Title:	Thin Air
	Author:	Lisa Gray
	Published:	May 1, 2019 Thomas & Mercer
	No. of Pages:	288
	Cover Price:	$24.99 Hardcover, $ 15.95 Paperback, $4.99 Kindle

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Jessica Shaw is a private investigator, who is relocating to California, but since she isn’t licensed there, having just left New York after the death of her father, is sort of a roaming PI. Acting on a tip, Jessica looks at a photo of a missing person who was three years old at the time of her disappearance; 25 years has passed, and Jessica recognizes that missing child as herself. Her mother was murdered at the same time, and her murder hasn’t been solved. Jason Pryce, a friend of her late father and a working detective for LAPD, may have some of the answers. Pryce is investigating a gruesome murder, however, and is reluctant to meet up with Jessica, because he knows what she wants and doesn’t want to open up this can of worms.

Jessica is a good PI, but hasn’t had as much experience as she would like to have had. She mostly does missing persons or unfaithful spouses, and this murder is a big challenge for her. Gray does a good job of developing her characters, and Jessica is a good, solid protagonist. She is, however, a bit of a low-life, and has piercings and tattoos (not something most readers look up to), and she drinks so much she is on the verge of being an alcoholic. She is also a heavy smoker, which is another telltale sign that she is trailer trash. Some critics have compared her with Jack Reacher, but she is about as “unclassy” as Jack Reacher is “classy,” and there should be no comparison.

Thin Air has a good story and Gray tells it well. There are twists and turns, and even though most of us won’t look up to Jessica, most readers will enjoy the story and respect her skills as a PI and a decent, albeit ordinary, person. This is the first installment of the Jessica Shaw, and lays the foundation for subsequent books. It is well-written, and recommended for readers who want a protagonist who is different from the norm.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.