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| Jana DeLeon |
Jana DeLeon
2015
The Summary
"When Celia Arceneaux was elected mayor of Sinful, Louisiana, Fortune Redding expected trouble. The woman has an unmatched talent for making the worst of any situation, especially if it means getting revenge on her sworn enemies Ida Belle and Gertie.
"At the Fourth of July celebration, an explosion rocks Sinful and it's not from fireworks. Most people assume it was a moonshine still, but when evidence points to a meth lab deep in the bayous of Sinful, Fortune realizes how dire the situation is for the tiny town. With Carter on medical leave and no one left at the sheriff's department who can handle the investigation, Fortune, Ida Belle, and Gertie decide to take matters into their own hands.
"This is (another) mission for Swam Team 3."
The Good
Like other novels in the series, Soldier of Fortune is a fun, action-packed irreverent romp through the swampy bayous of rural Louisiana. However, this book felt a little different from others in the series for one very important reason: it's shorter and, if possible, more serious.
Oh, sure, it's full of the usual mishaps--like Gertie setting a car on fire, Ida Belle speeding through the swamp (as is her wont to do), Fotune finding herself caught in more compromising situations than is probably necessary (or healthy)--but it felt a little different. I'm fairy certain they got into the same amount of trouble, as per usual, but I felt like the novel took a much more serious tone with the involvement of a meth lab.
Even the criminal organization Fortune and her crew inadvertently befriend finds the whole business of drugs in the swamp a distasteful business.
Besides which, I noticed that Carter was not nearly as involved as usual. Since he was benched this time around--and the remaining officers at the police department are a poor excuse for law enforcement--he wasn't as prone to stepping right into the middle of Fortune's impromptu investigations. Moreover, I think he might have been more inclined to be on her side if (well, when) he was involved.
The Bad
Soldiers of Fortune felt a lot shorter than any of the other novels. As I was reading, I stumbled across the conclusion rather suddenly. It was a bit of a strange sensation to realize I'd reached the end when I felt a few questions remained unanswered and some loose ends were left unresolved.
I suppose one good thing did come out of its unexpected conclusion: I didn't have to worry about anymore crazy misadventures.
The Ugly
Meth. And murder.
Oh, and Celia Arceneaux. (You'll know what I'm talking about when you read it.)
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