Less Than a Moment

by Steven F. Havill

Overview

No crime is forgiven, and no mistake overlooked in this new addition to the critically acclaimed Posadas County Mystery series…

When a developer shows up in Posadas County, the locals get nervous. The small town along the southern border of New Mexico has enjoyed a surge in visitors, jobs, and prosperity since rancher Miles Waddell opened an eco-friendly complex. But then the developer buys land just next door, with plans for a project that will threaten the county's newfound success.

Tension is at an all-time high when someone shoots up the newsroom—and then the developer is found dead at the base of a cliff. Sheriff Bob Torrez and Undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman know these events are all too convenient and bloody not to be connected.

With support from Bill Gastner—an old Western sheriff straight out of the movies—the partners dive into a heated investigation. But as the case gets personal, the two will have to untangle a web of convoluted evidence before the community turns on itself.

Readers of C. J. Box and Anne Hillerman will be riveted by this female protagonist thriller set in the rural, rugged Southwest. The newest of Steven F. Havill's Western mysteries and thrillers will lead you down trails of danger and deceit… But will one of these paths lead to justice?

"The Posadas County that Havill has created is so tangible, you feel that if you walked down its streets, you would be greeted by old friends."—Bookreporter

"Less Than A Moment reveals Posadas' sense of small-town life through the conversations of multiple characters and by rolling them into the narrative, whether they're related or unrelated to the crimes."—Albuquerque Journal

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781492699118
Publisher:	Sourcebooks
Publication date:	04/02/2024
Series:	Posadas County Mysteries , #24
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	306
Sales rank:	16
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Steven F. Havill lives with his wife of fifty-three years, Kathleen, in New Mexico. He is the author of thirty-two novels, taught secondary schools for 25 years, and recently earned an AAS degree in gunsmithing.

Editorial Reviews

01/27/2020

Havill’s rambling 24th mystery set in New Mexico’s Posadas County (after 2018’s Lies Come Easy) provides an update on Miles Waddel’s NightZone, his “astronomical mesa-top development,” complete with a planetarium, futuristic hotel, and five-star restaurant. The project, dedicated to ensuring a light pollution free zone, is now drawing birdwatchers and ecotourists from around the world. It has also attracted the attention of real estate entrepreneur Kyle Thompson, who has bought a large tract of adjoining land. The purchase has Waddel and most of the residents of the county worried, as the addition of new electric lights would destroy NightZone’s raison d’être. When Thompson’s body is found in a pool of blood at the bottom of a cliff, Undersheriff Estelle Reyes-Guzman suspects he was murdered. The investigation goes down a bunch of false trails until a sudden, violent resolution. As usual, the main pleasure lies in time spent visiting old friends, like former sheriff Bill Gastner and Estelle’s large circle of family and friends. This isn’t the place to start for newcomers. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

"The Posadas County that Havill has created is so tangible, you feel that if you walked down its streets, you would be greeted by old friends." — Bookreporter

"Less Than A Moment reveals Posadas’ sense of small-town life through the conversations of multiple characters and by rolling them into the narrative, whether they’re related or unrelated to the crimes." — Albuquerque Journal

From the Publisher

2020-01-27
A poor New Mexico border county’s residents are proud of an unusual tourist attraction and concerned about a possible new development that could threaten it, the jobs it provides, and ultimately the county’s peace.

Posadas County (Lies Come Easy, 2018, etc.) is home to NightZone, a combination of astronomical observatory, high-end hotel, restaurant, and walking trails that draws tourists from all over the world, most arriving on a purpose-built narrow-gauge train from the county seat. Taciturn sheriff Bobby Torrez sends his more socially adept undersheriff, Estelle Reyes-Guzman, to the county commissioners meeting, where developer Kyle Thompson, who just bought a large tract of land next to the observatory, is expected to make a presentation. Instead of coming, Kyle sends word that he wants to meet with Miles Waddell, who used part of the hefty fortune he inherited to finance NightZone and worries that a large development will ruin the near-total darkness the observatory needs. Eventually Kyle sends along his gun-toting wife, Lydia, who accepts Miles’ offer of a room at NightZone, has a pleasant chat with Miles and Estelle, reveals nothing of Kyle’s plans, but later tells Estelle that he doesn’t want to ruin NightZone. The sheriffs have other fish to fry when a gunman shoots up the local newspaper office and wounds two workers. The weapon is a .22 aimed with precision from a stolen vehicle. Torrez suspects his wild nephew, Quentin, may be involved. That case pales when Kyle Thompson either falls or is pushed off a mesa to his death. The way his body lands indicates murder, and his wife isn’t willing to leave the case to the police. Both Thompsons were New York State Police officers, so Lydia has investigative skills, but her pain may lead her into danger. The experienced sheriffs must unravel both cases in Havill’s 24th Posadas mystery.

A character-driven procedural that subordinates its mystery to a strong sense of place and family ties.

Kirkus Reviews