Review of "Stargazer: A Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito Mystery" by Anne Hillerman

 

This review was first posted on Mystery and Suspense. Check it out for features, interviews, and reviews. https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/st...

In this 24th book in the 'Leaphorn, Chee, and Manuelito' series, Officer Bernadette Manuelito juggles police investigations and family problems. The book can be read as a standalone but familiarity with the characters is a plus.

*****

Dr. Steve Jones is an astronomer at New Mexico's Very Large Array (VLA) astronomical observatory, which studies the skies and listens for radio waves that could emanate from alien life forms.





Jones recently relocated from Hawaii to New Mexico, and hopes to reconcile with his estranged wife Maya Kelsey, a Navajo woman who took the couple's son Junior and returned to her New Mexico reservation years ago.



Steve now has good relations with Junior, and wants to be a family again.

Jones takes Maya out for dinner, planning to woo her back. Instead Maya presents Steve with divorce papers. This leads to angry words and threats, and Steve is found in his car the next day, shot in the head. Officer Tara Williams of the Socorro County Sheriff’s Department gets the case, and begins her investigation.



Meanwhile, Maya's brother Leon Kelsey calls Police Officer Bernadette Manuelito (Bernie) of the Navajo Tribal Police Department.



Leon reports that his sister was supposed to collect her son Junior from his house, and never showed up. Bernie and Maya were roommates in college, and Bernie gets right on the job looking for her friend.

Bernie phones Officer Tara Williams to inquire about a missing woman from Socorro, and learns that Maya's husband Steve Jones was just killed. Bernie and Tara agree to call each other if Maya shows up, and Bernie goes on with her assignment to serve a warrant on Mr. Melvin Shorty, who skipped a court appearance.



Bernie's attempt to serve the warrant on Shorty results in her finding a badly injured woman who's bound and gagged and a dead baby. Bernie calls in the incident, loses Melvin Shorty, and returns to the Navajo Tribal Police Department to discover that Maya came in and confessed to killing her husband.



Bernie refuses to believe Maya is guilty, and wants to help investigate the death of Maya's spouse. However, Bernie's husband, Officer Jim Chee - who's in charge of the department while the captain is at a conference - wants Bernie to follow up on her other cases.



This results in friction between the usually harmonious couple. To add to Bernie's troubles, her mother is suffering from dementia, and Bernie is torn between her family responsibilities and her desire to become a police investigator, which requires more time away from home.

Bernie winds up helping Officer Williams investigate Jones' homicide, and learns that there are more possible suspects than Maya. It seems VLA scientists have been accused of stealing research, and Steve's romantic relationship with a woman recently ended.



Both Bernie and her husband Jim were mentored by Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn, who's now a private detective.



Leaphorn had sustained a head injury that took away his speech, but is now rehabilitated enough to speak Navajo and some English. Bernie consults Joe about her career and her cases, and the lieutenant provides his usual wise counsel.

In a tangential story line, a law enforcement colleague asks Leaphorn to help with the problem of missing and abused indigenous women.....



.....and Leaphorn is dithering about taking a trip to Washington DC with his partner, anthropologist Louisa Bourebonette, because he's afraid of flying.

As always in this series, the thriller has a dramatic climax that will have readers on the edge of their seats.

Anne Hillerman inherited the mantle of Navajo mysteries from her father Tony Hillerman, whose first Leaphorn/Chee mystery was published over fifty years ago. Like her dad, Anne incorporates Navajo history, beliefs, and myths - as well as the beautiful southwestern landscape - into her books, which adds to the pleasure of reading them.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review of "The Night Hawks: A Ruth Galloway Mystery" by Elly Griffiths

In this 13th book in the 'Ruth Galloway' series, the forensic archaeologist becomes involved when treasure hunters discover a present-day corpse near a Bronze Age skeleton. The book can be read as a standalone, but familiarity with the characters is a bonus.

