Book Review: The Socorro Blast by Pari Noskin Taiche (Sasha Solomon #3)

Stars: 4 out of 5
Pros: Fun main character
Cons: Ending a bit rushed
The Bottom Line:
Third visit still fun
As Sasha solves one last case
That's more fun for us




You'll Have a Blast Reading This Book

Sasha Solomon runs her own public relations company. And somehow, she's stumbled into using her skills to help the small towns in New Mexico gain more tourists and tourist revenue. But trouble seems to follow her no matter where she goes. But for The Socorro Blast, the third book in the series, the trouble starts before she arrives.

Sasha's newest client is the town of Socorro, New Mexico. She's looking forward to spending a few days there getting a feel for the area and meeting the locals as she prepares her proposal. Even better, her favorite niece, Gabi, is in the area, and Sasha is planning to spend some time visiting her.

Unfortunately, her trip gets an earlier start then she had planned. She's awakened in the middle of the night by a call telling her that Gabi was injured when a pipe bomb went off in her mailbox. Naturally, Sasha rushes to be by her side.

Sasha is relieved to discover the police are already on the case. However, Gabi starts lying to them about what happened to her. What is she covering? Given Gabi's mixed Jewish and Iranian heritage, Sasha begins to worry that the police will view her more as a suspect then the victim, so she sets out to find the bomber herself. Adding to the mix, Sasha's sister and older niece arrive and make a tense situation even worse. And, of course, Sasha still needs to finish her proposal. Can she defuse the situation and meet her deadlines?

Over the course of the previous two books, I've really come to know and love Sasha. She's a very interesting character with strengths and weaknesses. She may be a little more flawed then many series leads, but I love her for that reason. It makes her more human. Yet she is very strong with determination to spare. Watching her try to protect Gabi was heartwarming.

The other characters are just as vivid. While Sasha's sister and older niece could be annoying, we were allowed to see glimpses their human side as well. Several of the citizens of Socorro played parts in the story, and they were great. And I just loved what little we got to see of Sasha's boyfriend Peter.

There was really a dual layer to the plot. The family drama was as big a part of the story as the mystery of the bomb. I found both interesting, although I did feel the family drama took over a little too much near the end. The mystery had several good twists and a surprising climax. The ending felt a little rushed, although that might just be me.

The book does include some supernatural elements, especially with Sasha's psychic friend. It's not a major part of the story. I tend to avoid books that feature that element, but it doesn't bother me here.

Something I have loved since book one is the writing. Author Pari Noskin Taichert has a wonderful gift for words. Every so often, there is a phrase or sentence that stops me cold with its almost poetic beauty.

While the book reads just fine as a mystery, there are some deeper themes to the adventure. I was afraid the book would be preachy, but it never sunk to that level. Instead, it presents some ideas and leaves you to think about them.

The Socorro Blast is an entertaining mystery, a moving family drama, and a conversation starter. Not bad for one book.