Streets of Fire Author:Soledad Santiago Police officer Francesca Colon, 38, a Puerto Rican single mother of two teenagers, is starting a new high-profile assignment in the NYPD's Public Information Office. Her excitement over her promotion pales when she discovers that she must work with the angry and lecherous Dick Walsh, her former partner, whom she had hoped never to see again.... more » When a police officer kills a young Latino who was possibly a drug dealer, and another officer is accused of throwing a young boy off a rooftop, Francesca finds herself thrust into the spotlight as a spokesperson whom the Department is counting on to calm the tense Latino community. The beleaguered cop must also deal with family troubles. Her daughter has returned home from Madrid, pregnant by her gypsy boyfriend. Her son has run off to stay with his AIDS-stricken father, who's living with squatters. Her sister and her sister's lesbian lover have a new baby, conceived with the help of a turkey baster, and her mother is practicing magical love spells. Amidst all this strife, Francesca makes peace with Walsh and begins a fiery affair with Denzel Brown, an activist lawyer representing both the squatters and the mother of one of the dead boys. Amid all the conflict, Francesca retains passion, humor, and hope - for herself, for her family, and for her community.« less
This is a great book- both a terrific mystery but fantastic characters. It's unusual in that the setting and characters are Latino, which is what I liked about it.