This was an enjoyable police procedural, most of it due to the underlying themes and how they were handled. I thought they elevated the story and provided some thoughtful insight into current events and the lives and struggles of undocumented workers. I really appreciated this added depth to the story and this is what was the most compelling and engaging when reading.

I thought that this was a really well-done detective story. This is one of those books that I have had no my tbr forever but kept skipping over it for one reason or another. I am glad that I finally dusted it off and gave it a try. I liked this book from that very start and found that I felt invested in the mystery. I had a great time with this book.

Jimmy Vega is a detective in New York state. He is called to the scene when the body of an undocumented female is found. Jimmy is a Latino and he realizes very quickly that the small town that he is working in may not give equal treatment to everyone. There is a large immigrant population in Lake Holly with many being undocumented. Not only does Jimmy want to learn how the woman died, but he is also trying to find out what happened to the child in the photograph that she had with her.

I liked Jimmy right away. He was a smart cop and because of his heritage, he was able to see both sides of the case a little clearer than some of his co-workers. He was determined to get answers about the woman's death and make sure the child was safe. He also wasn't afraid to question how things have been done in town and worked to right as many wrongs as he could. He had a few more personal matters to deal with in this story which made him seem a little easier to relate to. He doesn't do everything perfectly in this story but he works to learn from his mistakes and I always felt like he was trying to do what was right.

I loved the way the author was able to incorporate the lives of undocumented workers in this story. I found that the way she painted the picture of what their lives were like both in this country and at home was really powerful. I thought that the motivation of the characters to risk so much to come to the states for a chance to work felt very authentic. I really liked the way that we really were able to see both sides of this story.

Armando Durán was the perfect narrator for this story. There was quite a bit of Spanish sprinkled throughout the book and I thought that he made everything flow very well. Don't worry, you don't need to know how to speak Spanish to enjoy this book (I don't) but I thought the fact that the narrator made those passages sound natural was a big plus. I thought that he handled all of the character voices very well and was able to add a lot of excitement to the story. I wouldn't hesitate to listen to his work again.

I would recommend this book to fans of detective stories. I thought that this was a nicely plotted, complex mystery with really fantastic characters. I would not hesitate to read more of the Jimmy Vega series!

I received a digital review copy of this book from Kensington Books via NetGalley and borrowed a copy of the audiobook from my local library.

When the body of an undocumented woman from Guatemala is found in the lake in a tonny area of Lake Holly, New York, Jimmy Vega, a Latino himself, is assigned to the case. Growing up in both Brooklyn and Lake Holly, Jimmy knows full-well how this case will be treated. What intensifies the plot is a photo of the woman with a small girl on her lap. When there is a small shoe found in the lake, the search is kicked up a notch. Who is this child and is she still alive? When an undocumented male is found to have had a relationship with the dead woman, he is immediately the suspect. Vega finds himself in between a rock and a hard place due to his sworn duty, but also because of his own heritage. As the story unfolds, he finds himself bucking the trend to stop the railroading of an innocent man, find a missing child and pushing for the truth, even if he does not like the outcome.

This is a solid series and Chazin's characters have incredible depth. The relationships are hard to understand as they seem to have some loyalty, but there are so many questions. There are plenty of twists and turns with a highly-flawed protagonist. Vega is a complex character that I hope to get to know better as this series progresses. This was not an easy story to read or listen to. It was highly controversial with a plot that is timely and relevant. It touches on events such as racial profiling, immigration issues, police/civilian relations, and hate crimes. Chazin did an great job weaving together a multilayered crime amidst complex issues. The ending was totally unexpected, yet fit the story perfectly. I am looking forward to the next in this series. I listened to the audio book and although it took me awhile to get used to the narrator, it was well done. I enjoyed listening to this one and will look for the audio book of A Blossom of Bright Light, the next in the Jimmy Vega Mystery series.

(I received a free copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.)

A body is discovered in a reservoir north of New York City. The victim is young, female and Hispanic. In her purse, police find a photo of a baby. Where is the child? Is she alive? And what about the disturbing note found at the scene? “Go back to your country. You don’t belong here.”
Homicide detective Jimmy Vega knows how hard it can be to walk the razor-thin line of acceptance in a place like Lake Holly. Reluctantly turning to Adele Figueroa, a passionate defender of immigrants’ rights, Vega must confront a small town’s darkest secrets and deepest obsessions—before they savagely tear apart the world he’s sworn to defend.

*3.5 stars*

Let me start by saying this is a pretty good police procedural - definitely worth a few stars. It is interesting and keeps the pages turning. That's what I want and I was given a pretty good plot and characters to get me through. It just wasn't exciting...

However, the bigger picture, for me, was the themes in this book and how well they are handled by the author. Race relations, political issues, policing in communities and illegal immigration. All very topical right now and dealt with in a wonderful way that elevated this story beyond JUST a police procedural novel.


Paul
ARH

I started reading it, but for some reason it just didn't seem to catch my attention. I may be a small voice in this, but I couldn't relate to the characters at all....