Michael McGarrity 3 novels

      Tularosa, Mexican Hat and Serpent Gate are 3 novels set in New Mexico. "Mystery fans shouldn't miss Tularosa" is what Tony Hillerman says about Tularosa. And Hillerman certainly know something about the Southwest.  McGarrity's lead character is Kevin Kerney, a retired Santa Fe cop who was wounded on duty and forced to retire. But after 2 years on his remote ranch he is lured back into service to help his ex-partner who is also the father of Kerney's godson. Finding that godson, now a soldier, who disappeared from White Sands Missile Range take the reader on a great trek though mountains and valleys and into the back alleys near the Mexican border.
     In "Mexican Hat" we find Kevin Kerney spending a season as a forest ranger in the Gila Wilderness when a tourist is murdered. That leads to the discovery of a tangled, 60-year old feud between two brothers.  Kerney's life is put in danger as we learn about New Mexico's militia groups, cattlemen, poachers, land-grabbers and more.
     "Serpent's Gate" sends Kerney after a small town cop killer and a murderer of a woman at a millionaires's mansion.  The clues lead him to Mexico and people with powerful government connections that want Kerney out of the way. 
Since I love the descriptions of the Southwest states, these stories are very appealing.  Like Hillerman, McGarrity can describe the rough and dry desert and the lush green of the high mountains with fascinating detail.  His writing is crisp and all the parts of the formula are included -- desire, greed, dogged pursuit, risk and danger and a fair outcome in the end.  I hope there are more stories to come from McGarrity.