Defender

Overview: An excellent detective story in a fascinating future setting designed to ask serious questions about society. Science Fiction and Detective Fiction at it's best.After 1st Reading: Janet Edwards is excellent. I've enjoyed all of her books, she creates interesting settings and characters that you instantly care about. With this book however she shows a new level of quality writing, and a crime investigation worthy of [a:Arthur Conan Doyle 2448 Arthur Conan Doyle https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1495008883p2/2448.jpg] (which I can say with confidence having just finished [b:The Valley of Fear 22631335 The Valley of Fear Arthur Conan Doyle https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1404480089l/22631335.SX50.jpg 24665786]). Finishing this novel was one of those moments where I wanted to shout “Yes!” because of the excellent ending - and then almost instantly felt sad because I already missed the characters.I just need to repeat the key fact in this review: Janet Edwards is excellent.After 3rd Reading: This book stands up to three readings. It is confirmed Janet Edwards is excellent.After 4th Reading: So, so gooooood! As always a huge part of me just wanted to start the book again. The rest of me just couldn't wait to read the next book in the series which is even better!After 5th Reading: Five times. Do I recommend this series? Obviously. This is now clearly confirmed as my go to series if I want something to grab me and suck me in. It still does that after five reads.

This time, it's personal.

No, but seriously, I like that the second book in this series makes the story so personal to our Unit, it really ups the tension. And there were a lot of little things in here that I would have loved to be expanded on for an already long book. (My edition is over 500 pages and it could have easily been a hundred or two more than that and I wouldn't have minded.)

Adore most of the characters, though I do wish more attention was given to some of them, and I really, really love the bonds in the story. There's a solid reliance and affection in this Unit and it's so awesome to see.

Still love the world building, like the fact that there is some refreshers in the story to the first book. It does get a little draggy at times because of that - and because I just reread the first one last month - but too many books don't offer you anything to remind you who the characters are or what the world building is like that I won't complain about the info-dumpy-ness of some of it.

Finally, there is at least some mention of LGBT+ characters. Not enough, but the first book had none and at least I now know they exist in this future.

(Side note: I'm still not fully convinced about the method of choosing the Strike Team and are straight people really that uncomfortable around their own gender? Probably the only things that dropped it from a 5 star rating for me.)