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Letty Valdez Mysteries #1
Desert Jade
Tucson private investigator and Iraq War vet Letty Valdez joins forces with an unlikely ally, Chinese cop Zhou Liang Wei, to stop triad gangsters and rescue 3 abducted young women. Mystery + suspense = a riveting read set in the Sonoran Desert!
Letty Valdez represents the three cultures of the Borderlands: Mexican American, Native American (Tohono O’odham), and Anglo American. As an Iraq War veteran, Letty struggles every day with the trauma of the war and loss. Yet she persists valiantly in her work both as a private investigator and in her role as the youthful de facto matriarch of her family. Her devotion to her parentless younger siblings cannot be overestimated.
Zhou (his name sounds like “Joe”) has been sent to Arizona on the advice of Interpol to track the activities of Hong Kong triad gangsters. He has an additional task – to find Victoria Wong, the abducted daughter of a Hong Kong official. Zhou knows the lethal character of the gangsters and how they will go to any length to achieve their goals, including chopping off limbs of anyone who gets in their way. Zhou has to find the abducted girl quickly before she is murdered or sold into sex slavery.
What Zhou does not anticipate is the intense attraction he feels for Letty’s friend Jade whom he meets shortly after arriving in Tucson. The attraction is mutual. Unfortunately, Jade is unaccountably in the triad gangsters’ crosshairs, and she finds herself directly threatened by their violence.
Letty has another problem. She’s been hired to clear the name of her new client’s nephew who has been accused of murdering a local woman. Letty quickly learns of a connection between the murder and the Chinese gangsters Zhou is seeking.
We met Eduardo, Letty’s little brother, who rescues a migrant girl named Esperanza whom he finds dying in the desert on the Tohono O’odham reservation. Esperanza, too, is destined to fall into the hands of the Hong Kong gangsters. And Will has a say in this story, too. Will is Letty’s 17-year-old baby brother who is interested in three things: long-distance bicycling, a fellow bicycling enthusiast named Clarice, and his dog Millie –until the night that Will gets in the way of one of the Triad killers.
Then there’s Milagro (aka Millie), the runt-sized female pit bull who was made into bait for a dog-fighting ring, then dumped in the hot desert sand to die when her wounds were too severe to go on. Letty finds and rescues Millie. The cheerful little rescue dog then devotes herself to two goals: to be allowed to sit on the couch with the humans; and to look out for Letty and Will’s safety and well-being – which includes dealing personally with a gangster bent on killing Will. Dog lovers especially will enjoy Millie’s contribution to this story.
An early reviewer said about Desert Jade, “I couldn’t put this book down. I had to know what happens next!”
Mystery + suspense +a touch of romance = a riveting mystery-suspense story set in the Sonoran Desert!
Letty Valdez represents the three cultures of the Borderlands: Mexican American, Native American (Tohono O’odham), and Anglo American. As an Iraq War veteran, Letty struggles every day with the trauma of the war and loss. Yet she persists valiantly in her work both as a private investigator and in her role as the youthful de facto matriarch of her family. Her devotion to her parentless younger siblings cannot be overestimated.
Zhou (his name sounds like “Joe”) has been sent to Arizona on the advice of Interpol to track the activities of Hong Kong triad gangsters. He has an additional task – to find Victoria Wong, the abducted daughter of a Hong Kong official. Zhou knows the lethal character of the gangsters and how they will go to any length to achieve their goals, including chopping off limbs of anyone who gets in their way. Zhou has to find the abducted girl quickly before she is murdered or sold into sex slavery.
What Zhou does not anticipate is the intense attraction he feels for Letty’s friend Jade whom he meets shortly after arriving in Tucson. The attraction is mutual. Unfortunately, Jade is unaccountably in the triad gangsters’ crosshairs, and she finds herself directly threatened by their violence.
Letty has another problem. She’s been hired to clear the name of her new client’s nephew who has been accused of murdering a local woman. Letty quickly learns of a connection between the murder and the Chinese gangsters Zhou is seeking.
We met Eduardo, Letty’s little brother, who rescues a migrant girl named Esperanza whom he finds dying in the desert on the Tohono O’odham reservation. Esperanza, too, is destined to fall into the hands of the Hong Kong gangsters. And Will has a say in this story, too. Will is Letty’s 17-year-old baby brother who is interested in three things: long-distance bicycling, a fellow bicycling enthusiast named Clarice, and his dog Millie –until the night that Will gets in the way of one of the Triad killers.
Then there’s Milagro (aka Millie), the runt-sized female pit bull who was made into bait for a dog-fighting ring, then dumped in the hot desert sand to die when her wounds were too severe to go on. Letty finds and rescues Millie. The cheerful little rescue dog then devotes herself to two goals: to be allowed to sit on the couch with the humans; and to look out for Letty and Will’s safety and well-being – which includes dealing personally with a gangster bent on killing Will. Dog lovers especially will enjoy Millie’s contribution to this story.
An early reviewer said about Desert Jade, “I couldn’t put this book down. I had to know what happens next!”
Mystery + suspense +a touch of romance = a riveting mystery-suspense story set in the Sonoran Desert!
260 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 18, 2017
44 people are currently reading
232 people want to read
About the author
C.J. Shane
23 books64 followersI'm an artist and a writer, and I alternate between writing and painting. My paintings are abstract landscapes in oil, and I also do mixed-media work. I write mystery-suspense: Letty Valdez Mysteries (4 in series), Cat Miranda Mysteries (3 in series), and Iron Horse Mysteries (5 so far).
Learn more and see my art here: http://www.cjshane.com/
I publish a monthly newsletter that covers Art, Books, and the Natural World. Sign up here: https://www.cjshane.com/contactnewsle...
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Learn more and see my art here: http://www.cjshane.com/
I publish a monthly newsletter that covers Art, Books, and the Natural World. Sign up here: https://www.cjshane.com/contactnewsle...
And follow me on Facebook here:
https://www.facebook.com/people/CJSha...
