Hidden Law

Rating:
Summary: Henry Rios rules
Review: I read How Town first and then decided to give other books in this series a try. Loved it. Read it on a 5 hour train ride and couldn't put it down. I just bought the first book in the series and am planning on reading it next.

Rating:
Summary: Has a lazy resolution, but manages to be above average.
Review: In 'The Hidden Law', a state senator is murdered. And the police begin a sweep of Los Angeles' gangs. Are they somehow involved? Henry Rios defends Michael Ruiz, the young man accused of the murder.

Meanwhile, Henry is also struggling in his relationship with Josh Mandel, who has joined ACT-UP to protest the lack of funds, etc. in AIDS research. Rios also has to deal with a variety of other political figures and a psychiatrist to figure out the truth.

The solution to this mystery does not pay off well-as usual, the villain is a relatively minor character (a fact that reminds me of the 'Harry Potter' novels)-but his identity eventually works when one considers the symbolism.

'The Hidden Law' is not as strong as its predecessors, but it does manage to grab your emotions in the end. It is this fact that pulls this otherwise average mystery up a notch. And Henry Rios continues to become more realistic through each book.

Rating:
Summary: Nava is one of the best!
Review: The reason why it is such a pity that Micheal Nava stopped writing is because he is basically one of the best mystery writers we had. His plots are closely linked to the growth his characters are going through, which makes his novels not only a very exciting read, but also emotionally a very satisfying one. Anyone of his Henry Rios mysteries is worth reading more then once.

Rating:
Summary: great book
Review: very intriguing - good gay stuff - weird issues about top/bottom - good portrayal of lawyers job and LA politics, very good look at chicano politics in the nineties