Patricia Smiley

Early May and California is burning in The Second Goodbye: A Pacific Homicide Novel by Patricia Smiley. Whether the wildfires are why there have not been any homicides in the last two weeks or something else is at work, Homicide Detective Davie Richards does not know though the lack of new murder cases is making her a bit nervous. She still has plenty to do. Her boss, Frank Giordano, has assigned each of detective two cold cases that have the highest potential to be solved.

One of her cases is the two year old murder case regarding Javi Hernandez. The gangbanger was stabbed fifteen times and left to die on a mattress at his Palms apartment. Since he allegedly sold drugs for the gang, C-Street, the focus of the prior investigation was the belief that the killing was in in some way over drug sales. Within days, the main suspect at the time was killed in a drive by shooting. One thing led to another and the case went cold.

There isn’t much to work with here at this point and her other cold case has even less. Because of all that, Giordano gives her a third case that never sat right with him. Technically it was classified a suicide, but Giordano always had his suspicions. The death of Sara Montaine, aged 34, is one of those cases that a detective knows isn’t what it appears and yet has nothing to point to as proof that it isn’t as it appears. It does not take Detective Richards’ long to realize that a lot more is going on than simple suicide.

The third book in the series, The Second Goodbye: A Pacific Homicide Novel is another strong read by Patricia Smiley. The author uses the ever increasing number of wildfires as well as the constant threat of a new murder case to drive the clock of solving the cases from the past. Those past cases are intriguing in their own ways as is Detective Richards tenuous relationship with Detective Striker. The result is a complex police procedural read full of nuance and depth that builds steadily along to a satisfying finish.

In short, The Second Goodbye: A Pacific Homicide Novel is good and well worth your time.

This is also another book and a series I would not have read if not for Lesa Holstine. Because of her review last December of this book, I put all three books on hold and started at the beginning with Pacific Homicide. While at the review, there is also a link to an interesting interview Lesa did with the author for the Poisoned Pen blog. Also well worth your time.

The Second Goodbye: A Pacific Homicide Novel
Patricia Smiley
http://www.patriciasmiley.com
Midnight Ink
http://www.midnightinkbooks.com
November 2018
ISBN# 978-0-7387-5236-5
Paperback (also available in eBook format)
$15.99
288 Pages

Material supplied by the good people of Dallas Public Library System.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2019… (altro)

Detective Davie Richards has a nasty case to deal with as Pacific Homicide: A Mystery by Patricia Smiley begins. A women’s body has caused a shutdown at the Hyperion Sewage Treatment Plant. Naked and with no jewelry, Detective Davie Richards and her partner, Jason Vaughn, have to figure out who she was and how she got into the Los Angles sewer system to be caught in the workings of a rotating grinder. She could have gone into the system almost anywhere in the vast service area. With no clothing or any distinguishing features, other than the spider web tattoo on one arm which might mean something or it could be nothing, it seems almost impossible to identify her.

After some work, Detective Davie Richards learns that the woman’s name is Anya Nosova. She’s from Ukraine and her short life has ended before she will see twenty or go home again. What happened to her and why is just part of what Detective Richards needs to figure out. That is assuming she is going to be allowed to continue to work on the more and more complicated case. Her ability to do her job, let alone be free and not locked up in prison, depends on if the ongoing use of force investigation into her recent shooting situation ever ends. Not only does Detective Richards know that everything she has done from the night of the shooting to now is again being scrutinized, her actions on this murder investigation which is her first as lead detective, mean the brass and others are watching more than ever.

Pacific Homicide: A Mystery is a fast paced read that is part mystery and part police procedural. Readers follow the point of view of Detective Richards and numerous others as things in the two cases escalate. Of course, crime does not happen in a vacuum so there are other police situations that interplay with the two primary storylines as does the personal. Some of that is a bit clichéd, though it does work well and fits into the overall tale seamlessly. Quite a bit is going on in Pacific Homicide: A Mystery” by Patricia Smiley and it is a very good ride.

Pacific Homicide: A Mystery
Patricia Smiley
http://www.patriciasmiley.com
Midnight Ink
http://www.midnightinkbooks.com
November 2016
ISBN# 978-0-7387-5021-7
Paperback (also available in eBook format)
$15.99
312 Pages

Material supplied by the good people of Dallas Public Library System.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2019… (altro)