Blood Sweep
Steven F. Havill
2015, 306 pages
Mystery
County sheriff Bobby Torrez is out antelope hunting when someone shoots at him and explodes the telescopic sight on his rifle. Was it a warning, or did the shooter intend to kill Bobby?
Undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman has more worries on her mind. Her 15-year-old son Francisco is now an internationally known concert pianist and in Mazatlán for a concert series. Estelle is concerned for his safety in this crime-ridden city. Estelle’s 99-year-old mother, Theresa, was asked to send a cashier’s check to someone claiming to need it for Francisco. And her younger son gets a call from a man claiming to be Estelle’s uncle. Estelle is adopted and didn’t know an uncle of hers existed. Then a dead man is found in a car, and other bodies follow.
Right when she could use the counsel of her mentor Bill Gastner, he is not answering his phone, and his daughter asks Estelle to see if he is all right. This is another major concern for Estelle.
In this mystery we learn more about Estelle’s background and the awful night that left her an orphan. And the enigmatic Mexican colonel who has helped Estelle before plays a crucial part in this story.
This is another Posadas County, N.M., mystery and an excellent addition to the series. The sense of place is tangible, and the appealing characters are very well written. You feel that you could visit the town, and would like to get to know Estelle and her family.
Robbin BaileyConcord Public Library
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