In the Heat

by Ian Vasquez

Boxer Miles Young thinks he’s got one more shot in him before it’s time to hang up the gloves for good. He may be the only one who thinks so. The truth is, he enjoys the recognition his career has brought him at home, in the small Latin American country of Belize, and he’s worried about how he’ll support his daughter once it’s over. So when his promoter comes to him with a proposition that includes one last big fight, he listens.

Isabelle Gilmore wants Miles to find her daughter, who’s run off with some of her mother’s money and her no-good boyfriend. Isabelle’s afraid Rian’s going to marry the kid, the only son of corrupt ex--police chief Marlon Tablada, and she wants Rian---and the money---found. In return, Miles gets put on a fight card with a $30,000 payday.

He’s reluctant, but Isabelle thinks a hometown hero can get people to talk in ways a private investigator can’t. Trouble is, before he can find Rian, he learns that there’s much more to Isabelle, her daughter, and Marlon than Isabelle let on.

Clearly at home in the world of hardboiled crime writing, debut novelist Ian Vasquez is a bright new talent who infuses In the Heat with a steamy, exotic voice all his own.

Genres: Mystery

256 pages, Hardcover

First published June 10, 2008

Reviews

[Pamela]

Excellent dialogue and tight plotting. A must read. If you enjoy vivid story telling you will love In the Heat.

[Christine Ricci · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting read about a washed up boxer who finds himself in the midst of a money scandal in Belize. I really appreciated the insight into the culture of Belize, or at least Belize City, but I felt the plot and characters to be single dimensional and forced. It's definitely a first-time author.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read! The book was fast paced and I think some details were somewhat rushed over. However, it was a great story overall.

[Kim Skidmore · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is Vasquez's first novel but, thankfully, it's not to be his last.
Set in Belize, the former British Honduras, and the only English speaking Country in Central America, "In the Heat" keeps its promise and drops the reader right in to a hot, tangled web of wealth induced, corrupted, familial relations.
Each time I opened it and began to read, Vasquez's book acted as a mental catalyst transporting me back to the Belize of my childhood: a small Third World Country whose economic and financial backbone consisted of (and to a large extent depended upon) a handful of wealthy "entrepreneurial" families (some expatriates) and their local entourage.
"In the Heat" recreates the broken beauty and the hazy tranquility of life in Belize while, at the same time, exposing the dirty laundry associated with drugs, drug money, and the Big Fish in the little pond of this Third World Nation.

[Nicole Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm on the fence about this one. I'm somewhere between 2 and 3 stars. Which I'm probably going to go back and forth about for a little while before settling down.

This novel is set in Belize and I don't know if it's the Belizean people or just this particular author, but the dialogue seemed strained to me. There were certain lines or interaction between some characters that just didn't feel natural. It may be a cultural thing, I'm not sure.

That said, overall the story was pretty solid. I'm not a big mystery-ish fan, or even action-y. I like my sci-fi and fantasy, so this was a leap for me to begin with. I'm not sure I'd pick it up again, but I would definitely suggest it to people that are into this type of thing.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Haven't read a mystery in quite a while - this was a good story. I connected more with the boxing aspect than the geographical details of Belize. A long time ago, I had a passing connection with the world of professional boxing, and that was an interesting (if foreign to me!) world.

[Alesha · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was something not quite as engaging about this book as I would have liked. The whole situation with the main character was just a little weird to me. However, it was set in Belize, and since I've been there, it made a connection for me.

[Gregory]

kinda starts off cool, then just gets really bad. feels ripped from chandler, set in belize, with worse dialog.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book. It was well written with a great plot and excellent dialogue.

[Gayle · Rating 3 out of 5]

So-so, quick book. Picked this up at the library because it was sitting there with a beautiful sign that just tempted me to read it: "Book of the Day"! LOL

[Osvaldo Reyes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Noir beliceño. Literatura negra centroamericana. Libro recomendado. Para mayor información visiten: http://elsenderoentrelassombras.blogs...