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
August 21, 2019
There’s a lot to like about this book. The setting comes to life—Tucson, the Tohono O’odam reservation, Nogales, and the Sonoran desert. Shane knows the world she writes about, in Arizona, Mexico and also China. The realistic diversity of characters appealed to me, and the complexity of the plot was fascinating, integrating current issues into the story with compassion, not politics. There’s a good balance of romance, action, and detective work. I cared about the characters and the outcome of the story. I’m curious about the future for Letty and for Zhou—and yet I don’t know if I’ll read the rest of the series. If I could be assured that a better editor worked on the subsequent books, I might read them.
I struggle when I write reviews like this, in which I want to give the author a high rating and give the editor a low one. The author has many strengths—research, characters, plot, originality—and deserves a more conscientious editor. Proofreading for typos and grammar was done well, but that’s not editing.
The editor could have served the author better by doing the following:
Asking for revisions on backstory. Shane handles Letty’s backstory well, inserting it naturally with a line or two here and there as the story progresses, giving no more than needed. However, other major characters, even the dog, arrive with large blocks of introductory biographical information told in narration. Most of this could have been cut since they eventually share their stories in dialogue (or people tell the dog’s story). Readers don’t have to know everything about a character up front to empathize with them. In fact, knowing only a little at first makes readers curious.
Giving more attention to dialogue. I’m sure it was challenging for the author, going back and forth between characters who grew up speaking English and those for whom it’s a second language. She does well with the second-language characters, but sometimes the native English speakers fall into a pattern of short, stiff sentences and don’t use contractions. The editor should have made sure those gears shifted more smoothly.
Correcting and cutting repetition. Not only repetition of backstory, but of plot information shared by characters, and of the same distinctive word twice in the same paragraph, and of the same sentence structure used too often back to back. In a fast-paced book, things like this break the story’s stride. And that’s frustrating, because this book tells a great story.
Author: four stars.
Editor: Two stars.
Average: three.
February 11, 2019
Target audience: General audience, except children.
About the author: According to Amazon, C.J. Shane is a writer and visual artist in Arizona. She is the author of eight nonfiction books and numerous magazine and newspaper articles. Her first fiction book, Desert Jade: A Letty Valdez Mystery (2017) is a finalist for Best Suspense-Thriller novel, New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards. Her most recent Letty Valdez Mystery is Dragon's Revenge (2018). Shane's nonfiction book, Voices of New China, was published in 2013.
Structure of the book: The book has 258 pages, which are divided into 20 chapters.
Overview: When it comes to novels, there is a fine line between reviewing it and spoiling it. So, I’ll try to be as impartial as I can be and give details that I consider important without giving too much information about the plot itself. From the start I can say only this: I prefer non-fiction, but this caught me. If you like crime, romance, exoticism and a little mystery, then this is a novel to read.
Although at the end you find out from the author’s voice, it is hard to realize who the main character is. It does not start with her and she comes into scene only later. In any case, the focus is not clearly set upon a single character. It starts with Zhou, a Chinese cop, and Jade, a young widow, and slowly shifts towards Letty Valdez, a private investigator.
The plot is complex and involves Mexican cartels, Chinese mobs, Interpol, local cops, immigrants or human trafficking. I like the fact that the story unfolds similar to a real investigation. It starts slowly, but it accelerates. As more and more clues come together, the reader (through the characters) starts to see the big picture and begins to anticipate things.
I also appreciated the fact that the novel is packed with many historical, geographical and cultural details. You don’t only enjoy a good story; you also learn things about Tucson, Arizona, China, American natives, or the culture of the immigrants. You can clearly see that the author put a lot of effort in her research. In addition, if I had to guess, I think that the author got some help regarding the police/detective procedures of investigation – you can’t write like that unless you have some experience in the field.
Quote: Many Westerners were familiar with this ancient practice although they typically used the Cantonese term, “thai chi,” rather than the Mandarin words used most often in China, “tai ji.”
Strong points: Good pace of how things unfold, good intrigue, complex subject and it treats current and ardent subjects.
Weak points: First, the political tint is not clear from the start, but it becomes obvious somewhere at the middle. It is not hard to guess the author’s political orientations. This can be a little frustrating and personally I did not like it. Second, while the novel is quite realistic, the ending is a little fairy-tale-ish. I would have preferred the same realistic tone and see some real damage done in the good side as well.
About the author: According to Amazon, C.J. Shane is a writer and visual artist in Arizona. She is the author of eight nonfiction books and numerous magazine and newspaper articles. Her first fiction book, Desert Jade: A Letty Valdez Mystery (2017) is a finalist for Best Suspense-Thriller novel, New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards. Her most recent Letty Valdez Mystery is Dragon's Revenge (2018). Shane's nonfiction book, Voices of New China, was published in 2013.
Structure of the book: The book has 258 pages, which are divided into 20 chapters.
Overview: When it comes to novels, there is a fine line between reviewing it and spoiling it. So, I’ll try to be as impartial as I can be and give details that I consider important without giving too much information about the plot itself. From the start I can say only this: I prefer non-fiction, but this caught me. If you like crime, romance, exoticism and a little mystery, then this is a novel to read.
Although at the end you find out from the author’s voice, it is hard to realize who the main character is. It does not start with her and she comes into scene only later. In any case, the focus is not clearly set upon a single character. It starts with Zhou, a Chinese cop, and Jade, a young widow, and slowly shifts towards Letty Valdez, a private investigator.
The plot is complex and involves Mexican cartels, Chinese mobs, Interpol, local cops, immigrants or human trafficking. I like the fact that the story unfolds similar to a real investigation. It starts slowly, but it accelerates. As more and more clues come together, the reader (through the characters) starts to see the big picture and begins to anticipate things.
I also appreciated the fact that the novel is packed with many historical, geographical and cultural details. You don’t only enjoy a good story; you also learn things about Tucson, Arizona, China, American natives, or the culture of the immigrants. You can clearly see that the author put a lot of effort in her research. In addition, if I had to guess, I think that the author got some help regarding the police/detective procedures of investigation – you can’t write like that unless you have some experience in the field.
