Rated The Truth of It All 6/10
<div>Duck Creek is sort of like a fictionalized Whitefish, MT, with a refugee program like the one that exists in nearby(ish) Missoula. And unfortunately like the Whitefish/Kalispell area, it has a white supremacist problem. Trouble is, our protagonist doesn't ever fully realize she's guilty of her own racist assumptions at the beginning of the book. Sure, she eventually figures out that she was badly doing her job as a public defender, and sure she's got a Black coworker who very patiently endures her ignorance, but of course everything works out for her in the end, and she only has to complete <em>most</em> of a personal reckoning. Don't strain yourself digging too deep, girl!<br><br>I was interested in seeing how the story shook out, and the writing style reminded me of other mysteries I've liked, and I'm not sorry I read it, but I didn't find enough compelling about Julia to want to read another book with her at the forefront. Your mileage may vary! </div>