Calling all mystery novel fans! Jessica Harper and the Culture War Murders (The Misadventures of Jessica Harper Book 2) is a fun and funny read for anyone who loves a good mystery, a feisty heroine, and a healthy dose of common sense in a world gone woke.
I read and reviewed Jessica Harper’s first book, Jessica Harper Is Not Woke (click the link to see it at Amazon), last year, and I’ve been dying for a sequel ever since.
Less than seven months later (it felt like so much more!), the day has finally arrived.
Spoiler alert: It was worth the wait.
Prepare to be whisked away on a thrilling adventure with our favorite sassy magazine editor turned detective, Jessica Harper, as she tackles a stalker situation that would leave anyone else clutching their metaphorical (or literal) infinity scarf for dear life.
(If you don’t know what an infinity scarf is, Dear Reader, it’s time to up your fashion game, because this venerable piece of neckwear is itself a minor character and a running joke throughout the book.)
After hosting a stand-up comedy competition sponsored by her employer’s magazine, The Truvian, Jessica receives a threatening phone call from someone demanding she recant for the transgressions of Montrose Media, a company owned by her boss and friend, Porter Montrose, whose great grandfather had built his fortune with the help of a not inconsiderable number of slaves.
(It’s this company’s unfortunate history with slavery that helps propel the plot of the first novel, which sees an outraged cadre of culture warriors fighting to shut down the company and remove the statue of Charles Montrose from the town square.)
Soon, the phone calls escalate into a harrowing home invasion, and it’s off to the races from there.
The dry wit and punchy one-liners that had me snorting with laughter (yes, I admit it) in the first book are back and as biting as ever. From facing off against corporate sharks to navigating the treacherous waters of woke “re-education” camps (because who knew re-education involved mandatory team-building exercises?), Jessica’s plucky character takes no prisoners — especially when it comes to poking fun at people who really deserve it.
But this adventure isn’t all fun and games. The stakes are higher than ever before, with ruthless villains, online dating disasters, and trigger-happy gamblers all vying for a piece of the action. Jessica, along with her ever-loyal best friend April (who is a pistol in her own right), husband Brandon, and mentor Porter Montrose, embarks on a whirlwind investigation that takes them from hostile comedy clubs to a dangerous poker den hidden deep in the Georgia swamp.
Just when I thought I’d figured out who the culprit was, the story threw me a curveball, keeping me guessing until the fireworks-laden (well, metaphorically, at least) Fourth of July finale.
I absolutely loved the surprising way in which all of the puzzle pieces fit together at the end, in a grand reveal that felt oh-so satisfying after so many twists and turns.
If you like a heroine with sass and a story with heart — and you enjoy a side of sharp social commentary that pokes (mostly) good fun at today’s hyper PC-obsessed culture — then don’t miss Jessica Harper and the Culture War Murders, out now in paperback and Kindle format.
I’ve read it twice already and look forward to giving it a third go this summer.
About the author, Jessica Harper
The real-life Jessica Harper is a conservative mom and author living in a town not far from Savannah, Georgia. Jessica loves writing, cats, and her family (in that order?). She was brought up in a fair-minded, non-racist family to respect all (good) people, but she fiercely opposes the damaging campaigns by woke activists and the media to cancel Western culture and history. As she says on her blog, “You can be a good person without being an idiot.”
On that, I couldn’t agree more.
See all Cranky ad reviews | Go back to blog home page | Subscribe for free
At Cranky’s suggestion, I went to Barnes & Noble to check out Jessica Harper’s two books. But they didn’t have them in their database. I should have known, Barnes & Noble is a woke company. So I ordered both from Amazon (also woke but they had them). They’re paper backs and only $7.95 a piece so I figured it was worth it, especially since Cranky gave them a thumbs up. Just started reading her first book “Jessica Harper Is Not Woke” and it’s hilarious. Once again Cranky is spot on in recommending this new author. Thanks, buddy!