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A review by petra_reads
A Blossom of Bright Light by Suzanne Chazin
5.0
I really enjoyed the first Jimmy Vega mystery, [b:Land of Careful Shadows|20949503|Land of Careful Shadows (Jimmy Vega Mystery, #1)|Suzanne Chazin|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1400895410s/20949503.jpg|40321047]. With this one, [a:Suzanne Chazin|764784|Suzanne Chazin|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1472697113p2/764784.jpg] has raised the bar. I had a few minor issues with the writing in the first book, this one was flawless.
While this works a stand-alone mystery, I think part of the reason I enjoyed it so much is the fact that I was already familiar with Detective Jimmy Vega and Adele Figueroa, with whom Jimmy is now in a relationship. Jimmy and Adele are trying to make their relationship work, but then a decision they make one evening results in both of them feeling guilty for the death of a newborn baby.
[a:Suzanne Chazin|764784|Suzanne Chazin|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1472697113p2/764784.jpg] once again tackles the issues of immigration and the lives and relationships of documented and undocumented immigrants. The focus on the lives of children faced with the deportation of a parent was truly heart-breaking. Ms. Chazin has an amazing talent for making all the characters feel incredibly authentic. I think it would be hard to read this book with its wonderful imagery and not feel deeply touched by it. The sense of doom that kept building right up to the suspenseful finale kept me listening to this for hours on end. The audio is narrated by Thom Rivera and he does a fantastic job. So much so, that I have purchased the next audiobook in this series although I already had the print version via NetGalley.
A really compelling and powerful mystery, which is topical and contains subtle but thought-provoking social commentary. Highly recommended if you enjoy character-driven crime fiction with an intelligent storyline.
While this works a stand-alone mystery, I think part of the reason I enjoyed it so much is the fact that I was already familiar with Detective Jimmy Vega and Adele Figueroa, with whom Jimmy is now in a relationship. Jimmy and Adele are trying to make their relationship work, but then a decision they make one evening results in both of them feeling guilty for the death of a newborn baby.
[a:Suzanne Chazin|764784|Suzanne Chazin|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1472697113p2/764784.jpg] once again tackles the issues of immigration and the lives and relationships of documented and undocumented immigrants. The focus on the lives of children faced with the deportation of a parent was truly heart-breaking. Ms. Chazin has an amazing talent for making all the characters feel incredibly authentic. I think it would be hard to read this book with its wonderful imagery and not feel deeply touched by it. The sense of doom that kept building right up to the suspenseful finale kept me listening to this for hours on end. The audio is narrated by Thom Rivera and he does a fantastic job. So much so, that I have purchased the next audiobook in this series although I already had the print version via NetGalley.
A really compelling and powerful mystery, which is topical and contains subtle but thought-provoking social commentary. Highly recommended if you enjoy character-driven crime fiction with an intelligent storyline.