Late Boomer

KIRKUS REVIEW--Benson’s tightly plotted crime thriller is sure to please fans of police procedurals--a Kirkus Star novel.
Wealthy middle-aged Manhattanites—the baby boomers of the title—have been gruesomely murdered, and Det.
Carina Quintana senses a connection. But how can she prove it? The killer, if he exists, varies his methods and targets
and leaves no tangible evidence. Age and wealth are all that the victims have in common. Recently transferred from
Miami after her partner was convicted of drug trafficking, Quintana struggles to adjust to New York City and deal with
the aftermath of testifying against her former co-workers. Now partnered with the sarcastic Pete Simpson, Quintana
attempts to catch the killer without creating panic among the city’s elites. Complications from her personal life—a
Cayman bank account, an old lover and a connection from Miami—add to her troubles. Benson’s characters are well
drawn, and Quintana is a noteworthy heroine. The author handles her past and sexuality with a light hand, not
overplaying the character. Instead, he keeps her guarded and subtle, without verging into clichéd stereotypes about
damaged cops. While her decision-making is sometimes clouded, she is believable as a police officer. Secondary
characters—the caffeine-addicted Simpson, a particularly droll FBI crime profiler, and New York City itself—are
realistically portrayed, adding interest. Chapters narrated from the point of view of the killer contrast interestingly with
Quintana’s chapters; comparison reveals both characters are relatively isolated and self-protective. The novel’s pacing is
energetic and engaging, and the story flows almost too quickly. Happily, Benson’s epilogue suggests that Quintana may
return in a future novel set in Miami Beach.
A compelling police procedural with a contemporary setting and an intriguing heroine worthy of a series.