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Viper
On All Souls Day, Selena De La Cruz’s name is entered in her parish church's “Book of the Deceased.”
The problem is, she's not dead.
And someone thinks she should be.
Is it "The Snake," a notorious drug dealer Selena helped to put in prison when she was a Special Agent with the DEA years ago? Or someone far, far more dangerous?
The problem is, she's not dead.
And someone thinks she should be.
Is it "The Snake," a notorious drug dealer Selena helped to put in prison when she was a Special Agent with the DEA years ago? Or someone far, far more dangerous?
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First published January 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 24, 2011
This book is a followup novel to Bleeder a novel I quite enjoyed. This time he has once again provided that perfect meld of a mystery with Catholic elements. The insurance agent from the last book Selena De La Cruz is the centerpiece of this one. Her past has come back to haunt her when as a DEA agent something happened that caused her to leave that job behind her and move on. A drug dealer she was involved in setting up is now out of prison and apparently killing everybody on a list that includes her name. This plot is surely enough for a good novel, but add in the fact that the list was written in the Book of the Dead for the parish's All Souls Day and the fact that a young girl might be having visions of Our Lady and predicting these deaths you have a solid mystery mixed in with a spiritual mystery.
As in the last book he does not hit you over the head with the Catholic elements and leaves room for doubt as to the supernatural occurrences. But more importantly this book stands alone as a mystery novel with some heightened suspense. It certainly had me guessing to the end since some of the fact you assumed turned out not be as solid as you thought and there were several paths to take as to what was actually going on. Nicely done false trails made the answer to the crime a surprise to me, but one that looking back at the clues I could have picked up more on.
I certainly love novels that have elements of the faith mixed in with a good story, but more importantly what I want from a novel is good storytelling and John J. Desjarlais delivers on that score.
As in the last book he does not hit you over the head with the Catholic elements and leaves room for doubt as to the supernatural occurrences. But more importantly this book stands alone as a mystery novel with some heightened suspense. It certainly had me guessing to the end since some of the fact you assumed turned out not be as solid as you thought and there were several paths to take as to what was actually going on. Nicely done false trails made the answer to the crime a surprise to me, but one that looking back at the clues I could have picked up more on.
I certainly love novels that have elements of the faith mixed in with a good story, but more importantly what I want from a novel is good storytelling and John J. Desjarlais delivers on that score.
July 6, 2011
This is the sequel to Desjarlais’s action-packed Bleeder, though it stands on its own. It should come, however, with a warning label across the cover. I wouldn’t have put it down if my family hadn’t demanded my attention (don’t they know I have reading to do?!?). This book had me laughing out loud and thinking I had things all figured out. I was delighted that it had me fooled and that it as written as well as the first. When it comes out, consider it a must-read. Highly recommended.
September 15, 2011
It was five years ago.
At that time, like every time, Selena saw right away why he called himself La Serpiente, The Snake.
For one thing, he wore rattlesnake-skin boots with the steel toes that Bragg and her Anglo colleagues at Drug Enforcement sneeringly called "Fence Climbers." When he crossed his sinewy legs and swung his foot, the tip glinted.
For another, his unmoving onyx eyes fixed on her cleavage -- not all that uncommon when she met men -- but that gaze was not measuring her size. It was calculating a striking distance. She averted her eyes to the side, a demure Mexican custom she hadn't lost through acculturation. Locking eyes is also how snakes paralyze their prey. She wouldn't give him the pleasure.
Viper is the sequel to Bleeder, which featured Reed Stubblefield's story, but it functions well enough as a stand-alone thriller. Selena loves sexy shoes, working on cars, and Reed, although his Anglo heritage makes her worry about introducing him to the family. Abruptly, her past as a Special Agent in the DEA comes back to haunt her when she learns that La Serpiente is back. Her name's been found on a list where the only way off is when you are killed.
Viper immerses the reader in Hispanic culture as Selena deals with family problems as well as the more thrilling ones that threaten her life. The Catholic culture is less obvious although it is still important to Selena's life and to solving the mystery. Luckily for readers, Desjarlais navigates both well.
Viper is enjoyable although I found Selena's immersion in her culture made the story a bit one-dimensional. I'd have liked seeing her interact with others from outside the Hispanic or DEA community. That said, I found Viper an enjoyable thriller and am hoping there will be a third book where we get to see Selena and Reed together.
December 30, 2011
Set in rural Illinois, the novel follows disgraced DEA agent Selena De La Cruz as she tries to re-order her life into some semblance of normality after a drug raid gone bad results in a tragic aftermath. Leaving that life turns out to be more than just difficult. It is impossible. And so Selena leaves her insurance company and re-enters the dangerous world of undercover drug enforcement among a Latino population that is turbulent, ever-changing and marked with friends who become enemies and family members short on understanding.
