I began reading the J.P. Beaumont series by J.A. Jance around 1990, just a few years after her first was published. I’ve enjoyed it ever since, an entertaining series that is usually set right here in my hometown, Seattle. My thanks go to NetGalley and William Morrow for the review copy. This book, the 26th in the series, is for sale now.

Our protagonist, J.P. Beaumont, known to his friends as Beau, has decamped from Seattle and has taken up residence in Bellingham, a medium sized college town near the Canadian border. However, much of the story takes place here in Seattle, so it’s almost as if he has never left us. Of course, most readers aren’t in it for the setting anyway. The plot is complex yet easily followed. At the outset, Beau is startled when a car pulls up to his residence. A young man steps out, and turns out to be his grandson, Kyle. Kyle grew up in Ashland, Oregon, which is a considerable drive away, and so Beau has only seen him during a few brief visits. Kyle wants to stay here now. His parents are divorcing, and he’s had it with them. Since Kyle recently turned 18, he isn’t considered a runaway, and can make his own choices. Beau’s wife, Mel, takes to the lad immediately, and he becomes part of their household.

Part of the problem has to do with the bizarre individual that Kyle’s dad, Jeremy, has taken up with. She’s closer to Kyle’s age than his dad’s, and when his dad isn’t around, she hits on Kyle’s friends! He senses that there is a lot that he doesn’t know about this woman, and Kyle wants to hire Beau, who works now as a private detective, to look into her past. Beau agrees, though he won’t charge for his services.

Before too long, details emerge about a series of recent killings. They may or may not have anything to do with the soon-to-be stepmom, but it’s hard to investigate one without the other, and before long, Beau is on the trail of a serial killer. Part of his investigations involve trips to the Rainier Valley in Seattle, my own stomping grounds, and soon I am practically purring like a cat as I read. The premise, that a killer may be lurking as an employee of the police department—not a “rogue cop,” which would be kind of a cliché, but someone that works behind the scenes, on the phones or in a clerical capacity—is fresh and works beautifully.

Alas, there’s one error that gets under my skin, and I am bothered by it enough to bring it up here, and it’s also where the fifth star disappears from my rating. In speaking to one bereaved family member after another, crimes get mentioned in conjunction with whether or not someone decides to “press charges.” Since I’m reading digitally, I highlight each such reference in blue to indicate a problem. You see—and Jance should know this, having spent most of her adult life right here in Washington State—you can’t press charges here. It’s the law! If someone is bereaved and they don’t want to pursue the case, they can choose whether to testify, or if they are subpoenaed, they can be unhelpful on the stand. But only the state of Washington gets to decide what charges go to court, and which ones die a quiet death. It’s true in Seattle, and it’s true everywhere in the state. I feel like a Washingtonian with a 40 year career writing crime fiction ought to know this. Such a large oversight by a veteran novelist is sloppy, and it annoys the bejesus out of me. To double down on it by referring to it eleven times in one book is egregious.

Fortunately, these distractions finally die down by the time we reach the climax, and it’s absolutely riveting. With this single caveat, I recommend this novel, which can be read as a stand-alone, to all that love the genre.

Life as we know it came to a crashing halt in March 2020, as America reeled under the impact of the COVID pandemic. Businesses closed, almost all public events were canceled, and many people retreated to their homes for several months. But crime and criminal investigation did not stop, and neither did J.A. Jance’s detective, J.P. Beaumont. In the latest Beaumont mystery, “Den of Iniquity,” he takes on two cases that are very personal, searching for answers even though readers understand he’s running out of time. Although the author doesn’t use the pandemic’s looming arrival as effectively as she could, the book is still a highly entertaining procedural.

“Den of Iniquity” is the 26th novel featuring J.P. Beaumont, that the author has written in the last 40 years. During that time, Beaumont rose through the ranks of various units in the Seattle Police Department, and he is now retired. To pass the time when he’s not walking his dog or doing crossword puzzles, Beaumont takes on occasional cases as a private investigator. Although Beaumont is a one-person detective agency, he’s got many outside resources he’s cultivated over the years who provide the technical help he needs. These include his son, now a Seattle cop, and various other cops throughout the State of Washington. They also include a world-renowned DNA expert, a brilliant computer researcher, and an economist who has done extensive research into drug overdose deaths in the Seattle area in recent years.

