Beware, there’s a killer on the loose
With his novel “Proving Ground,” Peter Blauner introduced readers to Lourdes Robles. This Latina woman overcame numerous obstacles to become an NYPD detective. In that book she was paired up with an experienced detective named Sullivan. Sully was on the verge of retiring — his young partner was lucky to have him as a mentor.
As Blauner’s new novel “Sunrise Highway” opens, we meet Detective Robles again. She’s a bit older now and has a new partner; Detective Robert “Beautiful Bobby” Borrelli, or simply B.B. Lourdes was sweet on Sully — there had been an underlying sexual tension between them. This is not the case with B.B. He’s mostly just out for himself. Sullivan always had her back. Borrelli is not so reliable.
The Sunrise Highway of our title is an actual road that runs across Long Island. As the story opens, a body has been found in the waters of Long Island Sound. Apparently it was there a long time — whoever concealed it intended that it should never be found. It washed ashore along an area within NYPD jurisdiction. Robles is assigned to investigate.
Some readers are probably aware that a likely serial killer has been preying upon women in the Long Island region for years. Those cases remain unsolved. Most of the victims lived in the dingy corners of society, as prostitutes and drug abusers.
As Lourdes begins to investigate this gruesome discovery she realizes that a number of other women have been killed and their remains were found outside of her jurisdiction. She suspects a serial killer has been operating undetected for decades. Bodies were dumped close to Sunrise Highway.
When she tries to unearth information, she encounters obstinate opposition from local police and prosecutors. First of all, they deny that there even is a serial killer. They seem more concerned about projecting the image of an affluent, low-crime area where something like this simply could not happen. Records seem to be missing or difficult to obtain.
Fortunately there is still her old pal Sully, now retired, to provide sound advice on how to proceed. Blauner alternates chapters set in the present with chapters that flash back to the past. We become fairly certain that we know who has been killing these women, and how he keeps getting away with it.
Blauner is far too tricky a plotter, though. He’s setting us up for one stupendous twist that flips this story upside-down.
If you love reading a police procedural that features a foundation of deep research coupled with non-stop suspense and intrigue then you should take a spin down the “Sunrise Highway.” Be sure to fasten your seat belt.
You can hear my interview with Peter Blauner on Sunday morning at 10:30 on WYSO (91.3fm).