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Relative Justice

Hazard and Somerset: Arrows in the Hand, Book 1

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About this listen

An impossible son. An impossible murder.

The honeymoon is definitely over.

When Emery Hazard and his husband, John-Henry Somerset, arrive home from their honeymoon, they’re shocked (understatement of the year) to find a boy waiting for them on their doorstep. Colt, 15 and eager to pick a fight, claims to be Hazard’s son. It’s almost a relief, then, for Hazard and Somers to be called out to assist the Dore County Sheriff’s Department with what seems to be an impossible murder: a man has been found stabbed to death in a stretch of woods, and the only set of footprints in the soft ground belong to the victim.

The more Hazard and Somers learn about the dead man, the more confusing the case becomes. While searching his home, they discover a secure room from which several high-end computers have been stolen. A woman makes a daring theft as the house is being secured and escapes with valuable documents. The dead man’s neighbor, who found the body, is obviously lying about how she discovered him. And something very strange is going on with the victim’s sons, who are isolated at school and seem to have found their few friends through the youth group at a local church - and in a close relationship with the hip, young, attractive pastor.

An attempt on Colt’s life leaves Hazard’s (possible) son in the hospital. When Hazard and Somers learn that the attack came after Colt tried to investigate the murder on his own, they realize he is now in the killer’s crosshairs, and Hazard and Somers must race to uncover the truth. The results from the paternity test aren’t back yet, but father or not, Emery Hazard isn’t going to let anyone harm a child.

©2021 Gregory Ashe (P)2021 Gregory Ashe
Literature & Fiction Mystery Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Police Procedural Fiction Crime Murder Suspense
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I was delighted when I heard that there was a new Hazard and Somerset series and that Tristan James was narrating it. He's kind of made these characters his own - and I really hate it when a narrator is changed. As I settled down to get my fix I was happy to find Hazard and Somers coming back from their honeymoon. The honeymoon was most certainly over when they discover a boy on their porch who said that Hazard was his dad.
This is where I had to suspend disbelief for a while. Hazard is an ex-cop and investigator, and Somers's is now chief of police in Wahreda. Neither of them followed protocol when the boy said Hazard was his dad. Hazard was 100% sure he had never slept with a woman - and yet, they give the kid the benefit of the doubt. The excuse for such bizarre behaviour was tiredness. Fine. There were no questions about the boy's mum, no request for a photo, no background check on her. Hazard had zero details about where he was supposed to have met/slept with the woman. These men are not idiots and so all of this was completely out of character.
When a man was found dead and the pair got to work together again. The plot unravelled with the complication of the mysterious kid that no one did basic checks on - and Hazard went from one meltdown to the next.
While I was swept up in the rollercoaster intensity of the story it struck me that all of the events took place over A WEEK. With the levels of stress Hazard exhibited, I'm surprised he didn't have heart failure.
I enjoy Gregory Ashe's writing - but this story slipped nearer the end. We discovered that a girl was found beaten and unconscious - there was no follow-up. There was no follow up to explain how a bloody knife and crypo wallet were found in the kid's bag. Maybe I'm nitpicking, but Ashe usually ties up his books tightly and this wasn't so tight.

Intense listen...a rollercoaster of a story

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A well written story with and interesting  concept.  The characters are likeable and the narration is very good.

Enjoyable Story

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I was given this book as an advanced listener but even if this wasn't the case I would have bought this audiobook anyway as Gregory Ashe's writing and Tristan James' narration, bringing to life Hazard and Somerset continues to be a great combination.

You may think you know all there is to know about these guys but believe me there is still more to understand about them and that is what makes them enduring characters. Like us they continue to find out more about themselves as well as each other.

Gregory Ashe has the ability to marry the mundanity of everyday life with a sinister crime story and these storylines are no different. The crime story is unfortunately all too real where we have man's greed and his inhumanity to his fellow man having to be worked alongside the surprise that Hazard and Somerset find on their doorstep. The way way the two storylines become entwined is naturalistic and quiet believable. As someone who has worked with children and adolescents for many years I find Ashe's portrayal of them equally poignant and amusingly accurate.

Tristan James' narration accurately captures the many moods of this tale and the pace of the storylines had me finishing 90% of the book in one day.

The ending leaves me with a sense of satisfaction but also with sense of disquiet in thinking that you may be missing what is under your nose. If I could, I would give this audiobook book a six. The e-book was great but with the narration it is fantastic.

I need more Hazard and Somerset.

Clever mix of the mundane with sinister crime

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Another 5 star read from Gregory Ashe. Hazard and Somerset are so funny together. Already waiting for the next book to be released.

Brilliant series

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I am soooo pleased to have another 'Ree and JH' book narrated so ably by Tristan James.
I can't wait for book 2 in this series.

totally absorbing.....as usual

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