Brownies, Bodies and Breaking The Code
J.L. Wilson
Reviewed by: Diane Kasperski
I found this book listed as "romance with suspense" when I did a web
search. That would make me think the primary theme was the romance but
I think it's the suspense. From the beginning all the way till the end
Brownies, Bodies and Breaking The Code is packed with tension.
Jessie Patrokus is a software tester for Codebreakers, a company that
has private contracts as well as government ones. Jessie is very good
at her job because she never gives up. Unfortunately, that asset in her
job may be her undoing.
The day of the company potluck lunch changes Jessie's life completely.
Charlie Gordon died. Jessie was sure it was due to ingestion of the
brownies she had made for the potluck. The labels had been switched and
maybe he was allergic to something in them. She was panicked especially
when the police wanted to question her. She was determined to find out
what happened to Charlie. Nothing was going to stop her - an online
stalker - a 'supposed' hunter right in her backyard - threats - being
followed - nothing was going to get in her way. Obviously she had
something that was important to someone but what was it?
Gus Colcannon started at Codebreakers very shortly before Charlie died.
He is tall and very good looking but Jessie is suspicious. He doesn't
even dress like he belongs in Minnesota in the middle of winter.
Supposedly he is here after a divorce and plans to go back to New
Mexico soon. He doesn't seem to know much about programming, testing or
even software. Yet he wants Jessie's trust and she is just not sure -
too many questions - too few answers. He seems to be working with the
police though and Jessie feels drawn to him despite all the questions.
Brownies, Bodies and Breaking the Code is a suspense filled ride from
the very first pages to the very last
page. Not only is there a good mystery and romance between the covers
but refreshingly the main characters are middle-aged rather than young
adults. It makes for a nice change.