When Alvarez begins to investigate, he learns there is no shortage of suspects: the middle-aged man whose younger, beautiful wife was having an affair with Zavala, the gambler who is in debt to Zavala, and a man whose wrongful imprisonment was caused by Zavala and the man's lover who feels Zavala ruined her life in more ways than one. When South American drug dealing becomes another factor in the investigation, Alvarez finds his life in jeopardy and becomes more determined than ever to solve the murder.

Even though The Ambiguity of Murder is one in a long line of Inspector Alvarez mysteries, readers will find he has the same laid back appeal as he did in early novels. He has not allowed his job to jade his outlook on things, and he is just as determined not to settle for any answer, but to seek out the truth.

The island setting is a very unusual one and adds to the easy feel of the atmosphere. While none of the characters (aside from the main ones) are very developed, the types they are, wealthy British expatriates and locals who resent them, add to the overall flavor of the book.

The mystery is well-laid out and carefully plotted, leading readers to draw the appropriate conclusions a little bit sooner than Alvarez, but not so far ahead as to spoil the rest of the book. This is a solid entry in a dependable series for fans of English police procedurals with the twist of an unusual location.

--Jennifer Monahan Winberry