Sweet Poison: A Jane Lawless Mystery, by Ellen Hart

The Jane Lawless Mystery Series, by Ellen Hart
1. Hallowed Murder 02.13.06
2. Vital Lies (TBR)
3. Stage Fright 02.17.06
4. A Killing Cure 02.28.06
5. A Small Sacrifice 02.28.06
6. Faint Praise 08.19.10 * * * *
7. Robber’s Wine 03.02.06
8. Wicked Games (TBR)
9. Hunting the Witch 03.03.06
10. The Merchant of Venus 03.06.06
11. Immaculate Midnight 03.07.06
12. An Intimate Ghost 03.08.06
13. The Iron Girl 03.17.06
14. Night Vision 02.13.07
15. The Mortal Groove 05.20.08
16. Sweet Poison 08.25.10 * * * *
17. The Mirror and the Mask (TBR)
18. The Cruel Ever After (TBR - Release Date 12.07.10)
(TBR = To Be Read)
When I first started working my way through this series, my local library didn't have several of the books, so I just skipped them and kept going.  Now, the library is adding some of their missing books, and I'm able to go back and pick up the ones I missed the first time around!  Thank you, library!

Once again, Jane is up to her eyebrows in complications.  Kenzie, her current girlfriend, breaks up with her because she thinks Jane doesn't have enough time for the relationship.  Her father is running for Governor and seems to be having some mysterious health problems which no one will talk about, as well as a multitude of problems at the campaign headquarters.  Her Ex-girlfriend, Julia, is back in town and sneaking around trying to get Jane back. And a rape that happened nearly a decade ago seems to be tied to several crimes in the present - a minister is badly beaten outside his church after coming out to his congregation, and a young woman is murdered outside her apartment in what seems to be a rape attempt similar to the one that happened nine years ago.  Somehow the crimes are connected, but with multiple suspects, Jane can't seem to find the common thread, until she stumbles across one tiny piece of information that the cops have held back.

This novel has lots going on in it, as you can tell, yet somehow it didn't seem as fast-paced as others in the series.  The ending was excellent, and I hadn't yet figured out "who-dun-it" (which is a good - I hate figuring it out before the character does!), although it all made sense once explained.  Next I'll be reading The Mirror and the Mask, which is #17 in the series.

When you are reading a mystery, do you prefer to figure it out before the characters do, or do you like to be surprised?  Leave your answers in the comments!!