Cathy C. (cathyskye) -
I've been slowly savoring Robert Dugoni's Tracy Crosswhite mysteries. While some readers will binge when they discover such a good series, I stretch out the time between each book to make the series last. I like knowing that I have a "sure thing" or two waiting for me on my to-be-read pile. Close to Home was next up on my list.
Speaking of series, this is a perfect one for those who like the characters' personal lives to be important parts of the story. Tracy is now married, and while this city girl tries to adapt to country quiet, she and her husband make an important decision. Tracy's partner, Del, recently lost a beloved niece to a drug overdose, and his investigation leads him to Celia McDaniel, a woman whose son also died of an overdose. Military lawyer Leah Battles plays a significant part, and I hope to see her in future books.
The mystery in Close to Home is a strong one, and like all good crime fiction, readers' knowledge can grow a lot on the way to finding out whodunit. There's plenty to learn about the military legal system as well as the healthcare industry's shift in focus to pain management rather than treating underlying ailments. And how about the legalization of marijuana? When I found out how the drug cartels adapted to that, I realized that I hadn't been paying enough attention to the world outside my door. There are even more kernels of knowledge in the pages of Close to Home, some of which made me smile. (Navy camouflage being called "blueberries", and the general opinion of them, for example.)
Dugoni's Tracy Crosswhite series is for readers who love to be immersed in both the story and the characters-- especially when the main character is a bonafide member of the Harry Bosch School of Policing (Everybody counts or nobody counts). If you're not already a dedicated reader, I'd advise you to begin at the beginning with My Sister's Grave. This is an excellent series that you won't want to miss.
Speaking of series, this is a perfect one for those who like the characters' personal lives to be important parts of the story. Tracy is now married, and while this city girl tries to adapt to country quiet, she and her husband make an important decision. Tracy's partner, Del, recently lost a beloved niece to a drug overdose, and his investigation leads him to Celia McDaniel, a woman whose son also died of an overdose. Military lawyer Leah Battles plays a significant part, and I hope to see her in future books.
The mystery in Close to Home is a strong one, and like all good crime fiction, readers' knowledge can grow a lot on the way to finding out whodunit. There's plenty to learn about the military legal system as well as the healthcare industry's shift in focus to pain management rather than treating underlying ailments. And how about the legalization of marijuana? When I found out how the drug cartels adapted to that, I realized that I hadn't been paying enough attention to the world outside my door. There are even more kernels of knowledge in the pages of Close to Home, some of which made me smile. (Navy camouflage being called "blueberries", and the general opinion of them, for example.)
Dugoni's Tracy Crosswhite series is for readers who love to be immersed in both the story and the characters-- especially when the main character is a bonafide member of the Harry Bosch School of Policing (Everybody counts or nobody counts). If you're not already a dedicated reader, I'd advise you to begin at the beginning with My Sister's Grave. This is an excellent series that you won't want to miss.
Young D'Andre Miller was killed while crossing the street on his way home from a basketball game. A camera in the area showed a black Subaru Outback never slowed down before hitting him. Detective Tracy Crosswhite and her team are put on the case. They quickly find the vehicle and learn that it was reported stolen earlier that morning. The owner of the car, enlisted Navy Sailor Laszlo Trejo, claims he was home at the time of the accident; but evidence shows he may be lying. Meanwhile, Detective Del Castigliano is trying to hold his family together after the overdose death of his niece Allie. Del is determined to discover who provided the heroin to Allie.
This is a very good addition to the Tracy Crosswhite series. We have two investigations which both tie to the impact of drugs in our society. We get to see the devastation to the families of the victims of the opioid crisis. I enjoyed following the evidence and trying to figure out exactly what was happening when the Navy asserted jurisdiction over the Trejo case. I was very surprised by the ending. My rating: 4 Stars.
This is a very good addition to the Tracy Crosswhite series. We have two investigations which both tie to the impact of drugs in our society. We get to see the devastation to the families of the victims of the opioid crisis. I enjoyed following the evidence and trying to figure out exactly what was happening when the Navy asserted jurisdiction over the Trejo case. I was very surprised by the ending. My rating: 4 Stars.
