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Ideal for readers who are politically minded, with an interest in civil rights, but still look to books for escapism, Collective Vengeance centers on a high-stakes, long-game battle that finds Ryleigh making desperate choices both in past and present, some unbeknownst to even Sam—readers should expect surprises. Stanley keeps the stakes high as, in 2019, Sam and Ryleigh put together a team to expose the Jaymes family’s many corruptions, while dodging a hired thug for the Jaymes family who quickly accelerates from intimidation to assault. Sam and her team must think two steps ahead because Jonathan, a convincing villain, will stop at nothing to silence them.
This inspired-by-the-headlines novel moves quickly and is sharply plotted, making for a swift thriller, edged with real-world concerns, that stirs real tension but at times might benefit from slowing down a touch. An unaddressed irony that stalks this book is that the main character of a story focused on a woman's right to choose rarely gets to make choices for herself, or her moment of rage about her manipulation. Still, the stoy’s jolts all jolt, and characters like Cynthia James prove gripping.
Takeaway: Political thriller of a long-ago victim and a supreme court nominee.
Comparable Titles: Anthony Franze’s The Advocate’s Daughter, Stacey Abrams’s Avery Keene series.
Production grades
Cover: B
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: A-
Marketing copy: A-