by Dell Shannon
Part of Lieutenant Luis Mendoza, book 33
First published 1982
Luis Mendoza walks the streets of Los Angeles where violence never sleeps. The veteran detective faces another round of cases that test his resolve and skill. A child rapist stalks the city, leaving terror in his wake. Mendoza must track down this predator while juggling other crimes that plague the sprawling metropolis. The Los Angeles Police Department relies on his experience to solve cases that would break lesser officers. Each investigation pulls Mendoza deeper into the dark corners of urban life. The child rape case demands everything he has learned about human nature and police work. Time runs short as the perpetrator remains free to strike again. Mendoza knows that failure means more innocent victims will suffer.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: dark, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: detective-story, race-against-time
Setting: Los Angeles
Period: 20th-century
227 pages · Hardcover · Morrow
Content warnings: child-abuse, violence