by Dell Shannon
Part of Lieutenant Luis Mendoza, book 5
First published 1988
Lieutenant Luis Mendoza of the LAPD faces another puzzling case when a notorious neighborhood busybody turns up dead. The victim had made enemies throughout the community with her constant interference and gossip, leaving Mendoza with no shortage of suspects who might have wanted her silenced permanently. As he digs deeper into the woman's meddlesome activities, Mendoza discovers that her nosiness may have uncovered something dangerous enough to kill for. The investigation takes him through a web of neighborhood secrets, petty grudges, and hidden motives. Mendoza must separate genuine leads from red herrings while navigating the complex relationships in a community where everyone seemed to have a reason to want the busybody gone. The case tests his detective skills as he works to identify which of the many people with motive actually had the opportunity and determination to commit murder.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-detective, complex-relationships, web-of-secrets
Setting: LAPD, Los Angeles
Period: 20th-century
192 pages · Hardcover · Doubleday Books