HERMIT'S PEAK

The fourth novel featuring New Mexico Deputy Police Chief Kevin Kerney is, like its predecessors, a clever hybrid of the Western and mystery genres. This time around, Kerney discovers a body on some property he's inherited. Araiza, known mostly for his work in the theater, narrates the story with an appropriate air of mystery--his soft, deep voice lulls us into a sense of security that we figure must be false. The story is full of the kind of detail that mystery fans look for (McGarrity was a deputy sheriff in Santa Fe, New Mexico), and the urban Western setting will appeal to fans of writers like Larry McMurtry. D.P. © AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/NOV 99]