Thank you to the author for the advanced copy of River of Lies in exchange for my honest opinion.
Publisher: Oceanview Publishing
Published: January 7, 2025
Summary:
Detective Emily Hunter must be the voice for the voiceless
The homeless camps spread throughout the city of Sacramento are a topic of heated debate among residents. They’ re considered undesirable— a nuisance— an eyesore. But when the camps fall victim to a string of devastating arson attacks, Detective Emily Hunter and her partner, Javier Medina, dive into the investigation and become acquainted with the real people whose lives have been destroyed.
The attacks only begin to draw attention when two of the victims are identified as the city’ s former anti-homeless mayor and a camp social worker— but rather than strengthening the push for justice, the movement to completely abolish the camps intensifies.
The investigation becomes politically charged when Emily discovers who stands to gain from burning the homeless out of their shelters. She struggles to balance the high-stakes investigation with caring for her Alzheimer’ s-stricken mother, whose condition is rapidly deteriorating. The investigation uncovers an unlikely suspect and a reluctant witness standing between Emily and the shocking truth. Can Emily overcome resistance and her personal obstacles to halt the attacks?
Perfect for fans of Michael Connelly and Karin Slaughter
My thoughts:
I was thrilled when James reached out to me to read his latest book. I had met James at Thrillerfest last year & then saw him again at Bouchercon. Attending these book conferences & making connections with authors is always such a bonus for me, & then when I get messages months later about reading their books, it’s like Christmas morning. I’m always thrilled & honored & when it’s a book like this one, it’s hard to say no. This was exactly my type of read & I am so excited to read more from this author!
While River of Lies is the 2nd book in the Emily Hunter Mystery series, I came to it not having read book 1 & think it works well as a stand-alone, though you can be sure I am absolutely going back to read that earlier book. I want to know more about what came earlier!
This book, though, is exactly why I love reading crime fiction. It kept me fully engaged from start to finish, with unexpected twists and turns & characters that were multifaceted. I loved that we see our detectives as real people, balancing work/life issues. The case they are assigned is way more than they bargained for, yet they are both determined to solve it & not let anything or anyone stand in their way until they do. Emily, especially, is a force to be reckoned with.
I’m excited that I have a new author who’s backlist I can add to my tbr. If you enjoy a good police procedural that tackles some hot topic issues, this book is for you!
Books in this series:
- Face of Greed
- River of Lies
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