably works long, unpredictable hours and struggles to find enough time to do her job well and still see her with family and friends. Though Joanna's boyfriend, Butch Dixon, is sometimes too perfect, and in this outing, the motivations of some of the major characters tend to be murky, the strongly evoked settings and Joanna's natural charisma will carry fans along happily. Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal

Cochise County Sheriff Joanna Brady faces a multitude of challenges in her seventh outing: the mayor's wife has been found murdered; a drug ring appears to be operating in the area; an abandoned mentally disabled adult can't tell anyone where he lives; Joanna's best friend is ready to give up the ministry after her daughter's death; and Butch (Joanna's significant other) is pressing her for a commitment. There's a lot going on, and that's a weakness: the listener is (seemingly) treated to every detail of Joanna's existence, and it detracts from the main story. Fans of the series will enjoy catching up on Joanna's life, but those new to it may find that there's too much of the minutiae that clogs all of our lives. Stephanie Brush's narration is clear and straightforward, with minor inflections for individual characters. Her phrasing and pauses are used to good effect. Recommended for collections where the series is popular.--Melody A. Moxley, Rowan P.L., Salisbury, NC Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

Trouble in bunches for Cochise County (Ariz.) Sheriff Joanna Brady as she begins her seventh adventure (Breach of Duty, 1998, etc.). With a baffling murder to solve and a tricky relationship to sort out, she's feeling jittery in the professional sector and on the home front. The murder: a well-fixed widow of mature years is found dead in the desert, clearly the victim of foul play. Though Alice Rogers was in no way unlikable, there's no scarcity of suspects. The problem is just that all of them•an arrogant son, an irascible daughter, a mysterious handyman turned suitor•are so very eligible. In addition, it soon develops that the murder has ramifications transcending the obvious. Eco-terrorists may be involved, or big-business chicanery, or corruption in high governmental places. Meanwhile, back in her parlor, there's Butch Dixon, that sexy, sweet-natured former restaurateur, rusticating now because he wants to write a novel. Butch is getting a shade impatient; there•s a noticeable increase in the ardor with which he's been pressing honorable intentions. Will Joanna find a way to cope both professionally and domestically? Of course. What makes this bunch of troubles different from any other Brady bunch? Not much dash to the prose, depth to the plotting, or nuance to the characters, but Jance has a certain reassuring sturdiness, and those who like her won't be disappointed here. (Mystery Guild Dual Main Selection; $150,000 ad/promo; author tour)