SOUTHTOWN by Rick Riordan
He planned the jailbreak for months. Some of his associates were less than perfect, but he could always get rid of them on the outside. Once Will Stirman escaped, he would have only one thing on his mind: revenge. The private detectives responsible for putting him in jail will pay for his imprisonment and for the innocent lives that their treachery took.
PI Tres Navarre knows his boss is keeping something from him. Ever since Erainya heard the news about the infamous human trafficker’s escape from prison, she had been on edge. She had even contacted her bitter rival Sam Barrera to arrange a meeting, though she won’t explain why. Tres knows the only way to get to the truth is to find out what really happened when the human trafficking ring was busted eight years ago. But the case reaches a new level of urgency when Stirman threatens Erainya’s son.
This fast-paced mystery/thriller is part of Riordan’s Tres Navarre series. The story is marked with interesting characters, but it is the plot that keeps the reader engaged from beginning to end. The book is short and the story moves quickly. Riordan gives enough clues for the reader to puzzle out the mystery along with (or possibly before) the detectives. The stakes are high for both the detectives and the criminal, and there is enough blame on both sides to make the story morally intriguing. I would recommend this book to adult readers who enjoy thrillers and fast-paced mysteries.
Susan the Librarian 