Genre: Book
Grade: A-
Notable People: Jon Talton
Title: The Concrete Desert
Review: I read one of Talton’s David Mapstone series a few months ago and was only moderately intrigued, but decided to go back and start at the beginning; always the right idea with serial novels. This is Talton’s first novel from 1991 in which he introduces the sometimes college history professor and sometimes deputy sheriff…..and it is a barn burner. Mapstone’s boss and confidente, Mike Peralta, is a character for the ages and the descriptions of the Phoenix heat make you want to jump in a pool. Talton is fourth generation Arizonan and knows the desert inside and out, as well as the extraordinary change of The Valley from a small town unencumbered to mega-city for the retired and wealthy. I’ll be heading out to get the next one right away.