This last expert comes in very handy for Beaumont in his current case. An elderly woman asks Beaumont to investigate the fentanyl overdose death of her grandson two years earlier. The police closed the case as an accident, but the man’s grandmother is convinced he was murdered. As Beaumont investigates, he researches the economist’s records and discovers a troubling pattern among several of the overdose deaths that had been closed as accidents or suicides. Beaumont suspects these deaths were murders committed by the same person. As Beaumont investigates the mysterious overdose deaths, he takes on a second, far more personal case. His 18-year-old grandson, Kyle, moves in with him after an ugly incident involving Kyle’s father’s new girlfriend. Beaumont investigates the girlfriend’s past and discovers that she’s got a very suspicious history.

J.P. Beaumont is a likable protagonist who takes to his new “roommate” well. Kyle is a rarity in current fiction, a decent young man who doesn’t mind sharing time with Grandpa (they watch a couple of movies together). Beaumont also has a comfortable relationship with his current wife, Mel, who’s chief of police in another Seattle suburb, Bellingham (I confess I still do not know where all these locations are, except that it usually takes Beaumont quite a while to drive from one town to another.) The pleasant home life (except for Mel’s bad cooking) anchors the book when contrasted with the horror stories of domestic and substance abuse Beaumont uncovers in investigating the overdose deaths.

J.A. Jance is one of the best crime fiction authors I’ve read at creating realistic, interesting backstories for the secondary characters in “Den of Iniquity.” Many authors would have summarized the overdose victims’ stories in a paragraph or two. Jance fleshes them out, including interview transcripts and Beaumont’s own talks with family members. As a result, the victims’ (and their families’) stories come alive. The combination of realistic, well-developed supporting characters and detailed police procedure (with the aid of Beaumont’s various helpers) makes the bulk of “Den of Iniquity” an interesting read. (Some readers will be disappointed when a secondary character conveniently provides Beaumont with the vital clue needed to solve the case.)

Each chapter in the book begins with a headline containing the date. The story begins on Valentine’s Day, 2020, and progresses inexorably towards the COVID shutdown. The author raises the book’s suspense level by keeping readers wondering whether Beaumont can solve the overdose mystery before the eventual lockdown. Jance also provides occasional tidbits about how the area readies for a shutdown. However, I felt a bit let down by the details the author included. Perhaps, the Seattle area reacted differently in March 2020 from other parts of the country. But it seemed to me that, except for Kyle’s school going to distance learning and Beaumont’s favorite restaurant going to takeout only, life went on much as before. I had expected a more dramatic conclusion to the overdose case in the face of the looming shutdown.

While the middle of “Den of Iniquity” is a page-turner, the beginning and ending chapters leave a bit to be desired. Jance’s tendency to provide complete backstories for her characters makes the opening chapters slow, with too many details thrown at readers at once. (We even learn the story of Beaumont’s neighbor, whose primary connection to the plot is going on daily dog walks with Beaumont.) Then, at the end, the author doesn’t seem to know how to end the book, with a few listless closing chapters that tie up the loose ends.

Although the beginning and end of “Den of Iniquity” leave a bit to be desired, the rest of the book is a solid read for genre fans. J.P. Beaumont is an engaging protagonist, and his senior citizen status is accurately portrayed, and not a plot gimmick. The book’s central mystery (and villain) is also unique. I haven’t read any previous Jance novels featuring Beaumont or her other series protagonists. However, “Den of Iniquity” is the type of book readers will love taking into their dens for a long night’s read.

NOTE: The publisher graciously provided me with a copy of this book through NetGalley. However, the decision to review the book and the contents of this review are entirely my own.

A JP Beaumont book that lives up to the others in the series. Two storylines but no conflict. They worked well separately but alongside each other. This time, there was some new family drama involved and the Covid-19 pandemic was looming. Can be read as a stand-alone but I was glad I knew the history.

