Justifiable by Dianna Love & Wes Sarginson
Links to order Justifiable: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / The Book Depository
Description:
Children are missing, adults are being murdered and a city is on the brink of exploding. The key to saving lives is a secret whispered in confession.
Once a beloved, award-winning investigative journalist, Riley Walker now anchors for a television station rated the worst in Philadelphia. That’s how it works when a top newsman makes an epic mistake in front of the whole world. The busier Riley stays, the less he thinks about the one decision that will haunt him forever. His vow? Never get involved again. That works until a killer uses Riley’s past against him, and targets a child the world has forgotten. Riley is the only one who can save him, but when Riley digs deep for the truth, he uncovers evidence fingering a powerful player no one will believe is guilty. Dangerous politics pit Riley against a serial killer, and threaten all he’s fought to regain
To save the life of a child and stop a killer on a savage murder spree, Riley must fight an enemy far greater than the tide of public anger rolling against him. He’ll have to face his own demons, and the horror of the child who died because the last time…Riley was wrong.
Review:
Justifiable is a thriller written by the writing team of Dianna Love and Wes Sarginson. This is the first book in their Riley Walker series, and it is a great start.
Riley Walker is our hero, is a once respected journalist who is going through a tough time, due a tragic incident that cost him dearly a few years earlier. Riley works for the local tv station, and is in danger of losing this job. But a serial killer is now loose, and for whatever reason, the killer uses Riley to reveal clues. Does this serial killer have anything to do with Riley’s past?
This is a murder mystery thriller through every page, as Riley and a great group of characters created by Love and Sarginson, try to quickly find the killer before he or she strikes again. Love’s wonderful writing, great characterization, and Sarginson’s experience in the investigative world makes this a story that is suspenseful, filled with surprises and twists, and non stop action. Just when you think you know who the murder is, something else happens and you start doubting yourself.
I really liked Riley, who makes a wonderful hero; someone despite his being down, is still confident and strong enough to rise up and fight to find the killer, and save a child’s life. Some of the other wonderful characters are: Riley’s cameraman, Biddy; Kirsten, the DA Investigator, who was a thorn in Riley’s life, but things started to look up nearer to the end; and the detective in charge, JT. I had hoped there would be a possible romance between Riley and Kirsten, but in this book we did not go that far. Besides the murder mystery, the story has a mix of political interference, as well a religious tone using the church, confessions, and a possible visit by the pope.
Without revealing any spoilers, the tense ending brings danger to some of the main characters, and a surprise and climatic ending has you sitting on the edge of your seat. I could not put the book down as we came thundering down to the final end. Excellent start to a new hero for us to follow. If you like mysteries, and suspenseful thrillers, I recommend this series.
Reviewed by Barb
Copy provided by Author
wow Barb, this sound so good. I love Dianna Love’s work.
I finally got signed on again (I’m so not techno ). Thanks, Mary
Ann. I’m thrilled you read my books. 🙂
Wonderful review Barb. Is this a co-author or is Wes/Dianna just adding their name to the book such as a prologue (something like James Patterson does)?
Sandy, they actually co wrote it. Dianna is a great storyteller, with super characters, and Wes is an expert on investigative details. They worked very well together.
Barb – Thank so much for reading Justifiable and for reviewing it. What a wonderful, detailed review!! Wes sends his thanks too (If you think I’m not techno, you should deal with Wes and computers). Had a phone from him and I read the review to him while he’s traveling. He’s excellent at doing in person research, but if it involves a computer it falls to me. 🙂 Thanks again!!
HI Sandy –
Wes actually did a special on me back when he was with NBC and later he contacted me to discuss a book idea he had. I talked him through how to do it on his own but in the end, he convinced me to co-author with him. He had anchored in Philly in the past (series is set there) and we traveled back to spend time doing what I call “walking the land” to get current info we needed. Yes, we definitely co-write. 🙂 Thanks for your interest.
Thank you Dianna for stopping by and answering out questions. I am always interested in whether the storylines are co-authored or another author is tag lined.
Nice review, Barb. Sounds like an exciting thriller.
Hi Amy – Thanks for your interest and for stopping by.
Great description. New Series. Dianna Love. Your review – “murder mystery thriller through every page” . Couldn’t ask for more.
HI Karen – Glad this sounds like something you’d enjoy, and I hope you do. 🙂
Nice review Barb. I haven’t read either author, but will check them out.
HI Alicia – I appreciate you giving this series a read. 🙂
Great job Barb . I’m not big on Thrillers but I have to say this one sounds amazing .
Hi Lori – Kudos to Barb for the most excellent review and I hope you enjoy Justifiable.
Great review Barb. I had no idea Dianna was co-writing with another author.
Hi Aleiis – I’ve actually got a couple series I co-author. I had to finally pull off the road last year so I could work on “my” books – lol. Justifiable is a thriller that came out of a conversation I had with Wes after he did an interview with me. Riley Walker is our main character than there are host of others. My new Slye Temp romantic thriller series is out this year, too ! 🙂
I love the series Dianna writes with Sherrilyn Kenyon, I think it’s Belador. Sorry, my brain is tired this morning. I will look into this book on Amazon, as soon as I finish my coffee.
Yes, Iraida, it is Belador. 🙂
HI Iraida – Yes, I do cowrite the Belador series with Sherrilyn. Rise Of The Gryphon, book 4, will be out July 30th. I love urban fantasy, which has a strong suspense element too. I always right suspense in anything I work on. Thanks for reading the Beladors!!
Thanks for this great review. This is just the kind of book I like to read.
Hi Eric –
Wes and I had a wild time on this book. He went back to Philly after the trip we made together and spent time at night on rides with the local law enforcement. Philly PD is wonderful and they are an amazing group who do so much with limited resources. Hope you enjoy Justifiable. 🙂
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