The Pawnbroker (Charlie Henry)
The Thurlos, who already have the Ella Clah and Sister Agatha series going, launch a new series, starring Charlie Henry, a Navajo who was formerly a special-ops agent in Afghanistan and Iraq. Henry returns to civilian life in Albuquerque, hoping for a quieter life as co-owner of a pawnshop with his best army, “got your back” buddy. Readers get a blast of action right away: Charlie’s first love, Gina, now a lawyer, does him a favor by setting up a buy of files about the pawnshop’s previous owner and is gunned down on the street, along with the seller. The entire novel moves at a breakneck pace through burglaries, stakeouts, and car chases, always aggravating Charlie’s residual PTSD. The mystery centers on what is in the pawnshop that so many people are desperately searching for. Henry’s hard-won street smarts and informal contacts allow him access to a detective within the Albuquerque Police Department, giving this book more authenticity and punch than if he worked alone. This is a promising debut for a very contemporary character. --Connie Fletcher