The characters in this book didn't seem very intelligent. Police officers telling Lara, the judge (and main character) details on an ongoing investigation telling her not to share the information. Then she proceeds to share the information with others, causing even more troubles. The author did keep me guessing on who the villian was. ( )

This book was on the book exchange rack at the library, and I thought it might be a change of pace from the usual Love Inspired type books usually on the rack.

The book starts slowly with a lot of information and background--some of it becomes important later in the book. The narrative style is distant from what's going on which made it hard for me to become absorbed in the story.

Lara Sanderstone is a dichotomy. She's somewhat successful professionally and claims she holds strong ethics. In her personal life, she's estranged from her sister, yet she's loaned the sister and brother-in-law one hundred thousand dollars to purchase a pawn shop (a shop that her name is also on), has interceded on the brother-in-law's behalf when he dropped her name to the cops, and the sister has kept her from seeing her nephew, Josh.

Josh apparently believes what his mother told him about his aunt and resents her for not continuing to visit him and take him places. A short stint in foster care seems to change his mind. I liked Josh's friendship with Emmet; less so his friendship with Ricky. Josh makes some foolish choices though in deciding to contact Tommy Black on his own and to meet him. He also should have been suspicious of the offer of alcoholic beverages to a supposed "pre-teen" as well as accepting drinks from a stranger.

Emmet is a fighter--he refuses to let his ALS get him down. He still teaches and still holds a job designing software. He seems to be a true friend to Lara, wanting to help her and asking for little in return. He's also a friend to Josh, though he does keep a secret for Josh that he shouldn't have.

Rickerson seems to be trying his best to be a good dad to his two sons, to be understanding about his wife (though that seems to change later in the novel), and to do good work as a detective. How he deals with Lara's near constant interfering is admirable. Though his marriage is probably over (except for the divorce proceedings), he is still married and I'd have preferred it if he hadn't pursued Lara until he'd settled the marriage issue with his wife.

In the end, I didn't guess who was behind it all until the characters put it together. ( )

Interest of Justice was one of my first Nancy Taylor Rosenberg reads. It was thoroughly enjoyable if you like the suspense, but not too gory, type of thriller set with among the legal scene. ( )

she is my favorite fiction crime writer. ( )