Badwater

Antonio “Ant” Burns #4

by Clinton McKinzie

From The Edge of Justice to Crossing the Line, Clinton McKinzie has captivated readers with thrillers that combine heart-pounding action with searing human drama–and feature a truly unforgettable hero, Special Agent Antonio Burns. Now McKinzie delivers a new novel filled with his trademarks–the thrill of danger, the clash between the law and the lawless, and the struggles of a family bound by love, loyalty, and a hunger for adventure. Here McKinzie takes us to a stark Wyoming landscape, where one tragic moment plunges Antonio Burns into a whirlpool of hate, violence, and revenge.

Badwater

Antonio Burns is at a crossroads–he rarely sees his six-month-old daughter, and his career has spiraled downward from hotshot golden boy to nearly having his badge confiscated. And things are about to get even worse. When a ten-year-old boy dies in a drowning incident in Badwater, Wyoming, the townspeople want the tourist they feel is responsible convicted of murder. In an already explosive case, Burns has been forced into working for the prosecution–and when a media-hungry celebrity lawyer takes over the defense, justice turns into a charade.

Clinging to his sanity by climbing the crags and caverns of a local canyon, recovering from the near death of his daredevil brother and his breakup with the mother of his child, Antonio tries to turn his back on this situation. But he can’t. He finds one crucial piece of evidence, makes one mistake with a woman, and then turns to his brother, Roberto, for help. Soon he’s all the way in–no matter what the cost to his career, his life, or to the people who still count him as one of their own.…

The spellbinding story of a cop drawn to danger, a community steeped in hatred, and an explosive mix of opportunists, idealists, and a few very bad men, Badwater is a taut, thunderous novel–and Clinton McKinzie at his electrifying best.

Genres: Fiction

384 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Patty]

Do not read this book first! Mr. McKinzie has written 5 books and this is the last in the series, I read it again once I finished the first 4. Set in Wyoming, the main character is in law enforcement and a climber. The descriptions of the landscapes and of climbing are great. The order of his books are 1. The Edge of Justice, 2. Point of Law, 3. Trial by Ice and Fire, 4. Crossing the Line and 5. Badwater. Though any of these can stand alone, they are much more fun read in order. Mr. McKinzie is an Assistant District Attorney in Colorado so he is well versed on the law.

[Frederick Tan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Antonio Burn is your kick ass cop. A bad version of Jack Reacher. But I am taken in by his self awareness and his humility and who he is deep down. A good guy. Following the arrest of a tourist for causing the death of a ten year old kid in Badwater, he was made the lead investigator for the deputy attorney of the county Luke Endow. The locals was incense with the death of the child and deeply resent the tourist Jonah Strasburg. Having to defend this innocent man while at the same time acting as lead investigator for the prosecution is a balancing act that might put his rock climbing in the shadow. Into this mix enter a celebrity defend lawyer William Bogey things begun to spiral out of control soon enough. Can Burn keep up the balancing act or implode as the pressure increase?

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sad to see the end of this series. Enjoyable combining my love of mystery/thrillers and rock climbing into great stories with characters I would love to know and climb with... maybe not Roberto, he scares me a little. I wish there were more, but it's been 13 years since the last book so I think it's safe to assume that the author has moved on.

[Alison Kentch · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t know this was the last in a series, but it did well as a stand alone. It did take some time to get through, maybe because of the complexities of the characters (which may have helped if I had read the previous books first), but enjoyed the story. Reminded me a little of the Jack Reacher stories…

[Wingo Family · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little slow for me in the beginning but I hung in there and I'm glad I did because the ending has a great twist that you'll have to read for yourself to find out!

[Ken Cagle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Clinton McKinzie is an enigma. The plot of his books are always excellent and the setting is some of the most beautiful country in the U.S. However, the constant dramatic shift in the life of his main character Antonio Burns is getting to be annoying. It seems every book Anton has a new dog, a new love interest and hid job is unstable.

Overall I enjoy the stories but would like to see more stability in the life of the main character.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This entry into the Antonio Burns series isn't quite as strong as the others, simply because the level of tension isn't quite as high--there isn't as much at risk. But McKinzie is a strong writer and Antonio Burns is a character you root for even when he's being stupid. Do start this series at the beginning, though.

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I haven't read the other books in this series, but this was a gripping story with interesting twists. This book was hard to put down. It's definitely a man's book, with lots of descriptions of rock climbing as well as violence and crimes. But it's well written and a very good read.

[Kat Walter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as others in series

[Nolan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good-guy outcast takes on a shyster lawyer and his sexy protégé in this super-quick read. I enjoyed it, but it seems to have been taken down from NLS, and I've no idea why.