Quote: Many Westerners were familiar with this ancient practice although they typically used the Cantonese term, “thai chi,” rather than the Mandarin words used most often in China, “tai ji.”
Strong points: Good pace of how things unfold, good intrigue, complex subject and it treats current and ardent subjects.
Weak points: First, the political tint is not clear from the start, but it becomes obvious somewhere at the middle. It is not hard to guess the author’s political orientations. This can be a little frustrating and personally I did not like it. Second, while the novel is quite realistic, the ending is a little fairy-tale-ish. I would have preferred the same realistic tone and see some real damage done in the good side as well.
September 13, 2018
Desert Jade by C. J. Shane takes place in Arizona, mostly in the Tucson area. It begins, however, in the desert, following a woman attempting to find work in America after being led across the border by a coyote. She is dehydrated and lost and in desperate need of saving.
Letty Valdez is a private investigator in Tucson and her one failure was her inability to find her friend’s, Jade’s, husband after he had disappeared. Suddenly, that missing persons case, Jade, her brothers and seemingly every other character possible is thrown together facing Chinese gang members looking for something or someone.
Shane’s work is well-written and shows various sides of American and Mexican and native cultures through the eyes of those included and the eyes of an outsider. The perspective she allows her readers to see and understand is engaging and novel. I did enjoy the book, though I found it hard to continue. Shane’s characterization of her first two characters, Esperanza and Eduardo, was so well-done, that I grew disinterested when their story lines were suddenly whisked away. That being said, I like Letty and Jade and the other characters and was glad to see how things related. However, the frenzied connection of every little piece of plot felt unrealistic and I felt exasperated as more and more parts were revealed to all be related.
I would recommend this book to lovers of mystery and private investigators. It is an interesting take and I would be interested in more of Letty’s story.
Letty Valdez is a private investigator in Tucson and her one failure was her inability to find her friend’s, Jade’s, husband after he had disappeared. Suddenly, that missing persons case, Jade, her brothers and seemingly every other character possible is thrown together facing Chinese gang members looking for something or someone.
Shane’s work is well-written and shows various sides of American and Mexican and native cultures through the eyes of those included and the eyes of an outsider. The perspective she allows her readers to see and understand is engaging and novel. I did enjoy the book, though I found it hard to continue. Shane’s characterization of her first two characters, Esperanza and Eduardo, was so well-done, that I grew disinterested when their story lines were suddenly whisked away. That being said, I like Letty and Jade and the other characters and was glad to see how things related. However, the frenzied connection of every little piece of plot felt unrealistic and I felt exasperated as more and more parts were revealed to all be related.
I would recommend this book to lovers of mystery and private investigators. It is an interesting take and I would be interested in more of Letty’s story.
August 28, 2019
Great mystery read
I live in Tucson, so this book was about my hometown. It is an easy interesting read for a hot humid August afternoon. The book was extremely informative about Southern Arizona and the issues facing this border area.
I live in Tucson, so this book was about my hometown. It is an easy interesting read for a hot humid August afternoon. The book was extremely informative about Southern Arizona and the issues facing this border area.
December 20, 2017
What initially drew my attention to Desert Jade was the setting, Tucson, Arizona, the county seat of Pima County located in southern Arizona. With so many mysteries and thrillers set in the usual places like New York City, Washington, D.C., Boston, and the like, I find it enjoyable to read mysteries set in less common environs. I wasn't disappointed because having lived for a time in Arizona, I'm familiar enough with the Tuscon area to appreciate the accurate geographical details and cultural nuances that the author brought to the novel.
In Chapter 1, the reader is introduced to Eduardo Ramone, a young man riding his horse home across the desert when he comes across an unconscious teenage female Mexican migrant. The girl had become separated from a group of migrants abandoned by the "coyote" they had paid to guide them across the border into Arizona where they planned to find work. The girl, Esperanza Morales was near death due to exposure and heat exhaustion. Eduardo takes her to the home of a relative where she is nursed back to health. Eduardo later takes her to the home of a man who has promised her work, but afterward, Eduardo loses contact with her. When he returns to the man's house searching for the girl, the man claims he knows no such person and orders Eduardo off the property at gunpoint.
It's an exciting start to the novel that immediately hooks the reader, leaving you eager to find out what happened to the young girl. However, there is a bit of surprise when beginning with Chapter 2, the reader is introduced to a whole new set of circumstances and cast of characters. There is the ominous presence of a Chinese criminal gang plying their trade along the U.S. and Mexican border, and a woman named Jade Lopez whose husband had mysteriously disappeared a year earlier and never found. It isn't until Chapter 3 that readers finally meet the leading character, Letty Valdez, a private investigator and the namesake of the series.
By Chapter 5, with no further mention of Eduardo and Esperanza, it seemed the opening part of the story had been forgotten as the book focused on Jade Lopez, a police detective from the People's Republic of China named Zhou, and Letty Valdez. That had me feeling a bit annoyed. It isn't until about midway through the novel that it begins to dawn on the reader that several seemingly disparate cases are to somehow merge into one. Usually, I find it more than a little frustrating when a book features two seemingly disparate cases let alone several merging into one, but I actually didn’t mind in this case since the author manages to tie the cases together rather seamlessly and the story makes sense.
Beyond the setting, another thing I really liked about this book was that many of the current issues that we routinely see in news headlines today—drug smuggling across the border with Mexico, Mexican immigration issues, PTSD symptoms suffered by American soldiers returning from the war zones of Afghanistan and Iraq, and human trafficking. All are worked into this well-crafted story to good effect. These bits of added realism help to effectively define the characters and produce a credible story that you can easily imagine happening in real life.
Since it is made apparent early in the novel that the members of the Chinese criminal gang are the principal antagonists, Desert Jade is more of a "howcatchem" than a "whodunnit" type mystery. That wasn't a problem for me since I'm a fan of both tropes, but it might be a disadvantage as far as readers are concerned who prefer solving the mystery along with the detective or in this case, detectives. In this one, detectives Zhou and Letty Valdez team up to get the goods on the Triads, the Chinese criminal gang.
