Come Dark: A Posadas County Mystery

In Havill’s strong 21st mystery set in New Mexico (after 2015’s Blood Sweep), a series of major and minor events tax the meager resources of the Posadas County’s Sheriff’s Department. NightZone—a “mammoth astronomy theme park project,” complete with a radio telescope array and a hotel atop a mesa—is near completion. It’s attracting lots of media attention, as is the girls’ high school volleyball team, which is on a 65-game winning streak. Meanwhile, undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman looks into the disappearance of Stacie Stewart, an auditor with the local electric cooperative, who left her baby and dog in a sweltering car; spray-paint vandalism at both NightZone and the high school; and the fatal shooting of girls’ volleyball coach Clint Scott in the girls’ shower room. Series regulars, including former undersheriff Bill Gastner, interact with a number of intriguing new characters, including Miles Waddell, the owner and sole funder of NightZone. Newcomers will enjoy this entry as much as longtime fans. (Apr.)