Eight stars
First and foremost, a large thank you to NetGalley, James L'Etoile, and Oceanview Publishing for providing me with a copy of this publication, which allows me to provide you with an unbiased review.
New to the world of James L'Etoile, I eagerly reached for this police procedural. L'Etoile has a great way of setting the facts out in a blunt fashion and allowing the reader to digest things at the breakneck speed his narrative presents them on the streets of Sacramento. When a business tycoon is found murdered in his home and his wife is brutally attacked, Detectives Emily Hunter and Javier Medina arrive at the scene to investigate. Things get off to a rocky start, as both the mayor and Chief of Police seek to rush the case to closing. Hunter and Medina do not work that way, pulling up any proverbial rugs to find all the dirt. While Hunter pushes back a little too hard, it will take her diligence to get answers in a case that runs far deeper than simple murder, L'Etoile shines with this novel and sets the scene for what could be a great series.
After being called to the scene of a brutal murder and attack, Sacramento Homicide Detectives Emily Hunter and Javier Medina discover that money talks. Roger Townsend is in a pool of his blood, while his wife, Lori, is consoled by the mayor and Chief of Police. After taking some initial statements, both Hunter and Medina feel that there is more Mrs. Townsend is not sharing, but she plays the grieving widow and has powerful friends willing to play the shield. Neither detective is ready to let this go, though it is Hunter who pushes well past what some would call acceptable.
While trying to push through a case that the politically connected want closed as swiftly as they can, others hope to bury it by any means. Hunter and Medina are in the middle, trying to find justice and answer, as walls are built. Add to that, Hunter is trying to handle her ailing mother, whose mental acuity is becoming questionable.
When the detectives follow a lead that could open new motives, they are quickly shut down, especially when a homeless man is fingered as the murderer. Still, Hunter and Medina refuse to stand down and discover that there are gang ties and some crooked members of the legal community who are paving the way for a complete cover-up. As Hunter and Medina make some accusations, they find themselves threaten with suspension, though neither is concerned if it will bring about the truth. A great start in which James L'Etoile keeps the punches coming until the final reveal.
While I am not familiar with the author's work, it did not take me long to get accustomed to his swift delivery. The narrative flows easily and quickly in a piece that evolves with every chapter. The momentum increases the more Detectives Hunter and Medina are stifled, making this one of the great police procedurals I have read in a long while.
Characters develop and evolve with ease throughout the piece adding flavouring to an already great story. I can see some great initial traits to Emily Hunter, who I surmise has a lot to offer readers should this flourish into a series. I am eager to see how things develop, as well as what Javier Medina brings to the larger series. He appears to have a great personality worth exploring as well.
The plot of a police procedural is usually quite easy to follow, though it is the stumbling blocks along the way that add greatness to the story. L'Etoile adds effective twists to keep the reader guessing and some sub-plots to entertain away from the gruesome nature of the central story. The reader can find something they enjoy and latch on, while things progress and regress throughout. I am eager to flow this series, should it happen, and will keep the author on my radar.
Kudos, Mr. L'Etoile, for being a shining beacon throughout this piece.
Be sure to check for my review, first posted on Mystery and Suspense, as well as a number of other insightful comments by other reviewers.
https://www.mysteryandsuspense.com/face-of-greed/
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