Blue Diablo by Ann Aguirre

Blue Diablo (Book one of the Corine Solomon Series)
Author: Ann Aguirre
Publisher: ROC (April 2009)
ISBN: 978-0451462640

Corine Solomon had built a nice life for herself in Mexico.  A simple life.  She owns her own shop and had plenty of customers to keep her pantry full and her days occupied.  It was tough getting to this point after what happened the last several years with Chance and she was ready for the slow pace this new life offered. She had covered her tracks well when she left but she had to constantly look over her shoulder, what with all the people that were looking for her and all.  She knew eventually they would find her so she was always ready to move on when they did, vanishing once again, leaving the dust of her past behind her and making a new life in a different place until it all happened again.

Corine has a gift you see, a gift that is coveted by even the most dangerous of people.  She can hold something in her hand and see the history of the object as if the owner had left a recording for her to find.  Her gift is a rare one at that and not given to her by birth either.  It was given to her by her mother on the eve of her death and because of this she is left with scars on her hands every time she “handles” an object.  Her scars run deeper then just what you can see on the palms of her hands though, her deepest scars come from her past, Chance, her manager, her lover.

She and Chance had one hell of a go, but he was no good for her and as their relationship approached it’s end it was more and more obvious just how much she had to go.  Out of all the people out looking for her she thought for sure that he would be the one sure to find her and she regretted the day he did.  After eighteen months of living at this slow pace that’s exactly what happened.

When Chance arrives at her shop and presents her with a small, pewter, Buddha figurine, a figurine she instantly recognizes as Yi-Min-Chin’s, Chance’s mother, her simple life comes to an abrupt end and what lies before her will test her will and determination unlike any case she and Chance had ever worked on in the past.  Although she has always felt she was nothing more then a tool for Chance to use at his own discretion, she has no choice but to accompany him on his quest to find his mother for she had grown quite fond of Min during her relationship with Chance. She cared for Min the way a daughter cares for her own mother and couldn’t bare to know that something happened and she did nothing to find her and prevent it, or at least find out what or who was responsible.

In Corine Solomon Ann has once again created a strong yet reluctant female character.  One that is constantly battling her own temptations, as well as the many obstacles Ann throws at her in her quest to find out what has happened to Min. Ann has developed a rich character pool in Blue Diablo and wisps the reader right along as each obstacle presents a new and more difficult one.

Written in first person Blue Diablo gives us a unique perspective on the events as they unfold for our characters.  We can actually feel the pain they experience as they over come each obstacle in search of the answers they so desperately need to find. We feel Corine’s battles with her own temptations and desires.  There is no sex in this book, but the book is rife with sexual tension as Corine battles her own lust for her ex and a particularly tasty Texas cop. Can’t believe I used that phrase to describe him but hey, those are Corine’s thoughts and Ann does a wonderful job of getting them across to the reader.

Other then some Simon R. Green and a few of his Nightside Series books, I don’t have much experience with the urban fantasy genre.  Once again though Ann has hooked me into a genre that I can’t seem to get enough of. Ann does a wonderful job in Blue Diablo and I for one look forward to Hell Fire, book two of the Corine Solomon Series.  Ann’s track record for developing strong female characters has made her a top notch author in my book and she can’t quite produce them quick enough for me.