Timely and Compelling Police Procedural

BLACKWATER  FALLS

Detective Inaya Rahman #1

Ausma Zehanat Khan

Minotaur Books

November 8, 2022

The picturesque town of Blackwater Falls in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado seems an ideal place to live and work. The setting is glorious, with camping and trails for visitors. The leading employers are Apex Dynamics, a tech research firm, and Natural Foods, a meatpacking plant. There is also a large population of Muslim refugees from all over the world, primarily Syria and Somalia, most of whom work at Natural Foods.

Underneath the surface, however, bubbles a stew of hate and corruption. The hate comes from a prominent evangelical church and its accompanying biker gang, the Disciples. The corruption stems from the Sheriff, who has a finger in every pie and absolute control in the town. Inaya Rahman is a local who has returned after a traumatic stint at the Chicago PD. She is part of the new Community Response Unit, led by Lt. Waqas Seif. Her first significant crime is genuinely horrific, the murder of a promising refugee student, Razan Elkader. Razan was nailed to the door of the local Mosque in a sick parody of the Crucifixion. The disappearance of two Muslim teenage girls preceded the murder of Razan, ruled runaways by the Sheriff with little to no investigation. Neither the church nor the Sheriff has escaped scrutiny. The FBI has an operative implanted with the Disciples and the police department.

Blackwater Falls is a complex and timely novel in which just about everyone's motives are suspect at one time or another. Inaya is a well-portrayed character, as are her Hispanic partner and a Black firebrand attorney. Both are female, and the three become close friends and colleagues. I suppose I am as ignorant as the average American about the lives of immigrants. Blackwater Falls gave me a look into those lives, especially a Muslim woman who wants to operate as a professional yet feels the tug of her religious beliefs. Inaya's decision to wear the hijab when the other women in her family do not is just one instance. 

The themes of violence and social justice resonate in Blackwater Falls and make for a compelling read. Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.

RATING- 4.5 Stars

Home-Grown Espionage in WWII England

 

THE KEY TO DECEIT

Electra McDonnell #2

Ashley Weaver

St. Martins Minotaur

May 10, 2022

The McDonnell family lives in London’s East End and is well known for locksmithing. They also do a little safe-cracking on the side when economic circumstances require it. The only girl in the family, Electra, grew up learning locksmithing at her Uncle Mick’s knee and is an expert.

But as a woman in the WWII era,  Electra is usually laughed at by prospective customers until she proves what she can do. Uncle Mick and her cousins, Colm and Toby, have no such reservations, and Electra is a welcome part of the safe-cracking side of the business. In the previous book, His Majesty’s Government, in the form of the upright and reserved Major Ramsey, offers the McDonnell family an offer they can’t refuse; forgiveness for previous crimes in exchange for help with the War effort. Part of the deal is the cessation of all illegal activities. The McDonnells agree as they are patriots; besides, England is in the “phony war,” waiting for Germany’s inevitable attack.

Electra proved her mettle in her first case, A Peculiar Combination, so it is no surprise when Major Ramsey has a new investigation for her. A girl has turned up drowned in the Thames wearing a bracelet adorned with a unique locket. When Electra opens the locket, it has microfilm inside. The young woman was involved with espionage, but why and who would kill her? She appeared a regular country girl who was looking for a new life in London in all respects. This investigation will take Electra and Major Ramsey into perilous territory as the Blitz finally arrives. The descriptions of those first nights of the bombing are riveting.

The Key to Deceit is another enjoyable entry in the series, combining a puzzle to solve, adventure, suspense, with a light touch of romance. Will she or won’t she, and if so, with whom? A secondary, important mystery is Electra’s quest to find out more about her mother, who died in prison after giving birth to her. She supposedly killed Electra’s father but always denied it and was believed by many. Electra’s Uncle Mick was her father’s brother and took her in, raising her as one of his own. Not surprisingly, it was never discussed in his household. Readers of cozy historical mysteries should enjoy the Electra McDonnell series immensely.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Minotaur for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own. See also at www.mysteryandsuspensemagazine.com.

