After the successful conclusion to the missing Brandt girls case, Alice Vega, reputable 'people-finder', returns home to California, leaving Max Caplan behind.

They both return to their regular lives, Alice being Alice, and Cap being lovable father to teenager, Nell.

Soon enough, a new case falls in Alice's lap and it's no surprise, she calls on dear old Caplan to help her out.

This time, he joins her on the West Coast to investigate the death of two Jane Does and their possible connection to a human trafficking ring.

With their street smarts and unending energy, Vega and Cap have quickly become one of my favorite investigative pairs. The underlying sexual tension is a bonus that is hard to resist.

Although a slow burn, for crime thriller classicists, this story packs a solid punch.

The steadfastness with which Vega tackles each investigation is oddly inspiring and Cap's dedication to her is lovely to read.

This case, set in San Diego, tackles real life issue of human trafficking, as well as sexual slavery and abused minors. If these are topics that will be sensitive for you, tread cautiously.

The good news is, Vega and Cap are on the case and they never let up.

I'm not sure how much longer Luna plans to write this dynamic duo together, but I hope it is for a long, long time.

I know I will continue to pick them up. As a matter of fact, I am ready for the next one already!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Doubleday Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I appreciate the opportunity and really look forward to solving another case with Vega and Cap!

Thank you, Net Galley and Doubleday for a chance to read this ARC.

Fast-paced terrific thriller. If I hadn't been so busy and tired, this would have been a can't put down read. I loved the Alice Vega character, hard-boiled, competent, and a take no prisoners attitude. This novel felt ripped from the headlines and left me thinking about all the girls being trafficked that go undiscovered.

Luna has a real knack for describing body language while writing tight dialogue.

I liked this one so much that I've set aside and will be reading her first Alice Vega book, [book:Two Girls Down|36136030].

The Janes was my second Louisa Luna novel, my first being the first in the Alice Vega series, Two Girls Down. The subject matter in both books was heavy, but so relevant. In The Janes, human trafficking is the subject matter. Alice Vega is brought in by the police department to look into the deaths of two young women who's bodies reveal all signs of being trafficked. Vega immediately brings in Cap, the ex-police-now-private detective who helped her solve the case from Two Girls Down. Cap was so ready for this since he was just starting to consider the security of a corporate job. His teenage daughter, Nell is also back as Cap's confidante. The trafficking story felt ripped-straight-from-the-headlines beginning to end. Alice, herself, is still a little bit too action-movie-unrealistic for me, but I find many things about her very intriguing. I love Cap's relationship with his daughter, but honestly, it drives me crazy when adults pretend kids are wise enough to help make adults' decisions. Feedback is good. Equal weight in decisions is not. I mean science even proves that the brain isn't fully developed in those years. Aside from that minor annoyance, I have wondered why his name is not part of the series name.....ala "Alice Vega and Cap" since he has played as much a role in the first two novels as Alice has. At this point, I am hoping he is not going to be working with Alice as much in future novels, though, since his daughter gets drug in to be threatened by villains every time. It seems that if he adores his daughter as much as the author implies he does, he would realistically stay away from the kind of cases Alice Vega brings to him.

Much of the content of this novel was difficult to read because it involves underage girls. There is not a ton of graphic content around them, but it is implied enough that the reader will be shaken. There was one of the girls' storyline that tore at the heartstrings at the end of the novel over some of her choices, but again, the story felt very true to possibility.

Thanks so much to Doubleday and Louisa Luna for the advanced ecopy. I can't wait for the next in the series!

When the bodies of two young females are discovered, police enlist the help of PI Alice Vega and Max Caplan aka “Cap” to discover their identities and those of their killer. With little more than stolen IUDs for evidence, Vega and Cap work backwards to uncover an underage sex trafficking ring with questionable ties to police corruption.

Having not read the first in this series, I worried I might’ve been at a disadvantage. This book stands nicely alone. That said, I didn’t completely connect with the story or the victims’ plight. Beginning with the promise of a gripping mystery, The Janes quickly devolves into one too many action sequences for my taste.

