The Mercy Oak

March 10, 2008
Coyotes, the two-legged kind that run illegals into the U.S. and then blackmail them to pay off exorbitant fees, play a prominent role in Wall’s provocative eighth Bay Tanner mystery (after 2007’s Sanctuary Hill
). When Bay, a South Carolina Lowcountry PI, hears about an unidentified Hispanic girl killed in a hit-and-run, Bobby Santiago, her housekeeper’s son, fears the victim might be his political activist girlfriend, Serena Montalvo. After the dead girl is identified as Serena’s 16-year-old sister, Theresa, Bobby and Serena disappear. Bobby’s parents, Dolores and Hector Santiago, are terrified and won’t cooperate with Bay or local authorities. When Dolores vanishes, Bay is frantic. A string of bank robberies attracts the notice of FBI Special Agent Harry Reynolds, who warns Bay not to get involved. When Homeland Security adds its warning, Bay knows she’s on to something major. Wall neatly illustrates the dangers hopeful immigrants can encounter as they pursue the American dream.

Starred review from May 1, 2008
The South Carolina resort of Hilton Head, for all of its tourist attractions and glitz of Southern wealth, takes on a more down-to-earth feel in Wall's capable hands. Series PI Bay Tanner ("Bishop's Reach") must tackle two cases that hit close to home. Her housekeeper's son disappears after the suspicious hit-and-run death of a young Hispanic woman who had been advocating for the rights of illegal immigrants. Then, during a bank robbery, Lavinia, the woman who raised Bay and still lives with her father, tries to help an old man who has recognized one of the robbers. At the risk of her own life, Bay is desperate to keep those she cares about safe. Sue Grafton, Sara Paretsky, and Marcia Muller come to mind as the quintessential writers of the modern female private eye novel. Wall, in a quiet and unassuming way, has produced a body of work of equal quality as she tackles complex modern issues that trouble her very human characters. Highly recommended.

Copyright 2008 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2008
In her eighth adventure, Hilton Head, South Carolina, private investigator Bay Tanner receives a cryptic call from teenager Bobby, her housekeeper Dolores son. A friend ofBobbys was killed in a hit-and-run accident, but he believes it was murder. Bobby disappears soon after this phone call, and when Dolores disappears, too, Bay begins to investigate, convinced that both mother and son are in danger. Meanwhile, Bays personal life has its ownturbulence, as her developing relationship with former brother-in-law and local policeman Red forces her to come to terms with the murder of her husband. Determined to find Dolores and keep her and Bobby safe, Bay receives threats on her own life, angering Red. A deep sense of South Carolinas Low Country adds to the story, which combines a nicely textured portrayal of personal relationships, including Bays close friendship with Delores, with a fast-paced mystery.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)