Review: Another thrilling mystery novel in the series!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 1, 2014
It’s easy to get hooked on a mystery series when the characters grow on you the way this one does. From book one, author Carmen Amato has a winner in her main character Emilia Cruz, Acapulco’s first and only female police detective. Emilia’s world is filled with emotional threats and drug war violence, but she meets each challenge bravely because she can think on her feet and take appropriate action.Alongside Emilia is her burly partner, senior detective Franco Silvio, who provides insight into the criminal cases that land on their desks and offers loyal support when things take a turn for the worse—and there are many such thrilling twists in this book!Amato’s writing style is fluid, and she has a way of describing settings that you can easily visualize. Realistic details of places from the poorest neighborhoods to the most elegant coastal resorts will have you experiencing the countless smells, tastes, and textures of Acapulco. Every character has a definite trait that sets them apart as well, and I could easily understand why Emilia’s knees were shaking in the presence of wiry Perez from Organized Crime or why she felt sick to her stomach when a hunched man named Pepe showed her a secret place he’d discovered during a walk in secluded fields.A developing romance with her rich boyfriend Kurt provides Emilia with a “safe” zone away from the madness of her job. Brief glimpses into her home life with her mother and future stepfather round things out. I imagine the next books in the series will develop these aspects of Emilia’s life, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.If you like mystery novels about feisty detectives and their personal wars against crime, this third installment in the Emilia Cruz series will have you wanting for more. It’s so easy to get hooked. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.