I purchased this book for my own personal collection.
Publisher: Mulholland Books
Published: August 25, 2020 (Paperback release)
Summary:
In this “captivating” crime novel ( People ), Texas Ranger Darren Mathews is on the hunt for a missing child — but it’s the boy’s family of white supremacists who are his real target.
9-year-old Levi King knew he should have left for home sooner; now he’s alone in the darkness of vast Caddo Lake, in a boat whose motor just died. A sudden noise distracts him – and all goes dark.
Darren Mathews is trying to emerge from another kind of darkness; after the events of his previous investigation, his marriage is in a precarious state of re-building, and his career and reputation lie in the hands of his mother, who’s never exactly had his best interests at heart. Now she holds the key to his freedom, and she’s not above a little maternal blackmail to press her advantage.
An unlikely possibility of rescue arrives in the form of a case down Highway 59, in a small lakeside town where the local economy thrives on nostalgia for ante-bellum Texas – and some of the era’s racial attitudes still thrive as well. Levi’s disappearance has links to Darren’s last case, and to a wealthy businesswoman, the boy’s grandmother, who seems more concerned about the fate of her business than that of her grandson.
Darren has to battle centuries-old suspicions and prejudices, as well as threats that have been reignited in the current political climate, as he races to find the boy, and to save himself.
My thoughts:
This is the 2nd book in Attica Locke’s Highway 59 series, and I picked it up because Attica Locke will be at a book festival I’ll be attending this Spring. I had read the previous book, Bluebird, Bluebird, a while ago, and bought this one but just had not got to it, so this is the perfect excuse to finally catch up on this series, plus book 4 in the series is coming out later this year!
As soon as I started reading this one, I remembered why I loved Bluebird, Bluebird so much – the writing is so atmospheric and thought-provoking! I love being back with Darren Mathews. He’s my favorite type of character–someone battling their own demons yet always trying to do the right thing. You never quite know if he’s the hero or anti-hero, but you can’t quite help yourself by rooting for him, regardless.
This is another character-driven story that is so layered & riddled racial injustice, making it an uncomfortable read. It is equal parts suspenseful & captivating. At its core, it is a police procedural, but it is much more than that. It is a layered, complex story. There is family drama, layers of history and personal issues that our characters are working through. It is a book that isn’t meant to be rushed through, but rather one that you want to take your time with, sit with and think on. While this book was written a while back, it feels all too timely with the political climate we are in right now.
With pitch-perfect pacing, an intricate plot and deeply flawed, fully fleshed-out characters, this is one story you do not want to miss! I’m already looking forward to picking up the next book in the series, Guide Me Home.
Books in this series:
- Bluebird, Bluebird
- Heaven, My Home
- Guide Me Home
- ???
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