Hello, Fellow Book Worms and Book Dragons!
Robert Dugoni returned readers to the world of Tracy Crosswhite this past Tuesday with In Her Tracks. Travel back in time with me as I review book five in this amazing series.
Close to Home is written by Robert Dugoni, and is the fifth book in the Tracy Crosswhite detective series. It is published by Thomas and Mercer, an imprint of Amazon Publishing. In it, we are introduced to D'Andre Miller, a bright twelve-year-old boy on his way home after shooting hoops at a local gym. His life is cut tragically short by a hit-and-run driver, sending his neighborhood into unbelievable grief. On the scene is Tracy Crosswhite and her partner, Kinsington Rowe. The two are thrust into the incident under the assumption of vehicular manslaughter. Tracy's weaselly boss, Johnny Nolasco, wants her off the case to pursue other homicides. But when the owner of the car turns out to be a serving member of the Navy, the case becomes even more complicated.
Meanwhile, Tracy's other partners Vic Fazzio and Del Castigliano are dealing with the heroin overdose of Del's young niece. Del wants justice for his family, but Vic knows that Del cannot openly investigate who the dealer was that sold her last fix. Del is stubborn to find the truth and does his best to factor in patience as the case continues. Aiding in the search for the dealer is prosecutor, Celia McDaniel. With the tragic loss of her son mirroring his sister's own grief, Del welcomes her help. As Tracy and her A-Team investigate their respective cases, it becomes clear that both investigations may be connected. As Tracy gets closer to the truth her investigation may get her killed.
Close to Home tackles the growing drug epidemic plaguing many communities in America. Dugoni does not hold back when presenting the reality of the prejudices and misnomers that are common. This novel also involves the Black Lives Matter movement and police perception within the community, which is displayed with a lot of emotion and heart. Dugoni brings all of the series' favorite characters in, presenting some of the best character development for a series' cast that I have read in any novel. I loved Del and Celia's relationship, which was presented in a very romantic and often heart-warming way. Del went from being basically a background character to a main player, and I could not get enough. His nephews, Stevie and Mark, were adorable and gave the novel some of its funniest moments. And Vic Fazzio looking for corned beef at an Irish Pub left me in stitches.
I read this novel in part with the narration of Emily Sutton- Smith. The actress returned to this series a seasoned pro, with all of her accents and character voices ready to roll. After reading this entire series she has developed a relationship to the characters that adds an excellent edge to the narrative. I love her readings, and I am happy that she was kept on to continue the novels.
Close to Home was a wonderful departure from the series' usual formula. It weaved a tale that was filled with intrigue, social issues, and excellent character development. I was fully invested in the storyline, and I was surprised by the twist at the end. This four-star read was a great way to pass a Spring day. If you have not read the Tracy Crosswhite series, what are you waiting for?
Have fun reading this week. Let me know in the comments below what you are reading this week.
At eBay: http://stores.ebay.com/xepherusstudios
At Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/11975160-xepherus3
At Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xepherusstudios/
At Mercari: http://www.mercari.com/u/436393791
At RedBubble: http://www.redbubble.com/people/xepherus3
At Twitter: https://twitter.com/XepherusStudios
My Amazon Wish List: https://amzn.com/w/3J58FXCH0Y44F
All written content and top logo (c) Copyright 2020/2021 by Thomas Bahr II
Comments
Post a Comment