California Son: A Liam Sol Mystery by Timothy Burgess

On a cold, foggy November night, Julio Garza is run down and left for dead by a hit-and-run driver. The police do little to find his killer, claiming they’ve run out of leads.

Thus begins Catalina Garza’s vigil—every day, rain or shine, she stands out in front of the La Bolsa Police Department in protest, demanding justice for her son.

Two years later, Liam Sol returns home to La Bolsa from the Vietnam War, hoping to leave the ghosts and demons of his past far behind. He lands a job as a reporter for the local paper, where he writes a story detailing Catalina’s saga. Two days after the article’s published, she’s found dead in her home. A victim, the police say, of a burglary gone wrong.

Liam doesn’t buy it. He believes the killings are connected. As he digs deeper, he discovers that everyone he suspects has something to hide—and each one has a motive for murder. As the body count climbs, Liam realizes that time is running out, and he must stop the killer before they kill again.

In the stunning sequel to The Never-Ending Swell, California Son takes you deeper into the dark heart of the Southern California dream, where paradise is only an illusion, the bright sunshine blinds you from the truth, and the blue waters of the Pacific Ocean will never be able to wash away the sins of the past.

• ISBN-10 : 1723045098
• 366 pages

Clue Grand Prize Winner, Chanticleer Reviews, 2018