Tucson-based gumshoe and former INS agent ROSCOE BRINKER is a star in the making, an appealling detective who shows surprising depths at times, even as he resolves his cases along the Mexico/Arizona border in typical true tough-guy fashion. That emotional and psychological complexity, plus strong secondary characters and the finely rendered settings go a long way to making what should come off as pretty standard private eye routine surprisingly fresh and original.

The author, a former attorney, journalism professor and former news anchor, seems to have come up with a winner here.

UNDER OATH