The cast of characters is large, with a lot of hard-to-track connections. This could be the byproduct of starting with book two, but I don’t think so. Vega and Cap’s chemistry is strong and what pulled me through what would have otherwise felt like a formulaic read. Vega being a PI is used as a device to veer from the standard procedural fare. She is a bit vigilante, and maybe I like that about her, but by the end she felt almost superhuman—a trait I’m not a fan of.

The mystery is diluted by the sheer number of Cap and Vega mishaps, of which there are many. There are a lot of chases, detainments, injuries, and some not-so-believable sequences that ramp up toward an unfortunate ending that left me feeling conflicted. I fought the urge to skim read the pages and pages devoted to fight or flight. While technically pretty well-written, The Janes pacing felt “off.” I can’t put my finger on why, but I have a lukewarm feeling walking away from this one. Probably it’s just me. Three-and-a-half stars with thanks to the author and Netgalley for the ARC.

This is the second in the Alice Vega/Max Caplan series. I read and liked the first one. This time, they team up to investigate the deaths of two “Jane Does” suspected to be victims of human trafficking.

Yes, some of the action is a bit implausible, it took me a while to get through the story, and there was a lot of violence; yet, I liked the book. The characters and dynamic between them is what makes the story work.

Louisa Luna turns newspaper headlines into heart-stopping thrillers. Two Girls Down introduced Alice Vega, “a private investigator known for finding the missing,” and Max “Cap” Caplan. Two girls went missing in Cap’s small Pennsylvania town and Alice (who lives in San Diego) was hired to find them. Private detective Cap knew the local scene, so they worked hand-in-glove to find the two Brandt sisters—alive.

The bodies of two Latina girls are discovered on the outskirts of San Diego. They are dubbed “The Janes” as in Jane Doe because they cannot be IDed, and no one seems to be looking for them. The police fear the girls might be victims of a sex trafficking ring and ask Vega to take the case. First stop, the County Medical Examiner office. Luna doesn’t spare us: the girls have been cruelly used. Medical examiner Mia provides a running commentary.

“Female, age twelve to fourteen, came in last Thursday. Cause of death was myocardial infarction due to bleed-out due to multiple stab wounds,” said Mia, lifting the hip with two fingers to show Vega where the cuts continued. “I estimate she was dead about a day before getting to us. No sign of recent sexual assault, per se, but some labial and anal fissures, as well as absence of hymen tissue. And, notably, a functional IUD in her uterus.”

The smell coming from the bag containing Jane Doe 2 gets to Vega: “she bent over, hands on her knees, breathed through her mouth.” Mia gives her an Altoid: after “the mint spiked through the roof of her mouth,” she’s able to breathe once more. She asks Mia why she thinks the girls are “definitively linked.”

“The new girl had an IUD, too,” she said, pleased.



Mia paused then, and Vega sensed more was coming.



“I bagged them,” she continued, and she pulled two plastic evidence bags from the shelf below the gurney, held one up in each hand. “Copper. From the same company.”



“How do you know?” said Vega.



“Name’s printed on the coil. Health-Guard.”

But not just the manufacturer’s name is on the IUD: Mia uses a microscope to show Vega an eight-digit number of which only the last three are important: 79433530.

Vega listened to her as she walked slowly back to the new girl. Jane 2. IUD 79433525.



“That’s smart,” said Vega, studying the body.

Mia’s attention to detail opens a crack in the case. Could there be four more girls out there just like the Janes? Vega needs help: she reaches out to Cap.

Hi. Got a job here in San Diego for you. 10K to start. Let me know if you can make it.

Just in the nick of time because Cap has been offered a full-time job with benefits. It’s a solid offer “with a good shop and a first-rate boss and a health insurance plan that will make you salivate over its reasonable deductible like it was a medium-rare cheeseburger.” But Cap doesn’t want to wear a tie to work every day. He’s never been able to stop thinking about Alice Vega, “the elusive, the conundrum, the deviously lovely,” and his decision is a foregone conclusion.

The third member of Vega’s team is the Bastard, her computer guru. The Bastard knows how to uncover information criminals hope never sees the light of day. Vega types another email.

