Lone Star Book Blog Tour: Iberian Ties by Quintin Vargas (Review)

IBERIAN TIES

by
Quintin Vargas


Genre: Crime Fiction / Mystery / Suspense
International Thriller 

Publisher: Vanguard Publishers
Date of Publication: May 13, 2019
Number of Pages: 405
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Without a motive, how do you catch a killer? A gripping thriller in the vein of Harlan Coben, Paula Hawkins, and Lee Child.

A rising star psychiatrist, American Nate Shelley is in Spain’s Canary Islands, making his world debut at a convention. But after delivering his keynote address, he and his fiancée Miro are arrested for murder.

Nate knows he’s not guilty, but is his future wife involved in some way in the crime? Miro’s directly implicated when the murder victim is identified as her stalker.

Is Nate’s career ruined? Is he facing life imprisonment? Does the American couple stand a chance of convincing the Spanish authorities—and Interpol—that they’re innocent? Not in a post-Brexit, anti-Trump European environment.

Racing to clear their names, Nate and Miro will soon be embroiled in sham investigations, powerful cartels, and family secrets finally coming to light.

Full of intrigue, this gritty international crime novel is a thrilling ride.

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PRAISE FOR IBERIAN TIES:
“Brilliant thriller! I totally loved and enjoyed this book!! Interesting twists and turns, well-developed characters and suspense all along the way. Definitely kept me on the edge of my seat. Can’t wait for the next book!” –Gaby M., Goodreads Review
“This was an education about cultures and history as well as an unpredictable mystery.” –Robert R., Amazon Review


“It’s one thing to fight for what someone stole from you, quite another to eliminate bystanders.”

Iberian Ties by Quintin Vargas starts right off with a dead body. Or does it? For Dr. Nate Shelley and his fiancée, Miró Epstein, the questions surrounding an alleged murder in their hotel room in the Canary Islands just keep piling up. Are Nate and Miró suspects? Are they victims of a hoax? Are they in danger? Who is Penny Rhoads, and why would anyone want to kill her? This plot-driven crime thriller leads the reader on a chase for answers to a baffling crime that seems to have too many suspects and too many seemingly unrelated pieces to the puzzle. Determining who is on the right side of the law also proves to be quite tricky. Trust no one appears to be the rule in Iberian Ties.

Nate and Miró quickly find themselves in an international quagmire involving Interpol, a well-guarded suspect/victim who is too afraid to speak, and immense danger at every turn. Miró’s parents and her young daughter fly from Chicago to the Canary Islands to offer Miró and Nate their help and support, but are they now in danger as well? Questions abound, but the answers finally start falling into place one by one as the true colors of certain characters start showing and as evidence comes to light. While the unraveling of the mystery sometimes inches along, the overall pace is moderate, with the action quickly gaining speed in the ending chapters as Nate and Miró get too close to the truth and begin to see a possible motive for all the mayhem and murder.

Iberian Ties is heavy on the dialogue, the characters are engaging, and the overall motive for the murder and subsequent crimes is interesting as each detail is revealed. As with many crimes, greed plays a big role, with the ultimate perpetrator stopping at nothing to get what they want. As a side note, many chapters begin with bulletin-like headlines that position the timing in context with the most recent US presidential election and subsequent Trump administration. While the reason for this seems unclear at first, a passage toward the end might just offer an explanation for what at first appears to have no correlation at all to the plot and may or may not be off putting for some readers in today’s political climate. Keep an eye out for that scene toward the end to see if you come to the same conclusion. Intrigued? Pick up your copy of Iberian Ties today and enjoy for yourself this debut fiction by Quintin Vargas.

If you enjoy international crime fiction that keeps you wondering who did it and why all the way to the end, then Iberian Ties is for you. And that ending will make you gasp and wonder if the nightmare really is over for Nate and Miró.


Iberian Ties is the first work of fiction published by Quintin Vargas. In addition to being an author, he combined a career as professor and dean in various American universities with becoming owner of a firm that prepared new immigrants to enter the marketplace and international workforce. His work impacted leadership development for various domestic and international private industries, non-profit organizations, and higher education.
 
As an academic, he served as dean and provost at various universities, including DePaul University in Chicago, the University of Texas, San Antonio, and St. Edward’s University. His academic writings have been highlighted in various publications, including the Journal of Research and Development in Education, the National Commission on Testing and Public Policy, and the Journal of Thought
 
He and his wife, Marty, have five children and thirteen grandchildren. They reside in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

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Three Winners: Choice of Signed Print or eBook Copy
July 23-August 2, 2019

CHECK OUT THE OTHER GREAT BLOGS ON THE TOUR:

7/23/19
Notable Quotable
7/23/19
BONUS Post
7/24/19
Excerpt
7/25/19
Review
7/26/19
Guest Post
7/27/19
Author Interview
7/28/19
Review
7/29/19
Top 15 List
7/30/19
Scrapbook Page
7/31/19
Review
8/1/19
Review

 

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