Hi there! I’m here to spotlight a fascinating book that came to my attention a few months ago. *And every day we are reminded that discrimination against marginalized communities is still a serious problem, so click here to find a compilation of resources where you can donate your time, money, or whatever you can to support these communities. I still encourage you to research these causes (and others) on your own to educate yourself and find the best way to lend your support.*
So back in February a very interesting message popped up in my inbox. It seemed a senior publicist from a publisher had used my contact form to ask if I wanted to check out an upcoming release. Honestly, I had no idea that contact form would even work, because I really do have no idea how web designing works and while I might look like I’m put together (though even that seems like a stretch) I’m certainly not. Anyway, this was coming from She Writes Press, who published another book I reviewed last August, All the Right Mistakes, an adult fiction novel that was out of my comfort zone but I gave a chance and overall enjoyed (and you can take a look at that review here). The book I was approached about was Del Rio, an adult mystery/thriller novel by Jane Rosenthal, which was being pitched as “a suspenseful story of corruption, betrayal and redemption.” I knew, again, this book would be outside the realm I usually read, but as someone who strives to diversify my genres when possible, I decided to give it a shot, and shine a light on a new release here on my blog.
Del Rio, California, a once-thriving Central Valley farm town, is now filled with run-down Dollar Stores, llanterias, carnicerias, and shabby mini-marts that sell one-way bus tickets straight to Tijuana on the Flecha Amarilla line. While it’s no longer the California of postcards, for local District Attorney Callie McCall, her dying hometown is the perfect place to launch a political career and try to make a difference. But when the dismembered body of a migrant teen is found in one of Del Rio’s surrounding citrus groves, Callie faces a career make-or-break case that takes her on a dangerous journey down the violent west coast of Mexico, to a tropical paradise hiding a terrible secret, and finally back home again, where her determination to find the killer pits her against the wealthiest, most politically connected, most ruthless farming family in California: her own. Through it all Callie finds herself in a fight to the death to save her hometown, the people she loves, and, ultimately, herself. *content warnings for use of slurs, violence/murder, child death, child trafficking, and mentions of child pornography*
The book is a fast-paced novel loaded with action and intrigue and, as promised, is a story about corruption, betrayal, and redemption. Split into two parts, part 1, after being introduced to our key characters, takes place primarily in Mexico, where Callie is gathering information alongside a secondary perspective character, Nathan, and ends with an event that segues to Del Rio in part 2, where our leads have to deal with the repercussions. Since this is a spotlight, as opposed to a typical review, I won’t spend too much time on my thoughts, but I still wanted to share them and be open and honest with my opinions. I appreciated Callie as a strong-willed main character, dedicated to getting justice even when everyone around her said to let things be. I found Nathan’s introduction a bit odd at first, because he truly was just thrown into these events whereas Callie is, unfortunately, completely woven into the web of deceit surrounding the entire novel. It’s also not an even split, so we do get more from Callie’s point of view. The book really didn’t hold back from exploring truly despicable characters carrying out despicable actions, and while some do pay for their actions, others simply have the ability to pay off those with power and escape any harm, which is frustrating but realistic. I wasn’t a huge fan of the language used to describe Del Rio, or even the places Callie visited in Mexico, as I felt they relied much too heavily on stereotypes that can be seen as harmful – some words were also repeated within certain chapters that had me cringing everytime they came up. I was getting characters mixed up, sometimes, and while we had a strong background for Callie and Nathan, I felt like many side characters were underdeveloped and left without clear purpose or motivations. I will say some twists did surprise me, but I couldn’t find myself interested in where the story was going, and I was confused through a large portion of it so when things were supposed to be coming together, for me and for the characters, I just remained lost.
Overall, I didn’t find a new favorite in Del Rio, and didn’t particularly enjoy my time reading it. BUT, this isn’t me telling you to steer clear of it altogether. If you’re the type of reader who can stomach tough topics, despicable characters, and wants an intrigue-filled mystery thriller book that culminates in a solid action scene, I’d say give it a fair chance. Even though it truly wasn’t for me, I do hope that this book finds its audience. Del Rio will be releasing on May 18th, 2021, which is only four weeks from when this post goes live, so if anything I mentioned in this spotight sparked you’re interest, I say give it a chance and pick up a copy for yourself. *Thank you to the publisher, She Writes Press, for the early copy, all thoughts and opinions are my own.*
Where to find Del Rio: A Novel:
She Writes Press
Bookshop
Amazon
Goodreads
Jane Rosenthal’s site
Thoughts About Things 