“Hey. Need info on a pharmaceutical accessory company called Health-Guard. Any way to get into their shipping/purchase logs? Let me know.”

Detective work is like dominoes: one bit of information leads to another and another. After Cap arrives in San Diego, he meets Vega at the Bay Free Health Clinic. They tell the nurse, Elizabeth Palomino, they have “questions about the staff.” Can they access her personnel files?

Now Palomino stiffened up in her chair and said, “I don’t think so.”



She breathed heavily in the silence that followed. Vega met Cap’s eye and gave a near-invisible nod toward the door.



“Excuse me for a minute,” he said to Palomino, and then he left, shutting the door very quietly.

Vega and Cap have it down: they don’t even need words to communicate. Vega tells an increasingly agitated Palomino that they’ve “logged twenty IUDs missing from their inventory within the past year, right?”

“I’m not interested in harassing your former employees. I’m interested in finding the guy who took your IUDs and put them inside underage girls for the purpose of sex work.”



Everything on Palomino’s face got bigger—eyes, nostrils, mouth, which she covered with her hand.



“Sonofabitch,” she muttered into her palm.



“Yeah, that,” said Vega. “Now, please tell me, anyone stand out?”

It’s that simple and that complicated: Vega and Cap painstakingly uncover the facts and each solitary piece of evidence fleshes out the puzzle facing them.

The Janes is a brutal and disturbing book: folks who sex-traffic underage Mexican girls are up to their necks in criminal enterprises originating on the US/Mexican border, with “about a hundred thousand dollars’ worth of meth, cocaine, and marijuana coming through per week, per tunnel.” Visceral details are enlivened with sporadic, darkly ironic humor like when Vega gets stoned with a dealer while prying out information. Cap sees Vega’s squinting eyes and smells “the woody smell coming off her clothes and hair”—where’s that steel-trap mind?

Cap was no longer sure he was tickled by Stoned Vega. He kind of missed Shit-Together Vega.



“Vega, you hearing me?”

Stoned or sober, Vega and Cap suss out the truth behind the Janes’s deaths. On their watch, victims are identified, and justice—albeit sometimes rough and ready—is administered. The Janes is another tour de force by Louisa Luna—bring on Alice Vega #3.

In 2018 I read 𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗚𝗶𝗿𝗹𝘀 𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻 by this author when it was offered through BOTM. This book featured a brilliant private investigator, Alice Vega who helped solve the disappearance of two sisters. I was thrilled to see that this is a follow up book with Alice Vega as she is brought in to help solve another case.

The San Diego Police Department has contacted Alice Vega to work with them on a case. The bodies of two young women have been found- no IDs and no one has reported them missing. The police are concerned these deaths are related to a human trafficking ring and need Vega’s help to identify the Janes, help find the location where they were held and possibly help find more young women.

Alice agrees to come onboard as long as she can hire her partner, Cap. She knows the only way to help find the Janes is with Cap’s help. Alice has her own way of doing things and Cap is just along for the ride and to look out for her.

This book is long and full of a lot of information but it definitely kept my interest. It had the right amount of suspense and action and I read it pretty quickly. You can read this as a stand alone book but I definitely recommend reading Two Girls Down to understand the dynamic between Vega and Cap.

Thank you Netgalley and Doubleday Books for this advance reading copy.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC.
Somehow I did it again and requested a book that was part of a series. I will definitely be going back to find the first book as I just loved the characters and would like to discover their earlier adventures.
Fast paced, funny/sad in places but completely enjoyable. Simply loved the ending!

After what I thought was a slightly slow start, the story eventually picked up. I like the relationship between Vega and Cap. They played off of each other well.

Thanks to NetGalley & Doubleday for providing a free digital ARC in return for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I was a little leery, as the author was unfamiliar to me. I almost didn't buy it for my library, based on the performance of her previous book. But the word must've got out, because I saw an uptick in interest in the previous book, and The Janes got a good review in PW, so I went for it. I was pleased to see it was available as an advance copy, so I could test drive it myself, and the review doesn't lie: Alice Vega is a powerhouse.