*****

After a time living and teaching in Cambridge, Dr. Ruth Galloway has returned to Norfolk with her 10-year-old daughter Kate and their cat Flint. Kate is back in her old primary school and Ruth has returned to the University of North Norfolk as head of the archaeology department.



Part of Ruth's reason for returning was to be near Kate's father, Detective Chief Inspector Harry Nelson, with whom Ruth had an affair. Nelson is married with children, and Ruth knows he won't leave his wife and little boy, but Ruth wants Kate to be near her dad.



Norfolk is well known for its buried historical relics, which attract both professional archaeologists and detectorists - amateurs who hunt for treasure with metal detectors.



One group of detectorists, who call themselves the Night Hawks, is probing the beach at Blakeney Point when they come across the body of a dead man close to a trench containing pieces of old metal.



DCI Nelson arrives and arranges for his team to investigate the body. Nelson also phones forensic archaeologist Ruth to examine the metal artifacts in the trench. Ruth hurries over, accompanied by a newly hired archaeology professor named David Brown. Brown is a knowledgeable researcher, but he's pushy and intrusive, which annoys Ruth no end.



At first, the authorities think the dead man on Blakeney Point is an illegal immigrant washed up from a sunken boat. However, the deceased turns out to be a local lad called Jem Taylor. Taylor has a snake tattoo, which seems to tie in with regional legends about a Norfolk sea serpent.



To add to the eeriness of the incident, Ruth and her team dig up the old metal in the trench and find a skeleton, suspected to be about 5,000 years old.



Professor Brown is VERY excited about the skeleton, which he suspects is one of the Beaker People, a group that migrated from Central Europe to England thousands of years ago. Brown is researching a theory that the Beakers brought a plague that wiped out 90% of the native Britons.



The night after Jem Taylor's body is discovered, DCI Nelson gets another call from the Night Hawks. This time, the treasure hunters were trolling near Black Dog Farm when they heard gunshots coming from the main house.



The police storm the residence and find the bodies of the owners: Dr. Douglas Noakes - a pharmaceutical researcher, and his wife Linda - a primary school teacher. The incident is suspected to be a murder-suicide, but Nelson feels three suspicious deaths in two days needs investigating. Moreover, people have reported seeing a harbinger of death called The Black Shuck (a giant black dog) around Black Dog Farm. Nelson doesn't put any credence in this, but local folks do.



It turns out the deaths of the young man and the married couple are more complicated than they first appear, and - as the police investigate - there are additional fatalities. Moreover, various relationships come to light and secrets are revealed.

One of the pleasures of the Ruth Galloway novels are the tidbits about Norfolk - its landscape, atmosphere, and archaeology.



I also like the recurring characters, such as the mystical druid Cathbad and his partner, Detective Inspector Judy Johnson.....which seems like an odd pairing, but it works.



Finally, it's interesting to follow the personal lives of Ruth and Nelson, which have evolved considerably over the course of the series.

I enjoyed the story and look forward to future books featuring Ruth Galloway.

Thanks to Netgalley, Elly Griffiths, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishers for a copy of the book.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review of "The Long Call: A Detective Matthew Venn Mystery" by Ann Cleeves

 

Ann Cleeves is well known for her popular Shetland Island mystery series, featuring Detective Jimmy Perez and her Detective Vera Stanhope mystery series, set in northern England. 

This book starts a new series for Cleeves, set in North Devon, and featuring police investigator Matthew Venn.



*****

Detective Inspector Matthew Venn of the North Devon police grew up in a family that belonged to a small, strict religious sect called the Barum Brethren.



Matthew rejected the order's beliefs when he was a teenager, and was shunned by the congregation, including his parents. Now Matthew's father has died and his mother doesn't want him at the funeral, saying Matthew's marriage to a man gave his father a fatal heart attack.



Matthew is lurking near the doorway of the church, listening to his father's funeral service, when he's called to a crime scene.