A complex and smoothly written new J.P. Beaumont mystery that will keep you turning the pages until the amazing end! J.P. aka Beau is retired from law enforcement and married to Mel Soames, the police chief in Bellingham, Washington. Beau, who occasionally takes on a private investigative case, is asked by a friend and Seattle detective to look into a death that has been ruled accidental. The case will draw him into other deaths that appear to be consistent with his. Has he uncovered a serial killer who has gotten away with murder? When his eighteen-year-old grandson arrives to stay at their home, he and Mel have a decision to make. They know that this may not coincide with what Kyle’s mother, Beau’s daughter wants, but in this matter, he sees Kyle as his client. Beau’s investigation begins to include other jurisdictions and possibly other murder victims while Mel is dealing with a local school case. The way the author moves between and through the various additional cases is seamless while mentioning a few previous cases that Beau was involved in from the past. I highly recommend this series and anything written by this author! I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (paytonpuppy)

It is Valentine’s Day, 2020, as Den of Iniquity: A J.P. Beaumont Novel by J.A. Jance begins. Bellingham, Washington, is clear and cold this morning. The news of Covid dominates, though the impacts have yet to be felt here. J. P. Beaumont plans on taking his wife, Mel, to a nearby restaurant for the evening. That is until J.P. and Sarah (their dog) return from a walk and find grandson, Kyle, parked in the drive.

It takes some time to drag out of Kyle why he made the nine-hour drive and arrived with no warning. There is a mess at home. Kyle left and brought with him his stuff and his troubles. He had a very good reason to show up as his family (J. P.’s daughter, her husband, and Kye’s sister) has, basically, imploded. While Mel and J.P. try to come to grips with what has happened and the sudden addition of a teenager to their house, Ben Weston reaches out to Beaumont.

Back when Beaumont was a Seattle Homicide Detective, he first met Ben as a five-year-old kid. There had been a violent home invasion leaving Ben the only survivor. Ben is now a Seattle Homicide Detective as is Scotty, J.P. Beaumont’s son, and they have desks close to each other. Ben needs a favor.

After Ben’s parents died, a woman at church, Matilda Jackson, always looked out for Ben. She had been good friends with Ben’s mom. Mrs. Jackson’s grandson is dead. He died of a drug overdose back in November of 2018. The police followed the medical examiners ruling of accidental death due to fentanyl overdose and closed the case. Mrs. Jackson is sure that he was sober and things were going right. She is absolutely sure it was murder.


As he talks to Mrs. Jackson, J. P. is not hearing anything that is very convincing, but Ben wanted him to look into it, because he can’t. For the cops, it is a closed case and that means Ben can do nothing. J. P. agrees, talks to her some more, and starts investigating. It isn’t long before he is sure Matilda Jackson is right. Her son was murdered.

He wasn’t the only one.

What follows is a fast moving read that switches back and forth between Kyle’s family issues, and there are many, and the Jackson case J.P. is working. Investigative skills come in handy for family and others. J.P. has a lot going on in Den of Iniquity: A J.P. Beaumont Novel by J.A. Jance.

While those that have read the series to this point will get more out of the book, one could start here as there is enough background material to get new readers comfortable in the read. This reviewer, a long-time reader of the series, enjoyed it a lot.

Amazon Associate Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3z5nG0F

My ARC digital reading copy came from the publisher, William Morrow, by way of NetGalley.


Kevin R. Tipple ©2024

4.25 stars
I've been reading this series for a long time and it's hard to believe that it's the 26th book in the series. J.P. "Beau" Beaumont was a Seattle Homicide Detective and is now a private investigator. His wife, Mel Soames, is the Chief of Police of Bellingham, Washington. A young man's grandmother hires Beau to prove that her grandson was killed and did not accidentally overdose. The grandmother points out something important she noticed regarding the case and Beau agrees that it's worth looking into. When Beau's own teenage grandson shows up at his door after a family crisis, Beau agrees to do some research on the new girlfriend of Kyle's father. Both cases turn out to be more complicated than it first appeared, and each have surprising, satisfying conclusions.

