The Breakfast Jury
Kenneth B Humphreyhttps://www.kenhumphrey.com/
Ebook $7.00
Buy on Amazon
About the Book
In 1999, a jury of misfits is thrust into the case of the
century. A man stands accused of poisoning his wife with antifreeze and they
are charged to deliver judgment. During the longest trial in state history,
they unwittingly form bonds stronger than anyone could have predicted and come
to realize their differences are not so great after all. One year later, a
reunion turns deadly when they fall victim to poison. Is this targeted
retribution for their verdict or simply forewarning of something darker to
come? Enter disgraced detective Aramis "Arch" White and his penchant
for finding trouble. As he digs into the shadows, skepticism plays a third
wheel, blurring the line between duty and vendetta. Can he unmask the puppeteer
orchestrating this retribution tango? The clock is ticking and as time winds
down he finds that vengeance possesses a wicked sense of irony.
My Review
This is a fast-paced who-dun-it
set in turn-of-the-century (twenty-first, that is) Wisconsin, bouncing between
a criminal murder trial and some of the aftermath a year later. Humphrey’s main
protagonist, Arch White, returns in a quest to redeem himself after his police
career bottoms out. A friendly referral that was supposed to be a pat on the
back turns into a serious case when Arch untangles threads that lead back to a
jury of the murder trial, and apparently the members of the jury are now
targets of a copycat killer.
Peeling back the evidence through
flashes between the trial in 1999 and the case Arch is investigating, the
reader slowly sees the suspects, means, and motive coming into play. The action
was twisty enough that, although I followed the trail, I’d read the story again
because there were so many moving parts and people that I’d see something new
each time I read it. Skillfully played with a wide cast, detailed and nuanced
in all the right placed, The Breakfast Jury is a fun read. The title is
a riff on the high school comedy which is mentioned frequently. Those who enjoy
detective stories with some humor and parallel action between near past and
present will enjoy The Breakfast Jury. I’m also checking out Arch White
in the previous series.
About the Author
My story really isn't all that different than other writers.
I grew up loving books. I spent a lot of time daydreaming. I wondered how
everyone else in class seemed to know what to do when I didn't even remember
the teacher saying anything. And there were many voices in my head.
Apparently,
I also lean to the left when taking pictures.