The book offers some unexpected twists and intriguing side-plots along the way which I found strengthened the overall story and made for an interesting read. I enjoyed reading the book and think most mystery fans would find it a good read. That being said, the book is a bit of a departure from what you might expect from the more commonly rigidly written formula-type mysteries. But I think that was part of the fun with this book, thinking the story was going one way and then getting taken completely by surprise when it didn't.
Finally, I found this to be one of those peaks and valleys kind of novels where one minute you just can't put it down because you're so keen to find out what happens next. At other times when the story gets a bit slow, the only that keeps you going is the writing. There are definitely more peaks than valleys here though, just don't give up on the book when you hit a slow patch that doesn't feel particularly gripping because it's definitely worth it to hang on until the end.
My rating is primarily based on the fact that I loved the details concerning the setting, the current issues woven into the story, and the realism. The characters are well defined, and the story well crafted, albeit not rigidly traditional.
In Chapter 1, the reader is introduced to Eduardo Ramone, a young man riding his horse home across the desert when he comes across an unconscious teenage female Mexican migrant. The girl had become separated from a group of migrants abandoned by the "coyote" they had paid to guide them across the border into Arizona where they planned to find work. The girl, Esperanza Morales was near death due to exposure and heat exhaustion. Eduardo takes her to the home of a relative where she is nursed back to health. Eduardo later takes her to the home of a man who has promised her work, but afterward, Eduardo loses contact with her. When he returns to the man's house searching for the girl, the man claims he knows no such person and orders Eduardo off the property at gunpoint.
It's an exciting start to the novel that immediately hooks the reader, leaving you eager to find out what happened to the young girl. However, there is a bit of surprise when beginning with Chapter 2, the reader is introduced to a whole new set of circumstances and cast of characters. There is the ominous presence of a Chinese criminal gang plying their trade along the U.S. and Mexican border, and a woman named Jade Lopez whose husband had mysteriously disappeared a year earlier and never found. It isn't until Chapter 3 that readers finally meet the leading character, Letty Valdez, a private investigator and the namesake of the series.
By Chapter 5, with no further mention of Eduardo and Esperanza, it seemed the opening part of the story had been forgotten as the book focused on Jade Lopez, a police detective from the People's Republic of China named Zhou, and Letty Valdez. That had me feeling a bit annoyed. It isn't until about midway through the novel that it begins to dawn on the reader that several seemingly disparate cases are to somehow merge into one. Usually, I find it more than a little frustrating when a book features two seemingly disparate cases let alone several merging into one, but I actually didn’t mind in this case since the author manages to tie the cases together rather seamlessly and the story makes sense.
Beyond the setting, another thing I really liked about this book was that many of the current issues that we routinely see in news headlines today—drug smuggling across the border with Mexico, Mexican immigration issues, PTSD symptoms suffered by American soldiers returning from the war zones of Afghanistan and Iraq, and human trafficking. All are worked into this well-crafted story to good effect. These bits of added realism help to effectively define the characters and produce a credible story that you can easily imagine happening in real life.
Since it is made apparent early in the novel that the members of the Chinese criminal gang are the principal antagonists, Desert Jade is more of a "howcatchem" than a "whodunnit" type mystery. That wasn't a problem for me since I'm a fan of both tropes, but it might be a disadvantage as far as readers are concerned who prefer solving the mystery along with the detective or in this case, detectives. In this one, detectives Zhou and Letty Valdez team up to get the goods on the Triads, the Chinese criminal gang.
The book offers some unexpected twists and intriguing side-plots along the way which I found strengthened the overall story and made for an interesting read. I enjoyed reading the book and think most mystery fans would find it a good read. That being said, the book is a bit of a departure from what you might expect from the more commonly rigidly written formula-type mysteries. But I think that was part of the fun with this book, thinking the story was going one way and then getting taken completely by surprise when it didn't.
Finally, I found this to be one of those peaks and valleys kind of novels where one minute you just can't put it down because you're so keen to find out what happens next. At other times when the story gets a bit slow, the only that keeps you going is the writing. There are definitely more peaks than valleys here though, just don't give up on the book when you hit a slow patch that doesn't feel particularly gripping because it's definitely worth it to hang on until the end.
My rating is primarily based on the fact that I loved the details concerning the setting, the current issues woven into the story, and the realism. The characters are well defined, and the story well crafted, albeit not rigidly traditional.
August 14, 2018
When I read, I’m looking for intriguing characters and a well-paced plot. It’s a bonus to learn more about regions and current topics. DESERT JADE delivers on all three fronts. It’s a complex suspense novel with intertwining subplots that author Shane ties together with skill, especially promising for a debut novel. It is also well-written.
The book opens with a gripping scene about an illegal female immigrant lost in the Sonoran desert. The scene shifts to a Tucson neighborhood and a break-in to the home of a woman whose husband is missing. We learn about the involvement of Chinese triads and meet a Chinese police officer named Zhou.
Private Investigator Letty Valdez is compelled to help her friend, and thus must learn to trust and work with Zhou to figure out the links between human and drug trafficking by Chinese triads, her friend’s missing husband, murder and more. I was fascinated to learn about Chinese history in Tucson, about the Tohono O’odham tribe, and about important border issues. I was especially intrigued to learn about the Shadow Wolves. This is a well-researched novel. Some of this information occasionally impedes the flow of the story, but it wasn’t an issue to this reader.
Letty Valdez is a strong and well-drawn protagonist, an Iraq war veteran, dedicated to her family and friends. I hope we see more of Letty’s connections in subsequent books. Her brothers and her friend Jade are well worth revisiting. As is her dog Milagro!
I’m looking forward to the next Letty Valdez mystery.
The book opens with a gripping scene about an illegal female immigrant lost in the Sonoran desert. The scene shifts to a Tucson neighborhood and a break-in to the home of a woman whose husband is missing. We learn about the involvement of Chinese triads and meet a Chinese police officer named Zhou.