The book has a nice balance of Beau investigating his cases, Mel dealing with a difficult case, and touching scenes of Beau and Mel getting to know Kyle better and adjusting to life with a teenager. The resolution of one of Beau's cases relies a little too much on coincidence, but it's still an interesting and suspenseful book. I enjoy spending time with Beau and Mel and Kyle is a welcome addition to the mix. (Note: the book takes place in 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic, so it's mentioned a few times in the story.)

I received an advance copy of this ebook at no cost from NetGalley and William Morrow Books. My review is voluntary and unbiased.

JP Beaumont is bus.y walking his dog and dabbling in some cold cases when his grandson, Kyle appears in the driveway. Kyle's family has fallen apart and he needs a safety net. While Beau investigates the family issue he is also drawn into investigating fentynal deaths that families feel were not accidental. A page turner that leaves you wanting more. A good story and it takes place right as COVID shutdowns began. Justice is indeed served in this story and the human emotions connected to the outcome are very real. Love these characters and this long running series never disappoints!

Den of Iniquity by JA Jance is like comfort food. I have been reading her books for so long they are like coming home. I have been through all of Beau’s (JP Beaumont) trials until he his finally arrived at a somewhat settled life in Bellingham, Washington, where his wife, Mel is chief of police. He takes the odd case, usually for free but spends most of his time walking his dog, doing crossword puzzles, and generally enjoying life. He is returning home from one such walk when he sees someone in his drive. It turns out to be a much taller version of his grandson, Kyle. His parents have separated and Kyle was unhappy living with his father and the new girlfriend. He revealed more details over the next few days. Of course, he could stay, despite Beau’s phone blowing up with calls from both parents. Next was a call from his friend, Ben, a Seattle cop who Beau had befriended when he was a small child who had watched his entire family be slaughtered. They had been friends ever since and now Ben had a friend that needed help. Her grandson had died several years earlier. She suspected murder but the police had called it an accidental overdose and closed the case. Thus began, what turned out to be, a search for a prolific serial killer.

Jance always writes an excellent novel and this is the twenty-third in this series. Beau has gone from a youngish police officer to his now retired state. He is on his third marriage. He has given up alcohol and tobacco, but never investigating. He is good at it. He has the support of his wife who is the best sounding board ever. When Kyle arrived, she assessed the situation and was all in, planning to make it all work. This is happening at the very beginning of the pandemic and schools are about to close and the lockdown is about to launch. It wasn’t an easy time for any of them. Beau has a phone full of contacts at this point and he uses them to find out what is going on with his son-in-law’s girlfriend as well as these drug deaths. It is an enjoyable novel, full of the kinds of twists and turns Jance is famous for. Most of all, it is satisfying. Beau steers things to acceptable conclusions before he settles in to wait-out the pandemic. Thanks, JA Jance for JP Beaumont!

I was invited to read Den of Iniquity by William Morrow. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Negalley #WilliamMorrow #JAJance #DenOfIniquity #JPBeaumont

Den of Iniquity by J. A. Jance is a very highly recommended investigative mystery and the 26th novel in the J. P. Beaumont series.

J. P. Beaumont (Beau), currently a private investigator, formerly a Seattle homicide cop, undertakes cases both personal and professional in 2020, just before the lockdown occurs in this outing. First, his grandson, Kyle Cartwright, 18, shows up at his home in Bellingham, Washington, and asks to live with Beau and Mel and finish high school there. His parents are splitting up. His mother, Beau's daughter, has moved out. His father has a younger, pregnant girlfriend living with him and Kyle doesn't want to live there anymore. Beau begins looking into the girlfriend by running a background check and makes some discoveries.

Next, a friend asks Beau to look into the case of Darius Jackson, a young man whose death of a fentanyl overdose was ruled accidental. His grandmother has some legitimate questions about it. She says he was not using and has suspicions that something else happened. Beau begins looking into the death and his investigation leads him to uncover similar mysterious deaths that all point to a most unlikely suspect.

Beau is a great character and it is a pleasure to follow along as he investigates. As a character, Beau is very appealing, witty, and insightful. He and Mel, who is still working as the Police Chief of Bellingham, Washington, have a good relationship and work together well adding their grandson to the household. I appreciated their understanding and wisdom in helping Kyle handle the personal, emotional situation he is in. They provided him gentle but good advice.

