This is the latest Joanna Brady book from J.A. Jance. J.A. Jance has several series that she writes and I normally like the Brady ones but this book was very uncomfortable for me. The first murder wasn't too bad but when the protagonist kills an innocent child because he has an urge to kill someone, I'm out. Because of this I could not finish the book. I really wanted to it but I just couldn't get pass the random killings.

As Sheriff Joanna Brady is preparing for the holidays, the body of a young boy ids found in a blue
duffle bag beneath a bridge. As she seeks to identify the boy, it becomes evident that there are other
unsolved murders with victims murdered in the same fashion. The killer has been operating under the
radar for decades and is a respected member of the community. The reader learns of the killer’s first
victim and his subsequent kills through the years. While a suspect is identified, it becomes a race
against time to uncover evidence to arrest the killer before he escapes justice.
#TheGirlfromDevilsLake #WilliamMorrow #NetGalley

Just finished this book. I always am anxious to read the newest Janice novel. Because I am from North Dakota this book caught my eye right away. Then when I opened it I saw it also was written to include Fertile MN. I’m curious as to why Janice picked my hometown as a setting for this book. There were a few small errors about my hometown. But I realize this is fiction. A lot of repitition of the facts as the plot thickens. I have read all of the Johanna Brady series and this one was as good as the rest.

J.A. Jance is one of my favorite authors. I have read all her books and even traveled to Bisbee once, just to “be” there.

The Girl from Devil’s Lake starts off with intrigue, then leaves you hanging while Jance gives you a refresher and introduces new readers to the main characters and their history.

As the story progresses, history unfolds, as Joanna Brady works to solve crimes that happened across the country and the decades.

Just like in real life, things happen, both good and bad. People you’ve known for years die, bringing emotional depth to the story. People you’ve known for years, turn out to be someone you only thought you knew, bringing new mystery to old neighbors. And of course, we’re reminded to celebrate life, and moving forward.

J.A. Janice never fails to deliver. Her books are tightly written, well paced and compelling. This I make her books one that grip you and hustle you to the conclusion where you started wanting another. Hopefully there will be many more.

When I saw J.A. Jance had a new Joanna Brady mystery ready, I couldn't get my hands on it fast enough. Sheriff Brady is back in her 21st story and it is as satisfying as any of them.
This is a dual timeline story and it is about discovering a serial killer who got away with killing for almost 70 years! Unfortunately, the killer killed a child in Sheriff Brady's territory. As she goes to attend her daughter's Law Enforcement graduation, she is excited to see old friends, see her daughter and give the graduation address. A body is found a few days later and our story takes off. We know who the killer is but, how does the Sheriff's Department catch someone who has been killing this long and never been caught? I was drawn in quickly and read every minute I could spare to find out.
This author is one of my favorites and her stories and characters always leave me waiting for her next book. Clear your weekend before you start this one.
Thanks to William Morrow and the author for a chance to read this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC.

Good book ... read it in one sitting ... always enjoy all books by J.A. Jance, but my favorite character is Joanna Brady ... and this latest one lives up to my expectations. Also liked all the information about cooperation among various levels of law enforcement and the descriptions of new electronic methods in assisting law officers ... very interesting.

This book is told from two viewpoints. The story starts in the past and moves up to current times. The villain in the story is very good at not leaving any evidence behind so investigators have no place to start. As the investigation proceeds they begin to see that there is way more to this than the 1 victim. The author does a good job connecting the stories and connecting events in the story. This book will catch your interest from the first page. It is part of a series but could easily be read as a stand alone. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

This series is still going strong and as enjoyable as ever. I loved the dual point of view and how all the pieces came together. It was engaging and kept me I to the story from start to finish. I have to say that I’ve been a fan since the very first book and will be a fan until the very last. Looking forward to more.

J. A. Jance is at her best in the newest addition to the Joanna Brady series. The Girl from Devil’s Lake also works as a great standalone introducing the experienced Sheriff Joanna Brady, her family, and her deputies. New readers might just decide to go back to the beginning of Joanna’s story and find out how she becomes a strong advocate of justice for victims who need a voice.

