This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.
This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.
Reviewed by Francine Zane for Readers' Favorite
In The NEAR by L.A. Jones, Detective Kirt Edo is haunted by the long ago disappearance of his older brother. Fortunately the failure to solve his brother’s disappearance does not prevent him from being a good cop. When the discovery of a dead woman in The NEAR, which is a landfill, ends up leading him back to his own family, he learns that danger surrounds more than just the people he loves.
I liked the future created by L.A. Jones as the setting for The NEAR, landfills are no longer filled with useless waste products. Businessmen of the future have learned new recycling methods that make mining centuries of waste products profitable, and where there is money, there is corruption. I also enjoyed Kirt Edo’s personality. As a man raised in wealth, he comes across as humble. He doesn’t flaunt his wealth nor judge his friends based on possessions. On the down side, the long paragraphs of exposition steal the suspense that gives a good cop story that wow factor.
Jones appears to leave a lot of loose ends dangling along the way that have absolutely nothing to do with the plot, but he expertly ties them into the plot within the last couple of chapters. He shows his strength as a writer in his ability to create likeable characters and in the creation of a world that is advanced but still realistic. The story ends with a perfect set up for a sequel but still manages to be somewhat satisfying as a standalone book.
