Rob Thy Neighbor: A Charlie Henry Mystery

Thurlo’s third Charlie Henry mystery, the first not to be written with his wife, Aimée Thurlo (1951–2014), falls short of the standard set by the first two books in the series, The Pawnbroker and Grave Consequences. Charlie and his friend Gordon Sweeny, who own a pawnshop in Albuquerque, N.Mex., are enjoying a barbecue in the backyard of police sergeant Nancy Medina and Nancy’s life partner, attorney Gina Sinclair, when they hear a gunshot. A moment later, Margaret Randal, a neighbor of Nancy and Gina’s, climbs over their wall. A bleeding Margaret says that three men are taking her husband, Sam. Gordon, Charlie, Nancy, and Gina proceed to foil the kidnappers, but they have plenty of questions in the aftermath. Why is Sam, a construction-firm owner, a target? Was burglary really the motive? Why are Charlie and Gordon now in danger? Satisfying action sequences make up only in part for some awkward dialogue and plotting. [em]Agent: Peter Rubie, Fine Print Literary Management. (Aug.) [/em]