As the Brady family prepare for the holidays, daughter Jennifer’s graduation from the police academy and marriage, as usual newly re-elected (once again) Joanna is trying to catch up with her responsibilities. When the body of a young boy is found in the desert an investigation pulls into play all the connections Joanna has made in her career from Mexican law enforcement, Missing and Murdered Indigenous Victims, FBI, and her own deputies. Sheriff Brady seeks justice for the young child and his mother. When clues suggest a serial killer who might be a recognized and respected member of her community, Joanna digs deep and connects to similar cases across the country. The serial killer has been at work for decades. Jance tells the story in the voice of both Joanna and the killer, weaving a mystery that will resolve cases from the most recent, the first, and most all in between. Jance has out done herself and as always doesn’t disappoint her readers. Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley for the ARC.

Sheriff Joanna Brady is looking forward to the holidays with her busy family, and to celebrating her daughter Jenny’s graduation from the police academy. But the family is interrupted when a body is discovered beneath a flooded bridge in the Arizona desert, and Joanna is called onto the case. A young boy was murdered, and the details of the crime scene tell Joanna two things: This was not the killer’s first murder. And it’s only a matter of time before he kills again! Fantastic book and series! This book had chilling suspense, gruesome murders, fantastic mystery, intriguing, action, serial killer, and some jaw dropping moments! The storyline was very interesting! I highly recommend reading this book! It was a great thriller! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me! Can’t wait for more!

Sheriff Joanna Brady is busy with her family preparing for the holidays and the upcoming marriage of her daughter. All that is put on hold when the body of a young child is discovered. Clues suggest that this is not the first time the perpetrator has killed. As the mystery unfolds, Brady uncovers a nationwide trail of murders spanning decades.

I haven’t read a Jance novel in years, and despite this being the twenty-first Joanna Brady story, it is the first in the series that I have read. Credit the author that despite what must be a lot of background history for the repeating characters, this worked well as a standalone, and I really liked it.

This fast-paced and riveting read is a journey through different timelines, providing insight into the background and mind of a serial killer. That narrative parallels the police procedural, solving a murder that unexpectedly spirals into a much larger and more complex mystery. Throughout the story, the humanity of the victims and their families is never forgotten.

This reads like a true crime novel. I had to keep reminding myself that it was fiction. A five star read for me.

ARC Review — thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read a new to me author.

The Girl From Devils Lake was a great read taking us through a mystery from two different POVs. Janice did a good job of setting the storyline and while I couldn’t see in the beginning how the two connected, it was very evident as you kept reading. Was easy to follow the plot and the characters were so well established. At times I felt like I could be in the story as it came alive with the details. I know this is supposed to be part of a series, but you didn’t need all the previous books to keep up with this one.

Book Review: The Girl from Devil’s Lake by J. A. Jance
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for my gifted ARC.

I’ve been a fan of suspense for years, but few writers deliver the consistency, depth, and pacing that J. A. Jance does, and The Girl from Devil’s Lake is proof that even 21 books into a series, you can still be surprised, shaken, and completely hooked. This entry in the Joanna Brady series might just be one of the most layered, unsettling, and emotionally grounded installments yet—and it works brilliantly both for longtime fans and new readers alike.

The story opens with a body—a young boy found in a blue duffle bag beneath a flooded bridge in Arizona’s desert landscape. The crime is brutal, senseless, and instantly personal for Sheriff Joanna Brady, who is supposed to be celebrating her daughter Jenny’s graduation from the police academy. But this case doesn’t wait. And soon, it’s clear this murder is not isolated. It’s part of a decades-long nightmare stretching across states and even national borders. The real gut punch? The killer has been hiding in plain sight, masquerading as a respected teacher and community volunteer.

