Reviewer Michelle Kaye Malsbury:
Michelle was born in Champaign, IL. Currently, she resides in Asheville, NC
and is in her second year of doctoral studies at Nova Southeastern
University in Ft. Lauderdale with specialization/concentration in
conflict resolution and peace studies. She has over six hundred
articles published on the web and one book published thus far with
many more in the wings. Hobbies include; reading, writing, music, and
playing with her Australian Cattle Dog, Abu.
Author: Craig McDonald
ISBN: 978-1-4405-3194-1
Publisher: Tyrus Books
Follow Here To Purchase El Gavilan
Author: Craig McDonald
ISBN: 978-1-4405-3194-1
Publisher: Tyrus Books
Craig McDonald, author of El Gavilan, is a very storied author. (2012, back cover) He has penned numerous books, both fiction and non-fiction (Head Games, Art in the Blood, Rogue Males: Conversations and Confrontations About the Writing Life, and Secrets of the Code), been recipient or nominee for several awards, and coauthored/researched other authors works. Mr. McDonald is married with two children and a dog. They all live in Ohio.
El Gavilan takes place in Ohio, but the main character, Tell Lyon, has worked along the US border as Border Patrol agent and seen his share of murder, death, and mayhem. A personal tragedy brings him to Ohio and nearer his favorite relative, his cousin Chris and his family. Tell becomes the Chief of Police for a small town called New Austin with a dark past and some darker officers of the law residing and working in the outlying communities nearby.
The books namesake is another officer of the law and Sheriff of the county Tell works within. El Gavilan is Spanish for The Hawk. The Hawk’s real name is Sheriff Able Hawk and he has a hard-on for illegal immigrants. He also has a soft spot for one struggling young woman with a young daughter of Mexican descent who gets unwittingly murdered and raped. He personally vows to avenge this awful crime and right the uneven scales of justice. Does he succeed? Later Hawk does a most compassionate thing for the family of the dead gal, but don’t let me spoil that for you, the reader.
As the murder investigation unfolds many seedy secrets are uncovered. Innocent people are maimed and others in serious danger. A Sheriff in the neighboring community, Pierce, is found to be potentially hindering capture of the real murderer, but you’ll never guess why because he is quite clever and has the allegiance of his deputies and the fear of his residents. Pierce rules his county with an iron and teflon hand and is seldom questioned for any of the unsavory things he does time and again. Will his time come?
The story is electrically charged pitting regular American’s against illegal immigrants. The characters are endearing, for the most part, believable, well developed, and duplicitious. There is love, hate, friendship, loyalty, an essence of illegality, and more in this action packed novel. It was a real page turner for me and I was sorry to see it end, but happy also for the outcome. The plot is twisted and wrought with conspiracy. I liked it a lot and think you will too!