Review: Bitter Recoil

Posadas County Undersheriff Bill Gastner attempts a quiet holiday in the jurisdiction of his friend and former workmate Detective Estelle Reyes. Asleep the first night at his campsite he hears sirens. Unable to escape his cops instincts he follows the flashing lights to the crime scene where a pregnant Cecilia Burgess has been found, the apparent victim of a hit-and run. All is not what is seems as Estelles husband, Doctor Francis Guzman, reveals that the womans injuries were sustained after being raped and thrown from a moving car. Estelle asks Gastner, her friend and mentor, to help solve the case. His curiosity is peaked and he agrees after the ok of Estelles Sheriff boss. The case heats up as four more bodies are found leading Gastner and Estelle to speculate on revenge as a motive. Only when the last victim manages to survive being shot do the clues come together; leading Gastner and Estelle into a showdown which leaves a deputy dead and Estelle shot. Gastner then takes the lead and faces the killer alone in an old abandoned mine where he must bring Cecilias daughter to safety and a killer to justice.

Gastner is a sixty-two year old veteran police officer recovering from a quadruple bypass. His Doctor has told him to walk more, smoke less, and lose weight. He manages the walking when the case reveals two of the suspects live in the hot springs camp which has to be hiked to. The ciggies and food look like theyll be around for a while. Steven F Havill brings to life this elderly overweight undersheriff and shows that age and size are not a boundary when it comes to competence and bringing in the bad guy. The rural New Mexico landscape comes alive in this strong Police Procedural. The characters are fascinating and surprisingly easy to relate to. Bitter Recoil is the second instalment in a series of books featuring Bill Gastner and I am looking forward to reading the rest of them.

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Jaynie - Australia

Book Review: Bitter Recoil