MISSING IN PRECINCT PUERTO RICO is an intricate mystery
that shows how the threads in an investigation can entangle
and then disconnect. The relationship between Sheriff Luis
Gonzalo and his wife, Mari, sizzles with authenticity and
the dynamics of the investigation generate a palpable tension
that lingers even after the last page. This is a book,
and series, that should appeal to mainstream mystery readers.
The opening prologues are like getting the corner pieces
of a puzzle in place, and everything that follows is examined
in light of its possible connection to one or all of those
snapshots. Author Steven Torres uses this framework to
add to the intrigue, because as the story progresses the
incidents do not necessarily connect in the way you think
they will. Evidence adds new layers to the case and you
soon realize that this can’t be compared to completing
a two-dimensional puzzle, but is more like assembling a
three-dimensional model of an intricate building.
One of my own observations with crime fiction is that it
can be challenging to replicate a feeling of realism in
the story. Often in real life, a coincidence can lead to
a quick arrest, or one crime generates copycats who complicate
and detract from the original investigation. Steven Torres
has demonstrated with this story how assuming the obvious
can jeopardize an investigation, and how difficult it can
be to maintain a sense of order in the face of panic. Torres
creates a tangible representation of Puerto Rico for the
reader and also uses the developments of the story to show
the foibles of human nature, and how the best of intentions
can compromise the results.
The best thing about discovering an author on the fourth
book of the series is that I now have three more books
to enjoy, while I wait for the next new work from Steven
Torres.
ABOUT THE INTERVIEWER
Sandra Ruttan is the Editor and Submissions Director for
SPINETINGLER Magazine. Sandra Ruttan’s debut suspense
novel, Suspicious Circumstances, will be
released in January 2007. Read her interview in
this issue.
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