It was with real sadness I learnt that this was to be Sandy’s last foray into the courtroom. I’ve become very fond of the quirky, funny lawyer with her investigative team and loyal, loving boyfriend. That said, this one lacked some of the humorous sparkle I’ve come to love – her rants about the huge house and asides about Patrick’s very supportive nature ended up sounding either too smug or a tad sour at times. But humour is very subjective and it might well be me being a tad sour – it’s been a really tough year and I’m not at my shiny best.

To be honest, I wanted to love this one more than I did. Lt Trench is a highly controlled person who barely emotes on any level. Not only are such people difficult to negotiate in reality, they are also extremely difficult to portray on the page. As one of the policemen Sandy had to work around while advocating for her client, he worked well. But as the actual client – I found he was something of a black hole. His lack of response to almost any situation managed to suck most of the tension out of the scenes in which he was the focus.

Meanwhile the investigation kept running into a brick wall – and while Sandy is threatened and there is clearly something afoot within the LAPD, it didn’t stop the middle part of the book becoming a bit of a trudge. That said, I was never tempted to stop reading. And while I guessed the denouement before it was revealed, there were aspects that needed to be sorted out, which Copperman does successfully. I thought the ending worked really well and while this finale isn’t the best of the series, it’s certainly worth reading if you enjoyed any of the other books. While I obtained an arc of Good Lieutenant from the publishers via Netgalley, the opinions I have expressed are unbiased and my own.
7/10

I love this series because of the legal aspect and I am sad that this is the last one. Sandy is smart and I enjoy the way the investigations are conducted with more of a leaning towards getting the accused cleared rather than finding the guilty party, though that inevitably happens in the end. There’s tons of humor in these so if you’re looking for a funny, legal mystery, this is perfect for you. My only complaint is that, as the last of the series, it doesn’t really tie anything up so I am hoping it will one day be picked up and continued.

Good Lieutenant is the last book in the Jersey Girl Legal Mystery series by E.J. Copperman. Sandy is unexpectedly hired to defend Lieutenant Trench, a highly competent detective accused of murdering a fellow officer. While the circumstantial evidence seems insurmountable, Sandy has faith in the Lieutenant’s innocence.

This series has been entertaining but, for me, this final book was just a little over the top. There were too many aside comments and quips that rapidly became distracting. It could have worked but a little goes a long way. The story moved slowly and it seemed that the actual investigation and development of the murder case took too long to come (somewhat) to the forefront. The characters are, by and large, not very appealing. Sandy is somewhat of a smart-aleck and the reason given is that she’s from Jersey. Not good enough for me. She’s supposed to be a professional but much of her behavior says otherwise. Patrick is depicted as a bit of a narcissistic buffoon and the true professionals in the story are ridiculed for their behavior.

I understand this is supposed to be a humorous, tongue-in-cheek mystery but the repetition and continual snarky comments were more irritating than entertaining, while the mystery seemed to fade into the background more than once. Obviously, many readers like this book, but I found it to be lacking in so many ways. In the end I’ll bump it up to 3 *s but it really should be 2.5. NetGalley provided an advance reader copy.

This was a good cozy. I enjoy the Jersey Girl series because even though I am not from New Jersey, I absolutely love the snark and sarcasm from the main character, Sandy. I can relate to that. I often find myself chuckling at the author's humor and sidebar comments.

Sandy is tasked with defending her favorite Lt. Trench from LAPD, who has the emotional range of a potato (and she makes frequent references to said emotional range). While Trench does not wear his heart on his unwrinkled sleeve, he is nothing if not truthful and loyal to his profession and he would never, ever shoot another police officer in cold-blooded murder. Unfortunately for Trench, the blue wall is not on his side because he outperforms many of his fellow officers/detectives and has the emotional range of a potato. When Sandy learns that the deceased is responsible for the death of Trench's wife AND the only person Trench hates, along with the bullet allegedly matching Trench's service weapon, she has her work cut out for her.

Given the glaring evidence, albeit circumstantial, Sandy has to find the real killer to exonerate Trench. The last third of the book is the day-by-day trial and, while not typical of trials, was very amusing. If you are a fan of funny legal shows, this book series is for you.

Copperman has a real talent for engaging the reader when some of the subject matter can be quite dry. I enjoyed every bit of this book and laughed at several different scenes.

My thanks to Severn House and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It seems fitting that the last Jersey Girl Legal Mystery finds Attorney Sandy Moss defending Lieutenant Trench. Trench is accused of killing fellow police detective Wallace Schaeffer. Schaeffer was shot in the back of his head in his apartment. Trench made it known that he disliked the man. Lucky for Sandy she has help to defend Trench, boyfriend TV star Patrick McNabb, and her best friend and Patrick's assistant, Angela. Could this possibly be someone framing Trench? Why isn't Trench being cooperative in his defense, after all, he did call Sandy from jail? What secrets could he be keeping?

This is a quick read with humor and engaging characters. I highly recommend reading the previous books in order to get to know Sandy, Patrick, Angela and Trench. I will miss this series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Severn House, for an ARC. The review is my own.

lawyers, law-enforcement, verbal-humor, situational-humor, actors, framed*****

Atty Sandy Moss recently moved to Los Angeles together with her boyfriend and TV star Patrick McNabb when she receives a phone call from the LA Men’s Detention Center. She now has a new client accused of murder: LAPD Lt. K.C. Trench accused of killing the cop who killed Trench's wife and more. Incredible gathering of fascinating characters parade through this twisty investigation with diabolical red herrings and full of great giggles.
I requested and received a free temporary uncorrected proof copy from Severn House
Avail Dec 03, 2024 #GoodLieutenant by E.J. Copperman #JerseyGirlLegalMysteriesBk6 #NetGalley
#SevernHouse #CozyMystery #CourtroomDrama ***** #GreatGiggles #TwistyInvestigation

I loved the premise for book. A lawyer who is dating a tv star gets a call to defend Lt. Trench who is being accused of killing the man who killed his wife. Sandy must use her legal expertise to clear his name. Described as “suits meet romance”. However the writing felt very stream of consciousness and that didn’t seem to fit with a lawyer character. This book is the last In the “Jersey Girl Legal Mystery”. I’ve yet to read any of the other books on this series.

