Nothing to Hide - A Book Review

From the Back:  The victim's head is missing, but what intrigues Detective Roland March is the hand.  The pointing finger must be a clue - but to what?  According to the FBI, the dead man was an undercover asset tracking the flow of illegal arms to the Mexican cartels.  To protect the operation, they want March to play along with the cover story.  With a little digging, though, he discovers the Feds are lying.  And they're not the only ones.  In an upside-down world of paranoia and conspiracy, March finds himself dogged by injury and haunted by a tragic failure.  Forced to take justice into his own hands, his twisting investigation leads him into the very heart of darkness, leaving March with nothing to lose - and Nothing to Hide.

Synopsis:  Roland March is a detective in Houston who's been assigned a strange case.  A headless victim whose body has been posed after death is an intriguing murder victim.  March begins investigating and discovers an undercurrent with the case.  His past dealings with the CIA appear to have some impact on this new case but why?  How do Mexican drug cartels and a paranoid veteran play into this mystery?  March's hunt eventually leads to a violent confrontation south of the border.

My Review:  Bertrand is a new author for me and one I'm thrilled to have found.  This is the third Roland March mystery and I'm planning to hunt for the first two.  March is an intriguing character.  He loves being a cop and isn't afraid to fight his superiors to solve a case.  There's a sense of justice that comes through in how March responds to the case he's fighting.  This book is a tight, fast-paced thriller.  I love political/crime thrillers and this one was quite enjoyable.  It was a quality story written without the foul language so common in today's fiction.  The plot moves quickly but not so fast you find yourself lost.  Bertrand has created a complex character you can easily relate to.  March has his flaws but you find yourself rooting for him to be successful in fighting his demons.  If you like crime novels, you'll find this one quite enjoyable.

Score:  4.0 bookmarks out of 5.

Note:  Bethany House Publishers provided me with a free copy of this book in exchange for my fair and honest review.