RATING- 4 Stars

Multiple Murders, Mutiltiple Characters and a Big Surprise

THE HERON'S CRY

Two Rivers  # 2

Ann Cleeves

Minotaur Books

September 7, 2021

Ever since The Long Call, the first in the Two Rivers series, I have been looking forward to the second book featuring DCI Matthew Venn and his team. Venn grew up in a fundamentalist Christian group in Devon. He was a rising "star" in the Barum Brethren until a sudden loss of faith resulted in his expulsion from the group and his family, not to mention his homosexuality. Now, he and his husband, Jonathan, are back in Devon. These are treacherous waters for Matthew and Jonathan, as the Brethren are involved to one degree or another. Thankfully, Matthew has a good team in DS Jenn Rafferty and DC Ross May. Jenn is a single mom with two teenagers, and May is dedicated, at least as far as building his career goes. The Heron's Cry begins with Jenn at a party at her friend Cynthia's home. Jenn is a bit tipsy, not an unusual occurrence in social situations when she meets Nigel Yeo. It's a pleasant meeting, but Jenn senses he has something on his mind. Imagine her surprise when Nigel is found dead at his artist daughter's studio. This event sets off even more murders. All the deaths occur among the people living at an artist's colony on the property of millionaire financier Frances Ley.

Very few authors have the characterization skills that Ann Cleeves possesses. She is juggling multiple characters, who all have a part to play in the plot. All are so finely drawn they are indelible, and their varying situations intersect to bring it to its end. I'm particularly fond of Jonathan, who has an endless well of support and sympathy for Matthew, even though their marriage does have its stresses. I am getting fonder of his mother, who seems to be trying in her own way to, if not mend fences, make a halting new beginning. A plus for me is that I didn't have a clue who the perpetrator was and why.

I highly recommend The Heron's Call. Thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own. 

5 Stars

A K-9 Nail-Biter

BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE
An FBI K-9 Novel # 2
Sara Driscoll
Kensington Books
September 26, 2017


Sara Driscoll's second FBI K-9 novel, Before It's Too Late, hits the ground running and never lets up. A woman in the D.C. area is abducted, leaving her dog running loose. Attached to his collar is a coded note with clues to the woman's location and a time limit. The note is directed to Meg Jennings personally. By the time the FBI unscrambles the code and clues, all based on Civil War history and locations, the time has run out. It's too late for the woman, but this is far from the end. More abductions occur, and notes arrive in quick succession, all to Meg's attention. Even worse, the victims are physically similar to Meg. It's clear that the FBI is up against a very organized serial killer; one with a personal grudge against her. Meg decides to take action that might very well cost her career. Against all Bureau policy, she enlists her sister, Cara, a puzzle-solving genius, and Clay McCord, Washington Post reporter and Civil War buff. The three are able to solve the puzzles more quickly than the FBI computers. But Meg can't imagine who her adversary might be, or why.

I liked the first in the FBI K-9 series, Lone Wolf, very much and Before It's Too Late does not disappoint. The action is non-stop, the mystery well-plotted and the characters engaging. The relationship between Meg and her Labrador, Hawk, is healthy and supportive, based on mutual respect and love. It's impressive what well-trained search and rescue dogs can do. I highly recommend the series to suspense fans and anyone interested in the inner workings of the FBI K-9 Units.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Books for an advance digital copy. The opinions are my own.

RATING-4 Stars

Impressive Debut Police Procedural Set In Portland Maine

AMONG THE SHADOWS (Detective Byron #1)
Bruce Robert Coffin
Witness Impulse
September 13, 2016


Anyone who follows my reviews knows that I have a particular interest in books set in Maine. Among the Shadows is a very impressive debut from Bruce Robert Coffin. a retired Portland police detective with 30 years of experience on the streets of Portland, as well as anti-terrorism work with the FBI after 9/11. All that experience shows to good effect in his first novel.

Detective John Byron, a second-generation cop, has all the problems associated with police work. He is working towards a full blown case of alcoholism, his 20-year marriage is in shambles and he has no respect for his politically minded superiors. When he is called to the scene of an unattended death he finds that it is a retired Portland policeman in hospice care. The autopsy shows that the victim was suffocated and the logical conclusion is that it was a mercy killing. Byron and his team zero in on the nurses in attendance. But when other retired cops are murdered in quick succession it's clear that there is a serial killer at work. All the cops were part of the same SWAT team in the 1980's, along with Byron's deceased father. The bodies continue to pile up and Byron is in a race to stop the killer, in spite of roadblocks set by his superiors.

