Santa Fe Mojo (Vincent Malone Book 1) by Ted Clifton

Pro athletes, stolen millions and murder make for an irresistible cocktail in Santa Fe Mojo, the first murder mystery in the Vincent Malone series by Ted Clifton.

Former legal investigator, Vincent Malone, is heading to Albuquerque where he’s hoping to live on the cheap until his Social Security benefits kick in. He makes it as far as Santa Fe where he impulsively finds work as a driver for a new bed and breakfast – only to find himself soon mixed up in the murder of a high-profile sports agent.

Charged with the crime is the dead man’s client, a famous baseball player who swears he didn’t do it. Retained by the player’s defense attorney, Vincent searches for the real killer and quickly uncovers an illicit affair and a large suspect pool of pro athletes, all with million-dollar motives to kill…

Clifton’s whodunit has solid pacing, a well-executed plot and a large cast of interesting suspects. However, what really sets Santa Fe Mojo apart are the layers of fine detail and an irresistible protagonist in Vincent Malone, an almost washed-up legal investigator suffering from debilitating bouts of gout. A strong central character is obviously vitally important for a PI novel, and Vincent Malone is the kind of flawed but lovable lead character who is a great basis for a series.

Yet Malone isn’t a cookie cutter version of past PI’s. Yes, he has some similar traits, but these have a comforting familiarity, rather than seeming like a rehash of past novels. This is helped by the colorful Southwestern backdrop, which gives the novel a unique flair, dropping the reader – and Malone – into unfamiliar territory.

All in all, Santa Fe Mojo is a stellar start to what promises to be an entertaining series.