4.0
Southtown
ByPublisher Description
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series
For Tres Navarre, English professor turned private investigator, business has lately taken a drastic turn south. But if chasing down bail jumpers, adulterous spouses, and workmen’s comp cases seemed like the dregs of the PI game, it was at least a living. Not as much could be said for tracking down a man like Will “the Ghost” Stirman.
The stone-cold killer has just staged a bloody escape from the Floresville State Penitentiary with a gang of violent cons as spooked by Stirman as those on the outside who helped put him behind bars. And no one seems more worried than Navarre’s boss and mentor, Erainya Manos. It was her husband along with rival PI Sam Barrera who built the case that sent Stirman away. But Erainya’s husband is dead and she’s certain Stirman won’t let that stand in the way of his taking revenge against her and her adopted son.
All of Navarre’s instincts are screaming that there’s more to this case than meets the eye. But Erainya won’t tell him—and Sam Barrera seems to be escaping into a strange twilight from a truth too terrible to remember. That leaves Tres to dig into a twisted mystery of greed, vigilantism, and murder, where lives are bought and sold and the line between guilt and innocence is razor-thin. Meanwhile, Stirman and his gang are coming, leaving behind them a trail of brutal, unforgiving violence that will end in an area of San Antonio known as Southtown—but that may soon just as well be called hell on earth.
Don’t miss any of these hotter-than-Texas-chili Tres Navarre novels:
BIG RED TEQUILA • THE WIDOWER’S TWO-STEP • THE LAST KING OF TEXAS • THE DEVIL WENT DOWN TO AUSTIN • SOUTHTOWN • MISSION ROAD • REBEL ISLAND
For Tres Navarre, English professor turned private investigator, business has lately taken a drastic turn south. But if chasing down bail jumpers, adulterous spouses, and workmen’s comp cases seemed like the dregs of the PI game, it was at least a living. Not as much could be said for tracking down a man like Will “the Ghost” Stirman.
The stone-cold killer has just staged a bloody escape from the Floresville State Penitentiary with a gang of violent cons as spooked by Stirman as those on the outside who helped put him behind bars. And no one seems more worried than Navarre’s boss and mentor, Erainya Manos. It was her husband along with rival PI Sam Barrera who built the case that sent Stirman away. But Erainya’s husband is dead and she’s certain Stirman won’t let that stand in the way of his taking revenge against her and her adopted son.
All of Navarre’s instincts are screaming that there’s more to this case than meets the eye. But Erainya won’t tell him—and Sam Barrera seems to be escaping into a strange twilight from a truth too terrible to remember. That leaves Tres to dig into a twisted mystery of greed, vigilantism, and murder, where lives are bought and sold and the line between guilt and innocence is razor-thin. Meanwhile, Stirman and his gang are coming, leaving behind them a trail of brutal, unforgiving violence that will end in an area of San Antonio known as Southtown—but that may soon just as well be called hell on earth.
Don’t miss any of these hotter-than-Texas-chili Tres Navarre novels:
BIG RED TEQUILA • THE WIDOWER’S TWO-STEP • THE LAST KING OF TEXAS • THE DEVIL WENT DOWN TO AUSTIN • SOUTHTOWN • MISSION ROAD • REBEL ISLAND
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4.0

Bluewolf574
Created 4 days agoShare
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krj124
Created about 2 months agoShare
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BeeDUBS8
Created 11 months agoShare
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Kirsten Muller
Created almost 2 years agoShare
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“Another neck-breaking adventure with Tres Navarre...among others!
This book seems the most action-packed yet, despite likely being the shortest one in the series yet. Again, there was almost too much happening at once.
This is also the first book with the most switches in POV yet. The chapters from Tres's 1st-person POV seemed almost few and far between. It seemed like most of the chapters were from the 3rd-person limited POV of various characters - from Will Stirman and his various associates (such as Pablo), to Sam Barrera and Erainya Manos. It almost felt crowded! it seems like this is the way he is going to write the rest of the series
This book was also different in that there wasn't a clear-cut murder to solve like in the first four books. There is a slight mystery when it comes to figuring out just what happened the night this Stirman was arrested - a night during which someone WAS killed. But, again, there's not really a mystery to solve per se. The plot is simply to keep this Stirman from getting revenge on Erainya and Jem for what Erainya's husband and Sam Barrera did that night (more than just helping him get put away). Going into more detail would involve spoiling the major twist in the story, so I won't put it here :)
I'm a bit confused about the timeline and just how much time has passed since the book. Maybe I didn't pay attention closely enough, but I feel like I heard conflicting things about how time has passed. The previous book was presumably sent in the year 2000, because the emails the killer sent were dated in that year. But I read conflicting things about how much time has passed. I'll have to double-check on a reread.
This books also marks the reappearances of Ralph and detective Ana de Leon - who are now suddenly married with a baby daughter named Lucia! I was glad to see them again, although Ralph doesn't do much (if anything at all). This was actually one of the things which caused me to be confused about the timeline, because that all happened rather quickly!
The whole thing with Sam having dementia was also interesting, although at times I wasn't sure how I felt about it. I know it seems nice for Tres to move in with Sam at the end, but I don't know if Tres will have the ability to do that.
As another side-note, is Tres still teaching? I'm not sure. And now he's suddenly Jem's soccer coach? Is he going to do all three things? That might be difficult.
Like with all the books, this book and book four were audiobook reads. Don't have much more to add about the narration, although he definitely does better as Tres. His other voices don't do a good job of staying distinct.
All in all, another exciting read as per usual. Don't have much else to add that wouldn't involve major spoilers.
On to the next one (which I've actually already started)...”

Jet Allison
Created about 4 years agoShare
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About Rick Riordan
Rick Riordan is the author of four previous Tres Navarre novels—Big Red Tequila, winner of the Shamus and Anthony Awards; The Widower’s Two-Step, winner of the Edgar Award; The Last King of Texas; and The Devil Went Down to Austin. He is also the author of the acclaimed thriller Cold Springs. Riordan lives with his family in San Antonio, Texas.
Other books by Rick Riordan
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