Private Investigator Letty Valdez is compelled to help her friend, and thus must learn to trust and work with Zhou to figure out the links between human and drug trafficking by Chinese triads, her friend’s missing husband, murder and more. I was fascinated to learn about Chinese history in Tucson, about the Tohono O’odham tribe, and about important border issues. I was especially intrigued to learn about the Shadow Wolves. This is a well-researched novel. Some of this information occasionally impedes the flow of the story, but it wasn’t an issue to this reader.
Letty Valdez is a strong and well-drawn protagonist, an Iraq war veteran, dedicated to her family and friends. I hope we see more of Letty’s connections in subsequent books. Her brothers and her friend Jade are well worth revisiting. As is her dog Milagro!
I’m looking forward to the next Letty Valdez mystery.
November 13, 2017
Thanks to author C.J. Shane, I got to read (and proofread) "Desert Jade" before its actual publication. I enjoyed it a lot -- suspenseful but also informative, about illegal immigration, human trafficking and native American and Chinese culture. That may sound like a strange combination, but Shane mixes them together, adds some local (Tucson, Arizona) color, and comes up with an "I have to keep reading to see what's going to happen next" mystery.
We meet Letty Valdez, a half Tohono O'odham / half Mexican private investigator, when her friend Jade, an elementary school teacher whose husband disappeared a year earlier, calls her in a panic. An Asian man was searching Jade's house and, as he was leaving, he got into a terrific martial arts battle with another Asian. Jade has no inkling why. Before Letty's finished, the Chinese connection is found and she’s helped her two brothers (who unknowingly managed to get involved in the case), solved a murder resulting from illegal arms and human smuggling, and uncovered what happened to Jade's husband.
I enjoyed meeting Letty Valdez, her family and her friends. I look forward to getting to know her better and seeing where her next cases lead.
We meet Letty Valdez, a half Tohono O'odham / half Mexican private investigator, when her friend Jade, an elementary school teacher whose husband disappeared a year earlier, calls her in a panic. An Asian man was searching Jade's house and, as he was leaving, he got into a terrific martial arts battle with another Asian. Jade has no inkling why. Before Letty's finished, the Chinese connection is found and she’s helped her two brothers (who unknowingly managed to get involved in the case), solved a murder resulting from illegal arms and human smuggling, and uncovered what happened to Jade's husband.
I enjoyed meeting Letty Valdez, her family and her friends. I look forward to getting to know her better and seeing where her next cases lead.
June 30, 2018
This was just my kind of mystery. It was smartly-written, fast-paced and too addicting to put down! And, it was made even better by the addition of Millie, who simply stole my heart!
April 26, 2020
Loved this book! Since it’s set in Tucson and I live here, fun to read all the local landmarks and desert climate. She weaves a complicated story with unlikely twists! This is the first in a series of Lettie books I am looking forward to reading the next two
September 2, 2019
I seldom feel that a novel deserves 5 stars. We need to have something special to rate a book you really enjoy. All of it from start to finish. Was hospitalized before I finished it. So it took a little longer. This book was very well written and a cast of characters that are believable and you remember them long after you close the book. The story has enough suspense to keep you turning pages as fast as you can. Highly recommend this book for a great reading experience.
August 30, 2022
There’s a lot to like about this mystery. The location, plot, and characters are all interesting and bring to life a new PI and compatriots. I look forward to reading more of the series. I had to stick with 3 stars because the writing needed a lot more editing. The dialogue was often stilted or used phrases and words out of sync with the character. It wasn't enough to put me off reading more though, but I will look for improvements in the next book.
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December 15, 2023TheFussyLibrarian
December 26, 2025
Although Desert Jade was published in 2017, it feels ever more relevant now at the end of 2025. If I can paraphrase (very loosely) one of the characters—people in non-border states know little about the migrant situation. I think this is very true and C.J. Shane has addressed this well in this first book of the Letty Valdez series.
The opening chapter builds a sense of place with lyrical and evocative descriptions of the desert and the dangers that people and animals face as they traverse the expanse. We meet two young people, strangers to each other, as they try to navigate their way to safety. We, as human beings, are automatically invested in their safe passage, it is in our nature.
As the mystery unfolds, Shane continues to build on this sense of place for Tucson and surrounding areas but the writing is more factual. The mystery unfolds linearly and, except for Letty, we don’t get to know the other characters very well. Letty’s remembrances of her past and her current worries are nicely woven throughout, but that’s not true for the other characters, so some of their actions seem out of the blue.
The mystery/crime is well constructed, although the solution does depend on a couple of coincidences. I noticed 1 timeline inconsistency and that was a little jarring. The youthful romances are, well, youthful, and of course we want to root for young love. The adult romance was less believable and their interactions/dialogues more stilted; I would’ve liked to see the adult romance build over the subsequent books in the series. Some of the difficulty here is that one speaks English as a second language, but this person is also supposed to be educated in a couple of English speaking countries. So I think it would be believable if they conversed much more fluently.
The story weaves together many cultures of the Southwest: Anglo, Native, Mexican, and Chinese (and canine!) with historical and contemporary references. You gain a bit of knowledge about our border issues while enjoying fiction, always a good way to learn.
The opening chapter builds a sense of place with lyrical and evocative descriptions of the desert and the dangers that people and animals face as they traverse the expanse. We meet two young people, strangers to each other, as they try to navigate their way to safety. We, as human beings, are automatically invested in their safe passage, it is in our nature.
As the mystery unfolds, Shane continues to build on this sense of place for Tucson and surrounding areas but the writing is more factual. The mystery unfolds linearly and, except for Letty, we don’t get to know the other characters very well. Letty’s remembrances of her past and her current worries are nicely woven throughout, but that’s not true for the other characters, so some of their actions seem out of the blue.
The mystery/crime is well constructed, although the solution does depend on a couple of coincidences. I noticed 1 timeline inconsistency and that was a little jarring. The youthful romances are, well, youthful, and of course we want to root for young love. The adult romance was less believable and their interactions/dialogues more stilted; I would’ve liked to see the adult romance build over the subsequent books in the series. Some of the difficulty here is that one speaks English as a second language, but this person is also supposed to be educated in a couple of English speaking countries. So I think it would be believable if they conversed much more fluently.
