No Witness: A Cal Claxton Mystery

by Warren C Easley

Overview

When the American Dream becomes a nightmare…

Running a one-man law practice in the heart of Oregon's wine country, Cal Claxton hires a young, undocumented man as an assistant, hoping to give him an opportunity to create more stability for himself and his family. Timoteo Fuentes is a bright, hardworking student by day and Cal's legal clerk by night, juggling both roles with determination and grit. When one of Timoteo's family members is brutally murdered, the migrant community is reluctant to cooperate with the police investigation for fear of deportation.

Devastated by the loss and nervous about engaging with the legal system, the family turns to Cal for help. With Timoteo protected as a "Dreamer" from deportation, the two begin a dangerous investigation of ruthless people who leverage the fear of a vulnerable population for profit and an assassin who is as cunning as he is deadly. Can Cal and Timoteo untangle the web of deceit or will they become victims themselves?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781464214431
Publisher:	Sourcebooks
Publication date:	08/17/2021
Series:	Cal Claxton Mysteries , #8
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	1,023,466
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.40(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Formerly a research scientist and international business executive, award-winning author Warren C. Easley lives in Oregon where he writes fiction, tutors GED students, fly fishes, and skis. Easley is the author of the Cal Claxton Oregon Mysteries. He received a Kay Snow National Award for fiction in 2012 and was named the Northwest’s Up and Coming Author in 2017, both honors bestowed by Willamette Writers. His fifth book, Blood for Wine, was shortlisted for a Nero Award.

Editorial Reviews

06/28/2021

In Easley’s satisfying eighth mystery featuring Oregon attorney Cal Claxton (after 2019’s No Way to Die), Timoteo Fuentes, a bright and energetic young man Cal has taken a liking to, wants to become a lawyer for the right reason—to change society for the better. When Timoteo’s sister, Olivia, is shot dead from ambush, the Fuentes family begs Cal to help with the investigation because they’re uneasy about dealing with the police; Timoteo and Olivia were both relatively safe as Dreamers protected by DACA, but other members of the hardworking family are undocumented and thus in danger of deportation by ICE if they call attention to themselves as witnesses to a crime. Cal must use all his ingenuity to get information from the Latino community, as he learns that a stone-cold cartel hit man is prowling the neighborhood. Meanwhile, the ominous attention of a white supremacist ICE officer and a predatory financier further complicates the case. Easley celebrates a loving family’s resilience and the power of good people working together. He should win new fans with this one. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly

"Complex plot, loving descriptions of the Oregon landscape—and food—and a grounding in grim economics...good reading for those enjoy Martin Walker’s Bruno, Chief of Police, novels, which also soak readers in a warm bath of atmosphere." — Booklist

"Social justice takes center stage when an Oregon lawyer takes a case at the intersection of immigration and investigation." — Kirkus Reviews

"In [this] satisfying eighth mystery...Easley celebrates a loving famiy's resilience and the power of good people working together. He should win new fans with one." — Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher

2021-05-19
Social justice takes center stage when an Oregon lawyer takes a case at the intersection of immigration and investigation.

Cal Claxton’s law office in Dundee, about 25 miles outside of bustling Portland, is a bread-and-butter practice, working a wide gamut of cases ranging from criminal court to disputes between divorcing pet parents. But Cal’s a longtime social justice advocate and pro bono lawyer for those who need him, too, and he definitely has enough work to share when an eager young man shows up at his door looking for a job. Timoteo Fuentes has hustle and business cards and declares that he can’t wait to work for Cal. Under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, Timoteo is grateful to have opportunities his parents never had as they lived their lives under the radar, and he shares some of his story with Cal. Before Timoteo’s work can begin in earnest, however, tragedy strikes: His sister, Olivia, is gunned down while trying to pick him up at work. Now Timoteo needs more than Cal’s support as an employer; he needs his investigative skills to figure out who had a motive for killing Olivia. In fact, he could use the help of Cal’s latest lady friend, Zoe, a counselor who might be able to support his mother in her grief. Surprised by his own interest in Zoe beyond the case, Cal wonders if he’s finally ready to get serious about a woman or if he’ll continue to let the ghost of his wife figuratively haunt his love life.

Not enough mystery in this installment of an otherwise solid series.

Kirkus Reviews