Jance makes a bold narrative choice by letting readers into the mind of the killer, Stephen Roper, from the very beginning. We meet him as a disturbed child in 1950s Minnesota, and we follow his evolution from his first kill at age 11 through decades of horror. At first, I wasn’t sure I wanted that much access to him. But as the novel unfolded, I saw the value in understanding the pathology behind the violence—not to excuse it, but to underscore the reality that monsters often wear human faces and live quiet lives. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that monsters don’t always look like monsters,” Joanna says at one point, and that quote stuck with me because it captures the terrifying heart of this book.

The tension ramps up as Joanna starts to connect dots others have missed. With the help of Mexican law enforcement, the FBI, and her loyal deputies, she begins unearthing a pattern that ties her small Arizona town to crimes across the country—including the titular murder near Devil’s Lake, North Dakota. Along the way, Jance shows her strengths: crisp procedural detail, nuanced character development, and the emotional weight of law enforcement work. Joanna isn’t just a badge. She’s a mother, a wife, a leader, and a woman constantly balancing her instincts with evidence, her grief with duty.

One of the novel’s quieter but deeply satisfying threads is Joanna’s evolving relationship with journalist Marliss Shackleford. For years, Marliss has been a thorn in Joanna’s side—sensationalist, invasive, and often reckless. But in this book, we get more dimension to her. Without giving anything away, there’s a moment of unexpected compassion that completely changed how I saw her. That’s what Jance does so well—she takes familiar characters and lets them grow, even after twenty-plus books.

What also stood out was the emotional core around Joanna’s daughter, Jenny. Seeing her follow in her mother’s footsteps, ready to start her own law enforcement career, gave the story a multigenerational pulse. Joanna’s speech at the graduation was one of my favorite moments—not just because it was proud and maternal, but because it underscored how much has changed in policing over the years. Joanna is self-aware, brutally honest about the job’s dangers, and still absolutely dedicated to the pursuit of justice.

The Girl from Devil’s Lake is not just a whodunit—it’s a “how the hell did no one see this” story. And it’s scary because of how real it feels. The killer doesn’t lurk in the shadows; he teaches high school. He volunteers with border charities. He smiles and blends in. That chilling normalcy makes the book all the more unsettling. Jance doesn’t glorify violence. She forces you to sit with it, to see its ripples across families, communities, and entire systems. The victims in this story—particularly the young boy found in the desert—are never lost in the background. Joanna is determined to bring them justice, no matter how long it takes or how far she has to dig.

By the final chapters, the pacing becomes relentless. The investigation tightens, secrets unravel, and Joanna is forced to make tough decisions that put her—and those around her—in danger. The resolution is satisfying without being neatly tied up, and the emotional fallout is handled with honesty and restraint. There’s one twist near the end I didn’t see coming, and it hit hard.

You don’t need to have read the other Brady novels to appreciate this one, but if you have, you’ll feel the weight of how far Joanna has come. You’ll recognize the names, the old scars, and the evolution of a woman who’s spent her life chasing truth and navigating grief. And if this is your first J. A. Jance book? Prepare to binge the backlist.

A suspenseful, deeply human, and expertly told thriller that proves Jance hasn’t lost a step—if anything, she’s only getting better. Highly recommended.

3.5 stars
This is my first book by J.A. Jance. I found The Girls from Devil's Lake to be engaging and a solid read. The book is written in dual POV, featuring Sheriff Joanna Brady and Steven Roper. We meet Steven when he's 11 and makes his first kill, the voice in his head is leading him down a bad path. Needless to say, this mystery is not so cut and dry. You know that Steven is a serial killer, but with each kill revealed, you learn more and more about what makes him tick.

Joanna Brady is the sheriff in a small Arizona town, and when the body of a boy washes up during a storm, the events that unravel come to a thrilling conclusion. Joanna is smart and dedicated to bringing justice for this little boy.

** Thank you to Netgalley for sending me an ARC of The Girl from Devil's Lake in exchange for my honest review.

The Girl from Devil's Lake is the 21st book in the Joanna Brady Mystery series. It takes place in the town of Bisbee, AZ. Joanna is the police chief of this small town. Her daughter, Jennifer Ann Brady is graduating from the police academy in Peoria. Joanna was the guest speaker and also was able to pin Jennifer's badge on. Jennifer will be working for Pima County. Jennifer comes home and tells her parents that she and her boyfriend, Nick Saunders would like to get married on December 23rd. It's to be a small wedding.

The story follows Stephen Roper who is a serial kiler who killed his step-grandmother at the age of 11. He lived in the town of Fertile, Minnisota. It continued over a large period of time. After his killings he put momentos in a cigar box. He decided to move to Bisbee and taught high school until he retired. After he retired he worked for Hands Across the Border. It's an organization that helps migrants. He has bought a truck.

A blue duffle bag is washed ashore with a body of a young mexican boy in it. When doing the autopsy it was discovered that the boy was missing a sneaker with a shoelace missing. Joanne called Captain Arthur Pena in Mexico. She told him about the death of a young boy. Captain Pena asked if the boy wore a plaid shirt. His name is Xavier Delgado. He has been missing for over a week. Joanna is asked to come to Mexico to talk to a formant who tells Joanna that one of the members has a truck and that he was the last person to see Xavier who was in his truck. The person was Stephen Roper. Joanne told Arthur about the sneakers and will look into Roper. She calls Casey, one of her deputies and tells him about Roper. He is surprised as he had been taught by Roper and because of him he was interested in the CSI.

Joanna held a meeting with her deputies about Xavier and that Stephen Roper was a suspect. They decide that they would put a BOLO out but not mention his name to see if there are others. They don't want Stephen to know they are looking into him Lots of calls start coming in about missing children, etc. This is where the story takes off. There is so much to tell it is impossible to put on paper. I will leave this to the reader to enjoy to the very surprising and exciting ending.

I have read this series from the beginning and have enjoyed everyone of the books.

Thank you NegGalley and Harper Collins Publishers for this ARC.

This is such a cleverly written book. It’s a long read, but I was entrenched in the storyline from the first page to the last. It’s often heartbreaking. The final scene was very sad. This is book 21 in the series but I’ve never read any of the others. I had no problem following along. I do intend to read the other book in the series. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced free copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

The newest installment of the Joanna Brady series sees Joanna dealing with sheriff duties, family holidays and a murder or two.
I started the series way back when the first book came out. At this point, I read it mostly for the family dynamic that has grown out of the many books in the series. It really is my favorite part of any of them. The mystery is only an added bonus.
This book, while good, tended to drag a bit during the life history of the killer. It was never dull, but just seemed to leave me wanting to get back to Joanna whenever those chapters occurred.
In terms of the family drama in this book, there were some momentous events that will change the series going forward.
If you’ve read and liked a previous Brady novel, you’ll like this one.

THE GIRL FROM DEVIL’S LAKE, written by J.A. Jance, is the next book in the Joanna Brady series. Joanna Brady is a recently-widowed Arizona County Sheriff. After she speaks at her daughter’s graduation from the police academy, the story moves between two points of view (Steve Roper and Joanna Brady). I am curious to see how they connect with one another and read on.

I’m engrossed in the book right away. I like reading from both points of view, and although Steve Roper’s history and actions are interesting, I prefer the Joanna chapters. The story intensifies as the plot progresses. Some of the Steve Roper sections are a bit disturbing to read. Throughout the novel, I find the dialogue natural and easy to read. There is enough background provided to make this a successful standalone. While I have experienced J. A. Janice’s writing before, this is the first Joanna Brady novel I have read. I look forward to reading future as well as previous books in the Joanna Brady series. Thank you, William Morrow and NetGalley, for the chance to read and review an advance reader copy of THE GIRL FROM DEVIL’S LAKE.

Another excellent read from Jance featuring Joanna Brady. This time Brady solves a crime featuring a serial killer. Author does a good job of getting into the head of the criminal. As Brady investigats all the past crimes come into play. Maybe a depressing subject, but author handles it well. Thanks for the arc from Net Galley.