First, let me say how enjoyable it is to see Latinx characters in a mystery, as regular people, as victims, as perpetrators, and as heroes. So refreshing! Luna paints a very rich portrait of life adjacent to cartels, and how the cartel activity bleeds into other areas of American life. This low-level dealer is pressured into procuring a car for a cartel member, so he puts pressure on his teen customer, who allows his parents' car to be stolen for the commission of a crime. It was a really interesting breakdown of the waves of influence of a crime that I had never seen detailed before.

Likewise, I have never seen (so acutely, anyway) family members of criminals given the assumption of innocence and understanding of trauma inflicted on them as a result of their association with said criminal. It was an angle of the story I haven't really seen explored. There was not a ton of depth, but there was acknowledgment, and that was a revelation.

Max Caplan is a good enough character - he is the relateable one: he's tired, he has bags under his eyes, he worries a lot, he gets scared. Alice Vega is the automaton: she seems to be fearless, she has intense physical limits, she takes risk after risk, she cares about the well being, physical and mental, of the traumatized girls of the title. And, man, can she handle a set of bolt cutters! My only complaint is that she presents as someone who is unnaturally cool. She has valid concerns about these girls, but she seems to be otherwise emotionless; whereas Max is feeling things very deeply: his worry for his daughter, his concern for the girls and for Vega, his romantic feelings for Vega (I have to go read the first book, which is referenced repeatedly - but I don't think it's necessary to read it first if you don't want to).

It's a cracking plot with plenty of intrigue, rogue agents, weirdly charming crims, flat-out scary enforcers, and a nice little twist (which I kind of saw coming but it's not a deal-breaker). The denouement with two rival cartels stretched the boundaries of likely reality a bit, but since Vega was proven not to be totally immune to harm earlier in the book, I didn't really mind that she was unscathed in the final battle.

Very solid book, and I am for sure reading the first installment. I look forward to Luna's next book in the series!

Vera and Cap are back, working together to solve another crime after making Cap an offer he couldn’t refuse. These two convincing and committed characters have a great rapport. Beautiful, tough-talking Vera is kick-ass, always seems to be one step ahead and can run circles around any tough guy. Cap is ethical, thorough and steady; someone who is dependable and will always cover your back. He also has a bit of a crush on Vera. Never a dull moment, the story engaged me from beginning to end.

A superbly written book. Vega is given a new assignment and calls in Caplin to assist. As he is at a crossroads he jumps at the opportunity to work with her once again. The story has various twists and turns as it follows the path to truth. It is with lots of action and near misses as the two try to stay alive while solving the case. The story offers great insight into the author’s way of crafting a story that will keep the reader invested and turning the pages. The story is not all black and white but shows shades of grey that will impact the reader and make them think. It has great characters and a wonderful plot.

I was very intrigued in reading this book after reading a sample provided. This is the second book to Louisa Luna’s series known as Alicia Vega. New to Louisa Luna, I felt the story was written well, great characters and didn’t feel I missed anything not having read the first book. It took me a bit to get into the story but once I did, I didn't want to put the book down. Alice and Max Caplan AKA Cap are brought in as consultants by the San Diego Police and the DEA to try and solve the murders of two Hispanic unidentified dead girls that appear that they could be victims of a human trafficking ring. It’s also possible the women were undocumented. As soon as Alice and Cap get closer to resolving the case they encounter problems with these organizations that cause them to question their involvement. The chemistry between Alice Vega and Max Caplan is cute and it was great to see Alicia was a strong female lead, especially in a male-dominated profession. However, some of the things that Alice did made it unbelievable and too far-fetched.
The story had a solid ending. Thanks to the publisher and author for the ARC.

