Book Review: A Kind of Justice
A Kind of Justice. Renee James. Oceanview Publishing, October 4, 2016, Hardcover, 305 pages.
Reviewed by Sue Merrell.
In addition to being a well-written mystery with great character development and a surprise ending, A Kind of Justice focuses on one of the most talked about topics of the day: the transgender community. How can it not be a hit?
This is the second mystery by Renee James, the pen name of a Chicago writer who has lived both male and female identities. Although not as fast-paced and action-packed as the mystery-thrillers I prefer, A Kind of Justice is a wonderfully introspective, character-driven tale in which the people are multi-dimensional, not shallow stereotypes.
The protagonist, Bobbi Logan, is a statuesque, transgender woman who seems to have finally arrived.
She has recently taken over ownership of a posh hair salon in downtown Chicago. She is comfortable with her new identity, admired in her community, and friends with her ex-wife.
But that all begins to fall apart: the recession threatens her business, she is needed to help her ex-wife cope with tragedy, and a tough, bigoted police detective seems determined to prove Bobbi is responsible for a five-year-old murder.
As the investigation unfolds, we learn Bobbi had more than enough motive to kill John Strand, a Chicago attorney who enjoyed using and abusing transwomen, and witnesses can put Bobbi, or a man that resembled Bobbi, in the area at the time of his death. But the identity of the murderer is not revealed until the final twist at the end.
In A Kind of Justice, the characters’ evolution drives this intricately woven story. Not only does Bobbi grow in confidence and acceptance, but her ex-wife works through multiple issues and even the bigoted detective slowly transforms interview by interview. I suspect the reader grows as well, whether that is a broader understanding of the transgender lifestyle or a realization that even tough, hardheaded bigots have soft spots and vulnerabilities.
Although there are a few tastefully written sex scenes, James does not overdo that aspect. The women in her transgender community are complex women seeking meaningful relationships. Like most women, however, they sometimes settle for less.
James’ writing style and perception of people is on a par with best-selling author Jodi Picoult, who writes a nice blurb on the cover. Perhaps someday books about transgender characters can gloss over the sex-change aspect and just get on with the mystery but, in the meantime, James opens the door to a little better understanding of this segment of our community.