Precinct Puerto Rico: A Luis Gonzalo Novel, Book One - Hardcover

Torres, Steven

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0312285809 ISBN 13: 9780312285807

Publisher: Minotaur Books, 2002

Synopsis

Near Rincón, Puerto Rico, 1987.
Even a tropical paradise may have its little murders.

In his years as sheriff of Angustias, a small town nestled in Puerto Rico's mountainous heart, Luis Gonzalo has seen his share of violence. People kill for love and money in Angustias just as they do anywhere else. But it is during a visit to his wife's family in the seaside town of Rincón that Gonzalo encounters his greatest challenge.

A midnight call brings Gonzalo to a beach where bodies are washing ashore, victims of a shipwreck, victims of the illegal traffic in humans from the Dominican Republic. When he discovers evidence that the shipwreck was no accident, that the ship's captain was murdered, Gonzalo's life is threatened. When he discovers proof that Puerto Rican police were involved in the deaths of the illegal immigrants, the lives of his wife and children are threatened. The murder of one of his deputies brings Gonzalo no closer to the bottom of this mystery-- a mystery no other law enforcement agency wants to help him solve.

The first in a series of police procedural mysteries featuring Luis Gonzalo and the citizens and cops of Angustias, Precinct Puerto Rico: Book One is a brilliant beginning to a continuing story from a long overdue locale.

About this title

About the Author

Steven Torres was born in the Bronx, New York, but spent part of his childhood in Puerto Rico. Several members of his family lived in small towns there, not unlike Angustias, the setting for the Precinct Puerto Rico series. He studied at Hunter College in Manhattan and is currently completing his doctorate at the City University of New York Graduate Center. He and his wife, Damaris, live in New York City.

From the Back Cover

"Steven Torres has crafted a fascinating tale about illegal immigration and the clash between good and corrupt cops in Puerto Rico."--José Latour, author of Outcast

"Steven Torres knows what he's doing. He has captured life on the edge of Puerto Rican society with a creepy realism that is consistently well drawn, powerful, political, and which builds at a furious pace. No passport is needed to enjoy this trip."--K.j.a. Wishnia, Edgar-nominated author of Red House

From the Inside Flap

Near Rincon, Puerto Rico, 1987.
Even a tropical paradise may have its little murders.

In his years as sheriff of Angustias, a small town nestled in Puerto Rico's mountainous heart, Luis Gonzalo has seen his share of violence. People kill for love and money in Angustias just as they do anywhere else. But it is during a visit to his wife's family in the seaside town of Rincon that Gonzalo encounters his greatest challenge.

A midnight call brings Gonzalo to a beach where bodies are washing ashore, victims of a shipwreck, victims of the illegal traffic in humans from the Dominican Republic. When he discovers evidence that the shipwreck was no accident, that the ship's captain was murdered, Gonzalo's life is threatened. When he discovers proof that Puerto Rican police were involved in the deaths of the illegal immigrants, the lives of his wife and children are threatened. The murder of one of his deputies brings Gonzalo no closer to the bottom of this mystery-a mystery no other law enforcement agency wants to help him solve.

The first in a series of police procedural mysteries featuring Luis Gonzalo and the citizens and cops of Angustias, Precinct Puerto Rico: Book One is a brilliant beginning to a continuing story from a long overdue locale.

Reviews

Sheriff Luis Gonzalo of Angustias, Puerto Rico, helps recover the bodies of illegal Dominican immigrants washed up on shore near his sister-in-law's village. He can tell that one was murdered, but when he tries to coordinate with coroners and local police, he finds that the body has disappeared. As he pursues the matter, he receives warnings from a youthful photographer and threatening phone calls that lead him to suspect police corruption. This is a most promising start to a new procedural series that stars a dedicated, sensible "hero" in an almost quaint but decidedly unique locale. Strongly recommended for most collections.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Luis Gonzalo, the sheriff of the small Puerto Rican town of Angustias, has been summoned to his in-laws home in Rincon. Three young Dominicans, illegal immigrants looking for food, have injured Gonzalo's 90-year-old father-in-law in a home invasion. The father-in-law will survive, but the cavalier attitude of the local police troubles Gonzalo. Then Gonzalo accompanies his sister, a nurse, to a nearby beach where bodies have been found in the surf. Gonzalo believes one of the victims was murdered before drowning, but the police pay no attention. Two instances of seeming incompetence from the locals perks Gonzalo's interest, and he soon sniffs out a massive case of police corruption. The first Luis Gonzalo novel is a mature thriller that combines the procedural detail of Ed McBain's 87th Precinct novels with the small-town warmth of Steven Havill's Bill Gastner series. A fine debut that will leave readers clamoring for an encore. Wes Lukowsky
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: Minotaur Books
• Publication date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0312285809
• ISBN 13: 9780312285807
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 256