Reviewed by Annika
TITLE: The Burning Plain
SERIES: The Henry Rios Mysteries #7
AUTHOR: Michael Nava
NARRATOR: Thom Rivera
PUBLISHER: Audible Studios
LENGTH: 12 hours, 42 minutes
RELEASE DATE: April 14, 2020
BLURB:
Attorney Henry Rios fights for his freedom and his life when a homophobic serial killer targets gay men in Los Angeles
Defense attorney Henry Rios knows how the system can be weighted against you . . . especially if you’re gay. His worst nightmare becomes a reality when a man he had been on a date with the night before is slain. Relentlessly pursued by a homophobic Los Angeles Police Department cop, Rios goes from prime suspect to target when more gay men are savagely murdered. The victims all suffer the same fate: They’re beaten to death, with a hate message carved into their bodies, and they’re dumped in an alley.
Rios must break through a conspiracy of silence that reaches to the highest levels of Los Angeles politics and Hollywood power. And the closer he gets to the truth, the closer he gets to becoming an enraged killer’s next victim.
REVIEW:
After taking on a case as a favour to a friend Henry’s life spin out of control – more than usual I’d say. What follows is a bit of stalking (on Henry’s part), a few murders, some false accusations, police corruption and high powered men wanting to control the narrative and their empire. Sadly there are also innocent bystanders getting caught in the crossfire – because when doesn’t the innocent get caught in the middle? Through it all is Henry trying to find the truth and stand up to the injustices.
I have a habit if of not reading or only skimming blurbs before starting in a book. I don’t want to know too much about what’s going to happen before even picking it up. With these books, that ensures that I’m in for a surprise or two. These books have a habit of evoking physical reactions from me, rarely pleasant ones but very strong ones. It’s a testament to both Michael Nava and Thom Rivera’s talents. For me it’s a rare book that truly makes me feel. Sure I can giggle or get teary eyed, but once that particular scene is over, so is the feeling. Not here… not with this book, not with this series. Those feelings last for hours if not days. This time I had the misfortune of eating a rather delicious breakfast in a hotel restaurant when a particular event in this book made me wish for being anywhere else. The nausea that came then is still present now, many hours later as I’m writing this review, trying to think of everything else that happened in this book except that one thing. But it’s hard.
I do believe I’ve mentioned this many times before, these books are not for the faint hearted or for anyone looking for a happily ever after, because after listening to this books you question if happily ever after even do exist. If surviving and doing the best you can at any given moment is all you can hope to do. That being happy is a privilege only afforded a select few. Then again, if we’d seen Henry whole and happy with everything figured out, this series wouldn’t have been what it is – or have the impact it does.
Thom Rivera outdid himself with this performance. He has many different voices that really reflects the characters. I’ve mentioned his impersonation of Henry and how perfectly that fits for me, so I’ll leave you with that. However I also loved how he portrayed Rod, this scared teenager. Rivera made you feel his fear of being sent away, his desperation for freedom. He also makes a great queen (which I’m sorry to say I’ve lost the name of right now). I could really see him before me in all the dramatic and over the top glory and effeminate gestures. Like always he made experiencing this book a true journey, painful and harsh, but well worth it – nausea and all.
I’m sad that there’s only one book left in this series because these have been wonderful, and something you should experience too if you haven’t already.
RATING: 
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