Ditch Rider

Judith Van Gieson is one of the best writers working the genre, and in Ditch Rider she just keeps getting better. She keeps her subjects immersed in the social issues of the day -- from smuggling rare birds to wolf reintroduction, to this book's gang girls. It's a treat to read her prose -- "We stepped out of the Nissan, shutting the doors behind us very carefully and quietly. We walked in the middle of the road so as not to crunch the gravel on the shoulder and set off all the dogs in the hood. The dogs heard us anyway and began barking one after another, knocking down quiet like dominoes. 'Callesan, perritos,' whispered the Kid." As a former New Mexican, I especially love the way she brings the landscape to life. You can almost smell the damp earth by the irrigation ditch, feel the dry air on your skin. Her evocation of her neighborhood, complete with delinquent girls next door, rings just right. Can't wait to see what happens next in Neil's personal life, now that Neil's bought a house and given the Kid some closet space! Keep 'em coming!

With her eighth Neil Hamel mystery, Ditch Rider, Judith Van Gieson wins readers' hearts again. Meet Cheyanne, 13, a sweet teenage girl with a baby doll, a half brother and a cat in tow. But teenage gangs thrive in her hood as weeds along ditches. "Smile now, cry later" is their motto : life is at stake and death is next. Cheyanne is involved in the murder of a young gang member. And gang justice is on its way. For Cheyanne's sake, Neil will have to face the grisly rules of gang justice and power play until the fateful game is over. Judith Van Gieson's extraordinary power of observation and subtle treatment of a contemporary issue make the story jump off the page. Characters and setting come out perfectly right. With Ditch Rider, Van Gieson proves the same grit and passion that have come to characterize her previous mysteries. An astonishing book that should establish Van Gieson among the most innovative mystery writers today

Young teens trapped by gang culture are the focus of this eighth Neil Hamel adventure. The story centers around Cheyanne Moran, a young girl in Neil's neighborhood who admits to the murder of a youth at a shopping mall. When Neil agrees to represent the child, she is drawn into a world where home is the gang and those who do not conform are punished. In her role as Albuquerque based attorney/sleuth, Neil reveals her sensitivity to the hopes and fears of teens, as well as her affection for the acequias and fields nearby. This book with its treatment of a universal problem should be in every middle school and high school library.

Attorney Neil Hamel and her lover The Kid are moving into their new love nest in the North Valley section of Albuquerque. As the couple adjusts to each other, Neil begins to become active in her new neighborhood, which is struggling with increased gang activity and violence. In particular, Neil becomes friends in an older sister-like way with teenager Cheyanne Morales.When another teen is murdered, Cheyanne confesses to the authorities that she is the killer. Though the police have their doubts, evidence supports her claim and she is arrested. Neil has more than just some nagging doubts. She feels her young friend is innocent and begins to search for the truth even though it means crisscrossing through the center of some vicious gangs.The eighth Hamel mystery, DITCH RIDER, is by far the best novel in a highly regarded series. Judith Van Gieson brings life to all her characters while freshening up her star with interesting and radical changes in her prime relationship. The insights into Albuquerque brings much genuine atmosphere to a vivid plot-line that centers around the ferocious and often times abusive impact of gangs. In the final analysis, it is the in depth and enlightened look at the intricacies of gangs that make Ms. Van Gieson's latest tale a must winner for those readers who relish a sonorous story.Harriet Klausner

Attorney Neil Hamel and her lover The Kid are moving into their new love nest in the North Valley section of Albuquerque. As the couple adjusts to each other, Neil begins to become active in her new neighborhood, which is struggling with increased gang activity and violence. In particular, Neil becomes friends in an older sister-like way with teenager Cheyanne Morales. When another teen is murdered, Cheyanne confesses to the authorities that she is the killer. Though the police have their doubts, evidence supports her claim and she is arrested. Neil has more than just some nagging doubts. She feels her young friend is innocent and begins to search for the truth even though it means crisscrossing through the center of some vicious gangs. The eighth Hamel mystery, DITCH RIDER, is by far the best novel in a highly regarded series. Judith Van Gieson brings life to all her characters while freshening up her star with interesting and radical changes in her prime relationship. The insights into Albuquerque brings much genuine atmosphere to a vivid plot-line that centers around the ferocious and often times abusive impact of gangs. In the final analysis, it is the in depth and enlightened look at the intricacies of gangs that make Ms. Van Gieson's latest tale a must winner for those readers who relish a sonorous story.Harriet Klausner