Bookverdict.com

In his third outing after LA Outlaws and The Renegades, L.A. County sheriff's deputy Charlie Hood heads back to the California-Mexico border, this time attached to a federal task force set on breaking open a large gun-smuggling operation. Guns flow south to Mexico just as fast as drugs and people move north. After he accidentally shoots a bystander, one of the ATF guys is taken hostage by a Mexican cartel, and Charlie is key to his rescue. Of course, the agent's safety at the local hospital can't be guaranteed. Meanwhile, an Orange County gun manufacturer is in cahoots with Bradley (son of the late Allison Murrieta) and another Mexican cartel. Add a touch of magical realism (little devils, anyone?), and you can see why our hero is exhausted. Bradley has clearly sold his soul; will Charlie be next? Verdict Parker's complex and brutally descriptive examination of humankind's dark side serves as a jarring, eye-popping treatise on drugs and weapons. It's essential for series fans, but new readers should tackle the other two titles first. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 10/1/09.]-Teresa L. Jacobsen, Solano Cty. Lib., Fairfield, CA Copyright 2009 Media Source Inc. Copyright 2009 Media Source Inc. ...Log In or Sign Up to Read More