"O" is for Outlaw

BOTTOM-LINE: Pretty good story, could have been a contender. . PLOT OR PREMISE: Kinsey gets a blast from the past from her ex-husband, Mickey Magruder. . WHAT I LIKED: Kinsey finds out that when she walked out of their marriage thinking he was guilty of murder/manslaughter, he actually had an alibi that he didn't reveal. He was never convicted, and in the years since, they've had no contact. It's interesting to see her work through a sense of guilt and a desire to know the real truth. Before she finds him, someone shoots him on the street and he's in a coma. Soon she's wearing his leather jacket and hunting down his shooter. The story is solid but does jump around quite a bit to get to the final bit. . WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: The solution is a bit "out there" for pieces tying together, and like a couple of the previous books, feels a little unfair to the reader. Not as bad as previous, however. . DISCLOSURE: I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I am not personal friends with the author, nor do I follow her on social media.

When she used the phrase "jumping up and down like a Zulu" I had to stop reading. Slap in the face racism. I'd noticed her more passive racism in a previous book where a black character was mentioned twice, with the adjective black or African American. All other characters' physical appearance and behavior was described in detail, clearly white. Its the all too common view people are white and everyone else is "other" and needs an adjective. The Zulu comment is the last straw.

Love Kinsey!