OBOC - Belize

I cant remember the last time I picked up a detective/mystery novel. I had quit that genre maybe right after my undergrad! So I felt weird picking up a "neo-noir" novel called "In the Heat" by Ian Vasquez for Belize.

The book is about a boxer, Miles Young, who is well past his prime but reluctant to hang up his gloves partly due to pride and mostly due to not knowing what else to do. So when he gets a chance to earn some serious money playing detective on the trail of a teenage daughter of a wealthy "businesswoman" who ran away with her boyfriend - the son of a local thug, ex-police chief, he finds it difficult to pass up the offer.

There is enough money laundering, drug money, corrupt ex-policemen, and a lot of action to give Lethal Weapon a run for its money here!

Miles is a local hero, and while not in the ring, he is home being single dad to his 3 year old daughter, feeding her peas and carrots and reading "Good night Moon". Now who wouldn't love a guy like that!

Vasquez has done a good job keeping up the pace, providing for a fast paced mystery/action thriller, but where the book gets extra points is for the characterization of Belize itself! There were just so many details about the country well woven into the story that Belize itself becomes an important character in the novel. The heat, the music, the food, the meting pot of races, the overarching Belizean culture that bridges racial differences, a country coming into its own are all very well etched by the author

I had no idea that English was an official language of Belize and I believe it is probably the only country in latin America that has been a British colony. Even the street names reflect that. Coppola's association with Belize was another thing I found out through the novel :)

So was it a good read? yes. Will i read more of this genre? not likely. There is too much of a an action movie quality to the book that i find it difficult to read it. But this was a good break from the serious books i've been picking up as part of OBOC. It also told me that while historical background is a great way to learn about a country, you always didn't have to start from the past to understand the present.