Most Wanted: A Novel of Suspense

As an avid reader of thriller and suspense novels, one of the most exciting things for me is reading the first novel of someone who is clearly a great new writing talent. It's that feeling of discovering something new. That's how I felt reading Most Wanted by Michele Martinez. The book has gotten great reviews for a reason, and skillfully weaves together both a startlingly realistic hard-core crime story as well as the tale of a woman (the lead character, prosecutor Melanie Vargas) who is dealing with real-life personal and professional struggles. Perhaps Most Wanted isn't for some sci-fi techno-thriller type readers, though my husband (who's got to be Tom Clancy's biggest fan) is reading it now and I can't get him to put it down for five minutes! I couldn't ask for a better read.

This book grabbed me right from the start and wouldn't let go. From the opening scene, where prosecutor Melanie Vargas is drawn into the case of a lifetime, through the totally gripping investigation and heart-pounding conclusion, debut author Martinez tells a convincing and superbly structured story. There's a cast of characters that are wonderfully developed and totally unforgettable: from Melanie's nightmare boss to her hilarious sister to the utterly demonic Slice. Not to mention handsome FBI agent Dan O'Reilly, who may or may not be too good to be true. Most important is Melanie herself. I just loved her character, really identified with alot of her struggles, and rooted for her as if she were a close friend. That's something I rarely find in good suspense fiction, and it added to the pleasure of reading Most Wanted immeasurably. I'm really looking forward to the sequel.

If you're looking for the kind of suspense novel that will keep you on the edge of your seat, guessing what will happen next, while also having you smiling in both wonder and recognition at the incredibly real cast of characters, then Most Wanted is just right for you. I won't recap the details of the story, which others have already done better than I could do. Let me just say that it's a true page-turner -- as others have said, you simply can't put it down. I finished it in two days, and was always looking forward to picking it up again. According to the book jacket and her website, Michele Martinez was a prosecutor in New York City for many years, and her experience in dealing with the real world of crime shines through. But she's also able to create a tremendously sympathetic heroine in Melanie Vargas, who has to deal with the kinds of "real world" problems that real people have -- being a parent, a spouse, a daughter, a co-worker, and so on. I also really enjoy thriller/suspense novels that become a series, with recurring characters, and Most Wanted promises to be the start of a fabulous one. I can't wait for more.

Melanie Vargas, a young federal prosecutor in New York City's US Attorney's Office, and a brand new mother, stumbles onto a crime scene one steamy summer night while she is out walking her daughter, Maya. Police officers bustle outside a building, keeping crowds away, just a few blocks from Melanie's own apartment, while firefighters in full regalia hose down the remnants of a fire. Vargas recognizes the posh town house of Jed and Nell Benson, business acquaintances of hers. Jed had once been a famous prosecutor, almost a celebrity, then switched career paths and made a bundle of money in private law practice. His dead body was just discovered in his study, burned almost beyond recognition, but not enough to hide a bullet hole in his forehead and savage dog bites on his body. Melanie sees her friend and old college roommate, Sophie Cho, outside the crime scene. Sophie, an architect, had spent the last year renovating the building, and is devastated at the her employer's loss of life. She offers to take Maya home while Melanie investigates. Ambitious to further her career, Ms. Vargas wants in - she wants the case badly. This will be the high profile, headline-grabbing story of the year. The Benson's teenage daughter, Amanda, was also found at the scene, unconscious ,with a few fingers chopped off, and the maid had been beaten senseless. Both are in the hospital. Melanie finagles her way onto the murder scene and then lobbies her tough boss, for the case. She promises to work 24/7, putting herself in a bind obtaining last minute, off-hour childcare for Maya. She also keeps the lid on her marital situation, which is miserable. Husband Steve was caught in an extramarital affair shortly after the baby's birth and Melanie insisted on a temporary separation - still in effect. Steve very much wants to reconcile, but Melanie has mixed feelings about the nature of their relationship and his commitment to it. Dan O'Reilly, a very handsome, competent and caring FBI agent is assigned to work the case with her. There is instant chemistry between the two, and although both acknowledge the mutual attraction, they remain professional. The evidence leads them to investigate the C-Trout Gangsta Blades gang, and their sadistic kingpin Slice, who just happens to have a dog trained to kill. Additional information points to suspicious dealings at Benson's exclusive law firm and another motive. And a series of dangerous events, including the brutal murder of three witnesses, bring Melanie to the conclusion that there is at least one major leak high-up in the investigation. As work proceeds, the case becomes more complex and is not as open and shut as it had first appeared. I couldn't put this book down. It is Michele Martinez's debut novel and she packs it with suspense, thrills and a riveting storyline. The mystery is an interesting one, although not too difficult to figure out. The development of her protagonist, and other characters, are what impressed me the most

Melanie Vargas is an assistant U.S. District Attorney in New York City. Her professional star is on the rise even as her personal life descends into chaos. She is busy juggling legal and familial duties, complicated by the fact that she and her husband are separated. Vargas gets the assignment of a lifetime when she steps into a murder investigation in which the victim is a prominent New York attorney. Vargas aggressively pursues leads on her own but is hampered by office politics (an aside, here --- Martinez's description of office politics, particularly on the Federal level, is so dead-on accurate that underlined passages of MOST WANTED are without question being clandestinely circulated around more than one water cooler in Manhattan). Fortunately, Vargas is paired up with Dan O'Reilly, a streetwise FBI agent whose extensive contacts stretch up and down both sides of the street. O'Reilly makes Vargas's professional duties much easier but complicates her personal life. The mutual attraction is undeniable. Vargas, however, continues to have feelings for her husband, notwithstanding the infidelity that led to their separation. Martinez does a nice job of balancing the different stressors in Vargas's life so that the narrative never seems too overbalanced one way or the other. Just as MOST WANTED seems to lurch with both feet into soap opera territory, Martinez shifts the focus back to the gritty reality of the investigation. And what an investigation it is. Vargas, with yeoman's assistance from O'Reilly, continues kicking over rocks and soon uncovers a scandal that reaches into the office of the U.S. Attorney itself. Vargas doesn't realize, however, that her efforts have attracted the attention of the wrong people. As a result she has placed not only herself but also those she loves the most in terrible danger. While Vargas's professional life is a bit more exciting than your average assistant U.S. attorney, Martinez infuses her criminals, and the damage they wrought, with a gritty realism that isn't soon forgotten. Vargas's personal life rings true, and the problems she faces as a working parent will undoubtedly evoke sympathetic head-nods from many readers, particularly those of the female persuasion. There are just enough unresolved issues revolving around Vargas at the conclusion of MOST WANTED to have readers highly anticipating the next book in the series. Martinez's considerable storytelling abilities make such a book one to be welcomed. It should be noted that Martinez fought the good fight for several years, working as an assistant U.S. Attorney in New York City. Some of her experiences, anecdotal or otherwise, undoubtedly contributed to MOST WANTED, making it an excellent debut novel. Recommended. --- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub