L. A. Outlaws

Starred review from November 19, 2007
The irresistible antihero of this outstanding thriller from bestseller Parker (Laguna Heat
) calls herself Allison Murrieta and claims to be a descendant of Joaquin Murrieta, a 19th-century figure who looms large in California folklore (he was either a ruthless robber and killer or an Old West vigilante and Robin Hood). By day, Allison is Suzanne Jones, an eighth-grade history teacher with three sons in Los Angeles; by night, she dons a mask, straps on her derringer and steals from the greedy. Beloved by the media, she never uses the gun; her victims are never sympathetic; and she gives part of her loot to charity. But while stealing diamonds belonging to a master criminal known as the Bull, she witnesses a gangland-style bloodbath at the hands of Lupercio, a ruthless assassin working for the Bull. As she's leaving the scene of the crime, L.A. sheriff's deputy Charles Hood stops her, and that's when the plot gets complicated. The Bull wants his diamonds back. Lupercio knows Murrieta/Jones took them. Hood wants Jones to identify Lupercio. And the public wants to know who Murrieta really is. This tour de force of plotting and characterization may well be Parker's best book. Author tour.

Starred review from March 31, 2008
Parker is one of the best crime writer working in Southern California and this audio—his first mystery to be set outside his native Orange County—should win him many new enthusiasts. David Colacci's and Susan Ericksen's strong vocal talents bring his main characters to life with energy and wit. As Suzanne Jones, the sedate history teacher who by night becomes Allison Murietta, a direct descendant of the legendary bandit Joaquin Murietta, Ericksen makes listeners understand what drives this intriguing woman to dangerous acts of thievery and self-promotion. As rookie deputy Charlie Hood, Colacci catches all the edges of his not-so-simple character as he tries to solve a multiple murder and finds himself falling in love with Suzanne. Colacci also does a scary job creating the menacing drug lord who wants back the diamonds Suzanne has stolen. The two narrators and Parker's bristling tale makes a fast-paced and winning combination. Simultaneous release with the Dutton hardcover (Reviews, Nov. 19, 2007).