Book Review: Illusion of Truth

Synopsis:

Illusion of Truth focuses upon Detective Emily Hunter’s ongoing attempts to find work-life balance, as well as her response to and investigation of a targeted attack upon Sacramento Police Department officers.

Sergeant Brian Conner, with whom she has a burgeoning romantic relationship, responds with fellow officers to a reported disturbance at a north Sacramento church. It’s an area of town straddling the territories of two rival gangs. But when they arrive on scene, it becomes clear that they have been lured there under false pretenses. When a bomb is detonated, Brian and other officers are seriously wounded.

Of course, Emily wants to be part of the investigation, despite her obvious conflict of interest.

As the inquiry proceeds, more and more questions arise about the identity of the bomber and the motive for the attack. Emily and her partner, Javier Medina, work around the clock to solve the case and prevent any further officers or civilians from being injured or worse.

But Emily worries about Brian’s post-recovery life, as well as their future together. if he survives, given the nature of Brian’s injuries, he may never be the same man he was before the attack. And if his life is permanently changed, can their relationship survive?

As Emily follows a trail of baffling evidence, she finds herself questioning Brian’s past actions and contemplating how well she really knows him.

What is the truth about a tragic incident that occurred several years ago? Is that event connected to the current investigation? As one-by-one, other officers linked to a crime committed years earlier are targeted, Emily has to determine if there was a cover-up? And if so, was Brian part of it?

Emily discovers that truth depends on who’s left to tell the story.

Review:

Author James L’Etoile introduced readers to Detective Emily Hunter in Face of Greed. He says he embraced the challenge of bringing Emily to life, in part, because during his own long career in law enforcement, which remains a male-dominated profession, he witnessed women being denied the recognition and opportunities they deserve. That aspect of Emily’s career is an integral component of her character. She is dedicated to her career and determined to succeed. And she abhors injustice, including when it is directed at her, refusing to accept being underestimated, and marginalized. She will not be relegated to a lesser role within the Sacramento Police Department that she has earned.

In the second installment of L’Etoile’s engrossing series,
River of Lies, Emily again found herself striving to balance her professional endeavors and personal responsibilities. Sadly, she conceded the necessity of placing her mother into a care facility. Stricken with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, her mother’s condition will not, of course, improve, and Emily had to accept that having her mother live with her simply was no longer manageable or safe. Emily further cemented her partnership with Javier Medina, and finally dared to establish a romantic relationship with Sergeant Brian Conner. However, she was ready to take their relationship to the next level by agreeing to live with him, even though Brian very much wanted them to cohabit. Her reluctance hurt Brian and caused him to question Emily’s willingness and ability to fully commit to him and their union.

L’Etoile wastes no time pulling readers into the action-packed third book in the series, Illusion of Truth. The story opens with a terrifyingly believable description of a targeted attack upon several members of the force, including Brian. Responding to reports of looting at a north Sacramento church at midnight, Brian and his colleagues find the church parking lot deserted, except for the six officers who were dispatched to the scene. The church straddles two rival gang territories. Across the street, Brian sees movement and the flare of a cigarette in an upstairs window, and realizes that he and the others were lured there. But why? As a rookie officer reaches toward a donation box near the front entrance to the church, a fireball erupts. Brian pushes the young officer away, taking the brunt of the explosion. Soon, another explosion is heard, and a police SUV erupts in flames.

Emily is notified of the incident, rushes to the hospital, and hears grim news about Brian’s condition. She also learns that since Brian has no family members, he designated Emily as his surrogate decision-maker. And she is required to take into account Brian’s previously expressed wishes, as well as advice from his treating physicians, in order to make difficult decisions about his care and treatment.

Emily has never before been involved in a case involving a direct attack upon members of the force, and she is eager to commence the investigation. Of course, given her relationship with Brian, she has an inherent and glaring conflict of interest. The case is assigned to Javier, but she is permitted to assist him so long as she respects that he is the lead investigator and she must take direction from him. Is it likely, given Emily’s history and personality, that she will be able to do so?

