Part of Paul Madriani, book 7
First published 2003
Paul Madriani watches in horror as gunfire erupts outside the San Diego federal courthouse. His lawyer friend dies in the attack along with a client. Madriani takes on a new client he suspects connects to the double murder. He wants answers, not to mount a defense. The case pulls him into a conflict between duty and justice. He wonders if the bullets meant for him killed his friend instead. The investigation leads Madriani from California through Mexico to the Guatemalan border. He expects to find drug money behind the murders. Instead he discovers something far more valuable. A priceless piece of pre-Columbian art drives the killing. The artifact holds information that makes it one of history's great treasures. Madriani rides dangerous currents of international crime and professional killers. The exotic motive reaches back to ancient civilizations. But the murderer strikes from much closer to home.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, action
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-sleuth, investigation
Setting: California, Guatemala, Mexico, San Diego
Period: Contemporary
403 pages · Mass Market Paperback · Jove Pubns