A body has been found on the North Devon beach, close to where Matthew lives with his husband Jonathan Church.



The stabbing victim is identified as Simon Walder, a troubled man who was renting a room in the home of two friends, Caroline Preece and Gaby Henry. The women took Simon in as an act of charity, and tell the police they were looking forward to Simon leaving when he got on his feet.



The police discover that most people acquainted with Simon have a connection with the Woodyard Centre - a community resource with a restaurant, art classes, nature lectures, cultural activities, charitable operations, etc. The Woodyard Centre also has a day center for adults with learning disabilities.



Simon worked as a chef in the Woodyard Centre's restaurant, but he didn't socialize and kept himself to himself.



Simon's connection with the Woodyard Centre presents a conflict of interest for Matthew, because his husband Jonathan is the Centre's director, and people he knows - including the leader of the Barum Brethren - is on the Board of Directors. Nevertheless Matthew continues making inquiries with the help of his detectives Jen and Ross. Jen - who Matthew considers his best investigator - is the hard-partying single mother of two teenagers;



and Ross is a married 'man's man' who's anxious for recognition from the boss.



As the investigation proceeds, the detectives learn that Simon kept a lot of secrets, and many people in town are reticent about their connection with him. To add to the mystery, a learning disabled woman named Lucy Braddick, who goes to the Woodyard Centre every day, says Simon had been taking the bus with her, chatting and bringing sweets....which was a change in his routine and demeanor.



Additional crimes - including two abductions - add to the mystery in North Devon, and Matthew struggles to solve the case before he's forced to recuse himself.

In addition to creating compelling characters, Cleeves includes the North Devon landscape and ambiance in her story, which is a great pleasure for armchair travelers and adds to the book's atmosphere.

I enjoyed this debut novel in Cleeves' new series, and look forward to reading future books featuring Matthew Venn.

Thanks to Netgalley, Ann Cleeves, and Minotaur Books for a copy of the book.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review of "Unfinished Business: An Ali Reynolds Mystery" by J.A. Jance

In this 16th book in the 'Ali Reynolds' series, the computer security expert/amateur sleuth deals with family problems and gets on the wrong side of a serial killer. The book can be read as a standalone.

*****

Ali Reynolds and her husband B. Simpson own High Noon Enterprises, a computer security service based in Cottonwood, Arizona.



The High Noon business complex contains extra offices, which are rented out to tenants for additional income. One renter is Harvey McCluskey, a crooked home inspector who's two months behind on his rent.



Ali and her employee Cami Lee go to McClusky's office to serve an eviction notice, which Cami films on her IPAD. McClusky is embarrassed and infuriated, and vows revenge against the ladies. In Harvey's case this isn't an idle threat, because he's a serial killer who's already murdered several women.



Meanwhile, in Monroe, Washington, computer technician Mateo Vega is released from the penitentiary after 16 years inside.



Mateo was accused of killing his girlfriend, and though he was innocent, Mateo took a plea to avoid a life sentence. When the convict finally gets out on parole, he takes a job at a thrift store, and - having kept up his computer skills - sends resumes to computer tech companies.

Mateo has no luck until he contacts his old boss Stuart Ramey, who works for High Noon Enterprises. Stuart is impressed with Mateo's abilities, and - with Ali and B's approval - flies the ex-convict to Arizona for an interview.



Ali also contacts her friend, private detective J.P. Beaumont, to see about clearing Mateo's name.



As the book unfolds, the backstories of McClusky and Mateo are interweaved with the current lives of the men, and McClusky's history is bloody and horrendous.

In addition to business concerns, Ali has personal problems. Ali's parents, Edie and Bob Larson, live in a senior citizen community in Cottonwood.



Ali thought her folks were doing well until she discovered that Edie has been protecting Bob, hiding the fact that he's losing his memory and acting out. Edie is exhausted, Bob is depressed, and the couple isolate themselves from friends. Ali insists that her parents get help, but the situation goes downhill fast.

