Knave of Hearts (A Lieutenant Luis Mendoza Mystery)

Rating:
Summary: Knave Of Hearts
Review: Dell Shannon decides--about halfway through--that this is a suspense novel, not a mystery story. What we end up with is a race against time--will suave Lt. Luis Mendoza follow a trail of rape-murders to the killer, before that killer claims his latest victim. Little does Mendoza know that the psychopath's next target could very well be Alison, the woman he has just cast aside because his playboy nature will not allow him to settle down. Alison is crushed; too bad she unwittingly picks a murderer as her rebound date.

Mendoza--and this is my third or fourth go-round with him--is always a detective who entertains and impresses. The accoutrements that come along with him--his beloved cats, his fine cars and fancy clothes which he can afford thanks to an extravagant inheritance which sometimes make him look like a cop "on the take"--give him a unique flavour that should be savoured by more readers.

Knave Of Hearts is quite enjoyable, but a bit too linear and routine, to compete with the likes of Root Of All Evil, or Ace Of Spades.