The Search Committee

by José Skinner

Mexico is only eight miles from Bravo University. When Minerva Mondragón, candidate for a tenure-track Border Studies position, suggests Professor Quigley take her across the border for lunch before the interview, he acquiesces uneasily. He can’t afford to scare her off, so doesn’t mention he hasn’t crossed over in more than a year because of the drug cartel-related violence. The first two candidates have turned down the job offer, and the committee can’t lose this applicant.

But lunch in the fictional border town of La Reina leads to shocking consequences for the candidate and her hapless guide. Minerva never returns from the restaurant’s bathroom and Quigley, feeling guilty, convinces himself that she has decided to disappear. He returns to the United States without reporting her missing or mentioning the trip to his colleagues. Meanwhile, the applicant finds herself bound and gagged in the back of a taxi, victim of a kidnapping.

A host of quirky characters populate these pages. There’s the bumbling university professor trying to cover his ass and the kidnapped woman attempting to escape a dire situation alive. The candidate’s dissertation director knows just enough about Bravo University’s government-sponsored spy training program to endanger Minerva’s life. And the new leader of the Gamboa organization is the son who has been educated to take over the financial side of the business but has no idea how to handle the intra-gang war that erupted following his father’s imprisonment in the United States. A long-time professor of literature and creative writing in South Texas, José Skinner writes darkly comedic scenes with an insider’s understanding of university and border life and the narco violence that has disrupted them.

243 pages, Paperback

Published March 31, 2025

Reviews

[Kathleen Abbott]

The Search Committee is refreshingly much more sophisticated than the average books being published currently. The intellectual level of writing in both the storytelling and dialogue, and the development of characters from PHDs to street gamins are authentic and engaging. Suspense, fast paced action, and a heroic female protagonist captivated my attention throughout the book. The plot and writing style effectively give us a feeling of being there on both sides of the border, with insights into the CIA in academia and the dynamics of both powerful and lower level drug cartels.

[Matt Bucher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so funny and well plotted and I simply loved all the characters. Skinner paints an eerily accurate picture of modern academia and the Rio Grande Valley. His knowledge of the border area is evident, but his wisdom and humor are expertly deployed as well. I couldn't put the book down. It's a real page turner!

[Bob Murry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've waited for Skinner’s next book for at least two years. I got this book last week and couldn’t put it down except when I could not avoid it. I’m familiar with the border and South Texas universities, which made it even better for me.

Did I say fun? Well, it is fun. Plenty of intrigue, and amusing and unexpected situations make this especially entertaining. I love books that keep me guessing what will happen next, and this did exactly that. I highly recommend this book! Be prepared to be surprised throughout.

[Dinobrarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really fun premise, and this book is at its best in the beginning. I found my interest wavering a bit towards the middle/end, and I feel like it could’ve been a little shorter and tighter. But overall, a fun read that’s not quite capital “L” Literature, but hardly a pop book either. It’s a pretty good mashup of a novel of academia and the border/frontera, while still having a lightness and comedic elements to balance out the more serious border politics elements that it touches upon throughout.

[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

(4.5 stars rounded to 5)
Wow, what a ride! Just last night I was privileged to meet the author and hear him share about this book, and as it’s based on where I live, I was eager to dive in. I didn’t expect to be so immediately drawn in — and to recognize so much of my home in these pages. Whether you know the border or you’re curious what it’s like, I unreservedly recommend that you pick this up. It’s funny, on the nose, and despite handling heavy subjects manages to not take itself too seriously. Excellent writing!!

[Barondestructo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the dark humor and our hapless/beleagured professor in the early goings, but as the story develops and we are introduced to to characters like Omar the student with the fortuitous family connection, Eduardo the cartel boss with the heart of gold, and elements related to the DEA and Homeland Security, it all become a little too fantastical and hard to swallow.

[Jdchaffe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another piece of fiction focused on the uniqueness of the Texas-Mexico border. The writing is satirical and funny. A contemporary, twisted take on the classic caper.