Book Review: Accustomed to the Dark

Reviewed By: Gina Metz - RAM

Accustomed to the Dark     Amazon US PB Amazon Canada PB
Walter Satterthwait
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Private Investigator
Series: Joshua Croft # 5
University of New Mexico Press; 1996; 245pp

Joshua Croft and Rita Mondragon are partners and more in a Private Investigative Firm in Santa Fe, New Mexico. One sunny morning, as Joshua and Rita are having coffee on the back porch of her home, Rita gets shot in the head by a rifle. A convict named Ernie Martinez, that Joshua had previously brought in, had escaped from prison while serving time for murder charges along with a psychopath named Luiz Lucero. Ernie had come back for revenge.

While Rita lays in a coma hanging between life and death in the New Mexico hospital, Joshua feeling helpless decides to track down Erie and Lucero himself. Joshua not only feels guilt for her being shot but helpless sitting around waiting to see whether or not she will live or die.

Lucero, although a psychopath, has planned their escape quite well and has good connections outside of prison. The two lead Joshua on a chase from New Mexico to Denver, through Kansas, into Texas and to the Florida Everglades. He gets help from quite an assortment of people including other PI’s and a hardened mercenary. Lucero gets his help through his drug connections since he was a ranking member of a Florida drug cartel before his imprisonment.

I really liked the character of Joshua Croft and the bits of information you received about Rita from Joshua’s memories on his travels. I understand there are several previous Joshua Croft books that I intend to look for to further explore the characters from this book. I found it a very quick page turner and look forward to Mr. Satterthwait’s other books.

Gina Metz - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Gina Metz - RAM