Direct Evidence

Letty Valdez Mysteries #4

by C.J. Shane

Private investigator Letty Valdez takes on a new case, but within minutes, the new client is shot and killed outside Letty’s office. Letty sets off on a search to find the murdered client’s teenage son. She becomes a target as she recovers a kidnapped infant, stops a serial rapist, uncovers a cybercrime, and deals with a vengeful criminal who wants to do her harm. Letty is backed up by her investigator trainee, Frankie Miranda, and her favorite man, Dr. Dan Ennis, who more than anything wants to keep Letty safe. Direct Evidence is a stand-alone novel and fourth in the Letty Valdez Mystery series.

222 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 13, 2022

About the author

I'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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Reviews

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Direct Evidence by C.J. Shane once again features Private Detective Letty Valdez, the owner of Valdez Investigations. Frankie Miranda, Letty’s employee, is in the beginning stages of obtaining his private investigator license. Letty and Frankie get pulled in more than one direction as they are working on multiple cases. However, the main focus is hunting down Jase, a missing teenager whose mother was shot and killed in front of Letty’s office. The chief homicide detective in the Tucson, Arizona, police department leads an investigation into the murder while Letty and Frankie work on finding Jase. Is there a connection between the teen’s disappearance and his mother’s murder? Did Jase disappear of his own free will, or was he abducted?

Shane has written a mystery with twists and turns that keep readers turning the pages. The story includes embezzlement, murder, kidnapping, and stakeouts, as well as real-life sets of circumstances. Exciting scenes add to the overall tension as the suspense builds toward a nail-biting climax. Readers get an inside view of the workings of a private detective agency as they follow Letty and Frankie on cases that require research, footwork, and surveillance.

Direct Evidence is the fourth book in A Letty Valdez Mystery series. Letty is a well-rounded character with realistic motivations and traits who faces professional and personal challenges. The supporting characters are well-written, with distinct personality traits. They play important roles in Letty’s life as she pursues criminals and works on developing a deeper bond in a romantic relationship. Will Letty’s line of work that can put her life in danger have any repercussions in her personal or professional life?

Direct Evidence can be read as a stand-alone. The references to past adventures experienced by Letty add to the overall picture of the danger she has faced. Anyone curious to find out more about past cases that Letty was involved in and how she has evolved as a character throughout this gripping series will enjoy reading the first three books.

[Pamela Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love CJ Shane's writing style and her fourth book in the Letty Valdez Mysteries is her best yet with a great southwest setting, unforgettable characters, and a gripping mystery with lots of twists that kept me turning the pages and glued to the book until I read the last word. I felt like I was investigating right along with Letty and loved her dynamic with the other characters especially Frankie her investigator trainee and her main man Dr. Dan Ennis. If you enjoy smartly written mysteries, don't miss Direct Evidence. I received an advance reader copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving my review.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I have a hard time reviewing a book, I divide it into pros and cons so here goes.
Pros: Interesting setting, showing author's knowledge of the area.
Both the good guys and the bad guys are different from the usual stereo types which make visualizing them easier.
And though this is book #4 in the series I didn't realize it until I sat down to write this review .

Cons: While I was reading the book, I had a lot of instances where I would wonder why, why did she do that, why did he say that etc. unfortunately most of my whys went un-answered. Fortunately, most of those whys were about small bits and parts of the story.

All in all this book, while not my favorite of the authors work, was a good story.

[Diane Cowell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of Direct Evidence: A Letty Valdez Mystery (Letty Valdez Mysteries Book 4) by C.J. Shane (Author), the following is my honest opinion.
Protagonist P.I. Letty Valdez along with trainee Frankie Miranda tackle a case of a missing teenager. The story is wrapped around a well off blended family where the mother, Letty's client, is shot and killed shortly after hiring Letty to find her son.
Twists and turns abound as Letty works to find the teenager as well as solve his mother's murder. Add sub plots of an infant kidnapping, capturing a serial rapist along the Rillito River, and utilizing Frankie's skills in uncovering a cybercrime, makes this book a page turner.
It's obvious the author, CJ Shane has an intimate knowledge of Tucson and Pima County by incorporating streets and landmarks. The reader is riding along with Letty and Frankie and know exactly where they are and what they are seeing. Letty's friends and family are also representative of the southwest and add to the interest and depth of this story. As always, I'm looking forward to the next book in this series.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Direct Evidence" is the 4th book in the "Letty Valdez Mysteries" series, and is easily the best one yet. There's a rock-solid main story, with some pretty diverting and gripping sub-threads that made this a speedy (and very enjoyable) read. I appreciate C.J. Shane's writing style more with every book, and I miss the characters when I reach the end. Watch out for "Dante"... I think I'm in love!!

My thanks to the author. This review was written voluntarily and is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although I'm new to this series, I'm definitely already a fan of private investigator Letty Valdez! She's a great main character, terrific at her job, with just enough realistic traits to make her believable. I though she rang true as an investigator, and enjoyed the behind-the-scenes look at what it's like to work for a detective agency.

Part of the realism comes from the fact that Letty (and her new trainee Frankie) are working on multiple cases at the same time. For purposes of the book, one takes precedence, but I liked that other things were also going on in the background (and sometimes foreground).

The main mystery is very well written, with plenty of clues (and non-clues) for Letty to look into. I liked her methodical approach, and enjoyed watching her process as she investigated (and taught Frankie at the same time). By the end, everything made sense and all clues tied together.

There's a lot going on in this story, and all of it was interesting. 5 stars from me!

[Kara Marks · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the fourth book in this series; I’ve not read any of the other books, but this stands alone well. I like the main characters a lot; Letty as a private investigator and her doctor boyfriend are especially interesting. There were several mysteries to solve throughout the book and they were all logical and realistic to me, with solutions that were fun to help solve. There was a bit of danger, but the book is clean and not gory in the somewhat violent parts. I love how tough, brave and physically strong Letty is as a veteran and she seems very good at her job. I’d love to read more in this series and definitely recommend this book. I was provided a copy of the book from the author, but these opinions are my own.

[Gale H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Direct Evidence: A Letty Valdez Mystery (Letty Valdez Mysteries Book 4)
By CJ Shane
This is the fourth in the series and I have been waiting for this to happen. Real characters with real issues. These characters each have a past with everyday issues from PTSD, cultural issues, prejudices, fears, poverty, and love.
The plot is on going from previous issues, however with a new case for our investigator to deal with. Murder, guns, family abuse, abduction and determination to solve the crimes and assist a family in need make for an exciting story.
There is also a love story woven into this tale that lifts the characters and families to the next level. Beautifully written, the author gives details of life in Tucson Arizona and makes me glad to live here. I can only hope for a 5th in the series.
I received a promotional copy of this book. However, my opinions are my own.
Gale Thomssn