by T. Jefferson Parker (Get the Book)A steady stream of trouble flows along the Iron River, the gun-trafficking corridor straddling the Mexican-American border from California to Texas. Los Angeles Sheriff's Deputy Charlie Hood knows the passageway's dark history all too well; he helps monitor it for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. In this compelling conclusion to three-time Edgar-winner Parker's best-selling Charlie Hood series (after The Jaguar, 2012), Deputy Hood once again finds himself in the company of unsavory sorts. Shady Los Angeles cop Bradley Jones, son of late L.A. outlaw Suzanne Jones, is still in tight with the Baja Cartel. (Deputy Hood was deeply in love with Bradley's mother and feels a certain bond with her son, despite his wayward ways.) Bradley's wife is pregnant, and Hood hopes the responsibilities of parenthood will force Jones to shape up. Meanwhile, sinister salesman Mike Finnegan continues to snake his way into Hood's life. (This time, he mysteriously surfaces in a House committee hearing in which Hood is testifying.) The sheriff's new and equally nefarious nemesis is Lonnie Rovanna, an unhinged soul with an itchy trigger finger and voices in his head. Parker's knack for intriguing characters and steadily escalating suspense make this a memorable finish to a standout series. --Booklist
