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Reviewed by Grace Masso for Readers' Favorite
Rogue Justice by Ben Nicholls is a crime thriller with strong characters and a plot that is serpentine, filled with surprises and suspense. Someone has decided to take justice into their own hands and to go after criminals who are seemingly untouchable. The victims are subjected to cruel treatment before being killed. Detectives Englund and Hicks are working the case, and they are unable to establish a motive for the killings. The situation becomes even more complicated with the kidnapping of a small girl, an act that hits right home for Englund. With tension rising in the close-knit community, the stakes grow higher. Can the two detectives catch the killer before another victim falls prey to the elusive criminal who is meting out his own kind of justice on individuals?
This is a well-plotted story with fascinating characters and a setting that is well-constructed. Author Ben Nicholls writes skillfully about a vigilante form of justice and creates an antagonist who reflects the frustrations of the ordinary men and women who are unable to experience justice because of the system. The scenes are well-crafted and readers will enjoy the mind games the killer plays with characters before killing them. The case of Helen, after her husband is murdered, is exemplary. The victims quickly understand that the outcome of the game doesn’t change, no matter how well they bargain or how innocent they claim to be. At times, it is psychologically disturbing as readers navigate the mindscape of a serial killer. Hicks and Englund are likable characters, and I enjoyed the banter between them and how they complemented one another. There is something mysterious about Hicks that kept me rooting for him. Overall, Rogue Justice is a deftly plotted, intelligently accomplished novel that is as fast-paced as it is gripping.