by Dell Shannon
Part of Lieutenant Luis Mendoza, book 37
First published 1987
Detective Luis Mendoza returns to the streets of Los Angeles where another collection of puzzling crimes awaits his attention. The LAPD homicide division finds itself juggling multiple investigations, with the brutal killing of a young woman from Indianapolis taking center stage. Mendoza and his team must navigate through contradictory evidence and dead ends as they attempt to piece together the victim's final days in the city. The case proves more complex than initially expected, forcing the detectives to dig deeper into the circumstances that brought the girl to LA. As Mendoza works through the investigation, he confronts the daily challenges that define police work, balancing professional demands with personal relationships. The detective must rely on his experience and instincts to solve not only the Indianapolis girl's murder but also the other peculiar cases that land on his desk, each presenting its own set of complications and human drama.
Genres: mystery, crime, detective, police
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, police-procedural
Setting: Indianapolis, Los Angeles
Period: 20th-century
357 pages · Hardcover · Thorndike Pr