Mariachi Murder

Author: D.R. Ransdell

Book Format: PDF

Obtained: From author in exchange for a fair and honest review

My Rating: 2 Stars

Pages: 236

Published: April 30, 2013 by Dark Oak Mysteries

Synopsis:

Andy Veracruz is content with his life as the leader of a mariachi band, but when his lover is accused of murder, he has no choice but to defend her. In the process he faces the loss of his strongest loyalties as well as his entire career.

Review:

I received a PDF copy of this book from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Andy is a man in his late 30’s enjoying his life. Although he has a “girlfriend” he is not yet ready to settle down and give her the family she wants. At work, where he plays in a Mariachi band late into the night, the very beautiful Yiolanda, his boss’ wife, catches his eye more and more.

When his boss, Rolando, asks him to keep an eye on his wife as he has to attend a family function in Mexico, Andy’s life takes a turn he could have never seen coming. He begins following her around, in his boss’ absence, throughout the streets of Squid Bay, CA and into Las Vegas, NV.

In Yiolanda’s wake of travel there are three murders and Andy is convinced that it is at her hand. She continues to claim that she had not been in Nevada, and without actually saying it, that it was not her that murdered those people. As Yiolanda begins to fear for her life more and more, she turns to Andy to help save her, and tries to seduce him as a way of saying “thanks” and to keep him helping.

Andy believes that he has solved the murders, as all of his leads point directly back at Yiolanda. But, is he really able to trust his gut that it was her? Or, was it really someone else?

This was really one of those books, to me at least, that a reader could really tell it was a new author. It was really a slow and dry beginning. It took about eight chapters for the story to actually flow and become interesting. Usually, when it takes that long, it is because the author is using those beginning chapters to character build. But, that was not the case with this book.

I would have to say that this book was “alright”. I was able to get through it, but was disappointed that it was told in the first person. To me, it was also unbelievable that someone would go through so much to play detective on their own, especially when dangers presented themselves as they did in the story. Also, there were other instances where the author changed scenes without warning. For instance, when Andy first followed Yiolanda to Nevada, he was talking to the wife of one of the murder victims. At the end of the conversation, the very next sentence, he was back at his apartment in California. Then the chapter ended.

However, I did feel that, as the book progressed, and the author caught her groove, that the book became more interesting and showed signs of being a really good piece of work. It looks as if this is going to become a series. If so, I am figuring that the stories will only get better.

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