In this well-written investigation, both cases are interesting, complex, and compelling, which means following the discoveries as Beau looks into things is highly entertaining. The plot moves at a smooth, quick pace and held my complete attention. Even though this is the 26th novel in the series, there is enough background information provided to easily slip into the lives of these well established characters.

This is an excellent addition to the series. Thanks to William Morrow for providing me with an advance reader's copy. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.

The review will be published on Edelweiss, Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Great book - just don't think too hard

I really enjoyed this book. It was fast-paced and I liked the characters. I am sure I have read other books in the series, but I am not a regular and don't remember too much of anything. Lack of history was not a problem. I liked it enough that I will go back and pick up several more of Ms. Jance's work in this series.

The plot was good. A man, previous, but erroneously convicted of domestic assault, was found dead of a fentanyl overdose. The police closed the case quickly, but his grandmother knew he was clean and there were other signs that he did not shoot the drug. When a former Seattle homicide investigator is asked to look into the case, he found a string of similar cases.

On the surface the book was great. But after finishing it there were a few things that just seemed to be really big leaps. They aren't really spoilers, but kind of. First, the title makes no sense. There is no den of anything. The title was pulled out of someone's book of titles and has no connection to the plot at all. But that is becoming more and more common. Second, a suspect is found that is really pulled out of thin air. There are a whole lot of people doing the job that could possibly be the profession that could possibly have access to some of the information that the killer may be using. Of the huge haystack of people living or being traveling through Washington state, somehow this one person is decided to be the killer. Then there is a DNA match that is tenuous at best. Someone has put their DNA in a database looking for a match and that pings as a connection. There is just a whole lot of cases of this one needle being pulled out the giant haystack. SPOILER: Also, several of the murder victims were quite large men. The suspect was believed to be a short, heavy, older woman. Even with a needle, it would be difficult to overpower them. How would she kill them with a vape pen?

I am regrettably taking off a star because of the unbelievability of the plot, but I really liked this book.

The setting is Washington State and it is just pre Covid lockdown. Beau’s grandson shows up early in the morning. He wants to move in. His family has fallen apart and he can no longer live with his dad. Life is going to change in more ways than one. Beau picks up a job investigating a fentanyl death which the grandmother believes is murder. She insists her grandson had begun a new life and didn’t do drugs. She has also noticed the injection site is on his right arm and he was right-handed. And thus begins a case. As Beau investigates, he believes this isn’t the only time, but how do you look through hundreds of closed cases? Beau also decides to do a background check on the pregnant lady who is living with Kyle’s father. This leads to surprises. There’s a lot of good tech usage in this novel and key findings for both of the cases. It has been a while since I’ve read a J P Beaumont case and I felt I was back with some old friends. Great Book!

J.A. Jance is a queen of thrillers. I always recommend them to people who love thrillers. These one delves into family problems and solving a cold case. Keeps you on edge of your seats

J.P (Beau) Beaumont and his Police Chief wife Mel are back. JP is retired from Seattle PD and now works as a Private Eye. He was asked to look into a closed case where the mother of the deceased won’t believe he died of an accidental overdose. Everything proceeds from there including his Grandson moving in to avoid family drama resulting in his showing up and asking to stay with them.
J.A. Jance is the master of engaging and interesting tales with very believable characters (who usually get a nod in other series the author has written. )
I have enjoyed all of her books and they keep getting better and better.
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for making this available to me.

Opening a Jance novel is for me, like opening a box of chocolates. You don't quite know what you will get but you know it will be tasty. I always look forward to any of her novels as I have read them all through the years, all her series, and know all her characters. It is like visiting with old friends. I have often recommended and gifted sets of this series featuring JP Beaumont, aka Beau. He is my favorite of her characters. It is of course best to read these in order to truly appreciate the characters, but it is not necessary as each, including this one can stand alone. The author gives her readers plenty of back story when deemed appropriate.

