Latest Books The Big Thrill Recommends: SERVED COLD by James L’Etoile

The Big Thrill Recommends: SERVED COLD by James L’Etoile

Recommended by Millie Naylor Hast

Summer in Maricopa County may be hot, but crime fighting is best SERVED COLD in James L’Etoile’s new thriller, the third installment of Detective Nathan Parker’s quest to bring justice to the criminal elements preying on migrants and residents alike. When a cargo trailer is found at a freeway rest stop with 27 undocumented young men dead inside, Parker must find out who they are and why they were left to die in such horrible circumstances. A connection to a high-tech computer firm that processes sensitive government data soon leads Parker to a conspiracy that could threaten national security. To bring the perpetrators to justice, Parker will have to face the man who killed his partner and left him to die in Parker’s arms. In their final showdown, revenge is best SERVED COLD.

One of the many things I loved about this novel, besides the twisty plot and dry-as-tinder desert setting, is L’Etoile’s mastery of the characters that surround Nathan Parker. Miguel is Nathan’s foster son, and Deputy Linda Hunt fosters another migrant, Leon. I’m pulling for both of these young men to rise above the daunting pressures they face in a world filled with drug cartels and the promise of easy money. But the most unforgettable character is the intrepid Billie Carson, who lives alone in the desert and risks her life to bring aid to the hundreds of migrants who search for a better life in the U. S. Billie seems about to fall off a precipice in each book. L’Etoile depicts her struggles with sensitivity and depth. One takeaway from the Nathan Parker series is there are no easy solutions to an exceedingly complicated theme.

The Big Thrill Recommends: SERVED COLD by James L’Etoile