Blackout in Precinct Puerto Rico -- Steven Torres

This is the fifth book in Steven Torres' excellent series, though I believe it was the first written. I generally avoid books about small-town Sheriffs because I don't want to fall into unconscious plagiarism, but I'm willing to make an exception for this series. The Puerto Rican setting makes it different enough from my own Blacklin County, and there's no reason I should miss out on some good reading. Besides, Torres' books are a bit more darkly tinged than mine. We're doing different things here, not that there there's no humor in Torres' books. There is. It's just different from mine.

In this installment, Sheriff Luis Gonzalo has to discover who attacked and battered a 16-year-old girl who refuses to speak. The list of suspects is short, at first, and that leads to some serious repercussions. People will talk, no matter where they are. Sometimes they talk too much.

Sheriff Gonzalo is a fine creation. He's human and humane in dealing with the town and with his family. He's tough but fair, and he's very much affected by the things that happen. Nobody comes out unscathed.

If you haven't read the previous books in the Precinct Puerto Rico series, that's no barrier to reading this one. It's a good place to start. Check it out.