It appears this series is coming to an end, whihc is a great pity because the characters and dialogue are beguiling, with wit and humor always shining through. And the mystery/whodunnit element is always clever and unexpected. It's constant entertainment, and fits my definition of "a good book" by the fact you are constantly turning the pages late into the night and wanting more. If you are new to this series, each is pretty much complete in itself so you can start with any title if you must and not feel you are missing anything.

The Good Lieutenant is the last of the Jersey Girl legal mysteries. I’ve read every one of them and will be sad to see them go.
Trench, who is Sandi’s, go to detective is accused of murder.

The ballistics report claims that it was his gun that kill the man he accused of killing his wife. All the evidence is circumstantial and Trench is less than helpful in helping Sandi and her team found something or anything to prove he didn’t do it. Sandi becomes so frustrated with the case, she gives up to her second chair. She ends up taking up back when he becomes ill. It all ends well but the ups and downs keep you on the edge of your seat waiting to see what happens next.

In the final installment of the critically acclaimed legal cozy mystery series, “Good Lieutenant,” LA lawyer Sandy Moss finds herself embroiled in a challenging case that tests her skills and determination.

As Sandy settles into her new home in Los Angeles with her boyfriend, TV star Patrick McNabb, she receives an unexpected phone call from the LA Men’s Detention Center. The call is about a new client: Lt. K.C. Trench, a near-stoic police officer who has been accused of murder. Trench, known for being competent yet not well-liked within his department, stands accused of killing a fellow officer whom he openly despised and had previously threatened.

Despite the overwhelming evidence against him, Sandy believes in Trench’s innocence and is determined to uncover the truth behind the accusations. As she delves deeper into the case, she realizes that someone is trying to frame him for the murder. However, as she investigates further, she begins to question what Trench may be hiding from her.

Sandy faces numerous challenges as she navigates through layers of deception and danger while trying to clear Trench’s name. The stakes are high, and with all evidence seemingly pointing towards Trench as the murderer, Sandy must rely on her instincts and legal expertise to help him—even if it puts her own life at risk.

The novel combines elements of legal drama with humor and romance, appealing to fans of classic courtroom stories while also providing an engaging narrative filled with twists and turns.

I just love this series! It's so fun - silly and entertaining and snarky and surprisingly clever. Copperman's Jersey Girl has a character for everyone to relate to, from the perpetually self-doubting (yet incredibly competent) protagonist to the snarky-but-wise best friend and delightful actor boyfriend, from the uber-competent boss to the straightlaced detective. Speaking of which, said straightlaced detective is the one with the legal troubles this time around, and that drama unfolds pretty much as you'd expect it to - with hijinks, bad behavior and plenty of surprises. Copperman announces at the end of this one that it will most likely be the last novel in the series, due to publishing issues, which makes me very sad as I've truly enjoyed getting to know Sandy, her family and friends, and a series of deliciously villainous antagonists!

Sandy receives a call from Detective Lieutenant Tench requesting that she defend him against a charge of
murder. As the victim himself was one of Trench's co-workers, Sandy faces hostile behavior from some members
of the department. The more Sandy learns about Trench's and the victim's pasts, the more questions arise.
Will sufficient evidence be uncovered to clear Trench?
Sad to say this is the last book in the series as I have enjoyed meeting the interesting characters.
#GoodLieutenant #SevernHouse #NetGalley

Good Lieutenant, the sixth, and final, book in the Jersey Girl Legal Mystery series by E. J. Cooperman will not only have you smiling…and many times even laughing out loud because this author is well gifted in the language of “snark”.…but also takes you on an entwined ride of “Who Done It”. As with his previous books in this series, E. J. Cooperman kept me guessing until the unexpected conclusion.

Sandy et al return to defend Lt Trench…who is more Spock (Star Trek) like than Spock himself…who she seems to understand and have a soft spot for. With Sandy’s trademark snarkily hilarious inner monologue, a whip-smart dialogue, and charming/captivating characters, the story is quick-paced and engaging. Being the last installment in Sandy’s series, made this story even more poignant…and it was tied up quite nicely, leaving everyone in the best places possible.

This ARC book was complimentary…provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

While settling into her new home in Los Angeles together with her boyfriend and TV star Patrick McNabb, attorney Sandy Moss receives a phone call from the LA Men’s Detention Center. It’s a new client accused of murder: the near-stoic Lt. K.C. Trench! Good book!! I definitely enjoyed reading this one! This book has suspense, murder, mystery, intrigue, bad cops, good cops and a few crazy twists and turns! The story was very interesting! I definitely recommend reading this book! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!

I was very interested in the premise of this book. If Suits meets anything, sign me up! I went into this book without reading the previous series and didn't feel lost. A few of my issues with this book are that a few times throughout, it felt like the author was going into more detail than needed about law technicalities. At times, the characters and their dialogue seemed immature for their age, and Sandy could come off as a little naive about how far along she should be in her profession as a lawyer. Other than that, the storyline was good, the pacing was great, and it was a quick read that would be good for a vacation or a cozy weekend at home.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with the ARC in exchange for an honest review!