September 15, 2023
Detectives Emily Hunter and Javier Medina are called to a murder scene where wealthy businessman Roger Townsend has been shot and had his throat slit. His much younger wife, Lori, is hysterical after being beaten by the perps. The motive is unclear, although the safe in Roger's office is open. As the two detectives investigate, the case becomes more and more complicated, involving murder for hire, dirty lawyers, dangerous secrets, a RICO case, corrupt cops, and members of the violent Aryan Brotherhood gang. How these disparate pieces fit together is unclear, and the situation becomes more baffling the deeper Emily and Javier dig. Lori Townsend might hold the answers, but she's one slippery, deceptive, manipulative character, and pinning anything on her will be tricky. Smart-mouthed, tough, pull-no-punches Emily will do whatever it takes to solve the case, and she and Javier keep investigating until they finally uncover the tragic, shocking truth. The suspenseful, twist-a-minute, fast-moving plot, Emily's disregard for her superiors' opinions, and her determination to uncover the truth whatever the cost, coupled with more human elements--the good-natured banter between Emily and Javier, Emily's luckless love life, Emily's dementia-suffering mom, Javier's tragic childhood--make this an outstanding must-read.
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September 25, 2023
L’Etoile (the Detective Penley mysteries) introduces another memorable lead in this impressive series launch. Sacramento, Calif., police detective Emily Hunter is struggling to care for her septuagenarian mother, who has early-onset Alzheimer’s, when she’s handed a high-profile case. Late one night, Emily’s called to the home of prominent local businessman Roger Townsend, who’s dead after an intruder shot him in the back before slitting his throat. When Emily arrives at the scene, the chief of police, Thomas Clark, is already there, at the request of Mayor John Stone, an old friend of Roger’s wife, Lori, who was also injured in the struggle. The fatal break-in appears to match a pattern of recent home invasions, but Hunter feels uneasy about Stone’s interference with her investigation, and wonders if there’s more to the murder than meets the eye. Sure enough, after a little digging, she discovers links between Sacramento’s elite and a shadowy criminal enterprise, and rushes to find answers before she becomes a target herself. L’Etoile’s long career in California criminal justice lends veracity to this page-turner—the courtrooms and precincts feel uncommonly lived-in. Admirers of strong female protagonists will be eager to see more from Hunter down the line. Agent: Elizabeth Kracht, Kimberley Cameron and Assoc.