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  • Relative Justice

  • Hazard and Somerset: Arrows in the Hand, Book 1
  • By: Gregory Ashe
  • Narrated by: Tristan James
  • Length: 11 hrs and 22 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (32 ratings)
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Relative Justice

By: Gregory Ashe
Narrated by: Tristan James
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Summary

An impossible son. An impossible murder.

The honeymoon is definitely over.

When Emery Hazard and his husband, John-Henry Somerset, arrive home from their honeymoon, they’re shocked (understatement of the year) to find a boy waiting for them on their doorstep. Colt, 15 and eager to pick a fight, claims to be Hazard’s son. It’s almost a relief, then, for Hazard and Somers to be called out to assist the Dore County Sheriff’s Department with what seems to be an impossible murder: a man has been found stabbed to death in a stretch of woods, and the only set of footprints in the soft ground belong to the victim. 

The more Hazard and Somers learn about the dead man, the more confusing the case becomes. While searching his home, they discover a secure room from which several high-end computers have been stolen. A woman makes a daring theft as the house is being secured and escapes with valuable documents. The dead man’s neighbor, who found the body, is obviously lying about how she discovered him. And something very strange is going on with the victim’s sons, who are isolated at school and seem to have found their few friends through the youth group at a local church - and in a close relationship with the hip, young, attractive pastor. 

An attempt on Colt’s life leaves Hazard’s (possible) son in the hospital. When Hazard and Somers learn that the attack came after Colt tried to investigate the murder on his own, they realize he is now in the killer’s crosshairs, and Hazard and Somers must race to uncover the truth. The results from the paternity test aren’t back yet, but father or not, Emery Hazard isn’t going to let anyone harm a child.

©2021 Gregory Ashe (P)2021 Gregory Ashe

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A changed dynamic

Maybe Emery Hazard thought being a husband was enough change? Plus, of course. Somers is now chief of police. But, no. As soon as they're back from honeymoon, their situation undergoes a fundamental shift.

This novel focuses on family - what it is, what is means to be part of one, and the obligations that come with it. The central case is based outside the city limits. One result is we see very little of the Wahredua PD. Gray Dulac is restricted to a couple of short vignettes. On the other hand, Nico Flores returns and the author packs his pages with a flow of believable minor characters which is one thing of many to love about his writing.

Emotions often run high and we see many more cracks in Hazard's defences, his walls built to hide his true feelings. He and Somers continue to come across as real people - flawed, human. I for one, find them all the more fascinating and relatable for it.

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    3 out of 5 stars

Intense listen...a rollercoaster of a story

I was delighted when I heard that there was a new Hazard and Somerset series and that Tristan James was narrating it. He's kind of made these characters his own - and I really hate it when a narrator is changed. As I settled down to get my fix I was happy to find Hazard and Somers coming back from their honeymoon. The honeymoon was most certainly over when they discover a boy on their porch who said that Hazard was his dad.
This is where I had to suspend disbelief for a while. Hazard is an ex-cop and investigator, and Somers's is now chief of police in Wahreda. Neither of them followed protocol when the boy said Hazard was his dad. Hazard was 100% sure he had never slept with a woman - and yet, they give the kid the benefit of the doubt. The excuse for such bizarre behaviour was tiredness. Fine. There were no questions about the boy's mum, no request for a photo, no background check on her. Hazard had zero details about where he was supposed to have met/slept with the woman. These men are not idiots and so all of this was completely out of character.
When a man was found dead and the pair got to work together again. The plot unravelled with the complication of the mysterious kid that no one did basic checks on - and Hazard went from one meltdown to the next.
While I was swept up in the rollercoaster intensity of the story it struck me that all of the events took place over A WEEK. With the levels of stress Hazard exhibited, I'm surprised he didn't have heart failure.
I enjoy Gregory Ashe's writing - but this story slipped nearer the end. We discovered that a girl was found beaten and unconscious - there was no follow-up. There was no follow up to explain how a bloody knife and crypo wallet were found in the kid's bag. Maybe I'm nitpicking, but Ashe usually ties up his books tightly and this wasn't so tight.

