“Abductions and Lies” is the sixth book in the Jesse Damon Crime series from K. M. Rockwood. I reviewed the first book in the series, “Steeled for Murder” and it hooked me.

An adage writers often hear is to write what you know. K. M. Rockwood, I suspect has known a few men like Jesse, based on her dedication in her first book. There she listed several men and then included everyone else locked up or back on the street who got caught up in the system.  K. M. Rockwood has a diverse background. She worked in a steel fabrication plant and has supervised an inmate work crew in a large medium security state manufacturing facility. She has worked as a special education teacher in an alternative high school and a GED teacher in county detention facilities.

The main character, Jesse Damon is on parole after twenty years in prison on a murder conviction from when he was sixteen and served as a lookout for his brother in a drug deal gone bad. Jesse has a home detention monitor strapped to his ankle and a bare bones basement apartment. He works nights at a steel fabrication plant.

As “Abduction and Lies” opens, two girls report an attempted car-jacking at three in the morning.  Jesse is picked up walking home from work a few blocks away and one of the girl identifies him as the person responsible. The police jump to the conclusion that Jesse may also be responsible for the recent disappearance of women snatched off the streets in the early morning hours in the area that has resulted in one death.  He is forced to investigate to prove his innocence.

Jesse Damon is a great character. He is flawed and likable. I root for him to succeed and cringe when he makes bad decisions.

But  “Abductions and Lies” is much more than a great whodunit.  Like all the books in this series, it illustrates how difficult it is for men and women to return to society having once been in prison. “Abduction and Lies” also considers the issue of eye witness identification which is often flawed.  It also illustrates how grant applications for city projects are designed and handled.

I strongly recommend this book and this series.  They would be outstanding books for book clubs as there are so many issues to consider.

Five stars out of five.

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In accordance with FTC guidelines for reviewers, I would like to clarify that this book was provided to me by the author free of charge.  I am not compensated by the author or publisher for my review.  All they expect is an honest review of the work.