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A review by jhscolloquium
River of Lies by James L'Etoile
dark
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Author James L’Etoile introduced readers to Detective Emily Hunter in Face of Greed, welcoming the challenge of bringing Emily to life, in part, because he believes that women in law enforcement, which is still a male-dominated profession, have never received the recognition they deserve. That aspect of Emily’s career is an integral component of her character, and her desire to succeed, despite sometimes being underestimated and even marginalized, is fierce.
In the second installment in L’Etoile’s engrossing series, River of Lies, Emily again finds herself striving to balance her professional endeavors and her personal responsibilities. She is now a seasoned Detective with the Sacramento Police Department and has forged a solid relationship with her partner, Javier Medina. They have a strong mutual respect for each other’s expertise and work ethic, and care deeply about each other. They have gotten to know each other well, and their frequently hilarious bantering is believably affectionate, often comparable to that of siblings who frustrate each other but would never permit anyone to threaten their strong bond. Their respective dating lives are often the subject of teasing, especially given that Javier’s mother is determined to find the ideal wife for her still-single son.
Emily is still dating handsome Officer Brian Conner, with whom she became involved in Face of Greed, and they are gradually growing closer. She remains deeply committed, of course, to providing the best possible care for her mother, Connie, a retired teacher afflicted with early onset Alzheimer's disease. In a relatable sub-plot, Emily continues to grapple with the grim reality that Connie’s condition is only growing worse with no possibility of improvement. The emotional strain of being fully responsible for Connie’s care again bears down on Emily when she discovers that the facility in which Connie has been residing is no longer an adequate or safe option. Once again, she finds herself juggling her mother’s daily needs against her professional obligations, and relying upon the generosity and affection of others who are willing to assist. It is a storyline that many readers will find heartbreakingly realistic and familiar.
But the real focus of this volume is the work of an arsonist targeting homeless encampments. L’Etoile says that the story was inspired by his experience serving with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Division of Adult Parole Operations. He and his colleagues were charged with devising strategies for monitoring unhoused parolees living in camps while “politicians wanted to ignore that population or thought they could legislate the social issues away.” While performing his duties he toured various encampments, including one in Los Angeles which was at that time the largest of its kind in the nation. He wondered “what stories, tragedies, and long-kept secrets were hidden in the tents and carboard shelters” he observed.
Sacramento, like so many American cities, has a significant number of unhoused residents and, given that both the American and Sacramento Rivers run through the city, large camps are established along the waterfronts. But someone wants to eradicate those camps – and the inhabitants – and is willing to do so using violent means. As the book opens, a young mother, Lisa, has been living with Willow, her eight-year-old daughter, in various camps for two years. She is despondent, convinced she has failed herself and her daughter. As she is getting Willow to sleep in their tent, she hears a commotion and sees that fire has broken out on the opposite side of the camp. It is “always a risk in the cardboard condos and plastic tarp shelters along the riverbank,” but Lisa sees two men who, unlike the camp’s residents, are not attempting to run to safety. Rather, one of them is setting tents ablaze, and the other is swinging an aluminum baseball bat at anyone who tries to stop him. Before the raging fire is extinguished, the camp is completely destroyed, Lisa is seriously injured, along with sixteen other inhabitants, one man is dead, and Willow has run away.
It's the third such arson attack in two weeks. And the dead man did not succumb to his burns. He was shot in the back of the head.
When Emily and Javier are assigned to investigate the series of fires, they once again find themselves embroiled in a political quagmire. The Chief of Police and newly elected Mayor are focusing on the investigation, expecting results, and media attention is growing. When more camps are obliterated and the former Mayor becomes a victim, the mystery surrounding the crimes intensifies. What was he doing at a homeless camp? And why is the City so quick to conduct clean-up operations, eradicating any evidence left at the crime scenes and impeding the investigation?
Emily, savvy and, along with Javier, respected by her immediate superior who is supportive and willing to run interference with management, again demonstrates both a commitment to the case and willingness to take risks to uncover the truth. They both approach their work with the appropriate blend of detachment and compassion, skepticism and empathy. L'Etoile's law enforcement credentials and investigative experience are on full display in this tautly constructed procedural drama. He details the step-by-step work Emily and Javier perform as they search for answers without slowing down the story’s pace or lapsing into tedium. Rather, the evidence they discover logically leads to successive inquiries as they gradually piece together a complex and intriguing scheme designed to bring new development and prosperity to the River City. But at a tremendous human cost. L’Etoile deftly identifies potential perpetrators and possible motives that propel the story forward and keep readers guessing.
Once again, L’Etoile seamlessly melds the procedural and political aspects of the story, tackling several contemporary and controversial social conundrums. There is no denying that homelessness is a considerable problem in the United States, and various approaches have been debated and implemented, but have failed to provide a solution. Through his characters’ plights and positions – powerless to extremely powerful and influential – L’Etoile illustrates that there is no easy fix and the unhoused are too often repeatedly and cruelly victimized while guileless politicians preen and advance their own self-interest.
River of Lies is another propulsive thriller featuring the indomitable and endearing Emily and Javier. Her struggles are credible, her relationships believable, and her work as a detective impeccable. She is a multi-layered, fully formed protagonist and L’Etoile has wisely surrounded her with a supporting cast of characters in whom readers are equally willing to emotionally invest, especially Connie, whose increasingly fleeting lucid interactions with Emily are genuine and touching. Hopefully, L’Etoile will soon deliver a third installment in this entertaining and thought-provoking series.
