Joanna Brady Series: Book 21
Publication Date: September 30, 2025
Arizona County Sheriff Joanna Brady solves her biggest case yet, from a body in the desert to crimes spanning decades and countries, in the thrilling latest installment in the New York Times bestselling suspense series.
Sheriff Joanna Brady is looking forward to the holidays with her busy family, and to celebrating her daughter Jenny’s graduation from the police academy. But the family is interrupted when a body is discovered beneath a flooded bridge in the Arizona desert, and Joanna is called onto the case. A young boy was murdered, and the details of the crime scene tell Joanna two things: This was not the killer’s first murder. And it’s only a matter of time before he kills again.
As Joanna digs deeper into the case, she begins to understand this murder is just one piece of a much, much bigger puzzle. She uncovers unlikely connections between cases of mysterious deaths and missing persons, having long since gone cold, that extend far beyond the confines of her small town and include the discovery of a body near Devil’s Lake, North Dakota. To get justice for the victims and to save the town of Bisbee from a predator, Joanna must chase down every dangerous lead.
Meanwhile, as a dogged journalist is circling the case and privileged information is leaked, Joanna can’t be sure who to trust. Could a prolific killer be hiding in plain sight? And how far will that person go to keep his many crimes hidden?
The discovery of a child’s body leads Sheriff Joanna Brady on a cold case investigation in an effort to find a serial killer.
The Girl from Devil’s Lake marks the 21st installment in the successful series by J. A. Jance. Each book is easily read as a standalone.
With this installment, the author uses alternating timelines to show the evolution of a cold-blooded murderer. In addition to the investigative angle, the author also explores the personal aspect involving Joanna’s family.
As with previous books, there’s a solid mix of action and humor to build a smooth reading experience. With Joanna’s daughter now entering the field, it will be interesting to see if there will be any mom-daughter investigations.
The Girl from Devil’s Lake shines the light on evil lurking in plain sight and the eventual delivery of justice.
J. A. Jance is the New York Times bestselling author of the J. P. Beaumont series, the Joanna Brady series, the Ali Reynolds series, six thrillers about the Walker Family, and one volume of poetry. Born in South Dakota and brought up in Bisbee, Arizona, she lives with her husband in Seattle, Washington.
