T. Jefferson Parker

I've been reading T. Jefferson Parker's novels for 20 years and have always enjoyed his work. His realistic snapshots of modern and historic Southern California (especially Orange County) have always been spot-on. His characters are nuanced and complex, his settings are richly drawn, and his plots entertaining and believable. But, over the last five books, Parker has been faltering; this latest book is a disaster.

I've struggled with the characters in the Charlie Hood series. Everyone seems show more to be pretty much the same guy and I don't remember any of the characters from the previous books (except Charlie). Everyone is interchangeable, no one seems real, and I'd have no interest in hanging out with any of them. And what the hell do any of the women (Erin, Beth, Seliah - yet another set of interchangeable characters) see in the men? And why are the men all so sappy about these women? Who cares? They're all dumb, blind, id-driven boobs. And why the fascination with leather pants?

In the series, The Border Lords is the worst of the bunch. I spent about 100 pages yelling at the characters - you idiots, they've got [disease name removed to avoid spoiling the plot]! On top of all that I mildly disliked about the previous books in the series, the latest entry adds an extra helping of supernatural bullshit to the mix.

If you are thinking of reading this book, I implore you, pick up one his early books instead: Laguna Heat, Pacific Beat, or even the more recent California Girl. They are lyrical, Border Lords is a cacophony. Fine wine v. table plonk. Pate v. tinned meat. Platinum v. imported cadmium jewelry. Newport Beach v. Fallbrook. Pick your own comparison - no matter your choice, the Charlie Hood series just doesn't measure up. show less

Rating: 4* of five

The Publisher Says: Lew Gale, a former Marine sniper, now an Orange County California Sheriff’s detective, is assigned to track and shoot a mountain lion that has killed a man in Caspers Park, located in the rugged country east of Laguna Beach, California. The victim is Bennet Tarlow, a rich developer and man-about-town in upscale coastal Orange County.

The investigation takes an unexpected—and chilling—turn when Lew and his deputy sheriff arrive at the kill site in show more the Santa Ana mountains, only to discover that Bennet was dead before the lion got to him. And while Bennet might have been the first to die, he certainly will not be the last.

I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA NETGALLEY. THANK YOU.

My Review: Blame an animal for a human crime. A solid, well-established trope for the unimaginative villain in mysteries. It's popular because it works for authors and readers both.

Lew Gale gets to be his psychologically and physically stressed self as he draws on the learning about his Native American ancestors he's done, as well as his truly intense and often dreadful life in the Marines; Daniela's book-learning gets real-world polishing as the grit of human evil takes down the higher, rougher edges.

That bodes well for more stories to be told featuring these two. I don't know if the author/publisher discussions have included this as a possibility. Since he has three series on the go already {that I know about: Charlie Hood (6 books), Merci Rayborn (3 books), and Roland Ford (4 books)}, permaybehaps that is not on the horizon still less the table. I'd read 'em if they came out.

Which leads me to why I enjoyed the read. I was not interested in anyone being caught for the death of a rich scumbag who was also a property developer *shudder*. I was interested by Lew's ability to make connections when I wasn't sure I saw them, and then prove they were relevant. I resonate well with the reminder not to get locked in on one and only one solution to a problem. Daniela's got the apprentice role, so she's helping us readers by asking questions. She's a solid character in her own right, with major baggage and some disturbing issues to work out, but we need the question-asker in every mystery. It lets the sleuth, in this case a sheriff, infodump on us gracefully...in the right hands, like Author Parker's.

I will note that the mountain lion bit of the story is lightly salted over the real story. It was not central to any development; it could've been eliminated entirely and nothing would change. *unhappy sigh* show less

This book is a train wreck you cannot look away from. Set in beautiful Orange County, Southern California, it takes place along some of the world's most beautiful coastlines. (I know because I live not far from Orange County.) Terry Naughton, a forty-year-old divorced cop, is the head of Crimes Against Youth (CAY) inside the Orange County Sheriff's Office. He mourns the accidental death of his five-year-old son, Matthew, an ache so deep it fuels his dedication to taking down child show more pornographers, molesters, and worse. Terry drinks too much, lives with his girlfriend, Melinda, and her daughter, but loves another woman. He’s a tortured soul, torn between his true nature as a human being and his conflicted feelings, except when it comes to saving children.

When the Horridus enters his area, Terry’s world explodes into a search that is all-consuming for him and everyone around him. Horridus is more than a child serial killer. He’s a monster who materialized from the pits of hell. Some parts of this book were hard to read, but the story had already gotten a stranglehold on me, so not continuing was never an option. I did put the book down for twenty-four hours after a particularly graphic chapter, yet a need to know the outcome kept me reading. Mr. Parker is a gifted writer with a lively imagination. He tells this suspenseful tale of dedicated police officers, a hideously cruel bad guy, and, finally, reconciliation and redemption like a pro. I cried at the end.

Where Serpents Lie is my first book by this author; it won’t be the last. show less

Taut, atmospheric police procedural that weaves timely social commentary into a murder mystery.

A routine call to track and shoot a mountain lion that apparently killed Bennet Tarlow, a wealthy land developer in the hills of Orange County California, quickly unravels into a complex murder investigation. Detective Lew Gale, previously a Marine sniper and also a member of the local Acjacheme Indian community, and his new partner Daniela Mendez, discover that Tarlow was shot execution style show more before the lion got to him. Now the pair is tracking humans and that trail is leading to secrets, lies, and greed.

This was really complex in that there were so many details about the indigenous culture and history of the Spanish missions in the area and how that changed and displaced the communities. There is conflict between them and the powerful and rich who basically stole the land. Exploited the natives and destroyed their heritage. I liked the depth and dimension of the main characters, Lew and Daniela, whose backstories are unusual and compelling. The writing is excellent as the author weaves all of the historical into present day issues. The pacing was good and could be described as a slow burn as the characters come to life. Definitely has a lot of depth and context. I could see this as a series, and if so, I will be reading more.

I was able to listen to the audio book while also following along in the e-book ARC, both provided by the publishers. The narrator, John Pirhalla, did an excellent job of bringing the characters to life with his versatility and skill with accents. His voice is very smooth and compelling and helped create the right atmosphere for a totally immersive experience. show less