The Book
Detective Will Diaz still must deal with the demons of his past. And while he does that, he and his buddy, RJ Madril, hunt a man who raped a girl at gunpoint. During the hunt, they begin to learn that something bigger and more insidious than either can imagine is lurking. Hints of betrayal and questions for which there are only frightening answers will begin to haunt Will, RJ, and the people they know and love.
The Author
My Thoughts
Detective Will Diaz, back from serving in the Gulf War and with a new faith in Christ, lets the reader follow him though the authentic but seedy side of police work in Colorado’s San Luis Valley. Scenes are gritty and language frank, especially since the central crime in this book is a rape.
Will, an astronomy fan, takes us through his thought processes, recovering and recording evidence, following leads, and eventually taking down the culprit. Besides being likable, thoughtful, and intelligent, Detective Diaz is flawed and vulnerable.
Characters include an ex-SEAL who is now a pastor, a ‘Nam tunnel rat who’s returned as an addict with PTSD, and more army veterans of the Gulf War now in law enforcement. Will’s friends and family are empathetic and real.
He has just survived his first year as a civilian cop, but a friend asks why he didn’t use deadly force when he clearly could have. Detective Diaz struggles with that and other ethical issues of police work, but the story is a redemptive one. I look forward to more compelling stories about Will Diaz and his cohorts.
The book has typos and needs some background fleshing out, but is a very satisfying novel.