15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A complex, well-told drama, July 15, 2005
One of my personal benchmarks for good writing has to do with the backlot of the story, if you will. If I find, while reading a tale, that the narrative makes me want to jump into the car and drive to the city where the novel is set --- book in hand, of course --- then the author has pushed my buttons.
Accordingly, Rick Riordan is on my list of must-read authors. His novels, featuring San Antonio-based private investigator Tex Navarre, make me yearn for the city of St. Anthony, a place to which I have never been. Riordan sets up a deceptively simple plot and makes the most of every single element, resulting in a riveting, attention-grabbing narrative that once begun is impossible to put down. Most significantly, however, Riordan has created a body of work that subtly paints a mural of words and images, combining the best and worst elements of both cultures. His latest book is no exception.
MISSION ROAD finds Navarre, the ultimate stand-up guy, involved with a childhood friend who is on the run, wanted for a crime he did not commit. Ralph Arguello has a shady past that has cast a long shadow into his present. The owner of a chain of legitimate pawnshops, his underworld connections don't seem to have affected his marriage to a respected San Antonio policewoman. Newly evaluated DNA evidence, however, appears to tie Arguello to a murder committed two decades previously. The victim, Frankie White, an old acquaintance of Navarre's and Arguello's, was rumored to be connected to a series of rapes and murders that terrorized the San Antonio community in the late 1980s. But Arguello is on the run not because of his possible involvement in White's long-unsolved murder, but because of a more immediate problem: Ana, Arguello's wife, has been found shot, perhaps mortally wounded, in their kitchen, and all signs point to Arguello as the murderer.
Navarre literally is the only person who Arguello can trust. Thus, Navarre is drawn into a deadly crossfire between the police and San Antonio's criminal element, which wants Arguello gone for its own reasons. Attorney Maia Lee, Navarre's love interest, also is put into the mix when she reluctantly begins investigating the charges, new and old, against Arguello, if only to keep Navarre safe. Her investigation not only uncovers a web of deception that stretches two decades into the past but also puts her in danger at a time when she and Navarre are approaching a potential crossroads in their relationship.
Riordan's critical acclaim has grown at a pace a bit faster than that of his commercial status, a state of affairs that hopefully will change with MISSION ROAD. Riordan does a masterful job of capturing the flavor and exotica of San Antonio while presenting what at first blush appears to be a simple A-B-C whodunit and transforming it into a complex, well-told drama that does not finish giving up all of its secrets until the very last page. MISSION ROAD demonstrates why Riordan and Navarre are deserving of the marquee status that they undoubtedly will attain one day.
--- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A return to form, and more, July 14, 2005
The first time I opened this book, I was fifty pages in before I looked up again. Around page 75, I decided maybe I should get back to work. It was a little past page 100 before I finally did.
The next day -- today -- I finished the book. And what a ride it was.
I haven't decided quite yet whether this is the best Tres Navarre book. But what I'm sure of is that it's much better than "Southtown," which I found unsatisfying. Part of it may be that now I'm more used to Rick Riordan's shift to third-person narration, with only the chapters focusing on Tres' himself told in first person. As a result of this change, this story, like "Southtown," has a lot less Tres in it than the earlier volumes did. And because Tres is such a well-drawn character, I missed that focus on him here like I did in "Southtown."
The difference is that "Mission Road" is a much stronger story than "Southtown," and one that hits even closer to home for our hero. Whereas "Southtown" felt rushed and even a little superficial, "Mission Road" reminded me of "Cold Springs," Riordan's non-Tres novel, in its intensity and (as the professional reviewers would say) blistering pace. Not having to frame everything from Tres' point of view has allowed Riordan to create an especially powerful story -- one that gets right down to business and moves very quickly. No wonder I was so drawn in.
There's one other thing I really like about the Tres Navarre stories. Whereas some mystery series are like episodic TV shows, where once the problem-of-the-day is resolved, everything goes back to the *status quo ante*, these books aren't like that. Each novel has led to changes in Tres' life -- some relatively small, but others (as in "Southtown") quite significant. Without giving anything away, I think I can say the changes that happen in "Mission Road" are some of the biggest yet. While this book would be a good introduction to someone who's never read Rick Riordan before, I think people who have read all the previous books in the series will get a lot more emotional impact out of what happens here.
"Southtown" left me unsatisfied and wanting more. "Mission Road" left me drained -- an unusual response for me -- but satisfied. And, of course, wanting more.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another Winner from Rick Riordan, September 6, 2005
I discovered this author about 6 months ago, have read all of the Tres Navarre series and loved every one. Mission Road is just the latest of winners. I won't rehash the plot nor reveal the ending, but it's one of the reasons I love Riordan's writing -- just when you think you're winding down to the ending of the story . . . BAM!, you're in for a surprise.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
