Review: L.A. Outlaws

A school teacher and mother of three boys, Suzanne Jones leads a secret life as the dashing Robin Hood-like outlaw Allison Murrieta in Parker’s latest fast and stylish thriller. Allison calls herself the descendant of legendary Mexican bandito Joaquin Murietta. Instead of stealing horses she steals flashy cars and robs fast food joints instead of wealthy aristos, giving the money to her favorite L.A. charities and posing for cell phone pictures during her crimes.

When she catches wind of a diamond deal about to go down, she can’t resist waylaying the not-very-nice diamond dealer. But the diamond dealer has outsmarted himself in trying to double-cross everyone. Allison arrives at the meet to find ten dead gang-bangers, the gems still clutched in the cold dead hands of the diamond dealer. Allison takes them, of course, getting out just as the baddest gang-banger of them all comes in.

Allison narrowly escapes the utterly ruthless Lupercio but when she gets stopped for speeding, Lupercio gets a good look at her. Which shouldn’t be enough to find her in her idyllic family hide-away, but Lupercio has inside help.

Meanwhile Charlie Hood, the cop who stopped her and subsequently discovered the nearby massacre, develops an interest in Suzanne. First as a possible witness, then as a lover. He also catches on to her Allison Murrieta alter ego. Which presents him with a dilemma.

As the body count mounts, and Lupercio tracks her wherever she goes, Allison/Suzanne has no idea who to trust. The action is clever and twisty, the characters smart and engaging, the villains vicious and relentless. Although the reader knows more than any of the characters, given the roving point of view, Parker will keep you guessing how he’s going to wrap things up, right up to the last page. This is one of his best, which is saying something.

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Lynn Harnett

Book Review: L.A. Outlaws