Writing a god short story is not as easy as many of us think. You must develop characters, setting and a good plot in a short time. Bill Larkin has managed to achieve this goal with his short story, The Highlands. Mata, a young detective in training, is sent to help Washington, a seasoned detective, investigate a murder. The story is simple. A man, befriended by a young woman, who looks to him for help in screening out misfits and dangerous contenders in her dating regime, is found dead. Who killed him and why becomes the story focus, as characters and events unfold across the city. The story is not as simple as it seems. Beneath the surface lurks the story of a serial killer, and it is up to Mata and Washington to figure out who e/she is and if he/she is the murderer. The story is short but definitely well developed and interesting. I am glad I found it to read. I will look forward to more by this author. In fact, I could easily envision a series on these two detectives. If you enjoy reading something, not too lengthy but quite well written and interesting, that can be read in a relatively short time, such as a lunch hour or while waiting for an appointment, this is an excellent choice. I received this from Library Thing to read and review. ( )

Bill Larkin has a way with words. His writing is tight with plot development and characters flowing smoothly. Mata, a detective in training, is sent to help Detective Washington solve a murder. As the investigation unfolds more characters emerge and a serial murderer is eventually brought to justice. I can see this as a prequel to a series of books with Mata and Washington as central characters. Note: Having grown up in southern California I felt right at home and “saw” the places as they were described…that was definitely a treat! ( )

LAPD detective Mata helped an investigation in the Highlands, a very pricy neighborhood. He ended up catching the murderer but also finding more evidence against him.
Would Mata, the rookie, advance to a better position.
This was a good read -a little slow at first but then the pace picked up and kept right on going. ( )