The story weaves together many cultures of the Southwest: Anglo, Native, Mexican, and Chinese (and canine!) with historical and contemporary references. You gain a bit of knowledge about our border issues while enjoying fiction, always a good way to learn.
November 27, 2017
I was feeling sad because I'd read all the Sara Paretsky and Tony Hillerman books I could find, and I needed my fix of a good, thoughtful, mystery novel - and then along came Desert Jade and it ticked all the boxes. It has such a strong sense of place. The Arizona landscape plays a big role in the story, both the natural landscape of the beautiful and relentless desert, and the social and political reality of living near the Mexican border.
But really it's the characters I enjoyed most. CJ Shane writes a really diverse set of people from very different backgrounds, and each one rings true. Zhou the Chinese cop, a deadly fighter, but also polite, curious, and gentle. Esperanza, the young Mexican girl, innocent in her knowledge of the world, but brave and determined to help her family. Will, the Native American teenage boy, obsessed with bikes and girls. Then there's Letty Valdez, the main investigator in this mystery. She's capable, caring, and loyal, but also deeply scarred by her past in the Iraq war. The kind of person you'd want in your corner, when things go wrong. And of course, Milly the pit bull. A minor character, but with an important role to play, and like the human characters, utterly believable and vivid.
And there are a whole lot of other people, all brought together by what happens when a group of Chinese gangsters start moving into their world.
I appreciated that the story, while not shrinking at all from the reality of its subject matter, which includes Chinese Triad gangs, human trafficking and prostitution, also does not glorify this violence. The danger is real, but the book doesn't dwell on the grim aspects for their own sake, so the story stays human and hopeful.
I'm looking forward to reading more about Letty Valdez. I hope that there's another book soon!
But really it's the characters I enjoyed most. CJ Shane writes a really diverse set of people from very different backgrounds, and each one rings true. Zhou the Chinese cop, a deadly fighter, but also polite, curious, and gentle. Esperanza, the young Mexican girl, innocent in her knowledge of the world, but brave and determined to help her family. Will, the Native American teenage boy, obsessed with bikes and girls. Then there's Letty Valdez, the main investigator in this mystery. She's capable, caring, and loyal, but also deeply scarred by her past in the Iraq war. The kind of person you'd want in your corner, when things go wrong. And of course, Milly the pit bull. A minor character, but with an important role to play, and like the human characters, utterly believable and vivid.
And there are a whole lot of other people, all brought together by what happens when a group of Chinese gangsters start moving into their world.
I appreciated that the story, while not shrinking at all from the reality of its subject matter, which includes Chinese Triad gangs, human trafficking and prostitution, also does not glorify this violence. The danger is real, but the book doesn't dwell on the grim aspects for their own sake, so the story stays human and hopeful.
I'm looking forward to reading more about Letty Valdez. I hope that there's another book soon!
January 12, 2023
This book was my Arizona book for my travel through books project where I am starting off reading one book for every US state. For the purposes of my project, this book was an awesome read because I learned a LOT about the influence of Mexican, indigenous, and even Chinese cultures to the area. There were facts about the landscape, the wildlife, the plant life, the neighborhoods of Tucson and the reservation, some of the landmarks and special buildings, and the popular foods in the area.
The plot itself was a bit too much with a ton of characters (some I felt were unnecessary to the story, such as Elena the twin sister of Eduardo). There were a total of FOUR missing persons in the book, THREE budding romances introduced in the book, at least one murder mystery (but actually more like 2 or 3), there was Hong Kong triad gang members, the Sinoloa cartel, a Chinese interpol detective looking for a missing daughter of a Hong Kong official... and more! There were even a few kung fu fights as part of the story.
The big surprise of the book for me was the history of the Chinese who settled in Tucson after they built the railroads and worked in the mines. They were farmers that raised a lot of produce for Tucson.
Lastly, the dog Millie (short for Milagro, which means Miracle) was one of my favorite characters as well. I was happy the author included a pit bull in the book as a loving, protective dog because they get such a bad rap.
The plot itself was a bit too much with a ton of characters (some I felt were unnecessary to the story, such as Elena the twin sister of Eduardo). There were a total of FOUR missing persons in the book, THREE budding romances introduced in the book, at least one murder mystery (but actually more like 2 or 3), there was Hong Kong triad gang members, the Sinoloa cartel, a Chinese interpol detective looking for a missing daughter of a Hong Kong official... and more! There were even a few kung fu fights as part of the story.
The big surprise of the book for me was the history of the Chinese who settled in Tucson after they built the railroads and worked in the mines. They were farmers that raised a lot of produce for Tucson.
Lastly, the dog Millie (short for Milagro, which means Miracle) was one of my favorite characters as well. I was happy the author included a pit bull in the book as a loving, protective dog because they get such a bad rap.
January 8, 2018
Desert Jade starts in the desert with the desperate struggle of an illegal immigrant, and over the course of the book takes in murders, Chinese triads, and rather surprisingly, love.
C.J Shane has written a solid thriller, with some particularly descriptive passages of the desert, and of Tucson. The characters are well drawn, and although there are a lot of them, the author mostly manages to juggle them successfully. A minor quibble here is that Shane spends quite a bit of time on characters that aren't seen for most of the book, which distracts from the main story. For example the entire first section is about a Mexican woman being rescued from the desert, and then we don't see her again until the very end of the book.
Letty is a likeable character, and it was nice to have a private investigator that wasn't hard-boiled, or burnt out. She has her demons, like everyone, but they help round out her character rather than dominating her actions.
There is a little too much exposition in places, which slows the action down. In several spots the characters relate story aspects to other characters, that the reader already knows, so there's a sense of repetition. Also some of the dialogue is a bit stilted.
Tightening up these areas could have turned a good book into a great book. Having said that I'd be happy to read anything from the author in future.
C.J Shane has written a solid thriller, with some particularly descriptive passages of the desert, and of Tucson. The characters are well drawn, and although there are a lot of them, the author mostly manages to juggle them successfully. A minor quibble here is that Shane spends quite a bit of time on characters that aren't seen for most of the book, which distracts from the main story. For example the entire first section is about a Mexican woman being rescued from the desert, and then we don't see her again until the very end of the book.
