Janie's Law

Now is time to welcome Carroll Lachnit's fourth title, Janie's Law, and its promise of justice for Ms. Barlow. Bearing in mind Janie Meister and the three succesfully solved mysteries since her apparent death that failed to comfort Hannah, we might even settle down with our new book comfortably and deservedly for their sakes, only to find ourselves stiff-backed once again after three mere pages, electrified, paralyzed with fear that another child may soon die. Lachnit delivers this high-powered jolt to warn us: we should know better than to assume all is well in Las Almas! Thankfully, she has precisely calculated our breath keeping capabilities, and in the nick of time for ourselves and for the children out at night on April 25th, engulfs a sinister parked van into flame. Stoked therein lies Henry Charles, a quivering cinder in the exquisite throes of depravity. Only those of us whose spirits have wholly survived Lachnit's two minute plunge into his hell, should brave to investigate further.... If only a rehabilitated child molester, Freddie Roche, hadn't pressed Hannah to represent him against an unresponsive police department, she would never have gotten mixed up with such an unsavory lot. Though she rejected him forcefully enough, it was his testimony that rang true with words from beyond the grave: referral instructions written in the hand of her deceased, estranged brother, Father Michael Barlow. Only a dark night of soul searching was to erode her resolve; for Michael's faith-filled, haunting words upheld his friend Freddie and grappled her conscience. If only she could have then staid the guilt at discovering her almost-client had been shot vigilante style over the weekend since their brief meeting! Days later, a similar killing follows. Finally so battered by Marian Roche's accusation of abandoning her son in spite of his scrupulous obediance to Megan's Law, Hannah surrenders herself to the case. Thus Janie's Law begins. The three murders under scrutiny are close enough in timing, locality and in nature for Hannah's Internet research on pedophiles to suggest the assasin/s must be past victims of the men, or at least associated persons infuriated by the terms and too recent enforcement of Megan's Law. Initially thinking the possible suspects to be few, she must quickly admit the more myriad number. The dead men have in fact seeded their morbidity everywhere: lone-suffering, silent individuals step forth cautiously from their shadows to relate their traumas. Two have already suicided. Willing to talk to Hannah but too beaten to act on their own, none fit the profile of one on a "cleansing" mission. More than one youth lurking in Janie's old neighborhood was watching Barlow all the while, knew everything about the girl's disappearance and others' histories too: information so necessary, that undaunted by the lies, aliases and trickeries of street kids, Hannah barters for roaming righ

It is the rare book or mystery series that succeeds in terms of both plot, character development, and story, and Carroll Lachnit's Hannah Barlow novels books are so interesting and enjoyable to read because they have it all: realistic, three-dimensional characters; compelling, suspenseful plots; and well told stories. Forget Sue Grafton, Martha Grimes or any of the others, and pick up "Janie's Law." Or, better yet, start at the beginning of the series and read "Murder In Brief," "A Blessed Death," "Akin To Death," and then "Janie's Law." You won't regret it!

"Janie's Law" lays out a scenario that should haunt us all -- is murder acceptable when the victim is a villain? I think it's the best of Carroll Lachnit's Hannah Barlow series, and that's saying a lot. You want characters with depth, harrowing plots, contemporary dilemmas and exquisite writing? Start with "Murder in Brief" and buckle your seat belt.

Attorney Hannah Barlow feels no second qualms when she informs Freddy Roche that she will not take on his case. Though she knows he has rights that should protect him from the harassment of his neighbors, Hannah refuses to help the convicted child molester. His appearance in her office brings back ugly memories of her last case as a police officer. Hannah failed to stop a wealthy father from sexually assaulting his daughter before he killed her.A few days later, Freddy's dead. Though Hannah never shafted the pediophile, her guilty consicence forces her to accept Freddy's mother as a client. The woman wants to know what really happened to her son in light of his being the third sex offender killed in recent weeks. Hannah initially rejects her client's contention that a serial killer is murdering pediophiles. While on the streets, Hannah sees Jane, the alleged deceased victim from her last police case, not realizing that the girl's reappearance links her to the current investigation into Freddy's murder.Where do the rights of child molesters, abusers, and sexual offenders end and that of society begins? What rights do victims have? Should lawyers reject sexual predators as clients? These questions serve as the focus of Carroll Lachnit's compelling tale JANIE'S LAW. Wrapped inside a wonderful who-done-it, is a dialogue between the author and her fans that compel readers to think about a difficult social issue. As with her three previous Barlow novels, Ms. Lachnit demonstrates her ability to place at the core of her mysteries a controversial issue. In her writings, Ms. Lachnit believes readers can think and thus she offers no trite resolution to the problem.Harriet Klausner