Land of Careful Shadows

September 8, 2014
This timely and engrossing series opener from Chazin (Fireplay) introduces Jimmy Vega, a Latino homicide detective who was raised by a single mother in Lake Holly, N.Y. The body of an unidentified Hispanic woman, her limbs bound with rope, has washed up on a local lake shore. Nearby the police find a handbag containing a photo of the victim with a baby girl, as well as a handwritten note that reads: “Go back to your country. You don’t belong here.” Lake Holly has always prided itself on its peaceful race relations, but has suffered a plague of hate crimes following the murder of a mother and her four-year-old daughter by an undocumented worker. Is the Hispanic woman simply another hate-crime victim? And what happened to the baby girl in the photograph? The engaging, psychologically complex Vega must confront unwelcome aspects of his past as his investigation builds to a shocking conclusion. Agent: Stephany Evans, FinePrint Literary Management.

December 1, 2014

When a young Hispanic woman is found dead in a reservoir, Latino homicide detective Jimmy Vega is asked to assist his small hometown police department of Lake Holly, NY. The community is still reeling from another fatality caused by an undocumented Hispanic, who was drunk driving. Vega's return home isn't off to the best start when one of the local cops initially treats him like a suspect, and his ex-wife and teenage daughter ignore his calls. As Vega digs deeper into Lake Holly's immigrant population and the deeply held prejudice against them, he finds suspects and victims in unexpected places. Chazin (The Fourth Angel) wrote this first Jimmy Vega mystery after she began working on an outreach project with immigrants in suburban New York and learned more about the lives of the undocumented. Her respect for the courage and quiet determination of this community comes through in a nuanced story about race, class, and belonging. VERDICT Chazin delves into different perspectives, movingly showing both sides to a story. A good choice for mystery book clubs.

Copyright 2014 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2014
When the body of an unidentified Latina turns up in a reservoir in the town of Lake Holly, near New York, the tranquility of the community is shattered. A note in her purse says, Go back to your country. You don't belong here. Detective Jimmy Vega, a Puerto Rican who works for the local county police, is very aware of the prevailing attitude toward undocumented immigrants, and this case ensnares him in a web of conflicting emotions, forcing him and others in the town to face dark secrets and unpleasant truths about friends and family. The intricate plot and the important social issues combine in this strong debut of a promising series.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)