Death and the Delinquent

This fourth book in a deftly written and very entertaining series features a change of locale. Shirley McClintock, friend J.Q. and foster daughter Allison are staying at a guest ranch in northern New Mexico. Of course, wherever Shirley is, things happen: a shooting that leaves the unpleasant daughter of a shady Middle Eastern businessman dead and Shirley hospitalized (she gets a new knee!); the kidnapping of a rich family's newborn son; the murder of a Pueblo woman; and the discovery of some valuable Indian pottery. As a onetime New Mexican, I really enjoyed the vivid evocation of the Land of Enchantment and its mix of cultures. Like all of B.J. Oliphant's mysteries, this one features intelligent, appealing characters and plenty of the sort of dialogue that makes you think.