A murder mystery with enough suspects to fill a jury box, characters I adore, and a plot that stole my sleep.
I have a complaint to file against T.G. Wolff. Her latest book, In Contempt, kept me reading every chance I got, and then kept me up well past my bedtime because I absolutely HAD to finish it. I have things to do, you know. Sleep is supposed to be one of them.
This is the third book in the Rizk Brothers series, and I am happy to report that Jakob and Seth Rizk remain two of my favorite fictional characters. These two are about as different as identical twins can get, and I love them both.
Jakob is the serious, law-abiding brother, currently serving as Indiana's interim Attorney General and running for the position permanently. He's married to Courtney, who is pregnant with twins. Seth, on the other hand, considers rules more like suggestions, has a talent for pushing his luck, and apparently believes danger is something to laugh in the face of. Preferably while doing something that would give Jakob a coronary. And this time, they've got a murder to deal with.
Jakob's opponent in the Attorney General race, Jessica Hartley, is found murdered in the sauna at her gym. Naturally, suspicion falls on Jakob. After all, eliminating your political opponent is certainly one way to win an election, although I doubt it's covered in the campaign handbook. Fortunately, Jakob has an alibi.
That leaves the question of who actually killed Jessica. And oh, what a collection of suspects we have! We have a murder victim with enough potential enemies to fill a jury box. A senator who apparently interpreted she's like a daughter to me rather creatively. A potentially furious wife, jealous sisters, an ex-boyfriend, and a neighbor whose music apparently registers on the Richter scale. Seriously. With this crowd, I'm surprised the police didn't have to hand out numbered tickets.
Meanwhile, Seth is supposed to be returning to Miami to resume his job as a vice detective. Unfortunately, a power failure causes him to miss his flight, and his boss has apparently reached the end of his patience with Seth's excuses. He's told not to bother coming back. Well, that's one way to clear your schedule.
Now unemployed and with time on his hands, Seth gets involved in the murder investigation alongside Detective Angel Martinez, a no-nonsense detective who has caught his attention. At first, it's mostly Seth pushing his luck and Angel trying to keep him in line. Then Angel needs a date for a family gathering and, for reasons known only to her, asks Seth. Oh, honey. What have you done? I thoroughly enjoyed watching their relationship develop. Angel is more than capable of standing up to Seth, and I suspect she's having almost as much fun keeping him in line as he's having testing the boundaries.
But this book isn't all murder suspects, romantic complications, and Seth being Seth. Jakob is under enormous pressure. He's running for office, his opponent has been murdered, his office is trying to bring the killer to justice, his wife is expecting twins, and his brother is suddenly unemployed. That's a lot for anyone to handle, even someone as responsible as Jakob.
Unfortunately, he's been using alcohol to cope with the stress, and when Courtney is rushed to the hospital, he makes a dangerous mistake trying to get to her. I appreciated that Wolff didn't gloss over this. Angel helps him through the situation but also has a serious conversation with him about his drinking. Jakob promises to get himself straight. It's a reminder that even the responsible brother isn't perfect.
And then there's Seth's approach to helping his brother manage stress. It involves old golf clubs and some property that was headed for the curb anyway. Sometimes you just need to beat the stuffing out of something that doesn't mind being destroyed. What I particularly loved about this scene was the relationship between the brothers. They may approach life from completely different directions, but they're there for each other when it counts. Beneath Seth's wisecracks and Jakob's seriousness is a genuine bond that makes these characters so much fun to follow.
One of Wolff's greatest strengths in this book is the balance between the murder investigation and the brothers' personal lives. Not once did I feel like the family issues, romantic developments, or humor were unnecessary distractions or page-filler. Everything fit together naturally. The personal stories added depth to the characters without slowing down the mystery, and the investigation never got lost in the family drama. That's not always easy to pull off, especially three books into a series, but Wolff makes it look effortless.
And the mystery itself? Excellent! There were plenty of suspects, motives, and questions to keep me turning pages. About halfway through, I developed a theory about the killer. I didn't have proof, but I had my suspicions. When everything finally came together, I discovered I was right. There's something deeply satisfying about solving a fictional murder before the detectives do, even if you couldn't actually prove your case in court.
The ending wrapped everything up satisfactorily, and I closed the book feeling thoroughly entertained. The pacing was excellent, the characters were wonderful, and the combination of mystery, humor, and family relationships was exactly what I wanted.
If you enjoy mysteries with memorable characters, a healthy dose of humor, complicated family relationships, and enough suspects to keep your detective skills busy, I highly recommend the Rizk Brothers series. I'd suggest starting with the first book, though, because getting to know these brothers is half the fun.
Five stars. No hesitation. This book cost me sleep, and I regret absolutely nothing.
Well, except that I don't have the next book waiting for me. Which brings me to one final thing.
Dear T.G. Wolff,
I love the Rizk brothers. I love their adventures. I love the way you balance murder, mayhem, family, and humor. But I've finished In Contempt, and now I have a problem. I NEED MORE!
Please get back to the keyboard immediately. These brothers have more trouble to get into, and I intend to be there for every minute of it. Preferably before my next bedtime.
Although we both know how that's going to turn out.