ALICE VEGA IS BACK IN THIS SECOND BOOK. SHE IS CALLED IN AFTER TWO BODIES OF YOUNG HISPANIC GIRLS ARE FOUND OUTSIDE OF SAN DIEGO. ALICE CALLS CAP WHO WAS IN THE FIRST BOOK AND IS HER PARTNER. HE COMES IN FROM THE EAST COAST AND TOGETHER THEY BEGIN TO TRY TO IDENTIFY THEN COME UP WITH WHAT HAPPENED TO CAUSE THESE TWO YOUNG GIRLS TO END UP WHERE THEY DID.
ALONG THE WAY YOU FOLLOW THEM THROUGH ALL OF THERE WAYS OF BANTERING BETWEEN THE TWO OF THEM ALICE AND CAP, WITH ALICE GETTING HER WAY. EVEN WHEN SHE TELLS HIM NOT TO LOOK IN THE TRUNK SHE KNOWS HE IS WHAT’S IN THE TRUNK? WHEN YOU READ THIS BOOK YOU WILL FIND OUT.
I WILL SAY THAT IF I HAD READ THE FIRST BOOK I MIGHT HAVE UNDERSTOOD THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CAP AND HIS DAUGHTER SOONER, BUT I DID START TO FIGURE IT OUT DURING THE READING OF THIS BOOK. WITH THIS BOOK BEING ABOUT “SEX TRAFFICKING” IT SEEMS IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS I HAVE BEEN READING AT LEAST FOUR STORIES LIKE THAT MAYBE A THEME GOING ON. ANYWAY, A VERY GOOD BOOK WITH GOOD CHARACTERS AS WELL.

Alice Vega is the shit, for real. Smart, brave, and kind but also not someone to mess with, she systematically attacks the horrifying case of the Janes, two young girls murdered and dumped. There’s some dark stuff here - a sex trafficking ring specializing in young girls and men who enjoy torturing them - so this is not for the faint of heart. However, if you like your mysteries raw and bold, you’ll appreciate Alice and her partner Cap.

Reminiscent of Robert Crais’ Elvis Cole series, this gritty, captivating murder mystery will have you turning pages long into the night.

Private Detective (and overall bada$$) Alice Vega is asked to be a consultant for the DEA. She’s investigating the deaths of two twelve to fourteen year old females, The Janes, murdered separately near San Diego, California. There are two weird things going on with the case. First, the females have almost sequential IDs on their IUDs. Second, the DEA is paying for Alice’s services in cash.

Alice asks her longtime associate, former cop Max Caplan, to help her with the case. They find plenty of evil motives. Or as Alice says, “Sex, drugs, money. Every man who commits a criminal act does it in service to one or more of those things. Most men, actually do everything because of them.”

Cap answers, “I don’t disagree. You gonna tell me what motivates women?” “Love,” said Vega finally.

The Janes is a classic police procedural telling the tale of two detectives who scoff at the rules. It’s a fun read despite its sexploitation topic. If you miss Jane Hawk, I recommend reading this series. While you can start with this book, the first in the series is equally good and will give you a bit of the duo’s backstories. 4 stars!

Thanks to Doubleday Books and NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review.

2.5 stars

Having absolutely loved Two Girls Down by Louisa Luna previously, I was incredibly excited for the return of Alice Vega. Unfortunately, this one just did not do it for me. The story was too long and the case itself lacked the excitement I found in the first case. I'll chalk this one up to a one off and check out Book 3 in the future, but this one just fell flat.

4 stars plus. Louisa Luna debuted in 2018 with the first book in this series, Two Girls Down. When I learned that Alice Vega was returning, I jumped on the galley without a moment’s hesitation. Thanks go to Doubleday and Net Galley for the review copy. This book becomes available to the public tomorrow, January 21, 2020.

Alice Vega is back home in Southern California, and she is hired as a consultant on a case for the local cops. Two dead girls have turned up, both recent immigrants with IUDs in their too-young bodies. All signs point to their having been victims of trafficking for purposes of sexual exploitation, yet there is no evidence of rape. What happened here, and where did the IUDs, which aren’t available in stores, come from? She is offered an astonishing amount of money for her services, and she decides to use some of it to hire her old partner, Max Caplan, who’s back on the Eastern seaboard entertaining job offers. When Vega crooks her little finger, Cap comes running.

