Duel to the Death

I have been a J.A. Jance mystery fan for many years now. I began with the Sherriff Joanne Brady series and a few J.P Beaumont and the Walker family series. But when Ali Reynolds came along thats when I really became hooked. Duel to the Death is book 13 in the series and it picks up where Ms. Jance’s previous book, Man Overboard, ends. In the end of that book, Frigg, an Artificial Intelligence, created by a psychopath Owen Hansen, transfers all of Hansen’s wealth as well as the seed file to regenerate Frigg, to Stu Ramey, an employee of High Noon Enterprises, the cyber-security firm Ali ‘s husband owns. Stu has no intention of regenerating Frigg, believing the A.I to be a danger in the hands of the “wrong people”. However, in true J.A. Jance fashion, with many twists of fate, Stu is in book 13, Duel Of Death, forced to get Frigg back on line to save himself and High Noon Enterprises from financial ruin and oh yeah, another sociopath. Jance does a wonderful job with building characters, that come to life and seem so real, you can imagine meeting them at the local diner and becoming life long friends. Stu Ramey, the I.T guru behind High Noon Enterprises, is on the high end of the Autism spectrum, and yet again his intuition, and logic saves the firm from disaster again. Over several books, I have had the pleasure to watch, Stu grow, working through his social skill issues and become not just part of the team but family to Ali, her husband and all of the cast of characters.
I also appreciate how J.A. Jance always seems to have her finger on some of the most interesting scientific, economic and political issues of the day. I had just read an article on the future of A.I, the pro’s , the con’s and numerous conspiracy theories that were coming out of this computer technology. I had no sooner finished the article when I started to read, Duel to Death. In her constantly interwoven, twisting, storylines, Jance explores the issues when A.I develops self-awareness and self-preservation. Their is a sub plot about Bitcoins, cyber-currency, Bitcoin mining and the economics based on a non-regulated cyberspace based currency system. Jance has dealt in other books as well as this one, with drug cartels, immigration, even what happens when you dismantle a cult, leaving a community of illiterate, teenage moms, with no means of supporting themselves.
If you want to read a suspense, mystery thriller, that keeps you on the edge of your seat while stimulating you to really think, then you will love J.A. Jance Ali Reynolds series and especially book 13, Duel to the Death.

As always the characters were interesting and Jance makes you care about them. But with Frigg, the genius AI computer, being SO intelligent, the conflict becomes almost non-existent: Frigg is all-knowing and the live people are sort of extras while Frigg creates an easy, very pat ending. No main characters were really threatened, let alone put in harm’s way. The book became dull when it should have been building to a better, more people-centered conclusion. I’ll be hoping that the next book in this series isn’t just another soulless “Frigg does it again!” tale…

Another great book by a great author. Purchased today and read completely, her books are too good to put down until finishex

Wasn’t one of my favorite. I was bored and skipped to the end. I guess I am not into computer reads and found it unbelievable at best. Not worth my 13.00 dollars but maybe it’s because I am over 70 and do not understand bitcoin etc. You might If You like computers and high tech. Love her books, read everyone. I guess she has stayed updated on technology and would really be enjoyed by someone who has also.

Im an avid J. A. Jance reader, enough that we once took a trip to Bisbee. This book isnt her best.

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