Stand Down by J.A. Jance - A J.P. Beaumont Novella

  Life has shifted for J. P. Beaumont. After a tragic accident that devastated—and ultimately disbanded—his Special Homicide Investigaton Team, he accepts that he has left homicide detection behind at this point, but he has a lot of unanticipated free time on his hands. He's keeping busy with renovations on the new house that he and his wife, Mel Soames, the newly appointed chief of police in Bellingham, Washington, have bought. But new fixtures and paint palettes can occupy only so much of Beau's daily life, and Mel is encouraging him to return to where he is needed: investigating crimes.
In the meantime, she is struggling to gain control of her new situation, cast into a department where some are welcoming—and some are not. It's been a few months, and the tension in the police department is rising, but Beau realizes Mel has to tackle things in her own way, so he refrains from advising. But when Beau shows up one afternoon to survey the construction at their new house and finds Mel's car there but no sign of her, his investigative instincts kick in. Suddenly he's back in the game—except this time, his heart is on the line as well as his professional dignity.
MY REVIEW:
Stand Down Novella: A J.P. Beaumont Novella by J.A. Jance
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Stand Down by J.A. Jance is a 2015 Witness Impulse publication. I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher and Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
I have read books in each of J.A Jance's series. I enjoy all of them, but I have to admit I have soft spot for old J.P. Beaumont. This novella brings us up to date on what Beaumont has been doing since the special homicide team he worked for was disbanded and his wife became a police chief. Currently, Beaumont finds himself in the unique position of being the spouse who has to wait at home while the other one goes off to work in what could be a life or death job. But, that doesn't mean Beaumont has gone soft on us. When he senses his wife may have made a few enemies, his antennae goes up immediately.
While this book is basically the set up for the next full length novel featuring our favorite detective, I have to say this was a pretty tense short story which doesn't sugarcoat how politics and fear of scrutiny by the press can prevent true justice from taking place.
It was great to touch base with Beaumont again and I am really intrigued by what the future might hold for him. I am glad his nice wife gave him a little nudge in the right direction. 4 stars
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  Judith Ann Jance is the top 10 New York Times bestselling author of the Joanna Brady series; the J. P. Beaumont series; three interrelated thrillers featuring the Walker family; and Edge of Evil, the first in a series featuring Ali Reynolds. Born in South Dakota and brought up in Bisbee, Arizona, Jance lives with her husband in Seattle, Washington, and Tucson, Arizona.