Mystery Scene Review

In the Heat by Ian Vasquez
St. Martin's/Minotaur, June, 2008

In this well-crafted debut, Vasquez creates an intriguing amateur detective in the form of aging boxer Miles Young, who, as this novel begins, has just lost what might have been the last fight of his career. This makes him all the more vulnerable when he's approached by Isabelle Gilmore, one of his native Belize's most prominent (and notorious) citizens. Isabelle wants Miles to find her daughter Rian, who has run way with her ne'er do well boyfriend Joel and absconded with a substantial amount of her mother's funds in the process. She promises to pay Young handsomely for his efforts, and throws in the prospect of a bout with a major contender in three weeks time as a sweetener. Miles agrees, but soon comes to regret his decision, as he begins to divine Gilmore's hidden motives--secrets that put him directly in harm's way.

Vasquez writes with great verve and assurance, bringing his protagonist and the island of Belize to vivid life, slowly raising the stakes page by page, chapter by chapter, skillfully cutting back and forth between an intriguing cast of colorful characters and locales. Although the publicity materials accurately compare Vasquez to writers like Dennis Lehane and James W. Hall, comparisons to Ernest Hemingway seem more apt, especially when it comes to his depiction of the solid, stolid Young, who soldiers on in his quest against steadily mounting odds. Although a bit pig-headed, Miles Young is a winning, flawed by heroic leading man who will quickly earn readers' admiration.

- Hank Wagner

This review appeared in the Summer 2008 issue (#105) of the magazine