Detective Sarah Burke and her colleagues in the Tucson Police Department have their hands full. Not only are they busy investigating the apparent murder-suicide of a husband and wife who were prominent local businesspeople, but they also have a case involving drug smugglers. The second case is particularly worrisome since the FBI has decided that they want a piece of the action.
One thing is certain: Sarah's getting very little sleep because her personal life is even more fraught than her professional one.
~
Every summer, I attempt to (1) get current with at least two of my favorite mystery series, and (2) continue one or two that, for some unknown reason, became abandoned along the path of my reading life. Elizabeth Gunn's Sarah Burke series is one of those abandoned ones, and for the life of me, I don't know why. I love the Tucson setting, I enjoy the mysteries that Gunn creates, and I certainly like the character of Sarah Burke. So as I sank into the pages of Kissing Arizona with a pleasurable sigh, I mentally kicked myself for taking so long to pick up this third book in the series.
The apparent murder-suicide of the prominent Tucson couple, although not difficult to solve, was still interesting as it navigated through a quagmire of family dynamics, and the drug case highlighted some of the problems all border states in this country deal with on a daily basis. What really grabbed my attention were two young girls: Sarah's twelve-year-old niece Denny and Vicky, a fifteen-year-old illegal immigrant.
Sarah's sister is a drug addict incapable of caring for her child; consequently, Sarah has become her niece's guardian. Since Sarah is an incredibly busy police detective, this only works with the help of Sarah's mother and Sarah's boyfriend. Seeing the world through Denny's eyes ("It was worth doing a lot of chores to live with Aunt Sarah.") can be heartbreaking, funny, and illuminating. Watching Sarah, her mother, her boyfriend, and Denny work together to make themselves a family is one of the best parts of Kissing Arizona.
The other "best part" is fifteen-year-old Vicky's story. Vicky was born in Mexico while her younger sister was born in Arizona; therefore, when Vicky's mother is deported, so is Vicky while the younger sister gets to stay in Tucson. At first, readers may not feel much sympathy for Vicky. She's the mouthy, rebellious one who fights all authority while the younger sister is studious and obeys all the rules. But as the story unfolds, Vicky's true character emerges. No matter what it takes, this young girl is determined to get back across the border to her Tucson home. How she deals with the trials and tribulations along her path makes her very special indeed.
If you like mysteries in which the lives of the characters are every bit as important as the mysteries themselves, do yourself a favor and pick up Elizabeth Gunn's Sarah Burke mysteries. Due to the character development, I would suggest beginning with the first book, Cool in Tucson (one of my Best Reads of 2010).
Kissing Arizona by Elizabeth Gunn
ISBN: 9781847512895 (Paperback edition. eBook no longer available.)
eBook, 208 pages
Police Procedural, #3 Sarah Burke mystery
Rating: A
Source: Purchased from Amazon.
I so know the feeling, Cathy, of not keeping up with a series you find excellent. I'm exactly the same way, and I don't know if it's because of time, or the 'Ooh, shiny' phenomenon of new books/authors. Whatever the reason, there are dozens of authors I'd like to read more of than I have...
ReplyDeleteI think it's the Magpie Factor (Ooooh, Shiny!) with me. I think.
DeleteI do like mystery series where the lives of the characters are every bit as important as the mystery they're trying to solve. And this series sounds like one I would enjoy. I've been trying to catch up on some past mystery series, too, like Lisa Regan's Josie Quinn series. :D
ReplyDeleteOh oh. Now I have to take a look at Josie! ;-)
DeleteI read quite a few mystery series but I've never come across this one. And just like that, you've added to my reading list yet again!
ReplyDeleteThe hurrieder we go, the behinder we get. I keep adding to my own list, too.
DeleteThanks for featuring this one. I may have known of it previously, but I don't think so. The Tucson setting is quite appealing. Putting it on my list. Series - I love them, but it's tough to keep up with all of them. I've had several go by the wayside, for whatever reason, and some I've gone back to and some not.
ReplyDeleteThere are some series that, although I did like them, I've decided that I didn't like them enough to keep reading. Sounds harsh, but I'm never going to keep up as it is.
DeleteI know the feeling, Cathy. For some strange reason, I'm struggling with the fifth Vera Stanhope novel right now but I know it's me and not Ann Cleeves that's changed. My head is just not with Vera right now for some reason, and it makes me see how easily a series could be abandoned almost without noticing that it's happened.
ReplyDeleteYes, if I'm not quite in the right mood to read a book, I need to stop and move on to something else rather than trying to force the issue.
DeleteThanks for the reminder about this series! I've read all of her Jake Hines series but have never started this one. I'll be on the lookout for Cool in Tucson.
ReplyDeleteAnd I've always meant to sample her Jake Hines series!
DeleteThis looks very good. My TBR list just grows out of control. And I have to stop watching streaming programs and news shows. My reading is suffering.
ReplyDeleteI have a set block of time in which I watch TV, and I don't deviate from it. My reading has been suffering due to the drugs I've been taking, but now that I'm off most of them, I'm hoping I can actually get back up to speed.
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