Officer Clay Milton, who had been dispatched to Emily’s home to transport her to the medical center, begins assisting, as well. Although not a member of the department’s technology team, he exhibits knowledge about electronics and the way the explosive devices were built. He explains that he teaches robotics at a local charter high school on the weekends, and Emily and Javier welcome his ability to explain the technical details to them in a “non-nerd,” understandable manner.

Illusion of Truth proves that L’Etoile’s writing grows more impressive with each successive publication. It may well be his best book to date. The story’s even pace never drags, and he, like the fictional Officer Milton, injects enough technical information to make the story credible without boring readers who are, like Emily and Javier, “non-nerds.” Essentially, the bombs are constructed using circuit boards and operated remotely with a hand-held controller. They emit a high-pitched electronic whine before exploding. And explode they do. Repeatedly. The number of victims grows and includes a city council member and loud critic of the police department with higher political ambition who was attempting to broker a peace deal between the rival gangs; a gang leader; and even a pastor.

As Emily and Javier’s investigation proceeds, it grows tentacles and L’Etoile keeps readers in suspense as to how the various elements and players are connected. Eventually, their inquiry takes Emily and Javier to the home of a retired lieutenant whose career ended abruptly, the surrounding circumstances murky. He now resides in a rural part of nearby El Dorado County, an area in which State of Jefferson flags are commonplace. His home is an armed fortress. But is he the leader of a militia or hiding from one? Moreover, he was the commander of a SWAT team. And Brian was a member, as were several other officers whose names are discovered on a list and whomever is detonating the homemade bombs is writing messages on their components.

The collegial banter between Emily and Javier is humorous and affectionate, and provides brief and welcome respites from L’Etoile’s serious narrative. The dialogue accurately reflects the kind of good-natured joking that defuses the stress that real law enforcement professionals manage.

And L’Etoile explores Emily’s emotional turmoil, both about her mother’s deteriorating condition and her concern for Brian, who remains hospitalized. L’Etoile’s depiction of Brian’s struggle to come to terms with his injuries and condition is moving and believable. Having suffered a brain injury, it is unclear whether Brian will ever fully recover and his career in law enforcement may be over. If his recovery plateaus, will he be able to accept his limitations and a drastically different future than he envisioned before the attack? Emily worries about the same issues, from her perspective as the woman who loves Brian. Because she almost loses him, she appreciates the depth of her feelings for him and regrets telling him she was not ready for them to live together, but will she have a chance to tell him that?

A darker aspect of Emily’s emotional journey are the questions raised when the list of officers is discovered and includes Brian. She has to uncover its meaning, as well as whether any aspect of an incident that involved the SWAT team was covered up. If it was, who was responsible for hiding the truth? She hopes she will find that Brian bore no responsibility for or knowledge of any wrongdoing, but can’t help wondering what she will do if she learns that she doesn’t know Brian as well as she believed, prior to the attack, she did.

Illusion of Truth is another cleverly conceived and flawlessly executed thriller that keeps readers guessing right up to the final revelations. L’Etoile’s plot is complex and imaginative, its intricacies revealed at well-timed junctures. He again populates the story with a supporting cast of fascinating characters, each with his or her own distinct purpose and motivations. He again examines contemporary issues through them, including the ongoing gang problems plaguing all large American cities, integrity in law enforcement, and the risks that officers encounter every day when they report for duty. Of course, the never-ending tug-of-war between police leadership and the politicians who control the city’s purse strings is a recurring theme, as well.

Excerpt from Illusion of Truth

Also by James L’Etoile:

Detective Nathan Parker Series

Detective Emily Hunter Series

Guest Posts by James L’Etoile:

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one paperback copy of Illusion of Truth and one electronic copy free of charge from the author via Edelweiss in conjunction with Partners in Crime Virtual Book Tours. I was not required to write a positive review in exchange for receipt of the book; rather, the opinions expressed in this review are my own. This disclosure complies with 16 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”