Thanks to Oceanview Publishing for an Advanced Readers' Copy of the book via Edelweiss in conjunction with Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.
In the second installment in L’Etoile’s engrossing series, River of Lies, Emily again finds herself striving to balance her professional endeavors and her personal responsibilities. She is now a seasoned Detective with the Sacramento Police Department and has forged a solid relationship with her partner, Javier Medina. They have a strong mutual respect for each other’s expertise and work ethic, and care deeply about each other. They have gotten to know each other well, and their frequently hilarious bantering is believably affectionate, often comparable to that of siblings who frustrate each other but would never permit anyone to threaten their strong bond. Their respective dating lives are often the subject of teasing, especially given that Javier’s mother is determined to find the ideal wife for her still-single son.
Emily is still dating handsome Officer Brian Conner, with whom she became involved in Face of Greed, and they are gradually growing closer. She remains deeply committed, of course, to providing the best possible care for her mother, Connie, a retired teacher afflicted with early onset Alzheimer's disease. In a relatable sub-plot, Emily continues to grapple with the grim reality that Connie’s condition is only growing worse with no possibility of improvement. The emotional strain of being fully responsible for Connie’s care again bears down on Emily when she discovers that the facility in which Connie has been residing is no longer an adequate or safe option. Once again, she finds herself juggling her mother’s daily needs against her professional obligations, and relying upon the generosity and affection of others who are willing to assist. It is a storyline that many readers will find heartbreakingly realistic and familiar.
But the real focus of this volume is the work of an arsonist targeting homeless encampments. L’Etoile says that the story was inspired by his experience serving with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation’s Division of Adult Parole Operations. He and his colleagues were charged with devising strategies for monitoring unhoused parolees living in camps while “politicians wanted to ignore that population or thought they could legislate the social issues away.” While performing his duties he toured various encampments, including one in Los Angeles which was at that time the largest of its kind in the nation. He wondered “what stories, tragedies, and long-kept secrets were hidden in the tents and carboard shelters” he observed.
Sacramento, like so many American cities, has a significant number of unhoused residents and, given that both the American and Sacramento Rivers run through the city, large camps are established along the waterfronts. But someone wants to eradicate those camps – and the inhabitants – and is willing to do so using violent means. As the book opens, a young mother, Lisa, has been living with Willow, her eight-year-old daughter, in various camps for two years. She is despondent, convinced she has failed herself and her daughter. As she is getting Willow to sleep in their tent, she hears a commotion and sees that fire has broken out on the opposite side of the camp. It is “always a risk in the cardboard condos and plastic tarp shelters along the riverbank,” but Lisa sees two men who, unlike the camp’s residents, are not attempting to run to safety. Rather, one of them is setting tents ablaze, and the other is swinging an aluminum baseball bat at anyone who tries to stop him. Before the raging fire is extinguished, the camp is completely destroyed, Lisa is seriously injured, along with sixteen other inhabitants, one man is dead, and Willow has run away.
It's the third such arson attack in two weeks. And the dead man did not succumb to his burns. He was shot in the back of the head.
When Emily and Javier are assigned to investigate the series of fires, they once again find themselves embroiled in a political quagmire. The Chief of Police and newly elected Mayor are focusing on the investigation, expecting results, and media attention is growing. When more camps are obliterated and the former Mayor becomes a victim, the mystery surrounding the crimes intensifies. What was he doing at a homeless camp? And why is the City so quick to conduct clean-up operations, eradicating any evidence left at the crime scenes and impeding the investigation?
Emily, savvy and, along with Javier, respected by her immediate superior who is supportive and willing to run interference with management, again demonstrates both a commitment to the case and willingness to take risks to uncover the truth. They both approach their work with the appropriate blend of detachment and compassion, skepticism and empathy. L'Etoile's law enforcement credentials and investigative experience are on full display in this tautly constructed procedural drama. He details the step-by-step work Emily and Javier perform as they search for answers without slowing down the story’s pace or lapsing into tedium. Rather, the evidence they discover logically leads to successive inquiries as they gradually piece together a complex and intriguing scheme designed to bring new development and prosperity to the River City. But at a tremendous human cost. L’Etoile deftly identifies potential perpetrators and possible motives that propel the story forward and keep readers guessing.
Once again, L’Etoile seamlessly melds the procedural and political aspects of the story, tackling several contemporary and controversial social conundrums. There is no denying that homelessness is a considerable problem in the United States, and various approaches have been debated and implemented, but have failed to provide a solution. Through his characters’ plights and positions – powerless to extremely powerful and influential – L’Etoile illustrates that there is no easy fix and the unhoused are too often repeatedly and cruelly victimized while guileless politicians preen and advance their own self-interest.
River of Lies is another propulsive thriller featuring the indomitable and endearing Emily and Javier. Her struggles are credible, her relationships believable, and her work as a detective impeccable. She is a multi-layered, fully formed protagonist and L’Etoile has wisely surrounded her with a supporting cast of characters in whom readers are equally willing to emotionally invest, especially Connie, whose increasingly fleeting lucid interactions with Emily are genuine and touching. Hopefully, L’Etoile will soon deliver a third installment in this entertaining and thought-provoking series.
Thanks to Oceanview Publishing for an Advanced Readers' Copy of the book via Edelweiss in conjunction with Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours.