Saturday, June 14, 2008

"Baja" by Edward D. Hoch

From: Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, September 2008.

New San Diego police detective Annie Sears is assigned to accompany veteran Sgt. Frank Munson to Baja, Mexico to bring armed robber and cop killer Dunstan Quentis back for trial. Quentis manages to escape custody, and Sears prevents Munson from shooting him dead. As the officers continue pursuit, Sears feels guilty about for her part in the escape, but also begins to sense things are not what they seem.

Readers may guess the basic plot here, but the real joy is in the details expertly laid out by Hoch. As vivid and taut as any of his stories, "Baja" is yet more proof how much he will be missed.

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