While Ali is dealing with her family concerns, McClusky starts to carry out his revenge plan, which is frightening and dramatic.



Luckily, High Noon personnel, including the phenomenal Artificial Intelligence Frigg - who can hack ANYTHING - are on hand to help.



This is a good thriller that addresses some serious real life issues.

Thanks to Negtalley, J.A. Jance, and Gallery Books for a copy of the book.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Review of "Finding Tessa: A Novel of Suspense" by Jaime Lynn Hendricks

This review was first posted on Mystery and Suspense. Check it out for features, interviews, and reviews. https//www.mysteryandsuspense.com/finding-te...

The book is narrated in the alternating voices of Jace Montgomery and Tessa Smyth, a newlywed couple living near the Jersey shore. Jace is a banker and Tessa is an interior decorator, and their marriage occurred so fast that they haven't even met each other's families.



The story opens with Jace, who's worried about his wife.

Jace is the branch manager of New Jersey's Valley Lake Bank, and is trying to get financing for a new shopping center.



Thus Jace and his colleague Rosita wined and dined two representatives from Vistabuild, hoping to win their favor.



Jace got home late from the business dinner, and discovered that his wife Tessa was missing. There's a broken window in the kitchen, blood and hair on the ground outside, and Tessa's purse and phone are in the house.



Jace calls the authorities, and Detective Solomon and a forensics team are soon on the scene.



Solomon asks if anyone would want to hurt Tessa, and Jace explains that his wife had violent men in her past, but he doesn't know any of their names. In fact, the banker seems to know very little about his spouse, other than that she was raised in abusive foster homes and may have four siblings. In fact Jace isn't even sure if Smyth is Tessa's maiden name or her ex-husband's last name. When Solomon asks the banker if there were any problems in his and Tessa's marriage, Jace lies and says no.

The detective concludes that Tessa knew the person responsible for her disappearance, because the couple's dog Candy would have attacked an intruder.



In fact, it's pretty clear that Solomon is suspicious of Jace, because the husband is always the first suspect.

Switch to Tessa, and we learn she's on the run.



Tessa has nine thousand dollars in cash that she saved up, and is relieved she has the resources to get away. In the past, every time Tessa left an ex she'd jump right into another relationship, because she had no money and nowhere to go. This time, Tessa catches a bus to a distant city, checks into a cheap motel, and proceeds to get the fake ID she needs to get on with her life. Tessa is still very apprehensive, however, because she knows her ex-husband will kill her if he finds her.



Still, Tessa is hopeful things will work out this time because she has a plan. With the help of a friend who'll plant the appropriate clues, Tessa hopes to get her ex-husband imprisoned for murdering her.



Shift back to Jace, and he's in trouble.

A neighbor tells the police that Tessa was very upset because Jace came home with a gun. Jace denies this, but the police don't believe him.



Soon afterwards, a woman's maimed body is found; another woman goes missing; and evidence is found in the banker's house. The press goes crazy, and Jace is dubbed Valley Lake's notorious murderer. Jace gets two lawyers to help him: his friend Evan Soderberg and defense attorney Robert Brown. Soderberg manage to raise bail, but Jace is still confined to his house with an ankle bracelet.



Switch to Tessa, and it seems old habits die hard.

Tessa starts settling into her new home, and goes to a wine bar for a meal. There Tessa flirts with a bartender named Damon, who's interested in the new lady in town.



Though Tessa knows better, she makes a date with Damon, hoping she'll have better luck this time. The date goes well.....until it doesn't.

To reveal more would be a spoiler, except to say that things aren't necessarily what they seem.

This is a suspenseful thriller that will keep you guessing from beginning to end.

Thanks to Netgalley, Jaime Lynn Hendricks, and Penzler Publishers for a copy of the book.

Rating: 3.5 stars