Letty is a likeable character, and it was nice to have a private investigator that wasn't hard-boiled, or burnt out. She has her demons, like everyone, but they help round out her character rather than dominating her actions.
There is a little too much exposition in places, which slows the action down. In several spots the characters relate story aspects to other characters, that the reader already knows, so there's a sense of repetition. Also some of the dialogue is a bit stilted.
Tightening up these areas could have turned a good book into a great book. Having said that I'd be happy to read anything from the author in future.
February 9, 2018
I struggled with this book. There were a lot of characters and I didn't feel they had much depth so I didn't really form any relationship with them. The various storylines too, were light on and just didn't engage me.
When I started reading this, I was quite happy. The opening chapter is about a young Mexican girl lost in the Arizona desert after crossing the border illegally, but then she doesn't appear in the book again till almost the end.
It wasn't long till my attention wavered.
The story got a bit more exciting at about the 65% mark, but again, it was not lasting. The ending seriously annoyed me with a brief wrap up of each character's story - kind of like their own 'ride off into the sunset' moment.
On the positive side, the setting was nicely done and the main character, Letty, had a little more depth and was quite likeable, but there were still questions about her at the end.
All in all, this was disappointing and didn't live up to the expectations I had after reading the blurb.
When I started reading this, I was quite happy. The opening chapter is about a young Mexican girl lost in the Arizona desert after crossing the border illegally, but then she doesn't appear in the book again till almost the end.
It wasn't long till my attention wavered.
The story got a bit more exciting at about the 65% mark, but again, it was not lasting. The ending seriously annoyed me with a brief wrap up of each character's story - kind of like their own 'ride off into the sunset' moment.
On the positive side, the setting was nicely done and the main character, Letty, had a little more depth and was quite likeable, but there were still questions about her at the end.
All in all, this was disappointing and didn't live up to the expectations I had after reading the blurb.
December 7, 2018
"Desert Jade" is a mystery novel, but it's not so much a "who-dunnit" as a "why-they-dunnit-and-how". The story concept is refreshing with some interesting topics covered (migrants, smuggling, etc.), and the main character (Letty Valdez) is very well constructed. For me, the rest of the characters weren't so well-crafted. Jade and Zhou had me slapping my forehead more times than I care to tell... but that may have been a clash of personalities between me and them.
All-in-all, this was a satisfying read.
I voluntarily reviewed this book after receiving a free copy.
All-in-all, this was a satisfying read.
I voluntarily reviewed this book after receiving a free copy.
December 8, 2018
Letty Valdez Mystery. Very good story. A few mysteries to solve some connected. I like the way the author uses things in the paper or on the news at night. You know up to date things to make the story more interesting. An excellent plot, the flow of information is believable and it is so scary. Triad and the Cartel trafficking in women, drugs and guns. Wow!! I do believe I have found another series I like very much. I received a complimentary review copy of the book and I am voluntarily leaving a honest review.
November 11, 2019
Arizona mystery
The book is set in Southern Az, essentially in Tuscon, Nogales and the border on the Reservation. I know the area well. Desert Jade is a story of the people who live in this area and the trials of living on the border. Kerry is a character you immediately care about and her story keeps you immersed in the book. The story of smuggling, trafficking of drugs and people and the sometimes insanity of the desert is written in a true and believable voice. Try this first book, I think you will become a fan.
The book is set in Southern Az, essentially in Tuscon, Nogales and the border on the Reservation. I know the area well. Desert Jade is a story of the people who live in this area and the trials of living on the border. Kerry is a character you immediately care about and her story keeps you immersed in the book. The story of smuggling, trafficking of drugs and people and the sometimes insanity of the desert is written in a true and believable voice. Try this first book, I think you will become a fan.
January 11, 2019
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway. This is a book with good bones but definitely needs some development on the characters. I felt that everyone was kind of glanced over and not really delved into also there were so many supporting characters that it was hard to keep up with at first. The story was a good mystery and I loved Millie the pit bull the most.
May 1, 2021
It flowed nicely but had too many coincidences.
It flowed nicely and had likeable characters. It also did a good job of giving a feeling of place. The sheer number if interlocking coincidences were hard to handle and too much time was spent on romance for my liking.
It flowed nicely and had likeable characters. It also did a good job of giving a feeling of place. The sheer number if interlocking coincidences were hard to handle and too much time was spent on romance for my liking.
June 9, 2019
Slow going at first, but keep reading. The story gets better and better. Just bought Dragon's Revenge.
July 9, 2020
Relevant & inspired
This is a satisfying book for people searching out stories featuring characters of minority races. The author manages to create believable situations involving conflicts of global, national, and local scale without being preachy or political - but still Human. There’s a lot to enjoy in this book - likable characters, interesting settings, suspense. First and foremost, it’s a great story! I look forward to reading more Letty Valdez books.
This is a satisfying book for people searching out stories featuring characters of minority races. The author manages to create believable situations involving conflicts of global, national, and local scale without being preachy or political - but still Human. There’s a lot to enjoy in this book - likable characters, interesting settings, suspense. First and foremost, it’s a great story! I look forward to reading more Letty Valdez books.
December 7, 2018
The blurb pretty much covers this book but it doesn’t tell you how much fun it is read ! An international action story in Tucson has a great cast of characters and a very good story line. This was a lot of fun to read.
October 10, 2018
I could quote many excerpts and make many comparisons. I could even tell what three different AI Bots said about Desert Jade’s writing style, and about its many passive verbal voices, and sticky (sic!) sentences.
My same shortcomings, believe it or not!
Well, forget the Bots.
If you don’t obey their unrelenting directions, their different fixations, you never get a rating above 70% on 100% with your natural skills, and this should appear merely normal in my case.
The point is that Desert Jade got even less, and that the same thing happens if you feed them with Hemingway’s excerpts, or worse of all, with a good translation of Musil or Kafka, which, despite Bots, remain fascinating reads, with all their stickiness and passivity!
Hence, I will only rely on my opinion, and I will leave apart the style, which I will avoid to judge from my exotic point of view.
