Review by Booklist Review
When the beautiful teenage daughter of a prominent Lake Holly, New York, family is murdered, county detective Jimmy Vega is caught between his girlfriend and the job. Catherine Archer was killed after her volunteer shift at La Casa, the Hispanic community center that Vega's girlfriend, Adele, directs. Newly elected County Executive Mike Carp has been exploiting festering resentment toward the growing immigrant community, and the tension explodes when police target Rolando, an undocumented immigrant whom Catherine was tutoring. Jimmy's meddling in the case gets him demoted beneath the desk assignment he received after shooting an unarmed suspect in No Witness but the Moon (2016); he's assigned to Carp's protection detail. Fortunately, the punishment offers Jimmy access to information pointing to Catherine's killer, a wolf in sheep's clothing who's set his sights on someone Jimmy loves. An uplifting subplot featuring the wisdom of Adele's Holocaust-survivor neighbor highlights the impact of individual advocacy, especially against the backdrop of a divided community and a pot-stirring politician. The top-notch storytelling, appealing characters, and timely controversy here guarantee energetic book-group discussions.--Tran, Christine Copyright 2017 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The disappearance of 17-year-old Catherine Archer propels Chazin's nail-biting fourth mystery featuring detective Jimmy Vega (after 2016's No Witness but the Moon). The girl was last seen at La Casa, the community center in Lake Holly, N.Y., where she volunteered. Run by Adele Figuero, Jimmy's girlfriend, La Casa serves the local immigrant population. A security video taken the night Catherine vanished shows a blond girl resembling her walking out of Hank's Deli with Guatemalan Rolando Benitez-Ochoa. Catherine's body is found in the woods, and Rolando becomes the prime suspect in her murder. Rolando's stepbrother, Wilfredo Martinez-Ochoa, a premed student, is arrested for lying to the police about Rolando's whereabouts. Adele, to prevent Wilfredo's life from being destroyed by the community's anti-immigrant fervor, takes him under her protection, further outraging people already angry at her for running the center. Jimmy, meanwhile, comes to believe Rolando is innocent and, despite police disapproval, doesn't rest until he uncovers the truth in this tense page-turner. Agent: Stephany Evans, FinePrint Literary Management. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Detective Jimmy Vega was taken off active duty after a previous case went awry, but that doesn't stop him from investigating when 17-year-old Catherine Archer-beautiful, blonde, and rich-is found dead in the woods. She was a tutor at La Casa, a support center for immigrants headed by Jimmy's ex-lawyer girlfriend, Adele, in Lake Holly, NY, and suspicion automatically falls on Rolando Benitez-Ochoa, a young Guatemalan from the center who has a history of violence. Anger toward the immigrant community, fueled by the self-aggrandizing actions of the local county supervisor, polarizes the town as the hunt progresses for Catherine's killer. Jimmy unofficially helps with the investigation until his actions result in the killing of the accused. As punishment, he is sent to work as a valet for the supervisor, but behind the scenes, he discovers that there is much more to the story of the girl's death than meets the eye. Chazin emphasizes how choices made under dire circumstances have lingering repercussions. VERDICT For those seeking a first-rate detective novel with suspense, red herrings, and insightful social commentary.-Connie Williams, Petaluma Public Library, CA © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
