Well known for his excellent River City Series of
police procedurals set in the Seattle area, author Frank Zafiro moves the action
to Texas In The Shadow Of El Paso. Published in 2012 the book contains
two short stories set in the fictional Texas city named “La Sombra” located
just outside El Paso. As many folks in the border country know, laws and more
get blurred along the border.
In The Shadow Of El Paso
Something pointed out in the opening tale “In The
Shadow Of El Paso.” Being a lawman in La Sombra is a bit different than elsewhere.
Carl Riggins is a transplant to the area and after three years is still
considered an outsider and maybe something worse. Being in love is also bit
different. Isabella is the object of our
lawman’s affection. She is beautiful and she serves drinks at Tres Estrellas
almost every night. It is one a few place where white and brown can get along
with little trouble---most of the time. This Tuesday night violence erupts and Deputy
Carl Riggins is one of the first dispatched to the scene. His arrival puts a friendship
is put to the test and more in this compelling story of love, racism, fate, and
more.
Following that read is a tough act, but “Jack’s
Town” makes it work. Deputy Carl Riggins is dispatched to handle a possible
domestic at the home of Jack and Doris Talbot. Jack is the richest man in La
Sombra and probably the entire county. He owns a lot of land, a cattle ranch, and
a car dealership and quite a few other things including his wife. Like a lot of
very wealthy people, Jack Talbot has a bit of a reputation and not all of that
is positive. Upon responding to the house Deputy Carl Riggins knows something
bad has happened. It is going to be dealt with, as are consequences, one way or
another.
Author notes/explanations of a couple things in the
stories followed by promotional material for other books by the author bring
the read to a close.
While “In The Shadow Of El Paso” was previously published
in the 2007 anthology Map
of Murder the following story “Jack’s Town” is a previously
unpublished tale. It picks up a few months after the first story and is just as
compelling as the first. Taken together the complicated stories work as book
ends that consider societal issues along the border and society as a whole while
working that chemistry dynamic between a man and a very beautiful woman. Along
with the mysteries at work in each tale, at their core each tale is about far
more than the mystery that is eventually solved. An incredible amount is at
work here in this excellent read.
In The Shadow Of El Paso
Frank
Zafiro
Self-Published
April
2012
ASIN:
B007TR8ABS
E-Book
(also available in paperback)
58
pages
$0.00
(at this time)
Material supplied by the author a very long time ago
in exchange for my objective review.
Kevin R. Tipple ©2014
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