Judy Bishop’s Fourth Strike: A Novel of Suspense is the fourth entry in the Detectives Daniels and Remalla series and it follows a grueling investigation into the murder of retired Judge Martin Hendrix. He has been found murdered in his home and the only clues left behind are a sequence of numbers. The two detectives begin unraveling the clues and it is not long before former detective Jill Jacobs comes in looking for a link to unsolved murders. Little does she know that she is about to stir up a hornet’s nest when she stumbles on an unexpected family with a shady history. She is about to get the attention of an intelligent killer and what happens next isn’t what anyone expected.

If you love stories with well-crafted characters and strong plot points, then you will be engrossed by this meld of crime and mystery. The author kept me guessing through every scene. The scenes are so well-crafted and focused that at every moment the reader is fully engaged. Fourth Strike: A Novel of Suspense is fast-paced and emotionally and psychologically engaging. The plot is laced with surprising turns for readers. It opens with a situation of murder that I never saw coming and from that moment I wanted to know more about the man who says, “Hello, Judge,” and doesn’t allow the judge time to complete his sentence before he pulls out a weapon and fires. This is a riveting read with rock-solid characters and a powerful conflict, a delightful read for fans of sleuth and murder.

Fourth Strike: A Novel of Suspense is the fourth book in the Detectives Daniels and Remalla series by Judy Bishop, a twisty narrative that had me up the whole night. Judge Martin Hendrix is retired and when a man pulls a weapon and kills him, detectives Gordon Daniels and Aaron Remalla think the case is easy to solve by following the sequential numbers left at the crime scene. But when former detective Jill Jacobs steps in, everything changes. She is out to uncover the killer who is linked to previous murders and her investigation reveals a family she never knew. This draws the attention of the killer and as Jill follows a trail of family mystery, the detectives are about to confront a disturbing truth about the murders. The murderer might be someone no one expected and finding the truth can be as damaging as letting things go.

There is a lot that I enjoyed in this story. Judy Bishop starts with a murder and I thought it would be dealt with quickly. Then when it seems like the detectives have a lead already, Jill Jacobs comes in, and everything changes. It is interesting how the author writes the relationship between the three detectives and the way they work provides insights into the professional work and challenges that detectives face. The characters are strong and believable. The prose in Fourth Strike: A Novel of Suspense is gorgeous and the narrative suspenseful. The story has emotional depth, engages readers psychologically, and features surprises that augment the entertaining quality of the writing. I love the pacing and how the story pricks the curiosity of the reader.