by Dell Shannon
Part of Lieutenant Luis Mendoza, book 19
First published 1971
Lieutenant Luis Mendoza faces his worst nightmare when three escaped prisoners snatch his trusted colleague Sergeant Higgins right from under the nose of the Los Angeles Police Department. Higgins, known for his steady temperament and reliable nature, becomes the target of desperate criminals with nothing left to lose. The department mobilizes every available resource in a city-wide manhunt, but the odds look grim. Most of Mendoza's fellow officers believe they are searching for a body, not a living man. As the hours tick by, Mendoza refuses to give up hope. He knows Higgins is tough, but even tough cops have limits when facing ruthless killers. The lieutenant must use every skill he has learned to track down the kidnappers before they silence the one witness who can identify them. Time is running out, and Mendoza's team struggles to maintain focus while fearing the worst.
Genres: mystery, crime, thriller, detective
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, suspenseful
Tropes: desperate-criminals, race-against-time
Setting: Los Angeles
Period: 20th-century
221 pages · Hardcover · William Morrow
Content warnings: kidnapping, violence