Simple Justice
Simple Justice by John Morgan Wilson, published by ReQueered Tales on September 15, 2020, is a compelling entry in the Benjamin Justice Thriller series. Set in 1994 during a tumultuous election year in Los Angeles, the narrative follows Benjamin Justice, a former reporter drawn back into the world of journalism to investigate a murder case that seems too straightforward. When a Latino teenager confesses to the murder of a young man outside a gay bar, Justice, battling his own demons, sees potential flaws in the case that others overlook.
Readers will find a rich tapestry of mystery and suspense as Justice teams up with reporter Alexandra Templeton to delve deeper into the circumstances surrounding the confession. The story navigates through complex themes of guilt, redemption, and the impact of past traumas, particularly Justice’s memories of his late lover, Jacques. This edition, comprising 282 pages, offers a revised version of the original narrative, enhancing the depth of the characters and the intricacies of the plot while remaining firmly rooted in the LGBTQ+ and mystery genres.
Official synopsis Publisher
A Benjamin Justice Thriller, Book 1 – It’s 1994, an election year when violent crime is rampant, voters want action, and politicians smell blood. When a Latino teenager confesses to the murder of a pretty-boy cokehead outside a gay bar in L.A., the cops consider the case closed. But Benjamin Justice, a disgraced former reporter for the Los Angeles Times, sees something in the jailed boy others don’t. His former editor, Harry Brofsky, now toiling at the rival Los Angeles Sun, pries Justice from his alcoholic seclusion to help neophyte reporter Alexandra Templeton dig deeper into the story. But why would a seemingly decent kid confess to a brutal gang initiation killing if he wasn’t guilty? And how can Benjamin Justice possibly be trusted, given his central role in the Pulitzer scandal that destroyed his career? Snaking his way through shadowy neighborhoods and dubious suspects, he’s increasingly haunted by memories of his lover Jacques, whose death from AIDS six years earlier precipitated his fall from grace. As he unravels emotionally, Templeton attempts to solve the riddle of his dark past and ward off another meltdown as they race against a critical deadline to uncover and publish the truth.
Awarded an Edgar by Mystery Writers of America for Best First Novel on initial release, this 25th Anniversary edition has been revised by the author. A foreword for the 2020 edition by Christopher Rice (Bone Music) is included.
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