Stand Down: A J.P. Beaumont Novella by J. A. Jance

J P Beaumont's job died when his employer was killed in a horrific traffic accident in downtown Seattle.  His wife was already applying to be a police chief in Bellingham so it didn't hit her as badly.  Now he's playing part-time carpenter and deciding what to do with the rest of his life...

Witness Impulse and Edelweiss allowed me to read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published July 21st, so make a note to grab it then.

I've read J A Jance for years.  I lived in Washington when I started and I could relate to her settings and enjoyed her police procedural novels.  When I saw Beaumont's name on this one, I had to read it.  I may live in New Mexico now, but I know exactly where in downtown Seattle they had that accident.  I've also been to Bellingham.  It's like going home when I read her books.  The best part is that they are written well and keep my interest until the end.

Beaumont is fixing up houses here and there on the side and working with a contractor to complete refurbishing a second home they are purchasing in Bellingham.  He's keeping busy but he knows he can't do this forever, he'll have to find another job or another interest to pursue.  His wife is struggling with her new police chief duties.  The man below her thinks he should have gotten the job and he's working against her.  Unfortunately, she and Beaumont don't agree on how she should handle it so now it's verboten subject.

Beaumont has finally signed with a contractor for the second house.  He calls Mel to tell her.  She doesn't answer, so he assumes she's busy.  Then he calls again and leaves a message for her about doing lunch.  When he doesn't hear back, he calls the office and asks the secretary if she's there.  She said she left for lunch but hasn't returned and she's missing a meeting.  That's not normal for Mel.

He hurries home and discovers her car, her belongings, the sandwich she intended to eat and no Mel.  He knows the cops will consider him a suspect, so he goes to move his car and doesn't return.  By the time they get moving she could be dead.  He's off to find her himself...

I like Beaumont.  He's a take-no-nonsense guy who goes the distance on his cases.  He's not as good with women as he is in solving cases, but he's working on that, too.  I look forward to reading more about him.