Jaidee : Out of the Ashes ( A Lyons Investigation Mystery) - Clint Morey

Las Vegas - where anything can and will happen. Especially if bored a businessman is looking for a bit fun away from home. And for the suspecting wives, Josh Lyons, P.I. is the man for the job.

Together with his tech guy Caleb and business manager Ruth, they carry out surveillance on those cheating husbands. But, what should have been an easy, caught-on-camera job turns into a lot more when the the hooker that turns up to massage the philanderer is a child barely in her teens.

Taking care of her pimp, Josh believes he is rescuing the young Karen (not Thai) girl from a degrading life. But Jaidee is brainwashed; she sees her pimp, Jackson, as family. Putting her into a home for abused children, the private investigator wonders how she got embroiled in the sordid world of prostitution. But Jaidee is a fighter, she won't back down from helping the two girls she considers to also be family. As Lyons Investigations head down the unsavory road of child sex trafficking, who will they come up against? Is someone on the police being paid to look the other way? Could the mob be involved and how will they take down the head honcho of this particular operation?

From the very beginning, you will be hooked. Morey has written a complex and harrowing story that has moments of tenderness and humor. Josh Lyons could have been written as a disgruntled PI but the author has created a kind, caring and hard working family man who's faith is a little shaky but who knows right from wrong. The motley crew that is his team add a level of banter that eases some of the tension and the author has tastefully treated a distressing subject. The other side to the 'lucrative' business is depicted so you know who the bad guys are - almost. In dealings with this seedy underground world who can you trust?

Hooked from the start, I actually stopped reading another novel to finish this one. Morey has created a tense, dramatic story on the streets of Las Vegas few (are lucky not to) see. The characters are well defined, with excellent personalities. Although I found Jaidee a little annoying (testament of a good writer when he can create such emotions) I had to remind myself she's a victim of circumstance. She's defensive, yet still innocent and at times funny. At its core, it's a book about what defines a family - be it the mob or a group of unrelated people working for an investigative business, families stick together through thick or thin. With intense moments, twist after twist and a surprising ending, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this Lyons mystery and can't wait to read more in the series. A highly recommended read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author. The opinions expressed are my own and I am not required to give a positive review.