The author cleverly establishes Selena as an independent capable woman beset on all sides by the chauvinism of her bosses and the cultural disapproval of her family. Good Latina women do not carry guns and arrest drug dealers. There is an invasive Latin Catholic presence throughout the book. The basic theme of the story is a list of names entered into a church’s Book of the Dead, requesting prayers for their souls. The problem is that the people represented are still alive as the book opens. But one by one they are murdered. Since Selena’s name is last on the list, she has more than usual reason to be concerned. Her interaction with law enforcement and Church officials becomes more and more intense as the list is shortened, one by one.
The novel is smoothly written, logical and mostly gripping. There are several sections of Aztec and other religious history and legends used by the author to explain some of the ritual Selena encounters which, while interesting in themselves, have a tendency to slow the narrative. Nevertheless, Viper is a worthwhile read, blending religious mystery with brutal modern crime.
The author cleverly establishes Selena as an independent capable woman beset on all sides by the chauvinism of her bosses and the cultural disapproval of her family. Good Latina women do not carry guns and arrest drug dealers. There is an invasive Latin Catholic presence throughout the book. The basic theme of the story is a list of names entered into a church’s Book of the Dead, requesting prayers for their souls. The problem is that the people represented are still alive as the book opens. But one by one they are murdered. Since Selena’s name is last on the list, she has more than usual reason to be concerned. Her interaction with law enforcement and Church officials becomes more and more intense as the list is shortened, one by one.
The novel is smoothly written, logical and mostly gripping. There are several sections of Aztec and other religious history and legends used by the author to explain some of the ritual Selena encounters which, while interesting in themselves, have a tendency to slow the narrative. Nevertheless, Viper is a worthwhile read, blending religious mystery with brutal modern crime.
June 19, 2011
I am such a sucker for a strong (if sometimes flawed) female protagonist -- and VIPER delivers. Selena de la Cruz is strong because she's vulnerable, both contemporary and traditional at the same time, which makes for an uneasy road. A former cop now working as an insurance agent, she's brought back into the world of drugs smugglers and homicide when her name turns up in the Book of the Dead. She's still alive, but the people whose names proceed her have all be violently murdered. Suddenly a marked woman, Selena must face an old nemesis -- El Serpiente -- while solving a series of murders that may or may not be part of a plan of divine retribution, and may or may not be a prelude to her own demise.
Exciting stuff, this. The mystery hits several themes -- faith vs belief, insider status vs outsider exclusion (and how those edges cut both ways), justice vs retribution. I especially appreciated Selena's struggle to be an assertive, intelligent female in a culture that has traditionally valued a certain home-and-hearth-based passivity even as it produces strong women who buck that trend. But this book isn't just smart; it's also fast and edgy and laced with murderous tension. Read VIPER, and then do like I'm doing and go get BLEEDER, the first mystery novel by Desjarlais. Or better yet, do it the other way around. But don't miss these books.
Exciting stuff, this. The mystery hits several themes -- faith vs belief, insider status vs outsider exclusion (and how those edges cut both ways), justice vs retribution. I especially appreciated Selena's struggle to be an assertive, intelligent female in a culture that has traditionally valued a certain home-and-hearth-based passivity even as it produces strong women who buck that trend. But this book isn't just smart; it's also fast and edgy and laced with murderous tension. Read VIPER, and then do like I'm doing and go get BLEEDER, the first mystery novel by Desjarlais. Or better yet, do it the other way around. But don't miss these books.
September 22, 2011
This was the first book I read of the series, though I have the debut title in the queue to be read someday. As a mystery it is a fairly enjoyable story and well told. I especially like the Catholic element of the book, which I felt shouldn't take away the enjoyment of the novel from any non-Catholic reading it. Nice to see a modern mystery that throws sex and violence at you as if this is an important element of a book.
October 21, 2013
Viper gives us more of Selena De La Cruz, whom we met for the first time in the previous book in the series. I loved the pacing, I loved how the Catholic faith and the culture of Mexico, both modern and ancient, played an integral role to the unfolding of the mystery. The plot twists were crafted in such a way that they were believable as well as thrilling. Best of all, I love how the author makes these people real because of their multidimensional struggles with faith. I highly recommend!
October 27, 2020
Smart, sassy, and action-packed! John Desjarlais' sequel to "Bleeder" provides plenty of suspense and thrills while also exploring deeper themes with religious undertones. Desjarlais' protagonist, Selena De La Cruz, is tough, witty, and a lot of fun. If you enjoy crime mysteries with heart, you'll love this novel.
June 15, 2013
A rather tepid story considering the potential of its mystery plot and its characters. Perhaps because it is published by a Catholic press, the novel just seems too polite and explanatory rather than tough, exciting, and a page turner.
September 12, 2014
I really enjoyed this book, although, from the beginning, it didn't grab me quite as much as his previous book, BLEEDER did. I totally got caught up in the ending, and the whole "Lady in blue"
thing. Wonderfully creative.
thing. Wonderfully creative.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews