Sunstroke
"A very exciting debut."
Synopsis:
Gloria Mendez, aged 36 and living in Los Angeles, is in love with her boss, Carl Perriera. When Carl goes missing during a trip to Mexico, the only clue to his disappearance is a garbled message on her answer phone. Later Carl is found dead in mysterious circumstances and Gloria is determined to find the truth about his death, aided by his long lost son Carlos. But Carl’s life soon begins to unravel and Gloria has to accept that the man she knew for years had a secret history which may had played a part in his death.
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Review:
This is an excellent first novel from Jesse Kellerman. He writes in a style reminiscent of 50's detective novels and the story contains a number of characters who add the shadowy film-noir style plot. The character of Gloria is particularly well developed and the book is almost a study of her obsessive quest for the truth of Carl’s demise. I loved the backdrop of Mexico to the narrative and Jesse Kellerman delves into the story of her life, which adds to the sense of drama. The plot does have a few surprises so it will certainly appeal to lovers of crime fiction who enjoy being kept in suspense. A very exciting debut.