T. Jefferson Parker
California Girl (2004)
Author: T. Jefferson Parker
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Plot Summary:
California Girl involves four brothers in a small town in Orange County California in the 1960’s. Each plays a small part in the life of a beauty queen that ends up murdered in the SunBlesst orange packing plant in one of the last remaining orange groves in the town. Nick Becker is the rookie cop in charge of the investigation. His brother Andy is the local crime reporter with many inside sources, older David is the local pastor and Clay is fighting in Vietnam. All have a childhood and adult connection to Janelle Vonn, the murder victim.
California Girl is a hometown murder mystery with many recognizable names and places thrown in for added intrigue. Richard Nixon, Timothy Leary, the John Birch Society and Orange County are all a part of this suspense novel. Most of the characters in the book are suspects at some point in the investigation and Nick Becker needs to decide who to charge for the murder of Janelle Vonn weeks after the murder has occurred and the case is going cold. The narration of this mystery circulates between the brothers as a great tactic for bringing each of them into the storyline and fully developing each of them as characters.
Geographical Setting: Orange County, CA
Time Period: 1960’s and present day
Appeal Characteristics:
The descriptions of the locale and the hints at conspiracy and political intrigue are a fun addition to the story. Setting the story during the political upheaval of the 1960’s California created an interesting backdrop for this mystery. The reader sympathizes with the characters and the reader is not certain who the murder is until the very end of the novel.
Read-alikes: Readers looking for novels similar to California Girl in storyline might like Surviving Wisdom by Ken Hodgson or Wind and Lies by Richard Parrish. Readers looking for another book involving political intrigue could read, Nothing but the Truth by John T. Lescroart. Readers looking for an East Coast version of California Girl should read Amagansett by Mark Mills. If the reader likes the tone and pace of California Girl, Dirty laundry: a Charlotte Justice novel by Paula L. Woods might be a readalike to try. The Black Dahlia by James Ellroy is also a story involving the murder of a dark haired beauty.
Red Flags: No profane language. Scenes involving violence are descriptive and can be graphic, though they are not a large portion of the book. Most of the sex scenes are mild except one that is not for the faint of heart. The description of the murder scene is graphic and might be a difficult read for those with a good imagination.
Silent Joe (2001)
Author: T. Jefferson Parker
Genre: Mystery/Suspense
Plot Summary:
Joe has lived most of his life known as the "acid baby" after being horribly scared when, at an early age, his father threw acid in his face. Adopted by Mary Ann and Will Trona, a former deputy sherriff turned county supervisor, Joe has been brought up to be Will's protege and body guard. One night, Will and Joe atempt to retrieve a kidnapped girl and are ambushed. Hidden by dense fog, Will is killed by an unidentifiable assailant and the girl dissappears. Joe undertakes the task of finding his adopted-father's killers and locating Suzannah Blazak, the kidnapped girl. An multi-layered plot is encompass multiple murders, his father's actions, and Suzannah's kidnapping. Spoiler: As the story unfolds, it is learned that
Savannah has run away from her father, Jack, after filming him abusing a recently murdered woman. Will's murder is found to be a conspiracy among several other supervisors, including Jack Blazak.
Geographical Setting: Orange County, CA
Time Period: 2001
Appeal Characteristics:
The real appeal within the book is the characterization of Will and Joe as both are made
out to be very heroic, likeable figures. Will is characterized as a Robin Hood figure who blackmails corrupt supervisors to the benefit of such things as the Child Protection Services. Joe is a character that acts very polite and kind to practically everyone despite his outward appearance and additionally shows incredible devotion to finding both Will's killer and Savannah. Patrons looking for a book with a disfigured main character could also be suggested this title due to Joe overcoming the effects of his physical appearance. The pacing of the book is not fast, though there is somewhat of a draw to keep reading through typical suspense elements. In this sense, there are several plots presented that the reader feels are somehow connected, but can't possibly know how until the very end. Also, a patron wishing for a California setting may find interest in Silent Joe, though the setting plays only a minor role.
Read-alikes: Someone looking for a similar book could start with other T. Jefferson Parker books, potentially starting with California Girl, another Edgar Award winner. Readers may also enjoy Daniel Silva (i.e. The Confessor or Prince of Fire) for similar multilayered/intricate plots. Nine by Jan Burke, a Bill Smith/Lydia Chin Novel like Winter and Night by S.J. Rozan, Dorothy Garlock's Hope's Highway, or Stephen White's Remote Control may also be suggested for similar settings and plot elements.
Red Flags: violence, sex, language, annoying use of "The Unknown Thing" to describe attractiveness
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