Firebreak

A raging wildfire threatening the border town of Artemis, Texas, is contained by a firebreak. But Police Chief Josie Gray and her deputy find one house on the other side of the firebreak burned, with a charred corpse inside. The home's residents country singer Billy Nix and his wife, Brenda, his band's manager evacuated and claim ignorance of what occurred. So Gray and her department investigate arson and murder, plus an ensuing death ruled a suicide. Questions are raised about competition between local country bands, Billy's potential for show-business success, and his relationship with a hanger-on his wife dislikes. Meanwhile Josie is dealing with the departure of her lover, Dillon Reese, who was so traumatized by being kidnapped by the Medrano cartel (in Wrecked, 2014) that he left Artemis to return to St. Louis, leaving Josie feeling both guilty and lonely. While the crimes at the center of Fields' fourth Josie Gray mystery are solved, the cartel just across the river remains a constant threat. A brisk narrative, a vivid sense of place, and an appealing protagonist make this another fine entry in this winning series.--Leber, Michele Copyright 2015 Booklist

Tony Hillerman Prize-winner Fields's fourth Josie Gray mystery (after 2014's Wrecked) is as crisp as brush ready to catch fire. In the aftermath of a raging wild fire that threatened the small town of Artemis, Tex., the body of a man turns up in a partially burned house. At first glance it appears the fire was the cause of death, but evidence soon indicates that the fire merely served as a cover-up. The owners of the house, Barbara and Billy Nix, proclaim their innocence and attest that they were not in Artemis at the time of the murder. Police chief Josie deals with the effects of the fire and the emerging murder case with an exasperated calm. The humdrum murder is no match for the vividness of the fire that preceded it, and the characters' motivations, while clear, aren't always compelling. But what the novel lacks in originality, it makes up for in snappy dialogue. Agent: Dominick Abel, Dominick Abel Literary Agency. (Mar.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.