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Clever mix of the mundane with sinister crime

I was given this book as an advanced listener but even if this wasn't the case I would have bought this audiobook anyway as Gregory Ashe's writing and Tristan James' narration, bringing to life Hazard and Somerset continues to be a great combination.

You may think you know all there is to know about these guys but believe me there is still more to understand about them and that is what makes them enduring characters. Like us they continue to find out more about themselves as well as each other.

Gregory Ashe has the ability to marry the mundanity of everyday life with a sinister crime story and these storylines are no different. The crime story is unfortunately all too real where we have man's greed and his inhumanity to his fellow man having to be worked alongside the surprise that Hazard and Somerset find on their doorstep. The way way the two storylines become entwined is naturalistic and quiet believable. As someone who has worked with children and adolescents for many years I find Ashe's portrayal of them equally poignant and amusingly accurate.

Tristan James' narration accurately captures the many moods of this tale and the pace of the storylines had me finishing 90% of the book in one day.

The ending leaves me with a sense of satisfaction but also with sense of disquiet in thinking that you may be missing what is under your nose. If I could, I would give this audiobook book a six. The e-book was great but with the narration it is fantastic.

I need more Hazard and Somerset.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Brilliant series

Another 5 star read from Gregory Ashe. Hazard and Somerset are so funny together. Already waiting for the next book to be released.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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totally absorbing.....as usual

I am soooo pleased to have another 'Ree and JH' book narrated so ably by Tristan James.
I can't wait for book 2 in this series.

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Enjoyable Story

A well written story with and interesting  concept.  The characters are likeable and the narration is very good.

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A wild ride

The book begins as Hazard and Somerset arrive home from their honeymoon. The last series ended when they finally tied the knot. I should have known that wasn’t the end of this fascinating duo. Apparently Mr. Ashe can’t leave them alone either. And as they’re settling into married bliss, a blast from Hazard’s past arrives on their front door. Or, rather, a supposed blast. Colt, a diffident fifteen-year-old claims to be Emery’s son. The problem? Emery’s never been with a woman. Ever.

They ship off the DNA samples, but before they can settle into any kind of a routine, there’s a murder. Somerset is called in and so is Hazard. Things from the very beginning are suspicious. The circumstances of the murder, the neighbour, the sons of the deceased – all of it points in different directions.

As the men investigate, so does Colt. Which leads him into all kinds of trouble, including being badly beaten. But the young man just wants Emery to see him as worthy of being his son. This dynamic proved interesting – Emery knows Colt isn’t his son, but there are strong indicators that the boy is. Where does that leave a skeptic like Emery? Well, unable to tolerate anyone hurting the boy, that’s for sure. And his daughter he shares with Somerset is fascinated with the teenager who’s moved in. Evie is still adorable and precocious.

I have to admit, I didn’t see the murderer. But that’s why Ashe’s books are so good. It makes sense, but you have to review everything to peg down the clues you missed. Then, of course, after the murder was solved, it was time to settle the paternity once and for all. I have to admit, I liked the conclusion on that front. And, of course, the men’s neighbors and friends are all in the book. Nice to see the old faces – especially Emery’s mother. She’s a hoot.

Finally I have to mention Tristan James. He’s able to hit just the right notes with the man. Emery’s sarcasm, John Henry’s earnestness. I can’t wait for the next one in the series.

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I Loved It

OMG, Gregory Ashe does NOT disappoint in this next chapter of Hazard and Somerset's lives. Relative Justice is the first book in the third Hazard and Somerset arc, Arrows in the Hand. This is a series that's best read in order because there's so much history and backstory that unfolds in the previous books. In this book, Hazard and Somerset are once again thrust into a mystery full of danger and action with twists and turns. The introduction of Colt brings drama, and it was so well done. All the characters are multilayered and dynamic, and the emotions felt raw and real. The audiobook was narrated by Tristan James who does a fantastic job and really brought the book to life. Overall, I loved both the story and the characters, and the audiobook was just another fantastic element to an already great book.

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