Saturday 22 October 2016

Review: No Witness But the Moon by Suzanne Chazin

In this powerful novel from award-winning author Suzanne Chazin, a tense stand-off between a Hispanic police officer and an undocumented immigrant leads to the shooting death of one, the shattered life of the other, and the shocking connection between them. . .

On a clear, moonlit night in December, police detective Jimmy Vega races to the scene of a reported home invasion in an upscale New York community. As Vega arrives, he spots a Hispanic man who fits the description of the armed intruder, running from the victim’s estate. Vega chases him into the woods. When the suspect refuses to surrender—and reaches into his pocket—Vega has only seconds to make a life-or-death decision.

What begins as a tragic mistake takes an even darker turn when Vega uncovers disturbing links between the dead man and his own mother’s brutal, unsolved murder. Vega’s need for answers propels him back to his old Bronx neighborhood, where he is viewed as a disgraced cop, not a homegrown hero. It also puts him at odds with his girlfriend, Adele Figueroa, head of a local immigrant center, who must weigh her own doubts about his behavior. 


When a shocking piece of evidence surfaces, it becomes clear that someone doesn’t want Vega to put all the pieces together—and is willing to do whatever it takes to bury the truth. Only by risking everything will Vega be able to find justice, redemption, and the most elusive goal of all: the ability to forgive himself.

ebook, 352 pages
Expected publication: October 25th 2016 by Kensington 
Series: Jimmy Vega Mystery #3
Genre: Mystery

Kristine's Thoughts:

** I received an advanced readers copy from Kensington via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!**

No Witness But the Moon is the third book in the Jimmy Vega Mystery series but can be read as a stand alone. I did not have the opportunity to read the first two and it did not impact my enjoyment or understanding of this book.

This book was about Jimmy Vega and what happened when he responded to a home invasion and ended up shooting and killing an unarmed suspect who also turned out to be an illegal immigrant. It showcased the public and media out lash and the internal struggle Vega went through in coming to terms with how the events played out. Not only was his career immediately impacted but his relationship with his daughter and girlfriend. As he was trying to cope with what had happened, clues and questions began to rise that lead him towards a completely separate unsolved murder.

This is a hot topic in the media and public opinion right now so I wasn't sure how it would play out in this book. I think Chazin did a good job of showing the impact that the shooting had on all of the key players. I was most interested in how Vega dealt or didn't deal with his feelings and emotions after the event.

Over all it was an enjoyable story that kept me interested and curious throughout. Vega got on my nerves a lot with his stupid and somewhat thoughtless actions after the fact but I was able to overlook that in my interest in the bigger picture. Having said that, I didn't feel that it wrapped up as neatly as I would have liked and I was left with a few questions unanswered.




About the Author
Suzanne Chazin is the author of two mystery/thriller series. Her “Jimmy Vega” series, about an upstate New York cop navigating the world of the undocumented, “hits the heart, not just the pulse,” raves Lee Child. The books are based on Chazin’s outreach work with the undocumented. Publishers Weekly called Land of Careful Shadows (book #1), “timely and engrossing,” and Jimmy Vega, “engaging, psychologically complex.” A Blossom of Bright Light (book #2) will be published in November 2015.
Chazin’s other series stars FDNY fire investigator Georgia Skeehan. The Fourth Angel (book #1), Flashover (book #2) and Fireplay (book #3) have been called, “searing and emotionally explosive” (USA Today), and her heroine, fire investigator Georgia Skeehan, “incredibly strong” (People Magazine). The series is based on Chazin’s husband’s work as a high-ranking chief in the FDNY.


Connect with Suzanne
 
 

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