I will only keep to the story content and plot.
It may be a somehow comforting surprise when you expect to read a frightening mystery, and it turns out a kind of poetic narration of good feelings. Hoping not to spoil anything, only the unbreakable rule of detective’s incurable loneliness and personal grief stands here, while for the rest, as a Mediterranean saying goes, tentatively: “Those who die, they lie. Those who live, give themselves rest of mind.” Even more than that: almost everybody falls in love.
I’m a demanding reader when it is about Mystery and Crime Stories.
I am addicted to the sour, decaying taste of Marlowe, and also, made the necessary scaling, with that of Connelly’s Bosch, or back to Italy, of Montalbano by Camilleri, or the cursed and cursing Schiavone by Manzini, with his forever lost dreams.
If I consider Desert Jade only from the perspective of a Crime Story, it is very unconventional. It lacks thrill, action and fast pace, which, partly, takes place just after Chapter sixteen, at 84% of the book. Moreover, reading it, I never felt thrilled or scared, while I can't deny I felt often moved and sweetened. Hell! Sometimes it made me also curious about different cultures!
The investigation evolves from the beginning in the same straightforward direction that I won’t say, and clues and proofs pile up orderly, without the doubts, the twists or the unexpected deceptions that are the best salt for this type of stories.
It is also, for my tastes, too rich of back storytelling and of many details, which slow down the narration.
Under this respect, there’s a dangerous part where the narration incurs in a pond of stillness, between Chapter two and five.
However, if I consider the book as an original attempt to mix Mystery with the knowledge and the heartfelt love for Southern Arizona and for its heritage of different ethnicities, an invaluable human treasure still surviving over there, I feel I must change my mind. The experiment didn’t fail.
Also, if I only consider the touching, poetic story of Eduardo and Esperanza, my rating for this alone would be five.
Finally, the character of Letty Valdez has original qualities. A native American of the O'odham tribe, she made herself from nothing and had to pay a high price for gaining access to the upper floors of the social building. Summing up the facts: she is a vet from Iraq war retired with PTSD, she used the Government grant to study and get a private investigator license, ended owing her investigation agency, became a well-off worker, and is finally capable of helping her troubled family. Result: she is a patent case of an iron woman. Well, iron women might not be the best start for a captivating character.
But she isn’t the case, because Letty is also capable of surprising soul tricks, like choosing the house to buy pondering on a series of rational, common sense reasons, while hiding herself that the real reasons are the mesquite and palo verde trees blossoming in the backyard. So, how can you avoid loving such a character?
That said, averaging the three stars that I would give to Desert Jade as a mere Mystery and Crime story with the five stars for the rest of it, I feel I must end up with a four.
And that is it.
Provided that, with the next Mystery Crime story, my judgment will be less holistic.
My same shortcomings, believe it or not!
Well, forget the Bots.
If you don’t obey their unrelenting directions, their different fixations, you never get a rating above 70% on 100% with your natural skills, and this should appear merely normal in my case.
The point is that Desert Jade got even less, and that the same thing happens if you feed them with Hemingway’s excerpts, or worse of all, with a good translation of Musil or Kafka, which, despite Bots, remain fascinating reads, with all their stickiness and passivity!
Hence, I will only rely on my opinion, and I will leave apart the style, which I will avoid to judge from my exotic point of view.
I will only keep to the story content and plot.
It may be a somehow comforting surprise when you expect to read a frightening mystery, and it turns out a kind of poetic narration of good feelings. Hoping not to spoil anything, only the unbreakable rule of detective’s incurable loneliness and personal grief stands here, while for the rest, as a Mediterranean saying goes, tentatively: “Those who die, they lie. Those who live, give themselves rest of mind.” Even more than that: almost everybody falls in love.
I’m a demanding reader when it is about Mystery and Crime Stories.
I am addicted to the sour, decaying taste of Marlowe, and also, made the necessary scaling, with that of Connelly’s Bosch, or back to Italy, of Montalbano by Camilleri, or the cursed and cursing Schiavone by Manzini, with his forever lost dreams.
If I consider Desert Jade only from the perspective of a Crime Story, it is very unconventional. It lacks thrill, action and fast pace, which, partly, takes place just after Chapter sixteen, at 84% of the book. Moreover, reading it, I never felt thrilled or scared, while I can't deny I felt often moved and sweetened. Hell! Sometimes it made me also curious about different cultures!
The investigation evolves from the beginning in the same straightforward direction that I won’t say, and clues and proofs pile up orderly, without the doubts, the twists or the unexpected deceptions that are the best salt for this type of stories.
It is also, for my tastes, too rich of back storytelling and of many details, which slow down the narration.
Under this respect, there’s a dangerous part where the narration incurs in a pond of stillness, between Chapter two and five.
However, if I consider the book as an original attempt to mix Mystery with the knowledge and the heartfelt love for Southern Arizona and for its heritage of different ethnicities, an invaluable human treasure still surviving over there, I feel I must change my mind. The experiment didn’t fail.
Also, if I only consider the touching, poetic story of Eduardo and Esperanza, my rating for this alone would be five.
Finally, the character of Letty Valdez has original qualities. A native American of the O'odham tribe, she made herself from nothing and had to pay a high price for gaining access to the upper floors of the social building. Summing up the facts: she is a vet from Iraq war retired with PTSD, she used the Government grant to study and get a private investigator license, ended owing her investigation agency, became a well-off worker, and is finally capable of helping her troubled family. Result: she is a patent case of an iron woman. Well, iron women might not be the best start for a captivating character.
But she isn’t the case, because Letty is also capable of surprising soul tricks, like choosing the house to buy pondering on a series of rational, common sense reasons, while hiding herself that the real reasons are the mesquite and palo verde trees blossoming in the backyard. So, how can you avoid loving such a character?
That said, averaging the three stars that I would give to Desert Jade as a mere Mystery and Crime story with the five stars for the rest of it, I feel I must end up with a four.
And that is it.
Provided that, with the next Mystery Crime story, my judgment will be less holistic.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews