This novel, centered around a transgender hairdresser and the murder investigation following her, feels real and authentic to a level I didn't expect. I loved Bobbi Logan, and I feel like I gained some genuine insight on what it's like to be a trans person, likely due to the fact that Renee James is both transgender herself and an excellent writer.

The central "mystery," if you can call it that, is really secondary to the story of Bobbi's life and relationships with the people around her. One of the central themes of the book is that outward appearances can be deceiving, and people can change/be much different than you thought initially. The warmth that radiates from the main character (and the book itself) makes this theme feel true and moving, but even with that warmth, the book never shies away from the violence, bigotry, and turmoil trans people often face. The characters in A Kind of Justice are so well-drawn and compassionately written that it might even make you think twice about easy judgments, and that's a takeaway message that couldn't be more necessary in the world.

This book was incredible from page one, and although it's about some topics that I'm not wildly close to in nature I found myself so excited to see how it would all play out.

Bobbi Logan is a transwoman who owns a high-end hairdressing salon that is running on hard times because of the recession. But the kicker is that she's also being investigated for murder.

I didn't read the first book in this series, but I wouldn't say that I suffered for having missed out. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants to not only read a psychological thriller but to step into the shoes (or high heels) of someone different than themselves.

Rating: 4/5 stars

I love a good mystery, and I am always ready to try out a LGBTQ book, particularly if it is own voices. A Kind of Justice is a perfect blend of good representation and good storytelling. While this wasn’t my favorite mystery I’ve read this year, this book certainly brings a lot to the table. For that reason, the Bobbi Logan series is something that I would recommend to a variety of different readers.I greatly enjoyed this book and am interested in continuing on in the series.

Rating: ★★★½

A really good easy read. I couldn't put it down. No dull moments. I'll definitely be reading more from this author

I'm afraid I didn't get a chance to read this one in time, but I do really love the cover.

When I started this book, I thought it was about a transwoman hairdresser who solved crimes. I was wrong, but my mistake was understandable. Bobbi starts off as the point-of-view character. When I was in her head, the pacing was too slow, the present tense wasn’t working for me, and I didn’t feel close to her or any of her friends. I kept dropping the book mid-scene.

Beyond basic structure, there were also some moments from her perspective that grated on me. Betsy calls Bobbi her “ex-husband”, even though Bobbi is a woman. Betsy is, in general, pretty awful and ungrateful, but Bobbi keeps insisting to herself that she doesn’t deserve anything better than their friendship. There’s also a guy—of course, he’s gorgeous—that Bobbi’s interested in. He flat out tells her he’s worried he only likes her because he has a fetish for her because she’s a transwoman. Forbidden fruit. And she still wants to see him because she thinks he’s great and she can’t do better.

Admittedly, some of the dissonance I felt could be due to the fact that this is the third book in a series and I haven’t read the first; I didn’t have those previous opportunities to bond with Bobbi. Also, I’m not interested in fashion or the industry, and that was basically the setting of the world. Certainly not the gritty murder mystery I was hoping for.

When the book really clicked for me was when another point-of-view character was introduced. A tough-as-nails detective is trying to convict Bobbi Logan of first degree murder, and the emotional growth he experiences from inhabiting her world creates a poignant and beautiful truth.

In all honesty, I’m not certain if James intended for the detective to be the protagonist of her story. She mentions in her rating that she felt the character—Bobbi—was interesting, which to me signals that she feels Bobbi is the protagonist, but I can’t let go of my interpretation that easily.

The detective’s character undergoes the most transformation. Bobbi starts out in good circumstances, the detective brings her down, and she struggles to climb back up. But by the end of the book, she’s still her best self. Her character growth doesn’t compare to the detective’s, who starts out as a complete asshole and changes into… maybe not a butterfly, but I saw something beautiful in him.

I hate to say Bobbi’s story is better told through the eyes of a straight cis man, but there was some real brilliance in the detective’s character. Bobbi was too much of a Mary Sue—she did no wrong but everyone still hated her. Her ex treated her poorly when she offered nothing but love. Her dates treated her disrespectfully, and she stuck with them because she felt it was the best she could do. People accused her of being a slut when she wasn’t. People accused her of being a bitch when she went out of her way to be kind. People accused her of being shrewd, but she only took over her business because an older gay man needed to retire due to health reasons. People accused her of murder….

The detective was a minority, however, and I think that aided how he came to an eventual understanding and respect for Bobbi. Despite the circumstances, by the end of the novel I felt as if that respect was mutual. Bobbi may be an honest woman, but the detective is also an honest cop. And justice must be served. Unfortunately, according to the law, there’s only one kind.

I’ve read lots of books with gay/lesbian/bi characters but this was my first one with a transgender character and I was very curious to see how it would flow. I was especially curious because the book is written from her point of view which helps someone who does not have that much familiarity with transgendered people get a greater understanding. I was hooked from the first chapter because the author has a great writing style and has written a character you want to get invested in.

This is a charmingly written mystery that has the surprising ability to take the reader on an emotionally satisfying journey. Reading about the violence faced by transgender people simply for being who they are was so heartbreaking and a stark reminder of the reality people like Bobbi face every day. I admired the main character, Bobbi, a great deal and it helped give me insight into a world I did not have that much experience with before. The ending is beautiful and was thankfully satisfying, I just can’t imagine a better written conclusion for this book.

As a woman I thoroughly enjoyed reading a powerful story about a fellow female who fights back to survive and overcome adversity to change her life. If we all had a little bit of her strength this world would be a better place.