Zia Summer (Mass Market Paperback)

~ Rudolfo Anaya (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Called a founding father of Chicano literature in English, the author of Bless Me, Ultima and Alburquerque tries his hand at detective fiction but continues to shine brightest with his trademark alchemy: blending Spanish, Mexican and Indian cultures to evoke the distinctively fecund spiritual terrain of his part of the Southwest. Here Sonny Baca, a 30-year-old fledgling PI, investigates the murder of his prima, Gloria Dominic, the cousin who many years before had introduced him to love. Gloria's husband is worried most about the effect of the gruesome death (Gloria's body is found drained of blood, with a zia sun sign carved on her stomach) on his mayoral campaign in Albuquerque. Sonny believes Gloria's spirit calls to him for vengeance and pursues the case throughout New Mexico's South Valley, from the cocktail-party circuit of the arts community and the company of monied business developers to an assemblage of witches in an environmentalist commune in the mountains. Although the narrative pace is often bumbling, Anaya blends elements of nuclear waste-management and ancient tradition with considerable credibility and offers a memorable cast of locals. But best here is Sonny's convincing attachment to the land and the traditions that have shaped him.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

The first in a new mystery series by the author of the classic Bless Me, Ultima.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (October 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446603163
• ISBN-13: 978-0446603164
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,256,541 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars exellent murder mystery, October 14, 1999

By A Customer

"Zia Summer," by Rudalfo Anaya, is about a small-timepersonal investigator from Albuquerque, New Mexico, named Sonny Baca,the great-grandson of famed lawman Elfego Baca. Sonny's cousin, Gloria Dominic, who is married to Frank Dominic, a very high political figure in the town, turns up dead. She was killed with surgical precision as all of her blood was drained and not a drop was spilled. Sonny, who is trained to find missing people, is hired by his aunt to find the murderer. He finds out that Gloria had many ties with a cult from the Sandia pueblo, and this cult worshipped the sun. He also finds out that this group is planning to blow up a truck that is going to the nuclear waste site in southern New Mexico. The truck is filled with nuclear waste and if it is blown up the contamination would kill the whole state.

This book was very good. The book was not only a great murder mystery, but it also had a lot of old Hispanic tales within the story. It is a great novel for anybody who likes a great book.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A murder mystery hotter than a New Mexico Summer, September 6, 2000

By	Bruce Jones (Houston, Texas, USA) - See all my reviews

The words from Zia Summer leap off the pages and etch themselves into your memory for all eternity!

A bizarre murder, a small time detective, a cast of memorable characters, a really nasty villain, and the enchanting city of Alburquerque make Zia Summer an unforgetable novel.

FIVE STARS!!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A solid southwestern mystery that kept me guessing, June 19, 1998

By	Jayson A. Olson (Rancho Santa Margarita, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Zia Summer started off with a classic gruesome murder, and kept the reader guessing the whole time on who was behind it right alongside the main character, Sonny Baca.

Though the book had a few slow points from time to time, I always looked forward to the next chapter.

The story is also peppered with an unusual and highly identifiable cast of characters; each one to the readers liking.

My only complaints were to make the book more 'authentic' the author sprinkled the dialouge with Spanish slang that may confuse readers on what the characters are talking about.

Also the end was a bit anti-climatic, but all around very good.