Shattered Justice

By Susan Furlong

Rating: 4/5 Stairs

It’s hard to believe 2019 is coming to an end today! This has been another year of great books. For my last book review of this year, I’m pleased to share a book which released today: Shattered Justice, the latest great novel in the Bone Gap Travellers series by Susan Furlong. I was lucky enough to have an ARC of this book, which was a great final thriller to wrap up 2019.

Shattered Justice is the third book in the Bone Gap Travellers series. Set in rural Tennessee, Brynn Callahan straddles two worlds – the Sheriff’s office and the Irish Travellers who don’t trust anyone outside their close-knit community. Brynn is both a deputy and a Traveller, but doesn’t really fit into either world.

These two worlds collide in Shattered Justice. Brynn and Wilco are on the hunt for someone who placed human ears at a playground with the message “Hear No Evil,” and the clues are pointing towards a Traveller, although Brynn is not convinced. In addition to the case, Brynn is dealing with someone from her recent past who wants to hurt her and her family.

Brynn is a complicated, imperfect character. She has physical and mental scars from her time in the Marines as well as other events in her life. In Shattered Justice, we see Brynn struggling to stay sober, thinking she can do it on her own and at times failing. Her true constants in her life are her grandmother (who is very ill), and her dog Wilco, who carries his own battle scars from their time together in the Marines. I found that my favorite part of the book is Brynn’s relationship with Wilco – they share such a strong bond and Ms. Furlong’s writing makes them feel real.

This is a great thriller which really looks at the unseen scars people carry inside them and the consequences of these scars. Brynn’s personal scars include addiction and PTSD, among others. Ms. Furlong does a great job weaving Brynn’s struggles in with the mystery creating a page-turner to the end.