Wilderness Justice by Todd Borg

 

First Line: Josie Strong had just gotten home from an afternoon walk with their dog, Unknown, when the phone rang.

 

It's the type of phone call no parent wants to get. The California Bureau of Investigation calls medieval weapons expert Professor Josie Strong to tell her that her fourteen-year-old daughter, Samantha, was picked up on a smuggling charge. It doesn't matter if Josie thinks her daughter was framed, the girl will be sent to prison unless Josie helps them find a killer hiding in Yosemite National Park.

 

With no other options, Josie teams up with a former student to find the killer, little knowing that she's walked right into a conspiracy and she and Samantha will be lucky to escape with their lives.

 

 

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As a longtime fan of Todd Borg's Owen McKenna series set in the gorgeous Lake Tahoe area, I've begun reading this new series with great interest. Wilderness Justice is the second in this series featuring medieval weapons expert Professor Josie Strong and her teenage daughter, Samantha. 

Having visited Yosemite National Park where much of the book is set, I liked watching the out-of-shape professor try to navigate the terrain. As the series progresses, I wouldn't be surprised if her fitness level greatly improves.

Unlike all the other books by Borg that I've read, I had trouble suspending my disbelief in Wilderness Justice. I just couldn't believe that Josie could be quite so naive when faced with a seemingly impossible task, or that she would be asked to do it in the first place. In addition, there's a big plot twist that didn't surprise me at all. In fact, I kept waiting for it to happen. Perhaps I have trouble believing in Josie's naivete because (1) my working life consisted of dealing with the public in all its psychological manifestations, and (2) I've read too much crime fiction. Who knows?

What I do know is that I still liked this book because I enjoyed the character development. I like the way the relationship between mother and daughter is getting closer and deeper. Josie's former student, Cumberland Durand, is a great addition to the cast, and working with Josie and Samantha is changing him, too. There's even a new character, Ralph Ellison, whom I hope to see more of. This series is bringing Josie out of her academic ivory tower and teaching her new things. (Want to learn how to avoid electronic surveillance? You'll find some good tips here.) I have the third book waiting for me, and I look forward to seeing what Josie gets herself into next.

Wilderness Justice by Todd Borg

eISBN: 9781931296762

Thriller Press © 2024

eBook, 352 pages

Thriller, #2 Josie Strong

Rating: B

Source: Purchased from Amazon.