The writing and plotting in Among the Shadows are top-notch. The dialogue and descriptions of police procedures all ring true: as well as the characterizations. It is clear that Coffin has been honing his craft for a long time. I look forward to the next Detective Byron novel and highly recommend Among the Shadows to fans of police procedurals.

RATING 4.5 Stars

LONE WOLF (FBI K-9 #1)
Sara Driscoll
Kensington Books
November 29, 2016


Lone Wolf opens with Meg Jennings, FBI K-9 agent and her Labrador, Hawk, in hot pursuit of a child murderer. The two track him down to his home and bring in waiting units to capture him. It has been a grueling chase and Meg is expecting some down time. That expectation quickly disappears when she and Hawk are summoned to the scene of a bombing at the US Department of Agriculture in DC. Not only are the Secretary of Agriculture and his employees at risk, but a classroom of children is also in the building. Ten grueling hours later, Meg and Hawk are pulled out of the scene of carnage, totally exhausted and heartsick. The bomb was delivered by drone and the FBI's first assumption is foreign terrorism. However, when an anonymous letter is emailed to Clay MCord, an investigative reporter at the Washington Post, it becomes clear that the bomber is home grown and isn't finished, not  by a long shot. The bombings escalate and Meg, the FBI, and Clay McCord scramble to find out who he is and stop him.


I  enjoyed Lone Wolf tremendously, so much in fact that I was up way past my bedtime reading. There are all sorts of K-9 and FBI terms that I had never heard before and the look into the mind of the bomber was chilling. This is the kind of person who has failed at everything in life, from personal relationships to business ventures. The government has become a convenient scapegoat for all his troubles and he doesn't care who he hurts or kills in order to make his point. The heart of the book, however, is the relationship between Meg and Hawk. Since I am the sort of person who has been trained by rather than trained the dogs in my life, I am awed by their closeness and trust. The secondary characters, however, are not as well developed as Meg and Hawk. Hopefully, this will change in future books, which I will certainly  read. Thanks to Kensington and NetGalley for an advance digital copy in return for an honest review.

RATING- 4 Stars

A Split-Second Decision With Tragic Consequences

NO WITNESS BUT THE MOON (Jimmy Vega #3)
Suzanne Chazin
Kensington Books
October 25, 2016


It's a cold night in December when Detective Jimmy Vega responds to a radio call of a home invasion in progress. Upon his arrival, he sets off in pursuit of a man fleeing the scene and heading into the woods. The Hispanic man refuses to surrender, reaches into his pocket and Jimmy has to make the split-second decision that every cop dreads. He kills the man and the consequences are tragic, not only for Jimmy but for those he loves. The man was unarmed and clutching only a well-worn photograph. Jimmy is placed on administrative leave, the press gets wind of the incident and immediately convicts him. Even worse, his lawyer tells him not to talk to anyone, even his girlfriend, Adele Figueroa, or his daughter, Joy. His enforced silence sows doubts in Adele's and Joy's minds. Adele's position as head of an immigrant outreach agency comes under threat when she is pressured to join in the general mob mentality surrounding the incident. When Jimmy finds out that the man he killed has a connection to his mother's unsolved murder in the Bronx, it becomes even more personal and dangerous.

I am one of those who thinks that some cops are too quick to use lethal force. However, Jimmy Vega is not one of them. Chazin's vivid description of the thought processes that Jimmy goes through during the incident and afterward are gut-wrenching. I am a big fan of Suzanne Chazin's previous books in the series, Land of Careful Shadows and A Blossom of Bright Light. No Witness but the Moon continues the series with a very emotional but measured look at two hot-button issues: police violence and illegal immigration. She reminds us that killing someone, no matter whether it is considered justified or not, changes a person forever. Jimmy is changed, but for the better, as he copes with PTSD and his unavoidable guilt.

I highly recommend the Jimmy Vega series to anyone looking for an intense and very topical crime fiction read. Thanks to Kensington Books and Netgalley for an advance digital copy in return for an honest review.

RATING- 5 Stars