Luna has a voice and style not like anyone else’s. One of the things that I love is the way she swaps the stereotypic gender roles of these two main characters. Cap is nurturing, and he loves kids. Vega isn’t a nurturer, and when huge stressors come down on her, she becomes angry and violent, but as a reader I love this because her rage is always spot on. Cap has sex when he’s in love, but Vega has sex to fulfill a biological need, and then wonders why the guy is still hanging around. Clean yourself up and get out of here, dude, I have things to do today. Run along. And while Vega’s vigilante justice would be a terrible thing in real life, in fiction it feels deeply satisfying.

In other words, Alice Vega makes my feminist heart sing.

Luna is better than most authors of the genre in that no matter how off the chain her protagonist is, I never disengage because of an unlikely plot element. We have corrupt cops; we have bureaucrats; we have secrets that would become public if Vega and Cap were prosecuted for crimes committed in the line of duty. My single twinge of regret comes when Cap sustains a head injury that renders him unconscious; wakes up dazed and confused, with some memory loss; and then shakes it off without tests or treatment of any kind. Vega reminds him to get an MRI when everything is over, but it doesn’t feel like enough. I wonder at times whether she meant to do more with it and then edited it back out.

Given that both stories, this one and the last, feature two female victims, I wonder if this will be her signature element throughout the series.

This story differs from the first in that it is darker, less funny, and ramps up to the high octane, pulse-pounding excitement of a true thriller at around 80%. The plot and characters are credible, but they lack the bounce and the zip that made the first book so memorable. Nevertheless, I love Alice Vega and eagerly await the next in the series.

Heartily recommended to those that love the genre and respect women.

Thanks, NetGalley and DoubleDay Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Alice Vega is back for another wild case. In this particular case, girls are found dead with one clue connecting them. IUDs with serial numbers that are almost in order. If there are two dead, how many more are there still alive and being tortured somewhere? Vega needs to find out.
This book was gripping from page one. Luna creates interesting characters that you want to know more about. Vega is a complicated main character, Caplan helps ease some of that complication by being straightforward. The two together create a subtle tension that flows throughout each interaction.
I think the subject matter of human trafficking was handled extremely well. We saw the differing views on what to do with illegal immigrants, but it didn’t overtake the novel and as a reader I appreciated that. I’ve read too many books where the political agenda was maintained over the integrity of the story and that can ruin it. This was not the case with “The Janes.”
Overall, this book held a similar feel to most crime novels. There was a big case, danger, and high stakes. In the end, you know Vega and Caplan will come out on top because it’s a series, but that doesn’t keep you from devouring each page. I give this book a 4/5 stars.

Wow! This book was one heck of a roller coaster ride! I was really excited to start reading this book after thoroughly enjoying the first book in the series, Two Girls Down. This book ended up being just as exciting as the first, if not more. It took me a bit to get into the story but once I did, I didn't want to put the book down. This was a really wonderful read.

Alice Vega is a private investigator and is known for solving some hard cases. She is hired to help out with a case involving two unidentified victims that were killed in a very similar manner. She knows that she is going to need backup so she calls Max Caplan, a former officer, in to help. Because Vega and Cap aren't the police they have a little more flexibility and are more than willing to step over a few lines if that is what it takes to solve a case. They are also very good at their job and will not stop until the case is solved.

I thought that this mystery was very well done. There are so many things at play that I was never quite sure where the story would go next. I don't think I was able to figure anything out until the author wanted me to. I loved the way that Vega and Cap trusted each other and supported any hunches the other might have. There were plenty of twists in the story and I was satisfied by how the mystery was wrapped up.

This book was exciting! There are times that Alice almost seems like a superhero with Max as her sidekick. I mean that woman can do anything and with Max backing her up, she seemed invincible. I will say that some of the action was a bit unbelievable. That didn't bother me though because it was a whole lot of fun. I liked how unpredictable Vega was. I never knew what she would come up with next because it would be in character for her to do just about anything.

I would recommend this book to others. This is the second book in the Alice Vega series but I think it would work as a stand-alone just fine. Although the first book is really good so you really don't want to skip it. I was completely entertained by this exciting story and cannot wait to go along with Vega and Cap on further adventures!

I received a digital review copy of this book from Doubleday Books via NetGalley.