The setting is Seattle 2020, pre-Covid. We find Beau enjoying his uncomplicated semi-retirement from law enforcement in this installment. He is a PI but finds plenty of time for his personal pleasures of walking his Irish Wolfhound, Sarah, and working his daily crossword puzzles. His wife Mel is still the Police Chief of Bellingham, WA, a subsidiary of Seattle and they have a loving, close relationship. This uncomplicated lifestyle is about to change as his 18=yr old grandson Kyle shows up on his doorstep with a tale of domestic problems at home and needing a place to stay. Simultaneously, an old friend of JP's needs his help looking into a closed case of what was ruled an accidental overdose of fentanyl but may have actually been murder. As he gets started on this he uncovers other similar cases and before we know it he is on the trail of a serial killer. JP has not lost his sleuthing capabilities, pulling us into his journey.

As for me, I mostly enjoyed the personal side of JP's story in this one, his support of and growing relationship with his grandson Kyle and witnessing the partnership JP and Mel have as a couple, as parents and as grandparents. The pre-Covid incidents we could relate to as well, the Costco runs, the zoom meetings, online classrooms, etc., but Beau is nothing if not witty and Kyle has fun bringing his Gramps "up to date" with current technology. Both my hubby and I enjoyed this.

A strong 3+ for this offering. Release date is 9/10/24
#NetGalley #WilliamMorrowPublishing #jajanceauthor

Teddy Bears. It always comes back to teddy bears.

As this book starts, you wonder how Beau will get involved.

This book also takes place just as the Covid Pandemic starts, and Beau and Mel must navigate Covid, with his grandson Kyle. Yeah. That’s a whole story in itself.

As Beau starts looking into something for Kyle, multiple other webs come to light in another case (well, that case turned into a lot with a serial killer, just read, you will understand).

Let’s add WITSEC, a child predator, the mafia, a cheating spouse, and throw in some fentanyl, and this book will take you on multiple rides to solve more than one case.

Sheriff Joanna Brady even gets a shout out!

Oh yeah. There is also a classic Mustang in this story. See. You get a LOT!

Thank you to @netgalley for this arc

Book releases 9/10/2024

Engaging writing and a pace that kept me turning the pages. Has a suspenseful mystery with family issues. Loved the character development and the narrative. A new to me author, I will definitely check out more of her books. Very well written and I highly recommend it!

J.P. Beaumont's grandson shows up on his doorstep, after running away from home, where his parents are having serious issues. Meanwhile, an old friend asks Beau for his help finding out who might have murdered a young person with a fentanyl overdose. As Beau investigates, he uncovers a serial killer in the Seattle area, who, apparently, has been operating for years with impunity. No police officer had connected all the dots tracing men who are accused of domestic violence and found dead with old bank notes in their wallets. Beau also is investigating why his son-in-law has jumped the shark and blown up his relationship with his wife and son for a much younger grifter. Lots of action, and well written, as always.

J. A. Jance’s J.P. Beaumont has retired from the Seattle P.D. but is still pulled into solving crimes — in this installment of the series, a serving Seattle police officer needs help resolving an unexpected death. Spoiler: serial killer. This story is set in the early days of the 2020 COVID pandemic, and Jance’s exceptional writing perfectly recalls the fear and uncertainty of that time.  The mystery is well-crafted, and the characters are interesting and relatable—another excellent entry in this long-running series.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Beau and Mel take in his grandson Kyle after a family squabble has Kyle showing up on their doorstep. Beau, former cop now PI, is working on a cold case of death previously ruled accidental. And one he starts investigating he finds a number of cases with matching mos.

Love the investigation side and the family balance. The fast pace keeps you engaged from start to finish, and the storyline of Mel and Kyle made my heart happy.

Oh, I love this series, and I was thrilled to get approved – thank you #NetGalley for the complimentary copy of #DenofIniquity in exchange for an honest review.

RECOMMEND. Read the entire series! And the other series by J.A. Jance with Joanne Brady and Ally Reynolds. I love them all!

JA Jance is one of the queens of mysteries. I have read books from all her series and I have enjoyed all of them. It was great to revisit the JP Beaumont series.